Job Description

Sector
Social Development
About the Agency
The Aga Khan Education Services ( ) is one of the largest private, not-for-profit, non-denominational educational networks in the Global South. AKES currently operates over 190 pre-primary, primary, secondary and higher secondary schools and more than 100 non-formal education programmes in diverse geographic locations in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Uganda and the United Arab Emirates. Most schools offer their respective country's national curricula, with some schools in East Africa and Bangladesh also offering the International Baccalaureate (IB) and the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE). AKES employs over 6,500 teachers and staff and educates over 104,700 students.
AutoReqId
4382BR
Agency
Aga Khan Education Services
Salary
Salary and package to attract the best candidate
Region
South Asia
The requirements
Qualifications & Skills:

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Human Development / Early Childhood/ Education, Child Development, or a related field.
• Preferred to have an understanding of early childhood development theories, practices, and pedagogy.
• Familiarity with relevant local and national regulations and policies related to ECD.
• Strong leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to effectively collaborate with diverse stakeholders and build partnerships.
• Excellent organizational and time management abilities.
• Proficiency in data analysis and monitoring program outcomes.
• Grant writing and fundraising experience are desirable.

Experience:

• Proven experience in managing and implementing Education programs, preferably in a leadership role.
• Minimum 10- 12 years of experience with:
• 2-3 years of experience in teaching at school level.
• At least 3 years of experience in program management in the Education/NGO Sector.
• At least 5 years of experience in project management in a reputed organization/NGO

The position
Overall:
The Manager, Academic Operations is responsible to take charge of planning, monitoring, review, and advancement of the Aga Khan Preschool (AKP) program.
Responsibilities

• Lead and mentor the AKP team to effectively execute the AKESI-prescribed curriculum and teaching methodologies.
• Spearhead outreach initiatives, fostering collaborations with governmental and allied institutions.
• Ensure adherence to AKESI policies concerning finance, HR, IT, safety, and child safeguarding.
• To ensure the safety and suitability of AKP infrastructure for optimal learning environments.
• Setting up new AKPs.

Specific:
Visioning and planning:

• Instil the organization's vision, mission, and values within the AKP team and Regional Office staff.
• Cultivate a culture of respect and care among AKP and Regional Office teams.
• Elevate the organization's reputation as a premier resource agency in Early Childhood Development (ECD).

Academic:

• Design, develop, and periodically review the ECD curriculum spanning from Toddler to HKG levels.
• Strategize, implement, and evaluate co-curricular activities across AKPs.
• Design assessment tools, conduct comprehensive evaluations of AKP and student performance using agreed-upon metrics and timelines.
• Document Academic processes (ASQ, SOP, Assessment etc)

Guidance and monitoring:

• Conduct regular visits to AKPs for overall monitoring and guidance.
• Mentor/Guide AKP teams, Headteachers, teachers, and Local Management Committees (LMCs).

Staffing and Professional Development:

• Lead professional development initiatives for AKP field and office staff.
• Plan/Organize /facilitate effective training for teachers, teacher assistants, and regional office teams.

Communication:

• Drive image-building and marketing initiatives, including social media management and event organization.
• Prepare/Review and approve all content for marketing, media, articles etc.
• Maintain regular communication with CO, field (Staff and LMC) and AKP teams.
• Keep the Regional Head informed of ground activities and issues.

Administration:

• Oversee AKP administration, including coordination of conferences, meetings, training, and external visits.
• Liaise with relevant government offices for AKP registration and reporting.
• Uphold safety, health, and hygiene standards for AKP students, staff, and volunteers.
• Facilitate the establishment of new AKPs with respect to resources and staffing.

Finance, Budgeting and Resource Management:

• Collaborate with the Regional Head and finance team to prepare AKP annual plans and budgets.
• Exercise control and authorization over all AKP financial transactions.
• Secured all the financial documents of the department.

Networking/liaisoning and outreach:

• Establish linkages with NGOs, educational institutions, government agencies, etc.
• Plan and execute outreach programs, ensuring effectiveness and reporting on outcomes.
• Dealing with DEOs/DPEOs offices and other govt. offices for AKPs and other organisation work.

Study/Report writing:

• Ensure timely submission of reports, analyses, and feasibility studies to the central office.
• Prepare various reports, including monthly, quarterly, and annual summaries.

Construction/Maintenance and Safety:

• Help in identifying the need for the safety and suitability of AKP infrastructure.
• Implement a Safeguarding policy across all the AKPs.

Stakeholder Engagement:

• Collaborate with parents, caregivers, LMC and community members to foster strong partnerships and engagement in the AKPs.
• Represent the organization at community meetings, conferences, and other relevant forums to advocate for early childhood development and share best practices.
• Facilitate the LMC appointment, Induction, and Training.

General operation:

• Facilitate the need assessment, procurement and supply of TLMs