Program Associate, IWW

The context: 

Across the developing world, more children than ever are in school – but they are not learning. A recent study estimated that less than 1% of school children in Sub-Saharan Africa attend a school where the teaching meets basic standards of quality. At Rising Academies, we’re changing that, and we want your help. Our mission is to create the best schools and the most powerful teaching and learning tools for the people that need it most. We’re one of the fastest-growing quality-focused education companies in Africa, and a Certified B Corp®. 

About Rising Academies:  

We own and operate our own great value private schools, partner with governments to improve the quality of public school systems, and use our content and technology to help other education providers. Founded in Sierra Leone in 2014, we provided emergency education to children kept out of school by the Ebola Epidemic before opening our first school in April 2015. Today, we serve more than 250,000 students across more than 1000 schools in Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ghana and now Rwanda.

And we get results: independent studies show Rising students make more than twice the progress of their peers in comparable schools. In June 2024, one of our private schools in Sierra Leone - Rising Academy Waterloo - was shortlisted in the Top 10 for the World's Best School Prizes in the Overcoming Adversity category. Sierra Leone's Minister for Basic and Senior Secondary Education, Hon. Mr. Conrad Sackey, helped announce this honor.

We keep the safety and well-being of our students at the heart of what we do. All Rising employees are expected to abide by the Child Protection Policy, and to share in our commitment to meeting the highest standards of safeguarding excellence and protecting children from harm. 

About the Imagine Worldwide Program:

In Sierra Leone, following the 3-year Education Innovation Challenge (EIC), Rising was selected as one of five education providers for the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education’s (MBSSE) new three-year Education Outcomes Fund program, an innovative outcomes-funded program focused on improving foundational literacy and numeracy. In collaboration with EducAid, Rising is also entering the third phase of a partnership in Freetown City schools, supporting over 500 schools across Freetown. We have supported remote learning efforts during COVID with radio education and recently partnered with Youth Impact to deliver a maths-focused remote learning program. In addition, Rising has teamed up with Imagine Worldwide to test and scale tech-enabled learning in a range of school settings to support foundational learning.

About the role:

We are seeking an exceptional Program Associate to help with the implementation of tablet-based programs in our partnership schools, maintain and improve the quality of education starting September 2025. As a Program Associate, you will join a motivated team that strives to create the best schools and teaching tools for those who need them the most. You will supervise about 4-5 Regional performance Managers ensuring quality implementation of the Imagine Worldwide tablet program across our partnership schools. You will be responsible for ensuring the continuous progress of Rising Academies students and the effective delivery of the curriculum, through managing and coaching teachers, school leaders, and engaging with school communities. We are looking for someone who is passionate about education and committed to making a positive impact on the lives of children and young people in Sierra Leone.

The Program Associate, IWW will:

• Manage 4 – 5 Regional Performance Managers directly and 15 – 20 School Performance Managers through dotted line
• Monitor and evaluate the performance of each Regional Performance Manager in the assigned area/schools, through regular school visits and the analysis of data and reports.
• Interpret data and provide feedback to school leaders and teachers on areas of strength and improvement and support them to create and execute improvement plans.
• Conduct regular coaching and training sessions for RPMs, SPMs, school leaders and teachers, to develop and improve their understanding and practical application of the program and assessment practices.
• Assist the Program Manager in producing Termly Narrative and Financial Reports
• Represent and engage in donor, national and district-level meetings  and provide updates on Program Implementation 
• Participate in producing monthly plans and budgets for program implementation 
• Conduct weekly team meetings, provide update to the team and resolve all school performance dashboard issues
• Develop and implement systems for tracking and recording the progress of individual schools, and use this information to inform teacher planning and decision-making.
• Work closely with the operations team to ensure that schools have the right resources (tablet and accessories) that promote quality implementation.
• Build a high-performing team of RPMs and SPMs and support the People team in the Recruitment of program staff
• Establish and maintain positive relationships with school communities and stakeholders, including parents, local authorities, and community leaders.

Location and reporting:

This is a full-time position. The role will be based in our operating office in Sierra Leone with frequent travels to the provinces. The role will report directly to the Program Manager, IWW in Sierra Leone. The Program Associate will be assigned to RPMs and job Location by the Program Manager.

Application deadline: 

15th August 2025. The planned start date for this role is mid-September 2025.

Requirements

Qualifications and Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in education, or a related field such as Leadership, Social Work, Development or Management.
• At least 5 years of experience in education management, preferably in a low-resource context.
• Experience in coaching and developing the capacity of school leaders and teachers to deliver quality education and programs.
• Familiarity with tech-based implementations 
• Prior experience in implementing a tablet program in schools is desirable 
• Passion for education, social impact and promoting equality and diversity.
• Proven track record of improving student outcomes.
• Experience working with key stakeholders and management teams on school performance.
• Experience with safeguarding children and upholding international safeguarding standards.

About You

• Passionate about Rising’s mission.
• You have excellent verbal and written communication skills and interpersonal skills.
• You demonstrate strong people skills; you must be able to collaborate effectively with diverse personalities and skill sets and enjoy constructive conflict.
• You have a strong track record of professionalism, trustworthiness, and working independently sometimes.
• You possess strong analytical and reasoning skills with the ability to adapt to changes in a fast-paced environment.
• You are proactive, self-driven and can take initiative and problem-solve.
• You are comfortable working with senior leadership, reporting on data and outcomes.
• You are willing to take risks, fail, learn, give and receive feedback, and try new approaches.
• You are passionate about improving the quality of education across Africa.

Benefits

Why Join Us?

Compensation: We offer a competitive salary and benefits package. We regularly benchmark our compensation against comparable businesses, social ventures, and non-profits. Rising’s goal is to be transparent about salaries at all levels of the organisation and have a standard, global pay scale for all positions that is non-negotiable. 

Continuous Development and Growth: Rising is a Certified B Corp and twice named in its “Best for the World” list. We are committed to continuous development, which is grounded in our values and a vital part of how we bring the ‘Rising Way’ to life. We provide a nurturing environment where our staff are supported with the right ongoing conversations with their managers, among teams and as an organization, to support their career growth and help us reach our goals. 

Impact: Our students achieve learning gains 2.4 times faster than their peers in comparable schools, positioning our impact in the top 10% of global education interventions. This role offers an opportunity to contribute meaningfully to this proven success.

Rising is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to providing a work environment that is inclusive and free of discrimination and harassment. All employment decisions are based on individual qualifications without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, ethnicity, gender identity and expression, national origin, family or parental status, veteran or disability status.

Rising is committed to creating a culture within the organisation, and its schools, that recognises the importance of safeguarding children and prioritising their rights and needs. We strive to uphold international safeguarding standards, and keep the safety and well-being of our students at the heart of what we do. All Rising employees are expected to abide by the Child Protection Policy, and to have the same level of commitment to protect children from harm. Safeguarding questions are part of every interview process and all Rising employees undergo reference checks before joining the organisation.