GROUP CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER FEBRUARY 2020
Sabre Education Chief Executive Officer
1
CONTENTS
Letter from the Chair
03
About Sabre Education
04
Vision
05
Mission
05
Strategic Focus 2020-2023
06
The Role
07
Roles and Responsibilities
08
Person Specification
09
How to Apply
10
About Oxford HR
11
Sabre Education Chief Executive Officer
2
LETTER FROM THE CHAIR Dear candidate,
Thank you for your interest in the opportunity to join Sabre Education as our new Group Chief Executive Officer. We are now moving into the most exciting period of Sabre’s history in terms of our ability to generate impact – we are changing the lives of thousands of children and teachers through high quality kindergarten education. Our history to date has been one of learning through iterative programme delivery, building our implementing capabilities and core support services, achieving credibility, respect and trust, and creating a team that can partner with the Ghanaian government to support their pioneering commitment to quality early years learning in Africa. We have been on this kindergarten journey since 2008, and so far we have reached over 72,000 children, 1,600 teachers and completed the building of 14 schools. We have also built a strong set of multi-year funders, many of them repeat funders, as a result of our proven ability to deliver. Full impact in Ghana would be 1.3 million children reached through the network of 34,000 teachers in 15,000 government schools, and a further 600,000 children through low cost private schooling. At the heart of our culture is what we call “The Children’s Fire”, which is a fundamental belief that each successive generation of children should have a better life, and encapsulates our commitment to children’s rights, ethics and sustainability. Behind this are our key values of best in class, innovation, integrity, collaboration and respect. Continuously moving forward and focusing on excellence are fundamental to who we are. The core medium term goal for Sabre is to partner with the Ghanaian Government to scale quality kindergarten education and achieve Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4.2 on universal access to quality pre-primary education. This will be a first in Sub-Saharan Africa and will position us to engage in partnerships to help other countries move towards achieving the
Sabre Education Chief Executive Officer
same goal. We do not need to grow substantially to achieve this; instead, our focus is on scaling impact. Our belief is that we can create tremendous leverage through partnerships, especially in Ghana’s case with the government. We have started to share our intellectual property with other organisations to reach other countries, but only in a small way. This is important to us but at this point secondary to our goal of scaling access to quality kindergarten education in Ghana. We are looking for a Group CEO lit by the same fire. A visionary leader who: • leads by example, influences, inspires, and has the resilience to work through inevitable challenges of all shapes and sizes; • builds teams and fosters collaboration; • has a proven capability to develop and manage partnership programmes with governments in Africa, and work side by side with development partners such as UNICEF, UNESCO, DFID, the World Bank, and USAid; • has built a strong reputation in the education field; • has shown significant impact in securing and sustaining multi-year donor funding; and • is a strong communicator and highly effective networker. We look forward to receiving your application and learning more about you through the interview process. Yours sincerely,
David Main Chair of Trustees, Sabre Education
3
ABOUT SABRE EDUCATION Sabre Education works in Ghana to unlock the dreams of thousands of four and five-year old children by improving early years education, known locally as kindergarten. We do this through our Brighter Futures Programme, which is delivered in partnership with the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service. This programme provides an innovative and carefully considered response to these challenges, delivered through Building Playful Schools and providing Transformational Teacher Training. Sabre Education is a partnership between two linked education charities, registered in the UK with the Charity Commission and in Ghana with the Department of Social Welfare. We work directly in southern Ghana to improve the futures of poor and marginalised children and in the rest of Ghana, Uganda, Rwanda and Tanzania through a partnership with Opportunity Edufinance. As one of the leading early childhood education organisations working in close partnership with the Government of Ghana on systemic change to deliver Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4.2 on universal access to quality pre-primary education, and through sixteen years of working with schools, communities and the Ghana Education Service, Sabre has developed innovative solutions to tackle the twin issues of access and quality in kindergarten education. Sabre’s approach is holistic and considers all aspects of the kindergarten education eco-system, covering child-centred and play-based pedagogy, training in positive behaviour management, improved learning environments, individualised assessment, coaching and mentoring for teachers, supportive supervision, and parental engagement. Sabre’s multi award-winning methodologies have been tested, independently evaluated and replicated at a district and regional scale, and in recent years Sabre’s experience and expertise has contributed significantly to national policy development and education reforms.
Sabre Education Chief Executive Officer
4
VISION
Helping all children succeed, by giving them the best possible early education.
MISSION
To contribute to transforming the life chances of children in developing countries through our Brighter Futures programme.
Sabre Education Chief Executive Officer
5
STRATEGIC FOCUS 2020-2023 Sabre has exciting and ambitious expansion plans which will see the organisation both increase the impact of our direct implementation activity, whilst simultaneously leveraging our technical solutions to create system-level change in partnership with the Ministry of Education and in the process help Ghana achieve SDG 4.2 - universal access to quality preprimary education.
This represents a scale change in Sabre’s work in Ghana, which is a logical progression on the work we have done and relationships that we have developed, and will confirm the organisation’s position as the key implementing partner to the Ministry of Education at the kindergarten level. Over the next three years, our goals are to: 1. Scale and validate the process to implement high quality district wide training, and provide technical assistance for national scaling: a. Deliver transformational training to every kindergarten teacher and head teacher in at least eight districts. b. Provide specialist training to University and College of Education tutors to support the delivery of the Bachelor of Education in Early Grades c. Develop networks of partner schools in the vicinity of at least four Colleges of Education to support quality placements for student teachers. d. To assist in designing an effective national rollout programme.
Sabre Education Chief Executive Officer
2. Provide support at the national level for curriculum design, monitoring, cost effective rollout and implementation: a. Assistance in continuously improving the curriculum design, including teacher support and classroom materials. b. Develop training and quality assurance solutions with the Ministry of Education that will support the roll out of the new national c. Kindergarten Curriculum across Ghana. Technical assistance in the integration of low-cost private schools into the Ministry of Education kindergarten programme. 3. Work with the Ministry of Education, to develop and deliver the strategy for improving learning environments for Kindergarten: a. Co-create a new kindergarten school design with the Ministry of Education, and deliver and evaluate an initial cohort of schools. b. Develop low cost programmes for Improved Learning Environments to support quality kindergarten teaching. 4. Digitise and modularise our transformational training content for ease of sharing and replication both within Ghana and beyond. 5. Initiate the replication of Sabre’s model in at least one new country, including exploring other productive ways to share both the teacher training technology and school building IP that we developed.
6
THE ROLE
Sabre Education Chief Executive Officer
Title:
Group CEO
Location:
London, UK
Salary:
Competitive for the role
Reports to:
Board of Trustees
Direct Reports:
CEO Ghana, Finance Director, Head of Fundraising & Communications (HoFC)
7
ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES Overall • Reports to the Board of Trustees and overall responsible for all the reporting to them • Overall responsible for the delivery of the Sabre Education strategy • Building a sustainable funding stream that supports the continued building of Sabre capabilities, and the delivery of the programmes required to support the strategy • Continuous building and strengthening of the team • Continues to build and implement even stronger Governance and related processes, including financial and performance management, stakeholder reporting, risk management, safeguarding, and compliance with charitable and company legislation • Represents Sabre and builds its reputation on a global platform Strategy Development • Work with the Chair of Trustees and Senior Leadership Team to review and update strategy annually • Converts strategy into an 18 month rolling operational and fundraising plan, with a supporting budget Product Development, Impact Expansion and Reputation Building • Work with CEO-Ghana, Programme Director, Training Technical Lead and Learning Manager to ensure Sabre’s approach takes into account latest research, evidence and innovations to remain ‘Best in Class’ • Represent Sabre on a global platform, as an advocate for quality pre-primary education, including being engaged in international forums on pre-primary education • Lead on development of partnership opportunities, in Ghana and beyond, to scale impact in line with Sabre’s strategy
Sabre Education Chief Executive Officer
Programme Delivery • Works with, and supports, CEO Ghana to ensure high quality programme design, planning and resourcing • Monthly review of programme status – Cashflow, cost vs budget, programme delivery vs. plan, programme quality, customer satisfaction, key remedial actions • Support the relationship building with the Ghana Ministry of Education and key related organisations – UNICEF, UNESCO, World Bank, DFID, etc. Organisational Management and Development • Work with CEO Ghana to further build a strong, high performing and resilient organisation that can deliver against the ambitious strategy • Continue to develop and strengthen the high performing fundraising team Governance and Reporting • Ensure Sabre meets high standards of governance that also meet the high expectations of our key stakeholders • Ensure there is robust and timely financial and operational monthly monitoring and reporting • Monthly reviews of all areas of the organisation
8
PERSON SPECIFICATION Education/training and knowledge • Educated to degree level or similar • Evidence of continuing professional education and management/leadership development.
•
Experience • Significant leadership experience gained at senior level in a complex environment, ideally with first-hand knowledge of the education sector, working with stakeholders including Governments, Agencies, NGOs and Ministry Departments. • Understanding and experience of working in the Global South, ideally within Sub-Saharan Africa. • Experience of fundraising and/or developing income streams through Grants/Trusts, Partnerships or corporate engagement. • Evidence of leadership at a senior level including design and development of organisational strategy and management through transition. • Solid track record of effectively managing resources and budgets, with experience of delivering long term financial sustainability and stewardship of valuable resources. • Ability to forge and nurture effective partnerships and collaborative relationships with a range of organisations both inside and outside the education, government, agency and/or charitable sectors. • Demonstrable evidence of strategic development and leading and inspiring people / organisations and developing effective partnerships.
•
Skills and personal attributes • An excellent communicator, able to work with the Board of Trustees, staff and stakeholders to build trust and engagement. • Experience of charity governance, charity fundraising and the operational management of a global charity. • Ability to engage and build the confidence of a diverse group external stakeholders, representing Sabre Education as a thought-leader contributing to national reform in Ghana; building on the good reputation of the organisation. • Ability to work with the Board, maintaining and deepening levels of governance and accountability.
Other requirements • Willingness and ability to develop an understanding of the context and the impact of education provision within Ghana and across Sub-Saharan Africa, ideally gained through first-hand experience of education programme delivery. • Ability to travel to Ghana on a quarterly basis and additional events as required to represent Sabre Education on an international level. • Strong support commitment for the vision, values and strategic aims of Sabre Education • Commitment to working within the Nolan principles of public life.
Sabre Education Chief Executive Officer
•
• • • • • • •
Experience of working with funding organisations such as World Bank, DIFD, USAID and others. Able to forge and nurture relationships with partner organisations such as UNICEF, UNESCO and others. Ability to ensure effective financial planning operates across the charity with appropriate financial controls and effective risk management in place. Must have a high level of financial acumen, able to monitor and analyse emerging income trends and identify potential opportunities. Ability to inspire, lead, motivate and manage staff in a participatory and supportive management style, developing capacity and ensuring the charity is run effectively and celebrates success. Very strong written and oral communication skills with the ability to represent Sabre Education to external and internal stakeholders. Resourceful and resilient with complex problem-solving, decision-making and analytical skills. Experienced in risk management and safeguarding, ensuring the organisation’s policies and principles are robust and effective. Ability to work with clarity, openness, and with a sense of determination to deliver agreed objectives. High levels of emotional intelligence, empathy and the highest levels of personal integrity and honesty.
9
HOW TO APPLY
All correspondence, at this stage, should be via Oxford HR. To apply for this post, click on the “Apply” button in the job advert page and complete our online application form. Please provide a CV and cover letter in ONE single Word document, which should be prepared before applying as they will be requested in the application process. The cover letter should be no more than 2 pages long and explain why you are interested in this post and how your skills and experience make you a good fit. The document should be saved in MS Word in the following format: Your First Name-Your Last Name-Document NameDate (yymm) e.g.: Pat-Jones-CVandStatement-2001. Timeline Closing date: Preliminary interviews: Final panel interviews:
Sunday 8th March 2020 w/c 16th March 2020 w/c 30th March 2020
Equality statement Equality and diversity are at the core of Sabre’s values. Staff are expected to work collectively and individually to promote a constructive and sensitive approach to others from a variety of backgrounds, where the work of others is valued and respected. Selection process All candidates will be notified about the status of their applications. Shortlisted candidates may be required to undertake an additional assessment prior to the final interview. Queries If you have any queries on any aspect of the appointment process, need additional information, or would like to have an informal discussion, please email sabreeducation@oxfordhr.co.uk in the first instance.
Sabre Education Chief Executive Officer
10
ABOUT OXFORD HR Oxford HR operates globally - mainly within the international development and charity sectors. We carry out retained executive search mandates at board and senior management levels. We also offer human resource and organisational development consultancy.
Oxford HR has many years of experience in search as well as an extensive network of international development, social sector, corporate, public sector, and academic contacts from across the world. We carry out comprehensive and often international searches designed to meet the specific needs of our clients. Oxford HR’s team members have significant personal experience of working in international development and the social sector as well as the corporate and governmental sectors. We are in a unique position to find and assess talented individuals from a variety of backgrounds.
Sabre Education Chief Executive Officer
11
OXFORD
LONDON
AMSTERDAM
NAIROBI
The Old Music Hall
Three Tuns House,
Korte Schimmelstraat 12
Watermark Business Park
106-108 Cowley Road
109 Borough High Street,
1053 SZ
Cove Court, 1st Floor
Oxford
London
Amsterdam
Ndege Road off Langata Road
OX4 1JE
SE1 1NL
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The Netherlands
Kenya
+44 (0) 1865 403 298
+44 (0)20 7939 7451
+31 (0) 621 153 452
+254 (0) 797 233 217
PO Box 17300-00606, Nairobi
www.oxfordhr.co.uk | Company No. 6456325
Sabre Education Chief Executive Officer
12