The Tanzanian Children’s Fund is seeking an Education Director to live at the Rift Valley Children’s Village (RVCV) in Oldeani and act as the liaison and primary contact for RVCV with Gyetighi Primary and Oldeani Secondary Schools. In this role, the Education Director is the point person for all issues surrounding the management contract between both schools and RVCV.
Founded by India Howell in 2004, RVCV operates in partnership with the Tanzanian Children’s Fund, and is home to 97 marginalized children. RVCV is located in a remote impoverished village in Karatu District of Tanzania and is adjacent to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area.
The goal of this management contract is to make Gyetighi Primary School the top school in the region and/or country, and to continue the process of also moving Oldeani Secondary School towards a similar level of excellence. To do this we must raise the standards of education, ensure that all students (no matter how poor) have the opportunity for a first-rate primary and secondary education, and improve the school overall environment in order to attract the best teachers.
The Education Director will work in concert with the Tanzanian teaching staff to establish a rapport with the faculty and identify the greatest needs at both schools. Understanding that both Gyetighi and Oldeani are impoverished, rural, government schools, the Education Director will work in partnership with the Head Teacher to manage and oversee day to day operations, including—but not limited to—coordination, facilitation and creation of teacher trainings and administrative schedules in order to help address these issues and concerns.
The Education Director’s time at will be divided between the two schools, however, the majority of time will be spent overseeing Oldeani Secondary School.
The specifics of this job include but are not limited to:
Primary Responsibilities:
- Attend senior staff meetings at RVCV as schedule allows
- Act as the liaison and main contact with Gyetighi and Oldeani
- Work daily at Gyetighi Primary School and Oldeani School in partnership with the head teachers and will report to the Executive Director and Managing Director of the Rift Valley Children’s Village as needed
- Establish a rapport with all the faculty at Gyetighi and Oldeani to identify the challenges facing the schools
- Serve as a mentor to the faculty by modeling instruction and using a classroom observation system to provide constructive feedback about teacher instruction, classroom management, assessment, etc.
- Lead, supervise and support the RVCV ESL teacher, and School Managers.
- Coordinate teacher trainings to address the needs of the students and faculty. When able, include the faculties of Oldeani and Meali Primary Schools in these trainings.
- Identify areas of the curriculum that can be supplemented to the betterment of the students
- Evaluate current instruction methods and work in concert with the Head Teacher to introduce strategies that include teaching to multiple learning styles, incorporate creativity into daily lesson plans, encourage independent thought from the students, etc.
- Create a system to best utilize the limited resources, i.e., textbooks, etc., as well as identifying resources that can be purchased to improve overall quality of education.
- Along with the Head Teacher, monitor staff work performance and handle staff management issues.
- Along with the Head Teacher, evaluate applications and conduct interviews to hire new teachers.
- Along with the Head Teacher, plan and implement teacher appreciation events, end-of-semester closing ceremonies, graduation, Parent’s Day, etc.
- Conduct interviews and selection process for Student Teachers
- Support the Sponsorship and Communications Coordinator, US Managing Director and Development and Communications Director with education related social media posts, as well as reporting and grant writing.
- Act as supervisor of Student Teachers in all work related to Gyetighi.
- Oversee RVCV programs at the school including:
- Student Teacher Program
- RVCV sponsored teacher performance
- RVCV Sponsored Athletic Program
- RVCV Sponsored Girls’ Club
- Monthly Teacher bonuses
Secondary Responsibilities:
- Serve as a point of contact and resource for classes and clubs taking place at RVCV
- Oversee study hall at RVCV
- Review semester and yearlong school performance of RVCV children who attend Gyetighi and identify areas of weakness and foci for tutoring during evenings and school vacations.
- Oversee requests for purchases of teaching materials to be used at Oldeani, Gyetighi and RVCV, including the school store
- Serve as a member of Gyetighi Primary School’s school committee and Oldeani Secondary School board
Our ideal candidate is someone who:
- Is passionate about coaching and mentoring teachers in student-centered pedagogies.
- Can commit to living and working in a very rural environment for two years.
- Has experience in educational leadership or curriculum development.
- Has a Bachelor’s Degree, preferably a teaching qualification and experience teaching in a bi-lingual setting.
- Has overseas experience, or experience working in cross-cultural contexts.
- Loves collaboration and has strong team-building skills and interpersonal skills.
- Can engage with a diverse range of people, both in a formal and informal capacity.
- Enjoys autonomy, is self-motivated, and who takes a positive and creative approach to problem solving.
- Is bold, thick-skinned, and can thrive in a challenging work environment.
- Has a knowledge of Swahili or an interest in learning it.
- Has a facility with using Word, Excel, and Google tools.
Why work with Tanzanian Children’s Fund?
- Be part of a small grassroots non-profit that is having a huge impact in the lives of children and in the wider community, through holistically addressing the root causes of poverty.
- Live in one of the most beautiful, peaceful areas in East Africa with ample chances to see wildlife and forge authentic connections with students, teachers and local villagers.
- Be confident that you’ll be working for an organization that has strong accountability structures, and incredibly well regarded both in the region and on a global stage.
- Have autonomy in your role, collecting experiences, honing your professional skills, and preparing you for your next endeavor in international development.
- Enjoy being part of a dynamic, closely knit team of professionals who approach challenges with humor, and find creative solutions to problems.
- Eat really delicious banana bread, watch the sun going down overlooking the Ngorongoro crater, and have the opportunity to meet a wide range of visitors and volunteers from around the world.
Benefits:
- $1,000 monthly stipend
- $2,000 USD travel allowance for each year of employment
- Health insurance for term of service
- Private apartment, all meals, internet, local phone, and housekeeping support included
- One month annual leave per year of commitment (to be taken during the June or December school breaks)
- Free to travel during school vacations – April, June, September, December
Start date: Between the end of December 2017 and the beginning of January 2018** (School year in Tanzania: Jan-Dec), two year commitment required
How to apply:
Submit cover letter and resume to: [email protected]
More Information
- Job City Karatu District
