Head of Training & Leadership Development at Teach for Nigeria

Position Summary

• The head of Leadership Development will be responsible for developing and executing Teach For Nigeria’s vision for training and supporting Fellows as transformational teachers in the classroom and transformational leaders beyond. S/he will lead and manage the team of Leadership Development Managers (LDMs) who will work closely with 500-550 Fellows throughout their two-year commitment, helping them to impact student achievement levels in the classroom dramatically, and cultivating them to become future leaders across various professional sectors as alumni of the Fellowship. S/he will also be responsible for designing and implementing rigorous measurement of the impact of the program on student achievement and the leadership development of Fellows.
• The individual must be a strategic thinker, an outstanding relationship builder, and a skilled manager who can lead a team to achieve ambitious results in an entrepreneurial environment. The Head of Training and Leadership Development will have the opportunity to shape the team and fellow cultures, design and execute fellow training programs, and innovate in the areas of teacher coaching/mentoring and leadership development.

Roles and Responsibilities:

Strategic Vision and Direction (20%)

• Set a transformational vision of impact for students, fellows and develop corresponding definitions, goals and metrics to measure the impact.
• Partner with TFN’s regional leaders to develop and implement regional impact visions and strategies grounded in the educational contexts of the Southern and Northern part of the country.
• Create a vision for participant impact, learning & leadership (including refining existing student outcomes and leadership competencies).
• Determine the strategic priorities of the training and support team.
• Advance and refine student vision and strategy through ongoing research and expert consultation.

Program Design and Execution (35%)

• Plan and execute a 4-6 week residential training institute for fellows.
• Execute fellow training and professional development programs to the highest quality to achieve transformational impact.
• Develop strategy and plan for professional development for First and Second year Fellows that accelerate their leadership and deepen their understanding of educational inequity and long-term solutions; oversee the delivery of various workshops, training, and other opportunities in collaboration with other departments.
• Design and sequence overall training and ongoing support structures and critical learning experiences to cultivate Fellow leadership.
• Directly contribute and support the team in the design and facilitation of excellent teacher training and leadership development.
• Secure, modify and/or create a range of resources and tools to boost program aims (e.g., curricular and coaching resources, etc.)
• Develop, strengthen & maintain external partnerships (e.g., universities, district, schools, NGOs etc.) to inform, complement and enhance training and support.
• Research innovative and effective pedagogy and curriculum to inform and improve existing training curriculum.
• Manage high stakes relationships to design and deliver a training program that will facilitate an alternative route to teacher certification.

Team Leadership and Management (30%)

• Manage a team of high-performing team members to be successful and engaged in a student-first environment.
• Build a strong team culture to ensure that the Training & Support team is a great and sustainable place for every team member to work.
• Actively source, hire and onboard training and support team in response to the scale of the fellowship program.
• Provide ongoing management to ensure the team sets ambitious goals, regularly reflects on progress & adjusts as needed to meet them.
• Coach and develop team members on core teacher training and management skills and cultivate them as future leaders of the Training & Support team.
• Coach and develop all team members to grow their skills and leadership to meet program outcomes.
• Foster strong team culture to ensure team satisfaction, retention and effectiveness.
• Develop and maintain team structures, division of labour and budget that will best accomplish program aims.
• Oversee communication to Fellows through examples such as Newsletters, Training Calendar updates and administrative items.

Organizational Leadership (15%)

• Serve as a member of the senior leadership team to strengthen alignment, effectiveness and culture across the organization.
• Contribute actively to a range of critical cross-functional projects.
• Champion training and support efforts internally and externally to gain support and champions across to foster broad alignment with and conviction in vision and goals for the student and fellow impact.
• Build and maintain partnerships that benefit Fellows professional development, including but not limited to graduate schools, education organizations, governmental entities, non-profit organizations, businesses, etc.

Education and Experience

• A Bachelor’s degree or a Master’s Degree in any field required.
• 8 to 10 years relevant experience on the role or similar role, with at least 4 years experience in leading and managing a team.
• In-depth knowledge of effective teaching practices (pedagogy/andragogy) and leadership development.
• Track record of taking an uncommon level of personal responsibility in achieving professional goals.
• Experience working and living in Nigeria or a country with similar context to Nigeria.

Preferred Skills, Knowledge and Abilities

• In-depth knowledge of and experience in leadership development and/or adult learning theory and practice.
• Excellent vision-setting, strategic thinking and project management ability.
• Outstanding track record of achievements and ability to operate with urgency and sense of possibility in a fast-paced environment.
• Deep knowledge of and engagement in the critical issues of education reform.
• Comprehensive knowledge of excellent teaching and leadership development and understanding of how to translate this into training content.
• Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills and flexibility to work in a cross-cultural environment.
• Ability to develop and cultivate relationships and networks to achieve results.
• Proven ability to coach and develop team members toward achieving ambitious and measurable Outcomes.
• Deeply understands the mission of Teach For Nigeria and firmly believes that every child can learn and achieve high results.
• Desire to work in a fast-paced, results-oriented culture. Constantly keep “eye on the prize” and remember the end goals- even when the going gets tough.
• Ability to analyze and synthesize data.
• Ability to travel to rural areas where fellows are placed.
• Reflective and proactively work to grow and improve