Job Openings at Bridge International Academies, 4th October, 2019

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Bridge International Academies is the world’s largest and fastest-growing chain of primary and pre-primary schools with more than 400 academies and 120,000 pupils in Kenya and Uganda. We democratize the right to succeed by giving families living in poverty access to the high-quality education that will allow their children to live a very different life. We are recruiting to fill the position below:

  Job Title: Associate, Quality Assurance Location: Yaba, Lagos About Quality Assurance Department

• Quality Assurance (QA) is the monitoring and evaluation of our academy operations (facilities, materials & supplies, personnel and processes) against set Bridge standards and policies to ensure total compliance. QA ensures all our schools are compliant with procedural requirements through frequent school observation visits and audits of academy operations.
• This team collects and analyzes data to provide valuable insights into critical operational issues that need to be addressed to ensure a consistent service level standard is achieved across each school. As an organization that operates at scale, ensuring set Bridge standards are maintained across every single school is integral to success of our model

About the Role

• The Associate, Quality Assurance are the eyes and ears of the organization.
• They are part of an existing highly-trained quality monitoring team focusing on systematic academy-level monitoring.
• The Associate, Quality Assurance is driven, competitive, and always strives to win.
• The role requires someone who has a strict code of integrity.
• We are looking for an energetic and motivated individual willing to contribute his or her skills to the team to make the Quality Assurance team even more successful.

What You Will Do

• Create extensive audits – primarily in Survey-to-Go software, to be used by Quality Assurance team
• Conduct first level analyses of audits conducted by Quality Assurance team to identify key issues/trends to be resolved based on data gathered
• Create regular written summary and detailed reports of Quality Assurance audits, issues, resolutions and recommendations
• Create periodic presentations on Quality assurance activities to State Program director and other stakeholders as required
• Follow up with applicable Bridge managers in the affected functions to ensure resolution of identified issues in a timely manner
• Manage a field team of over 20 Quality Assurance Associates
• Oversee the Quality Assurance Associates to ensure all duties as assigned are carried out.
• Manage the Quality Assurance Associates route maps and budgets.
• Validate the work of Quality Assurance team on a regular basis. This requires constant field travel.
• Ensure all the issues reported to HQ by the Quality Assurance Associates are accurate.

Job Requirements What You Should Have:

• Highly organized, detail-oriented and able to manage multiple tasks within tight deadlines
• Hard working with a positive can-do attitude; is able and willing to take on any challenge
• Able to "stand his/her ground" and not be convinced by any School heads , teachers or anyone to change the audit information
• Mature and independent - supervision will largely be done from HQ while you operate in the field
• Adept at using the smartphone and email programs.
• Aptitude for learning new IT systems/applications
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Prior experience conducting audits or experience in a quality assurance role is a plus
• Willingness to travel every day in all weather
• National Diploma or University graduate.

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 creative problem-solver – Growing any business from scratch comes with massive and constant challenges. On top of that, Bridge 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 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.

How to Apply Interested and qualified candidates should: Click here to apply online   Job Title: Associate, IT Operations Location: Yaba, Lagos About the Role

• The Associate, IT Operations will ensure the provision of superior customer service throughout the business, through the maintenance, enhancement and efficient operation of IT functions.
• Additionally, the role will include responsibility for ensuring the security and integrity of IT operations and systems.
• The flexibility to work outside normal business hours is integral to this role, as is the ability to work under broad direction and minimal supervision

What You Will Do

• Provide first point of IT Support contact for all Bridge staff, covering all PC hardware, software, smartphones and tablets, as well as any associated peripherals.
• Deploy computers and associated peripherals including new installations and redeployment of existing equipment.
• Install and configure operating systems and software to agreed standards under the direction of the IT Manager and other immediate supervisors.
• Maintain existing equipment to standards determined by the IT Manager, by performing upgrades, new installations and carrying out routine procedures.
• Assist in the compilation and maintenance of an accurate inventory of hardware and software, and ensuring that records are kept up-to-date within the service desk system.
• Troubleshoot technical issues to resolution and/or escalate to colleagues, suppliers or partner organizations as required.
• Log all incidents and service requests in Bridge’s designated service desk system, where necessary login on behalf of Bridge staff
• Manage service desk tickets, planning and prioritizing systematically to minimize backlog and ensure operational efficiency.
• Ensure system and data security is maintained at a high standard, ensuring the integrity of the Bridge network is not compromised.
• Expedite the repair of hardware faults and software configuration problems, notifying or forwarding to the relevant suppliers in a timely manner.
• Work with colleagues to monitor performance of Bridge systems, ensuring that issues are appropriately escalated and resolved.
• Provide technical assistance to project teams and undertake technical project roles when required.
• Demonstrate commitment to and promotion of a culture of service excellence and continual improvement within the IT Department.
• Maintain and develop excellent working relationships with key suppliers, conducting dealings in a professional and appropriate manner.
• Provide at all times a professional, courteous and rapid response to individual users.

Job Requirements What You Should Have:

• Excellent technical knowledge of PC/Mac hardware
• Working technical knowledge of current protocols, operating systems and standards
• Software and hardware troubleshooting
• Windows desktop (7/8) experience
• Microsoft Office 2010/2013 support
• Active Directory administration
• TCP/IP
• Experience working and training on a variety of IT subjects and applications
• Excellent Writing and oral communication skills
• Good research skills, including ability to identify and propose solutions to issues/crisis
• Knowledge of Android technologies, Smart Phones, LAN and Wi-Fi configurations
• A Degree from a recognized university with top marks in Computer Science or a related discipline
• 1-3 years relevant IT/industry work experience
• Experience working within a fast-paced environment
• Relevant Microsoft certification

Desirable:

• Experience with admin of Microsoft systems such as Exchange, Navision, IIS, or SharePoint.
• Routers, switches and firewall experience

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 startup or social enterprise.
• A creative problem-solver - Growing any enterprise from scratch comes with massive and constant challenges. On top of that, Bridge works in often challenging, low-resource communities and runs on fees averaging just $6 a month per pupil. You need to be flexible and ready to get everything done effectively, quickly, and affordably with the materials at hand. Every dollar you spend is a dollar our customers, who live on less than $2 a day, will have to pay for.
• A customer advocate - Our customers - these families living on less than $2 a day per person – never leave your mind. You know them, get them, have shared a meal with them (or would be happy to in the future). Every decision you make considers their customer benefit, experience, and value.
•  A life-long 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.

How to Apply Interested and qualified candidates should: Click here to apply online   Job Title: Regional Manager, School Management Location: Yaba, Lagos About the Role Bridge ensures efficient management of its schools through a schools organizational structure that divides schools into regions and territories and assigns management oversight of each region to one Schools Supervisor. A Schools Supervisor is responsible for the management of a group of schools and Schools Supervisors report to a Regional Manager who in turn is responsible for the success of that school region or territory. The schools are situated in various communities across the state in Nigeria to which you are assigned. What You Will Do

• Work closely with a large group of Schools Supervisors in your territory to ensure that they are operating at the highest levels.
• Work closely with the Training Manager to ensure feedback from the field is translated to effective training content, systems and processes which further empower Teachers and Headmasters to lead successful schools.
• Empower Schools Supervisors to focus intensely on instructional leadership, including each teacher completing the scheduled lessons each day; on positive classroom and school management without corporal punishment; and school strength through retention, which is a sign of parents’ belief in the positive contribution of the school.
• Provide management oversight to Schools Supervisors in your region or territory and ensure operating performance and instructional learning targets are met.
• Provide coaching and mentoring to Schools Supervisors in your region to help develop their management skills and support achievement of their academy goals.
• Regional Managers completely own (and therefore, are accountable for) the performance metrics of all of the schools in their territory, as measured by operational and instructional benchmarks.
• This role requires a constant presence at the schools and close interaction with each School Head or School Administrator to ensure that there is continuous bi-directional communication and coaching.
• In addition to interactions with schools, the Regional Manager is expected to build close relationships with the local and state level government officials, the traditional and local community leaders, and Parents of the children in the school to promote the importance of education, garner support for the school and education ministry’s activities as it relates to their children and to keep a constant monitor on their feedback.
• Must be ready to travel on a daily basis to schools in your region. The schools are situated in various communities across the state in Nigeria to which you are assigned.

Job Requirements What You Should Have:

• High level of energy and enthusiasm so as to be effective in a fast paced environment with multiple demands.
• This role would suit someone who has extensive experience doing community based work, field management expertise and strong people management and program management skills.
• Degree qualified with at least 5 years of professional work experience
• Prior team leadership experience using a hands-on role model approach to management and the ability to coach and motivate others to achieve results
• Proven ability to drive results
• Passion for providing outstanding customer service
• Excellent practical problem solving skills with the ability to multi-task and prioritize effectively
• Previous experience building relationships with government and community officials
• A passion for what we do is essential and experience in low cost education environments or in the public schooling environment is an advantage.
• Must be dynamic, articulate, organized with an attention to detail
• Must have demonstrated capacity to plan, prioritize and deliver tasks on time to meet goals in a high pressure environment
• Must be passionate about following processes and procedures and be extremely data-driven
• Must be passionate about education and schooling in general
• Must be comfortable working in low income communities
• Must have respect and sensitivity towards cultural, gender, ethnicity and religious diversity
• Must have maturity and confidence in dealing with high ranking official of government institutions, international institutions and non- government institutions
• Willingness to have tough conversations when circumstances require it and to take a “no nonsense” approach to driving business results.

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 startup or social enterprise.
• A creative problem-solver – Growing any enterprise from scratch comes with massive and constant challenges. On top of that, Bridge works in often challenging, low-resource communities and runs on fees averaging just $6 a month per pupil. You need to be flexible and ready to get everything done effectively, quickly, and affordably with the materials at hand. Every dollar you spend is a dollar our customers, who live on less than $2 a day, will have to pay for.
• A customer advocate – Our customers – these families living on less than $2 a day per person – never leave your mind. You know them, get them, have shared a meal with them (or would be happy to in the future). Every decision you make considers their customer benefit, experience, and value.
•  A life-long 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.

How to Apply Interested and qualified candidates should: Click here to apply online   Job Title: Supervisor, Schools Location: Yaba, Lagos About the Role

• Each Supervisor, School is responsible for the professional development, including ongoing performance management of school staff.
• As Supervisor, Schools, you are in schools each day, providing ongoing mentorship, specific performance feedback, and on-going group and personal training.
• In this role, you also engage with all stakeholders of the schools under your care, including government officials, parents, and community groups as may be required.
• Your role is the nexus of all that we do, ensuring the implementation and results of our overall programing, integrating school management, leadership & development of school staff, instructional design and technology.
• Using big data that provides a visibility into every day teaching practices and school management, you work with school staff to improve performance – with the goal of student performance and character development in mind – and provide feedback on core programming to our design teams.
• This team is laser focused on outcomes, inherently collaborative in nature, loves fostering leadership in others, is unwaveringly committed to ensuring a quality education for our pupils, and is excited about creating incredible learning interventions that drive positive behavior and mindset change in adults. You will flourish on this team if you are: a team player, hyper-focused on results, flexible in a dynamic environment, and have fun while working hard.

What You Will Do

• Be responsible for supervising the work of all school leaders in your assigned area, including all aspects of School Management, and community and parent engagement. Ensure each school leader delivers on promise of learning and holistic development for children, has a strong and high-performing cohort of teachers, operates within its budget and sustains enrollment necessary for financial sustainability;
• Use data from multiple sources, including your own classroom observations and school management observations, quality assurance audits, and big data on school staff behavior, to lead school staff to improve their practice, with an unwavering eye to student learning and holistic development.
• Use data from multiple sources to ensure effective school management, and a safe learning environment.
• Be in schools 80% time, observing teaching, management, and engaging with stakeholders, including government officials, parents, and community groups.
• When observing or holding meetings, use rubrics or other documents to support structured observation and reporting.
• Support specific school events, including collaborating on programming for such events as school opening celebrations, parent teacher conferences and school closing celebrations, as well as community showcases and participation on co-curricular competitions.
• Ensure school staff and students are prepared to sit in government-proctored exams, as they may occur on a termly/semester basis, and with particular attention to national examinations.
• Ensure school strength and support enrollment efforts.
• Ensure local regulatory processes are followed, including environmental & social standards, as well as national regulations.
• Lead leadership & development sessions the course of the school year, and during induction training for new staff, using the materials and programming developed by the Leadership & Development team.
• Support schools through transition of staff, including of school leaders and teachers; work with local government and other local organizations as needed.
• Ensure school leader is actively building pipeline of school staff candidates, leveraging parents, local government leadership and other local organizations. Work directly with county or regional government leadership, teacher training centers or regional organizations to support sourcing candidates for school staff.
• Supervise school budget and optimization, prevent fraud and ensure financial discipline.
• Other duties as assigned

Job Requirements What You Should Have:

• Proven community leadership experience, leading teams of people to accomplish an objective
• Experience in mentorship and coaching of youth and adults, either inside or outside of a school setting
• Teaching experience a plus
• Belief in data-driven decision making
• Relentless focus on achievement for yourself and others
• Bias towards action
• Flexible and loves to work in a dynamic environment
• Collaborative leader with strong relationship building skills
• Strong interpersonal skills
• Strong communication skills
• Undergraduate degree (or its equivalent). Masters is an added advantage.

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, preferably from 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, Bridge 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 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.

How to Apply Interested and qualified candidates should: Click here to apply online Job Title: Academic Manager, Schools Group Location: Nationwide About the Role

• The Academic Manager will be ultimately responsible for educational outcomes across schools in their assigned territory, and will serve as an individual contributor, collaborator and a manager in this role.
• As an individual contributor, the Academic Manager will manage all academic events and initiatives for the territory. This will include the implementation of cyclical events (eg. provision and maintenance of a school and academic calendar, daily and weekly timetables) and any new learning innovation launched throughout the academic year.
• As a collaborator, the Academic Manager will be responsible in coordinating with Shared Services Instructional Design and Learning Innovation to ensure that all levers of achievement are robust and contextualized for the territory. Within the territory team, the Academic Manager will work with other departments to ensure that all schools have the right operational conditions for learning to take place.
• Finally, as a Manager, the Academic Manager will ensure that members of the Academic team in the territory have a clear work plan, and are productively working in tandem to generate achievement in schools.

What You Will Do

• Lead execution and interdepartmental coordination of the core academic program in territory
• Advocating for learning outcomes and serving as an in-territory academic consultant for other departments
• Providing feedback to the Instructional Design team, in order to improve learning outcomes and culturally contextualize what is taught in your territory
• Representing Bridge with key state stakeholders, including the Ministry of Education 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)
• Managing the Academics team based in your territory: Programme Manager
• The Academic Manager will report to the Schools Director and the Academic Director, Shared Services

What You Should Have

• The Academic Manager 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 realizing a vision of academic excellence.
• Ideal candidates have worked in organizations with a proven track record of generating large learning gains.

In addition, the Academic Manager must:

• Be a self-starter and problem-solver, who thinks three and four steps ahead.
• Be hard working and collaborative, with the tenacity to plow 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 organizational 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 Bridge to external audiences.
• Be humble and ready to “roll up your sleeves” to get things done

Education and Qualification

• Bachelor's Degree in Education or related field, graduate degrees preferred
• 10 years' experience working in education.
• 2 or more years of teaching experience with evidence of outsized student learning gains is an added advantage.
• Experience working in the education sector

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 creative problem-solver – Growing any business from scratch comes with massive and constant challenges. On top of that, Bridge 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 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.

Deadline: 30th October, 2019. How to Apply Interested and qualified candidates should: Click here to apply online

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