Regional Centre Manager, Innovative Teaching and Learning in ICT (Africa)

Job Description

THE CENTRE

The Centre for Innovative Teaching and Learning in ICT is part of a larger initiative called Leaders in Teaching which seeks to improve the quality of teaching and learning in secondary schools by recruiting top graduates into the profession; training new, early career and experienced teachers; leading positive instructional environments; and motivating and elevating the status of teachers. The Centre will be based in the Foundation’s office in Kigali, Rwanda however its mandate and programs will be continental in scope.

The goal of the Centre is to spark innovation and promote promising practices in the use of ICT for teaching and learning and to catalyze significant improvements in secondary education across Africa.

The Centre has three key outcomes:

• Demand-driven EdTech innovations that close the gap in access and quality, relevant learning for the most disadvantaged secondary education students.
• Better evidence of what works in ICT for school and system leaders in Africa.
• An active network of ICT leaders in secondary education and beyond, advancing the integration of technology in education policies and practices across Africa.

Working at the intersection of EdTech entrepreneurs and Governments, the Regional Centre for Innovative Teaching and Learning in ICT will support entrepreneurs with growth-stage EdTech models to scale up technology innovations to improve teaching and learning in secondary education at scale. The Centre will:

• Identify key challenges in secondary education to be addressed through EdTech solutions. The Centre will engage Government leaders to identify key challenges or constraints in secondary education teaching and learning that EdTech solutions can help resolve.
• Issue a competitive call for proposals for EdTech solutions with potential to scale. The Centre will issue a series of competitive calls for EdTech entrepreneurs to address key problems/challenges identified by country governments.
• Support EdTech entrepreneurs to design, test and validate their innovations. Selected EdTech entrepreneurs will be provided a number of supports to enhance and grow their models.
• Test and validate approaches with Government, teachers and students. The Centre will develop a network of test schools across the Continent in which to test and refine EdTech innovations and to engage with Government leaders to validate innovations and provide feedback on potential for scale.
• Advance research and share best practice. The Centre will synthesize available evidence of ‘what works’ in each of the problem or challenge areas identified by policymakers and will contribute to the evidence base in these areas. The Centre will help define and scale the EdTech market in Africa in order to catalyze investment and address key barriers in the EdTech ecosystem.
• Support the scaling up of EdTech solutions. The Centre will explore the potential to scale EdTech solutions and address key constraints in the EdTech ecosystem by convening policymakers, entrepreneurs, investors and other key stakeholders and serving as a neutral broker between them.

The Foundation is seeking a dynamic and visionary leader to bring the Centre to life and to transform teaching and learning across Africa. The Regional Centre Manager will lead the development of the Centre’s strategy, the implementation of Centre programs across Africa, and will be responsible for Centre operations. They will ensure the visibility of the initiative through high level engagement across the Continent and globally. They will identify, develop and lead a team of staff to execute the Centre’s mandate.

Candidates for this position will be individuals with a clear vision on the power of technology in transforming education in Africa. They will possess a strong vision for the potential of technology to improve access, quality and relevance of secondary education across Africa. They will bring deep knowledge, expertise and networks in the education and technology space. They will be an entrepreneurial leader, comfortable developing and launching programs. They will be able to manage a range of responsibilities, from overseeing a dynamic physical space based in Kigali, to executing creative programming, to engaging with a diverse range of audiences. They will foster an ecosystem of actors to address root causes and critical needs that limit systems level integration of technology in secondary education.

The Regional Centre Manager will also play a key role in supporting the development of subsequent Centres for Innovative Teaching and Learning across Africa, focused on different themes.

The Regional Centre Manager role is a newly-created position at the Foundation and comes at an exciting time of growth as it implements its new strategy, Young Africa Works, to address the challenge of youth unemployment in Africa. The Regional Centre Manager will report to the Director, Regional Programs, based in Toronto and will collaborate closely with members of the Foundation team in Toronto and Rwanda.

Specific Responsibilities

• Translate the Centre’s vision for transforming teaching and learning across Africa into an actionable strategy and plan, execute and manage a broad range of Centre programs.
• Identify and develop EdTech enabled solutions to overcome intractable challenges and barriers to high quality teaching and learning in secondary education and beyond, particularly for disadvantaged communities.
• Cultivate, facilitate and manage relationships and networks of education leaders, government officials, innovators and entrepreneurs, private sector and other education stakeholders around a shared for vision improving the quality and relevance of teaching and learning through technology enabled solutions.
• Foster a community of teacher innovators and other education leaders focused on teaching of ICT at the secondary education level.
• Catalyze efforts to embed and scale EdTech innovations at the systems level.
• Build a culture of learning, evidence building and knowledge sharing in EdTech.
• Engage key thought leaders in the field to increase the Foundation’s knowledge base, visibility and contribution to harnessing technology in education in Africa and beyond. Communicate progress and learnings from the Centre across the Foundation and externally.
• Hire and lead a team to achieve the objectives of the Centre. This includes supporting their performance through coaching and professional development while holding people accountable and recognizing achievements.
• Work collaboratively with colleagues on the Rwanda Country Team, senior leadership in Toronto and other Foundation colleagues to execute the Centre’s work.
• Support the design and development of additional Innovative Teaching and Learning Centres.
• Other duties as required.

Qualifications Required

• Minimum of fifteen (15) years of experience in the education and/or technology sector, with five (5) years of experience leading and managing a team.
• Master’s degree in education, technology or related field.
• Substantive knowledge of key issues and emerging trends and barriers in education and technology integration and strong understanding of education policy and practice across Africa.
• Demonstrated expertise and established networks and relationships in education, EdTech, innovation and/or teaching and learning.
• Experience with initiating new operations, preferably in the education space.
• Exposure to systems thinking with an ability to understand and engage with stakeholders in an education ecosystem and design programming that addresses root causes and critical needs.
• Proven experience effectively engaging and collaborating with high-level government officials, key partners, media, business leaders and other network influencers.
• Experience with public speaking at conferences and other forums including media interaction. Formal media training would be an asset.
• Demonstrated strong organizational skills with excellent prioritization and attention to detail.
• Comfortable and highly effective when faced with ambiguity and/or complexity. Able to formulate and develop new or creative ideas and approaches.
• Professional maturity and sensitivity to working within different cultures with strong integrity and solid judgement.
• Ability to travel (10-20%).

BENEFITS AND COMPENSATION

The Foundation offers an excellent benefits package and a salary that is commensurate with experience.

LOCATION

This position is located at the Foundation’s office in Kigali, Rwanda.

TO APPLY

Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis, with the position beginning immediately.

Please email your resume along with a cover letter explaining your interest in the position to humanresources@mastercardfdn.org, indicating “Regional Centre Manager, Innovative Teaching and Learning in ICT” in the subject line of your email. All applications are appreciated; however, please note that only those candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.

Mastercard Foundation values the unique skills and experiences each individual brings to the Foundation and are committed to creating and maintaining an inclusive and accessible environment for everyone. We appreciate your interest and advise that only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted directly.

Completion of satisfactory business references, background checks (criminal and credit) and proof of education are essential conditions of employment.

If you require accommodation during the recruitment and selection process, please contact the People and Culture Department. We will work with you to provide a positive recruitment experience in a confidential manner.

About the Organization

Mastercard Foundation is a global foundation based in Toronto, Canada. The Foundation seeks a world where everyone has the opportunity to learn and prosper. Our focus is helping economically disadvantaged young people in Africa find opportunities to move themselves, their families and their communities out of poverty to a better life. The Foundation was established in 2006 through the generosity of Mastercard when it became a public company. From inception, the Foundation was designed to be a separate entity and independent from Mastercard. Our policies, operations and funding decisions are made by our President and Board of Directors.

The Foundation believes that youth employment is key to unlocking prosperity, both for youth and their societies. By enabling young women and men from disadvantaged communities to secure and sustain decent work, we will enable tangible and intrinsic improvements to their well-being. By 2030, we want to see an Africa where young people, particularly young women, have decent and fulfilling work and where everyone can acquire the education and skills they need to find meaningful work and contribute to their societies. We seek an Africa where everyone is financially included and has access to relevant, affordable, and local financial services that they need to manage their daily lives, grow their businesses, and achieve their dreams. Most importantly, we want to see an Africa with a thriving private sector and where governments address the needs of their populations through well-designed and implemented policies and programs, and where the continent is self-reliant and driving its own development.

The Foundation values innovative and fresh thinking as it strives to become a global thought leader. Its work is achieved by a strategic, nimble and highly entrepreneurial team with a proactive and results-oriented approach to its philanthropic activities. The organization's culture is shaped by people who are driven and passionate about the Foundation's mission.

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