Bridge International Academies is a startup revolutionizing education across Africa with a truly unique business model. The company has launched a large-scale network of ultra low-cost for-profit private primary schools across Africa. With 22 schools operational, the company is already the largest chain of private primary schools on the Continent.
Our schools profitably deliver high-quality education for less than $4 per child per month. In the last twenty-four months, we have grown from 1 to 22 schools, 10 to over 200 employees, proven the model and built out the systems to pave the way for aggressive expansion. The company plans to build the world’s largest private school system and scale to serve more than 1 million families across Africa and beyond.
About this position
Bridge International Academies is urgently looking for a Director of Training Development for School Operations.
We have and are continuing to develop one of the most sophisticated operational approaches to providing affordable education to MILLIONS of children in one of the most challenging environments in the world! These systems, tools and approaches are our “School in a Box.”
Most of the systems and tools we develop are a combination of paper-based and technology-driven solutions at the school-level hooking into back-office systems and technology at the head office. This includes custom developed paper-based tracking and scheduling tools, an interactive SMS-based data reporting and updating system and our unique smartphone school management application. The “School in a Box” systems and tools cover all aspects of operating the school, spanning across all instructional, financial, operations and human resource management issues and systems.
Bridge International has developed an extremely detailed and rigorous operational approach to enable School Managers (SM’s) to run our low-income schools effectively. A successful School Manager is one who has an entrepreneurial ability with a flair for marketing and the skills to manage a team effectively, in addition to being able to implement all the systems and processes that are part of our “School in a Box”.
Success of a Bridge school depends heavily on the School Manager, who come to us with a minimum of secondary school certificates, but with almost or zero experience in education or management. As a result, training plays a very critical, if not the most important role, in producing a successful School Manager.
Because of the scale of our growth, in the coming years we will be training thousands of potential school managers across geographically dispersed training sites simultaneously. This poses a unique challenge to implementing large-scale replicable trainings that all deliver the same quality results. We are looking for a Director of Training Development for School Operations who will lead the charge in the development of the next generation of our “Training in a Box”.
This includes:
- A complete session-by-session video-based training program
- Videos to incorporate all of the interactive elements of the training from content delivery, question and answers, to timed exercises, to videos of actual real life examples with explanations, videos of tools being used etc
- Video and interactive training using our new Smartphone application and interactive SMS system for key parts of school management
- Incorporation of all of the key materials, videos and sessions from our teacher training team so that School Managers are experts in how instruction must work in the classroom
- Development of key sessions not just on operational, but also on instructional leadership topics so that School Managers can manage teachers at the school
- Design of field-based activities, such as marketing techniques and practice
- Development of an appropriate schedule for all sessions including field based activities
- Development of all practice exercises in the classroom
- Development of a frequent assessment program throughout training to determine qualified trainees
- Development of observational rubrics for facilitators to use for authentic assessments during training
- Development of a detailed facilitator manual so that no detail is left to chance
- Development of manuals and guidelines for conference assistance
- Development of systems for collection and analysis of assessment, attendance and other data before making final hiring decisions.
Position Requirements:
- Must have substantial experience (8-10yrs) in developing complete and innovative training programs, including its content, training notes and training methods to effectively train large groups.
- Must have experience simplifying highly technical content into very simple, easy-to –deliver training to a non-technical audience.
- Experience in developing video-based training a strong plus. But no need for actual video editing skills, as that can be outsourced.
- Strong computer skills.
- Experience using hands-on training methods such as large group discussion, demonstrating how to use tools, small group discussion, observation and providing feedback using a rubric.
- Ability to evaluate big picture training topics and organize them into a progressive series of training sessions
- Excellent oral and written communication skills required.
- Must have excellent paper and computer organization skills.
- Experience in analyzing data collected during training to drive improvements to the content and delivery of training
- Must be comfortable giving and receiving feedback in order to improve performance.
- Prior experience training large groups (60+ people) over several weeks is a plus.
- Supervisory/management experience is a plus.
- You are very data-driven, and know that data and research are the keys to making good decisions at scale.
- You function well in a fast-paced informal environment where constant change is the norm and the bar for quality is set high.
- A Masters degree is desirable, a Bachelors degree essential
Deadline for applications: 30th April 2011
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