ROLE DESCRIPTION
PUBLIC SCHOOL PARTNERSHIPS PROGRAMME
Term: Fixed term contract – 1 Jan 2020 to 31 March 2021Location: Cape Town, South Africa (with occasional domestic travel)Reports to: National Programme DirectorDirect Reports: None
Project responsibilities:
Support the Pilot Support Office with project management; conduct research, monitoring, analysis and documentation of the performance of learners, schools and the Public School Partnerships programme.
About the programme
Participants in the Public School Partnership (PSP) programme believe every child has the right to high quality education regardless of socio economic status and every parent and educator should be empowered to provide it. They are committed to working in partnership with government and civil society to provide parents with the option of sending their children to a PSP school that delivers high quality education – indicated by learner outcomes. The core partnership is between parents, a public school and a School Operating Partner.Together, their representatives constitute the School Governing Body. The PSP programme is currently active in two provinces and 18 schools partnering with four (non-profit) school operating partners, and affects over 9000 learners. The project objectives for 2021 are to demonstrate a proof-of-concept that enable a ‘phenomenon effect’ among South Africa’s public schools, for wider adoption by government, schools and the private and philanthropic sectors. The Education Research and Performance Analyst will join the Pilot Support Office of five staff, who play a pivotal role interfacing between the various participants mentioned above, and will be an employee of the DG Murray Trust.
Key responsibilities
One of the project’s key goals is to evaluate the impact of the initiative, and to document how the model effectively turns around underperforming schools, so that such learnings may be replicated at scale. The role of the Education Research and Performance Analyst is to drive this imperative, working collaboratively with the Programme stakeholders and specifically the Pilot Support Office (PSO) staff, external stakeholders, School Operating Partners and Funder representatives. Activities include:
Educational Research:
Act as the project’s knowledge-champion:
Synthesise and document the wealth of expertise held by many of the project’s stakeholders and development-programme consultants
Actively track current research in education and emerging best practices
Evaluate ad-hoc project proposals against best practice, and evaluate products or implementing partners for suitability
Test and compare project interventions and practices against recognised research
Document interventions and project learnings in a well-structured format in support of the project’s monitoring and evaluation imperatives
Document interventions and project learnings in a communicable fashion for distribution in a variety of formats, which both inform ongoing programme design, and are leveraged as a tool for advocacy among a suite of stakeholders
Project Management – Data Driven Districts
Project-manage the Data Driven Districts project for the project’s 18 schools, monitoring routine submissions, supporting operating partners to ensure completeness and accuracy of their data, and contributing to the data-driven imperative of the project’s design and implementation
Project Management and Performance Analysis – Learner Assessments
Monitor and manage the implementation of standardized, online assessments in the project’s 18 schools
Source and manage additional sources of learner-achievement data, including the
Western-Cape’s systemic assessment data, and NSC results.
Analyse and monitor learner-achievement results, and support the interface where such data is integrated into school intervention-planning, lesson plans and the development and coaching of teachers
Analyse and monitor learner-achievement results, and support the interface where such data can be used for project monitoring and evaluation
Other
Given the multi-disciplinary and changing nature of the project, a strong candidate may, provided that mastery of the above key responsibilities is in place, have the opportunity to expand their responsibility according to their talents.
Competencies
3 – 5 years practical experience in the education field as a researcher, programme manager, or in a school leadership role.
Demonstrated practical experience in primary research, secondary research, and the synthesising of ideas and data into an insightful and compelling narrative.
Strong command of Microsoft excel, and experience managing and modelling with large and multi-dimensional sets of data.
The ability to synthesise:
An entrepreneurial approach to problems in the face of complexity and sometimes incomplete data
Attention to detail, completed-ness, the ability to sense-check and critique one’s own work and to deliver work within identified timeframes
Excellent lateral management – successfully engaging others in empathetic, positive and productive working relationships, prioritising ‘the human factor’ in all educational endeavours.
Experience with crafting a communications strategy, content and collateral would be advantageous, but not essential.
Demonstrate passion for education and commitment to the belief that every single child deserves access to a high quality education.
To Apply Please send a cover note and CV to [email protected]
Promising applicants will be contacted within 2 weeks of submission.