Director, Academics at KwaraLEARN (Government of Kwara State)

KwaraLEARN (Leading Education Achievement and Reform Now) is a core new education programme by the Government of Kwara State to deliver dramatic improvements in learning outcomes in public schools for all children across Kwara State. KwaraLEARN will transform all government primary schools across the state into powerful public schools using an innovative technology and data-driven platform, coupled with high-quality learning materials, effective training and ongoing coaching for teachers and school leaders, and technology-enabled support teams to create 360-degree support for learning outcomes.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Director, Academics

Location: Kwara

Programme Overview

• Working for the technical implementing partner for the programme, you will work towards preparing Kwara and its youth for a bright future with a strong educational foundation. Being part of this transformative programme will be a challenging but fulfilling experience. You will have the opportunity to impact young lives and help build the future of Kwara and Nigeria.
• The programme is one of the most exciting and ambitious education programmes not only in Nigeria, but also across Africa. A quality education has the power to transform the opportunities for Kwara’s youth and the State. In joining us, you will join a group of dynamic and passionate Nigerians taking concrete action to help ensure a better future for the children of Kwara.

The Academic Department:

• The objective of Academics is to drive student achievement. To do so, we must know – what is happening minute-by-minute for the typical child. The student’s daily experience, and thus the path to achievement, emerges from their relationship with the teachers and the content that is delivered in the classroom.
• Our team is collaboratively organised around these levers. We develop rigorous content pitched at the right level for students to be delivered by a teacher who is prepared to succeed in the classroom. Our Instructional Design department builds the content; our Leadership & Development department trains teachers and school leaders using scientifically-proven techniques; our Learning Innovation department looks at cutting-edge research to generate breakthrough learning gains. Underpinning all of this is the work of the independent Measurement and Evaluation group, which provides Academics with an empirical orientation toward improving that daily experience and, in turn, driving achievement.

About the Role

• The Director Academics for KwaraLEARN will ultimately be responsible for educational outcomes across schools.
• The Director Academics will project manage all academic events and initiatives for KwaraLEARN. This work will require coordination between NewGlobe education specialists known as Shared Services who work in instructional design, production, training, and innovation. The Academic Director serves as the link between Shared Services and the information from schools, government officials, and civil society. This work will be codified in a yearly academic plan, which the Academic Director owns.
• Within the KwaraLEARN team, the Director Academics will work with all departments (e.g. Operations, Schools, People Operations) to ensure that all schools have the right operational conditions for learning to take place. The Director Academics is the resident expert that will push for student achievement through defending KwaraLEARN approach and educating government officials, fellow staff members, and school communities.
• The KwaraLEARN programme is a dynamic one that is changing the way students learn in Kwara through proven methods and constant innovation. The Director Academics is central to unearthing what works in these classrooms. The Director Academics, in collaboration with Shared Services, will design, implement and assess various targeted projects that build on the quality of the KwaraLEARN programme.

What You Will Do

• Lead execution and interdepartmental coordination of the core academic program in Kwara through the creation of the Academic Plan
• Advocating for learning outcomes and serving as the KwaraLEARN academic expert for other departments
• Providing feedback to the Instructional Design team, in order to improve learning outcomes and culturally contextualise what is taught in Kwara
• Representing KwaraLEARN with key state stakeholders, including but not limited to SUBEB, MOE, UBEC, and other government education officials
• Conducting necessary market and regulatory research to inform instructional systems and policies (timetable, teacher specialty configurations, retention policies, exam policy, placement policy)
• Identify areas of growth within our Academic offerings and create programmes/policies that improve student learning and school operations
• Manage the Academics team based in your territory, namely the Programme Manager
• The Director Academics will report to the Managing Director.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Education or related field, Graduate Degrees preferred
• Experience working with primary schools as a teacher, school leader, or as part of a project
• Experience working as an in house or external consultant evaluating student learning or teacher development
• Experience writing reports and/or interpreting outcomes with government officials at SUBEB, MOE, UBEC, or similar organizations is a plus.

What You Should Have

• The Director Academics must be a data-driven individual with experience developing and managing cultures of high performance and high expectations.
• You must be a great academic leader who understands exceptional instruction and can motivate and support others in realising a vision of academic excellence.
• Ideal candidates have worked in organisations with a proven track record of generating large learning gains.

In addition, the Director Academics must:

• Be a self-starter and problem-solver, who thinks three and four steps ahead.
• Be hard working and collaborative, with the tenacity to plough through challenges and an appreciation for teamwork toward achieving a shared vision.
• Be a fast learner and someone who is able to flourish in fast paced, dynamic, and sometimes ambiguous environments
• Be both detailed and results-oriented, driven by the data that will allow us to know what is working and what isn’t working for kids.
• Have strong project management skills and excellent organisational skills, with keen attention to detail and ability to follow up systematically on a broad set of initiatives and decisions
• Be an effective, articulate communicator who can represent NewGlobe to external audiences.
• Be humble and ready to “roll up your sleeves” to get things done.

You’re Also:

• A detailed doer – You have a track record of getting things done. You’re organized and responsive. You take ownership of every idea you touch and execute it to a fine level of detail, setting targets, engaging others, and doing whatever it takes to get the job done. You can multi-task dozens of such projects at once and never lose sight of the details. Likely, you have some experience in a start-up or other rapid-growth company.
• A networking mastermind – You excel at meeting new people and turning them into advocates. You communicate in a clear, conscientious, and effective way in both written and oral speech. You can influence strangers in the course of a single conversation. Allies and colleagues will go to bat for your ideas. You have an existing network from prior experience in the country, preferably in the regulatory, education, or business sectors.
• A creative problem-solver – Growing any business from scratch comes with massive and constant challenges. On top of that, KwaraLEARN works in often fragile, sometimes volatile low-resource communities and with complex government systems. You need to be flexible and ready to get everything done effectively, quickly, and affordably with the materials at hand.
• A relentless advocate – The children we serve and teachers we empower never leave your mind. You know them, get them, have shared a meal with them (or would be happy to in the future). You would never shrink back from shaking a parent’s hand or picking up a crying child, no matter what the person was wearing or looked like. Every decision you make considers their benefit, experience, and value.
• A malleable learner – You believe you can always do better. You welcome constructive criticism and provide it freely to others. You know you only get better tomorrow when others point out where you’ve missed things or failed today.
• A data-driven decision-maker – When making decisions, you don’t rely on your intuition alone. You collect data, you analyze it and make decisions with clear justifications.
• A curious investigator – You ask why a lot. You don’t just take what you see and accept it. You wonder why it is that way, and are aware that the world we see is created by human choices and actions – and it could be different. You wonder, and see the world as wonderful even when you want to change a part of it that is unjust.

Application Closing Date
30th June, 2022.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online