Common Good Latest Available Job Opportunity

Common Good is a Christian faith-based, not-for-profit organisation founded by Common Ground Church in 2005, working in a range of communities. We’re passionate about addressing issues of social justice that challenge our city.

We seek to make a positive and lasting impact in the areas of early life, education and employment, so that individuals and communities across Cape Town can build brighter futures for themselves.

 

 

Job Title: Programme Director / Education
Location: South Africa

As a pioneering leader with at least five years’ experience in leading teams and projects, you will need to work closely with numerous stakeholders, with an emphasis on delivering high quality results in both primary and high school. You will ensure that each member of the Education team is optimally positioned to lead and implement in their identified areas of responsibility. You will ensure that all School Leadership Teams receive the appropriate balance of challenge, support and professional development that facilitates school improvement and crucially, achieves outstanding outcomes for learners. You will provide team leaders with the high-level direction and expertise required to enable him/her to provide purposeful leadership on a daily basis and to ensure the delivery of an outstanding education for all learners through consistent and sustained improvement.

You will lead the strategic design and implementation of Common Good’s educational vision and model with overall responsibility for the leadership and management of the Common Good Education team.
The Programme Director will actively engage in the ongoing development of the Collaboration Schools project in partnership with the Pilot Support office, funder group, Western Cape Education Department and other school operating partners. You will promote the Common Good educational model in the Collaboration Schools project. The Programme Director will be accountable for the transition of schools into the Common Good Collaboration Schools network, embedding the Common Good vision and standards, ensuring proper induction for principals and their teams, and driving the design of school improvement plans.
You will be a member of the Common Good Leadership Team and work closely with Common Good’s senior leaders to develop and implement the overall Common Good strategy that serves the entire community we target.

ROLE SPECIFICATION:

STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT OF COMMON GOOD EDUCATION PROGRAMME AND TEAM

• Overall responsibility for the vision and strategy of Common Good’s educational programme and collaboration schools’ model;
• Set the programme aims and learning outcomes to ensure that the programme communicates a strong programme identity and is aligned with Common Good’s attributes and objectives;
• Develop high quality strategic and operational plans, ensuring their alignment with short-term and long-term objectives;
• Overall responsibility for the management and implementation of the Common Good model in schools through the Education team;
• Lead and motivate education team managers to advance employee engagement and to develop a high performing education team;
• Support direct reports in goal and target setting, planning and implementation of KPAs;
• Overall responsibility for the monitoring and evaluation of Education Programme and school improvement;
• Overall responsibility for the communication of the Common Good education philosophy and collaboration schools’ model to both internal and external stakeholders;
• Overall responsibility for the recruitment, induction, training, management and performance of the Common Good Education team;
• Overall responsibility for the development, management and monitoring of the program budget and finances;
• Overall responsibility for the health of the Collaboration Schools partnership between Common Good, the donor group, WCED and schools;
• Overall responsibility for education programmes and projects outside of Collaboration Schools;
• Responsible for advising the Common Good Board and CEO on relevant education programme progress and challenges.

DEVELOPMENT AND DESIGN OF THE COMMON GOOD COLLABORATION SCHOOLS MODEL

• Oversee the continuous defining and refining of the Common Good Collaboration Schools model;
• Promotion of the Common Good educational model to potential recruits, schools, donors, and WCED stakeholders;
• Contributing to the strengthening of the collaboration schools roll out through active participation in the Collaboration Schools’ Leadership Forum and WCED Joint Steering Committee;
• Data analysis to monitor progress, inform decisions and generate reports for stakeholders;
• Ensuring that Common Good collaboration schools are compliant with WCED legislation and procedures;Gleaning insights and good practice within schools and replicating these across the Common Good network of schools;
• Serving as a member of school governing bodies and sub-committees in Common Good schools;
• Willingness to extend own level of knowledge to encompass current trends and thinking on key educational matters, achievement and improvement in schools, and best education practices;
• Lead, participate and monitor School Improvement Plan (SIP) design and implementation aligned with the Common Good educational model for all schools.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE COMMON GOOD EDUCATION TEAM MEMBERS:

• Contribute to strategic direction, design and implementation of the Instructional Development Programme in the SOP;
• Contribute to development of teaching and learning strategies to ensure alignment of all Education team members to Common Good’s goals of academic excellence;
• Contribute to the strategic direction of professional development for SOP coaches based on best practices in effective instruction.

COMMUNICATION AND ENGAGEMENT WITH MULTIPLE STAKEHOLDERS IN THE COLLABORATION SCHOOLS PROGRAMME:

• Participation in refining and defining the Collaboration Schools model through active participation in the Collaboration Schools’ Leadership Forum and WCED Joint Steering Committee;
• Lead the communications and engagement with the Collaboration Schools’ Pilot Support Office (PSO) and the Funder Group;
• Lead the communications and engagement with the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) as key partners in Collaboration Schools model and schools;
• Lead the engagement with key partner Ark in the Collaboration;
• Identify and engage with potential new partners and stakeholders in driving the delivery of school improvement.

Minimum Requirements

• A relevant, recognized tertiary qualification from an accredited University (NQF 7)
• Post graduate qualification advantageous

Essential experience:

• 5 years’ experience in the leadership and management of teams and complex projects
• Developing and implementing strategies to drive results and improve performance outcomes;
• Management of multiple stakeholders;
• Management of multiple, multi-faceted projects, under high pressure;
• Creating and communicating organisational or programme vision, mission, strategy and plan;
• Developing positive staff culture;
• Data interpretation leading to insights;
• Monitoring the implementation and impact to drive decision makingWillingness to contribute to the values and ethos of Common Good is essential.

ESSENTIAL Skills and Knowledge

• Knowledge of key education matters, education policy, public schools and how they operate within the WCED would be advantageous
• Proven experience in strategic planning and execution
• Aptitude in presentation and public speaking
• Ability to support plans to advance implementation and achievement of outcomes
• Ability to recognise and define team competencies, roles and responsibilities, and to manage these successfully
• Proven skills in the writing of reports and high level organisational documents
• Proven skills in communication and maintenance of professional relationships with key stakeholders
• Proven skills in proposal writing and fundraising
• Proven ability to manage a number of high intensity tasks and activities concurrently
• Advanced computer skills especially on Microsoft Office, Excel and PowerPoint.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

Your application should comprise:

• A cover letter, no longer than three pages, outlining your motivation and relevant experience for the role. The cover letter should also include the names of three referees.
• Please note that these referees will not be contacted until late in the process and with your prior agreement. Your application and the names of referees will be held in strictest confidence.
• A full CV, including educational and professional qualifications, a full employment history showing the more significant positions, responsibilities held and relevant achievements.

To apply

The full job description / job profile can be found on our website https://www.commongood.org.za/careers/

Application Deadline: Friday, 8 November, 2019