Managing Director, Start Empathy at Ashoka

The Opportunity

• Over the last 35 years, Ashoka Innovators for the Public not only coined the term social entrepreneur- but also pioneered the field of social entrepreneurship globally. On one hand, we searched and launched 3000 men and women, with system changing ideas to solve problems. These include leaders like Jimmy Wales, Harish Hande, Shaheen Mistri and Kailash Sathyarthi. On the other, we helped the world SEE why social entrepreneurship was a more powerful way to drive change. Seeing differently, helped people DO differently. Investors invested in them, journalists wrote about them, universities taught courses and incubators / accelerators supported them. In some countries governments even created policies to support social entrepreneurs.
• However, we recognize this is not enough. The rate of change is accelerating and our problems are growing faster than our solutions. In such an environment it is not enough for a few to lead and others to follow.  Everyone must be a changemaker. Changemaking skills, i.e. empathy, teamwork, creative problem-solving and leadership become essential to equip each of us to respond to changes around us
• And this can happen only if we start young! Like math and science, empathy and changemaking skills need to be practiced early on. More than skills to memorize and repeat it is the skills to empathize, collaborate and constructively act that will equip children to survive and lead in the current reality. Empathy and changemaking skills are as important as literacy was in the industrial era.
• To prepare our children to face challenges we cannot yet conceive, the most powerful thing we can do is to help society prioritize empathy and changemaking skills for children and youth. Ashoka is committed to driving this mindset shift in society- one in which aspirations for children is not benchmarked on grades, but on whether or not they have acquired changemaking skills.

How? Our Theory of Change

• Ashoka is not setting out to teach every child changemaking skills. Instead Ashoka is committed to act as a catalyst focused on creating urgency and demand for changemaking skills in society. 
• Much like what we did with the field of social entrepreneurship, we are seeking to drive this mindset shift in society by helping people see differently. We intend to work with co-creators (Ashoka Fellows and other leaders) to influence key actors including, parents, schools, governments, media, companies to see why changemaking skills are key for their children to succeed and contribute effectively in society. It will open opportunities to change how we parent, what we teach our children and youth, what stories we write, how we hire and organize or report success. 
• Success to us lies in tipping the narrative in society on what we believe are the key skills children need. Metrics include – do other key influencers now say empathy and changemaking skills are key? Are more parents prioritizing changemaker skills for their children?
• Are schools or government now using pedagogy and curriculum to instill empathy and changemaking skills in teachers / children? Are companies looking to hire changemakers? Are big media platforms writing about empathy and changemaking skills for children?

Requirements

• We are looking for leaders with a minimum of 15 years of work experience.

The Leadership Role:

• Ashoka is looking for an exceptional changemaker to join its Global Leadership Team to lead this change in Africa.
• Does working with peers like these to enable the world prioritize empathy and changemaking skills for children excite you?
• Are you an entrepreneur / intrapreneur who has a proven commitment to innovation and big change? Do you have a track record of seeing a new possibility and making it a reality?
• Are you creative to do this with the least possible resources?
• Are you strategic in the way you drive change? Do you have strong conceptual thinking skills?
• Can you be empathetic and collaborative to work with exceptional leaders as a part of your team of teams?