Programme Manager - Rwanda - African Centre for School Leadership

VVOB is an international non-profit organisation with programmes and projects in ten countries worldwide. Our head office is based in Brussels, Belgium. 

When you join VVOB, you become a key player in VVOB’s mission to ensure quality education as a key enabler for achieving the sustainable development goals. We implement our programmes and projects with one shared passion: to ensure the improvement of quality education. Our teams of national and international experts achieve this by providing technical assistance to governmental and other education actors. In doing so, worldwide we ensure capacity building of governmental and other education actors. 

Do you share our ambition to ensure that learners around the world can enjoy their fundamental human right to quality education, without exception? Are you convinced as well that quality education guarantees equal opportunities for everyone and is the key to a better world? 

We are looking for a Programme Manager for the African Centre for School Leadership (ACSL) who will operate from our office in Kigali, Rwanda.

Result areas of the Programme Manager

The ambition of VVOB is to ensure learners around the world enjoy their fundamental human right to quality education, without exception. In striving for that ambition, we place our core values of ‘commitment, ‘integrity’, ‘respect’, ‘quality’ and ‘innovation’ at the centre of all that we do. 

As the Programme Manager you contribute to VVOB’s ambition and values by bearing the final responsibility for the totality of all activities of the African Centre for School Leadership (ACSL), by mandate of the Director General. You carry out the vision and mission of VVOB at a growing regional level and you further develop the activities of the ACSL across the relevant countries.

You will collaborate closely with the Global and other Strategic Education Advisors, the Operations Manager, Technical Lead and the Regional Coordinator, as well as with other VVOB staff and VVOB partners at both cross-country and in-country levels.

You will:

• Take the lead in further developing the presence, operations and activities of the ACSL, by leading the team across borders, recruiting and inducting new staff, and shaping agreements with relevant government partners.
• Hold the final responsibility for all VVOB operations within the ACSL and be accountable for key results in all areas, including programme operations, finances, human resources and internal organisation. 
• As a leader and role model, you develop and inspire strong teams and you offer managerial advice, guidance and support to them, to achieve programme results. 
• Be actively involved in the further development of the business at a regional level in Africa, including portfolio management, highlighting of achievements, identifying the landscape of both partnerships and competition and seeking new funding opportunities. 
• Be actively engaged in strategy and policy development at global organisational level and translate these global strategies and policies into relevant and scalable strategies, policies and programmes at a regional level. As a leader you ensure that the ACSL also lives and implements VVOB’s Learning Unlimited. strategy. 
• Develop and maintain a network with relevant government, funding, technical and network partners and other internal and external stakeholders. Furthermore, you represent VVOB and the ACSL towards them.

Who are you?

Your expertise and experience

• A relevant Master’s degree, or equivalent experience; 
• At least 3 years of international work experience;
• Strong and proven management and leadership skills with a track record of success in building effective teams and leading and motivating a diverse group of professional staff; 
• Demonstrated and successful experience in strategic networking and partnership building with a varied range of partners, including government partners, donors and investors;
• At least 3 years of work experience in managing a project portfolio with an annual budget of at least 1 million euro;
• Experience with capacity development processes and strategies, change processes and change management at institutional level and with government partners;
• Experience in establishing and leading a new team and fostering a collaborative work environment over distance;
• Proficiency in English (C1) is essential; advanced knowledge of French (B2) and/or Portuguese (B2) and/or Swahili (B2) is an advantage;
• You are authorised to work in Rwanda.

What we’re offering:

• A full-time contract, potentially until 2030, subject to confirmation of funding;
• A dynamic working environment in an international context;
• An exciting job in a growing organisation with varied responsibilities and opportunities for professional development;
• A competitive salary and benefits package;
• Please note that this position requires frequent travel within the African continent.

What’s next?   

Your motivation letter detailing your match with the profile as well as your motivation behind applying for the vacancy and a detailed CV are expected no later than 28 January 2025. Please use the webform to apply for this vacancy.

Shortlisted candidates will complete a written test, participate in an interview process, and attend an external assessment centre before potentially receiving a final offer.

VVOB firmly believes that quality education can only be achieved if equity is ensured. Qualities of people prevail, regardless of age, gender, ethnicity or disability. If you require reasonable accommodation including disability accommodation in completing this application, interviewing, completing any pre-employment testing, or otherwise participating in the employee selection process, please direct your inquiries to [email protected].

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