Leadership and Development Coach at Teach for Kenya

About the position 

Teach For Kenya seeks Leadership Development Coaches (LDCs) to guide and develop participants to achieve results with their students, thus inspiring them to become lifelong change agents to address educational disadvantages. To this end, LDCs support a portfolio of participants to develop them as leaders in the classroom and beyond. In the first year of the participant experience, LDCs support participants to thrive in their placement school and on the programme, understand programme requirements, seek the proper support and resources, and lead their learning.

For the second year, LDCs lead participants to set visions and ambitious goals for their pupils’ success, engaging participants in ongoing data-based problem-solving to increase student achievement, access, and aspiration. Across the two years, LDCs personalize a participant’s journey through the Leadership Development Programme; they engage participants in the LDP units (Leading Learning, Leading People, and Leading Organisations) and support their development of leadership skills, values, and competencies linked with studies in all three areas.

In the short term, the outcome of the LDCs’ work with participants ensures that their pupils make above-average progress, impacting thousands of pupils' educational prospects each year. In the long term, the outcome of the LDCs’ impact ensures that participants become Ambassadors who are influential leaders in education and beyond. LDCs gain valuable management and instructional leadership experience as a springboard for future leadership positions within Teach For Kenya.

Key functions 

• Collaborate towards defining and working toward a vision and goals for bolstering pupils’ access, aspiration, and achievement and participant leadership in schools within the placement region 
• Support a portfolio of participants to achieve ambitious outcomes in their classrooms Build relationships with participants and invest them in their goals and potential impact. 
  • Coach and develop participants to establish the foundations of their classrooms: vision and ambitious goals, strategic plans, and rigorous assessments 
  • Visit participants in their classrooms to gain a context for pupil progress towards goals and to aid in reflective data-driven conversations. 
  • With participants, pupil data and problem-solving will be analyzed to prioritize the teacher actions that most impact pupil progress. 
• Help participants personalize their journey through the Leadership Development Programme (Leading Learning, Leading People, and Leading Organisations) by identifying their developmental needs and applying their ‘taught learning’ to their school context. 
• Act as the contact for participants by effectively communicating messages from Teach For Kenya and the Leadership Development programme relevant to each participant, including ensuring completed surveys. 
• Ensure all data on participants and their schools is accurate and updated.
• Support participants pastorally to build investment in the community, cohort, and Teach For Kenya mission. 
• Lead and mentor participants to gain the insight and commitment to transition into our Ambassador movement as leaders continuing to address educational disadvantages. 
• Build strong relationships with school leaders and mentors and establish lasting partnerships.
• Support organizational research into teacher effectiveness through data and evidence collection. 
• Support other departments in achieving organizational goals as needed, including, but not limited to, staffing the Summer Institute and Leadership Development programme and feeding into organizations' Leadership Development initiatives. 

Other Information 

• Willingness to work some evenings and weekends to support and facilitate the programme, including participant continuing professional development
• Significant travel within the allocated region. 
• Occasional travel to other regions 
• Significant time commitment during the annual six-week Summer Institute. 

Competencies, Skills, Characteristics

• Passion for the Teach For Kenya mission. 
• Belief in Teach For Kenya's values of Commitment, Collaboration, Excellence, Integrity & Leadership 
• Defining and achieving a vision that is aligned with goals and priorities 
• Operating with urgency and a sense of possibility to achieve ambitious, measurable results
• Analyzing data to draw accurate conclusions and guide daily actions
• Making informed, timely decisions and using sound judgment to prioritize actions 
• Tracking tasks, assessing progress, and following through on the execution of plans
• Reflective on personal progress and challenges, taking ownership of self-development, and continuing professional development 
• Developing and cultivating relationships and networks to achieve results
• Demonstrates inspired, committed, and positive action toward individual and organizational goals 

Qualifications – Education, Experience, Skills, and Beliefs 

• Bachelor’s Degree in any field
• Teaching experience, with the ability to self-identify areas of strength and weakness as an educator, is an added advantage. 
• Education leadership experience is strongly preferred. 
• Experience coaching or supporting leaders is strongly preferred. 
• Experience working with a high-performance, collaborative, constructive peer group.
•  Demonstrated ability to collaborate with diverse stakeholders 
• Experience in the development, preparation, and presentation of professional development workshops or group facilitation 
• Superior problem-solving and critical-thinking skills 
• Excellent communication skills, mainly listening skills, and high emotional intelligence 
• Commitment to learning and willingness to apply new ways of thinking to address entrenched challenges 
• Ability to thrive and succeed in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment 
• Fluent in written and spoken English and Kiswahili 
• An unyielding belief that all children can learn at high levels 
• Deep interest in and understanding of adult learners 
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office software 

Preferred Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities 

• Belief in the organization’s mission 
• Excellent communication skills and experience working with managers 
• A good team player but also the ability to work under their initiative to meet deadlines 
• Computer literacy – Excel, Word, and Outlook 
• Influencing and motivating colleagues and stakeholders with confidence, assertiveness, and humility 
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to assess, prioritize, and manage a varied workload
  • Time Management 
  • Strategic Planning 
  • Prioritization 
• Exceptional relationship-building skills; the ability to establish effective working relationships with people of all working styles, backgrounds, industry experience, etc. 
• Excellent communication skills, presentation skills, and the ability to communicate the mission effectively. 
• Approaches work in a dynamic, growing organization with initiative, drive, flexibility, and a sense of urgency.