HEAD OF EDUCATION

We are looking for someone with significant experience in education delivery, both in a classroom and a community context. They are likely to be an experienced practitioner themselves, with the creativity and pedagogical skills required to make independent improvements to educational resources and programmes in line with agreed learning aims, ultimately enabling Catalysts to have the skills, confidence and understanding to drive sustainable and transformative change in their communities.

This role comes with numerous professional development opportunities, including joining sessions with MEST Africa as part of the Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship, Theirworld, Dovetail Impact Foundation, and receiving direct coaching from the CEO, who is herself a Global Teacher Prize Finalist and UNESCO Youth for Peace Young Leader, with 14 years of education experience in the Ghanaian context, also constantly learning on this journey.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

• To oversee the day-to-day management of our Education Hub, line managing a team of five programme coordinators and an EcoSTEM specialist who work with over 400 voluntary Catalysts to lead community-based clubs across early years literacy, digital skills, STEM and environmental sustainability, gender equity and Keeping Spots Safe.
• To provide detailed feedback and visionary leadership across all aspects of our educational delivery, holding oversight of curriculum development across our learner clubs.
• Lead on the embedding of our ten pedagogical principles: inclusive, collaborative, creative, playful, digital, community connected, learning for transformative action, youth leadership, subject mastery and Keeping Spots Safe through observation, training and the launch of Edu-Animation.
• To support the development of the EduSpots App, WhatsApp for Learning, Online Courses and wider areas under EduSpots Unlocked as key tools for educational change.
• Support the development of training and wider content on our leadership programmes for Catalysts, feeding into the EduBytes Programme in the area of Catalysts.
• Ensure child protection and safeguarding, and inclusion is at the heart of all our educational planning, and overseeing the development of our Keeping Spots Safe education.
• To support the creation of handbooks, resources, animations & PowerPoints to meet impact aims as requested.
• Supporting the monitoring and evaluation of our programmes, including supporting with programme report writing.
• Leading the professional development and appraisal of our education-focused staff team members, and the wider team, in the area of education.
• To play a key part of the leadership team, offering strategic insight to the development of the organisation.
• To oversee all reporting to funders in the area of education, including quarterly reports to trustees for the Education Hub and Keeping Spots Safe education.
• To work with the CEO and Educational Partnerships Manager to develop meaningful partnerships within the education space, supporting with strategic partnerships development including with key relationships with trusts and foundations, corporates and wider donors with interests in our educational delivery.
• To carry out all other duties as reasonably required under the job role, supporting the wider work of the organisation.
• To act at all times in line with the expectations of staff as set out in the Staff & Volunteers Handbook, and other relevant policies and procedures.

Knowledge & Experience 

• Significant experience and abilities in education resource design (e.g. curricula, student activities, teacher/facilitator guides)and programme development and management.
• A strong ability to use digital tools to enhance learning outcomes.
• Highly experienced in using and developing monitoring, evaluation and learning to improve learning outcomes.
• At least 5 years’ experience in education management, including line management of a team.
• An ability to create systems to improve quality of programme delivery at an organisational and local level.
• A strong training facilitator, with the ability to model outstanding pedagogy and inspire volunteers and staff members.
• Experience in online educational delivery on Zoom, WhatsApp and similar platforms.
• Experience of working with volunteers to drive educational change.
• Experience of home-based, online working
• Strong IT knowledge and skills

Personal Qualities & Skills

• A strong educationalist, with a genuine passion for community-driven education models and their power to transform lives.
• A team player with a belief in the value of collaborative approaches to learning.
• Ability to respond to feedback effectively with a highly developed learning and flexible mindset
• Excellent team management and leadership skills, with the ability to support and inspire staff to improve performance outcomes.
• Self-motivated, proactive, and able to work to maintain a high standard of performance with minimum supervision.
• Exemplary written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to communicate their needs to their manager openly and effectively
• Ability to work under pressure, prioritise and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Flexible with the ability to react to change and be adaptable to emerging needs and priorities
• A strong personal affinity with EduSpots’ mission, vision and values with a genuine passion for educational equity and community-led development, with the ability to work closely with grassroots volunteers.

Desirable

• Wider volunteer experience and commitment
• Experience of working in a multicultural team
• Masters qualification in a related field