We are seeking an inspiring and innovative educational leader with a strong track record of integrating technology and creativity into inclusive, learner-centred programmes.

About EduSpots

EduSpots is an innovative, dynamic, and community-orientated UK and Ghanaian registered charity which connects, trains, and equips grassroots voluntary educators (named ‘Catalysts’) to drive community-led change through education spaces named ‘Spots’. Our vision is of a world in which communities unite to create the futures they want to see, through education.

Since 2016, through collaborating with over 400 local voluntary community educators and actors – named ‘Catalysts’ – who take a central leadership role in the development of the network, we have supported 50 communities in creating and running community-led and owned education spaces named ‘Spots’’. Together, we are developing a model for a community-led education space with accompanying network engagement that could have global relevance. See our theory of change here. 

Our Ghana-based team creates collaborative learning opportunities through three leadership programmes for Catalysts which are increasingly facilitated by the EduSpots app: the Ignite, Catalyse and Inspire Mentoring Programmes. These enable the Catalysts to lead EduKidz (early years education), DigLit (digital literacy), EcoSTEM (STEM and environmental education) and Ignite Equity (gender equity) clubs for learners typically aged 3-16, alongside locally designed education projects, reaching over 10,000 learners of all ages annually. Read our 2024 Snapshot Impact Report here and our recent independent evaluation here.

We are in an exciting period of our development, having more than doubled our income, programme breadth and reach in the two years, with a recent independent evaluation by Expectation State offering further evidence in support of our model’s outcomes. We have been recently selected for two accelerator programmes, who are supporting us as we consider the scaling potential of our model. In the next period, we are aiming to double our network reach, bringing an additional 50 Spots into the network. 

We won the Tes International Award in 2018 and the Big Give Supporters’ Choice Award in 2022, and we were selected as a finalist for the 2023 Their World Scale-Up Innovation Prize. In 2021, our Founder was a Finalist in UNESCO-backed The Varkey Foundation’s $1 million Global Teacher Prize.

We are excited by our future. Do visit www.eduspots.org for further information.

About this role

Location: Remote working (home-based in Ghana, with some travel)

Reporting to: CEO

Hours: Full-time

Salary: Competitive, in line with experience

The ideal candidate for this role will not only bring pedagogical expertise but also the energy and vision to motivate both our core team and our network of voluntary Catalysts. As EduSpots enters a new phase of growth, this key leadership role will be key in strengthening our pioneering model of fun, community-rooted, and future-ready education. 

This Ghana-based leadership role will report directly to the CEO and will involve responsibility for management of our learner programmes in our ever evolving online education hub. In this role, you will manage a growing and talented learner education department, currently consisting of an Early Years Coordinator, Literacy and Digital Skills Coordinator, Gender Equity & Inclusion Coordinator, EcoSTEM Coordinator and an EcoSTEM Specialist, each having their own part-time peer mentor. 

The candidate will be an outstanding session facilitator (both online, and in person) but also have the pedagogical knowledge, digital competence and resource design skills, to support a broad range of educational specialisms ensuring that all resources are aligned with programmes aims, inclusive in their design, and promote student creativity, community connectedness and ultimately citizenship values and actions. 

We are looking for an efficient, organised and friendly team leader, able to inspire their reports to lead their respective areas effectively in line with our organisational goals, with a strong sense of work accountability and constantly looking to improve the depth and quality of impact of programmes through effective use of systems. 

A strong understanding of the basic education context in Ghana is vital, alongside being able to work with a diverse range of local volunteers to devise educational strategies that relate in their contexts with strong skills in  research methods and ‘outside the box’ thinking.  The individual will be flexible, adept at problem-solving, and able to work effectively in a fast-paced environment, with the ability to respond to feedback quickly. They will be highly independent and self-motivated, able to manage multiple tasks concurrently and produce high quality outcomes within a mainly remote working environment, with outstanding IT skills.

There will likely be opportunities for internal promotion in this role for strong candidates, with new leadership team positions opening in EduSpots each year, including the possibility of Country Manager and further programmes leadership positions in the years ahead, which are yet to be created.  We would also encourage early career professionals, with an ability to respond to feedback quickly, to apply for this role, with strong in-house development support. 

EduSpots is a fast-evolving yet friendly and caring working environment, with a strong commitment to the professional development of staff, and the promotion of a positive working culture with well-being at its heart, for all members of our growing community. 

Main Duties and Responsibilities

• Leading the development of EduSpots’ pioneering model for promoting fun, community-rooted and future-ready education through curriculum design, pedagogical excellence, and constant innovation and creativity. 
• Overseeing EduSpots’ learner education hub, comprising high quality education strands across early years education, literacy, digital skills, gender equity, STEM and environmental education through a mix of in person Academies, online training and mentoring, monthly ‘challenges’ and WhatsApp learning hubs. 
• Line managing all members of the education team, including the following: the Early Years Coordinator, Literacy and Digital Skills Coordinator, Gender Equity & Inclusion Coordinator, EcoSTEM Coordinator and an EcoSTEM Specialist, each having their own part-time peer mentor. 
• Leading in the creation of educational content for Keeping Spots Safe (KSS) as well as facilitating training for staff, Catalysts, and the wider team on inclusion, well-being and safeguarding. 
• Creating guidebooks on aspects of our educational delivery for staff and peer mentors. 
• Leading on reporting for the education programmes team, and overseeing the monitoring, evaluation and learning systems for the education hub. 
• Leading the development and oversight of a tracking system for documenting pedagogical change in the classroom. 
• Conducting occasional Spot visits.
• Contributing to the staff professional development programme. 
• Conducting qualitative research across the network and analysing findings through research articles (formal and informal). 
• Taking on other education and research related roles within the team, as needs arise. 
•  Inputting proactivity into EduSpots’ wider organisational strategy. 

Personal Specifications

Knowledge & Experience

• Experience in fast-paced, impact-driven, online working environments and home-based working. 
• Experience of developing curriculums for basic level learners in Ghana. 
• Experience of working with volunteers from diverse educational backgrounds, with an understanding of inclusive resource design. 
• Excellent team management and leadership skills, with the ability to support and inspire staff to improve performance outcomes and hold staff firmly to account where needed.
• Knowledge of different monitoring, evaluation and learning approaches.
• Strong IT knowledge and skills with exceptional skills in data analysis.
• Experience delivering programmes across diverse regions of Ghana, including rural and remote locations.

Personal Qualities & Skills

• A friendly, personable team player with a belief in the value of collaborative approaches, co-creative and community-driven approaches to learning.
• A grassroots ethos, believing in the potential of any Catalyst or learner to contribute meaningfully towards educational outcomes for all. 
• Self-motivated, proactive, and able to work to maintain a high standard of performance with minimum supervision.
• An inspiring and experienced training facilitator, able to lead collaborative training and professional development sessions for both staff and Catalysts. 
• Exemplary written and verbal communication skills
• Outstanding digital skills to work in online spaces, and use digital tools to advance educational excellence and creativity. 
• Ability to work under pressure, prioritise, problem solve and meet deadlines with a level of flexibility and adaptability in the approach. 
• Ability to respond to feedback effectively, always looking for improvements in their work, and that of the organisation.
• Flexible with the ability to react to change and be adaptable.
• A strong personal affinity with EduSpots’ mission, vision and values (community leadership, play, care, passion, teamwork and sustainable impact) with a genuine passion for educational equity and community-led development, with the ability to work collaboratively with diverse grassroots volunteers who are the leaders of our network.

How to apply:

Please send a tailored covering letter and updated CV addressed to the CEO, Cat Davison at recruitment@eduspots.org by Monday 11th August with a hope to meet shortlisted candidates for a first-round interview shortly afterwards, aiming towards a start date in September. For further information please see www.eduspots.org or contact us at recruitment@eduspots.org Also follow us on social media – @eduspots on Twitter and Facebook

This job description will be reviewed annually and may be subject to amendment or modification at any  time in consultation with the post holder. It is not a comprehensive statement of procedures and tasks but sets out the main expectations of the role.
EduSpots is committed to the safeguarding of children. Appointment will be subject to child protection screening appropriate to the post.