Regional Performance Manager, 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 us: 

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 900 schools in Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ghana and now Rwanda.

Through great curriculum, intensive teacher coaching and actionable data, we help teachers and school leaders bring quality to every classroom. 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.

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 a highly motivated and experienced Regional Performance Manager, IWW to oversee our partnership program in Sierra Leone. The ideal candidate is passionate about improving education outcomes and has a proven track record of leadership experience within the sector. The Regional Performance Manager will work closely with cluster mentors, school leaders and teachers to ensure that students receive a quality education and become confident and successful contributors to their communities.

The Regional Performance Manager, IWW will:

• Oversee the performance of schools within the program.
• Collaborate closely and manage cluster mentors, school leaders and teachers to ensure quality teaching and learning in every classroom.
• Analyze data to identify trends and areas for improvement in student outcomes.
• Develop and implement strategies to improve school performance and student outcomes.
• Conduct regular school visits to observe the implementation of strategies and provide feedback.
• Facilitate professional development sessions for school leaders and teachers.
• Work with the Operations team to ensure that schools are well-equipped.

Location and reporting:

This is a full-time position. The Regional Performance Manager reports to the Program Manager, IWW and will be based out of our country office in Freetown, Sierra Leone.

Application Deadline: 20th August, 2025. However, applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, we encourage interested applicants to apply as soon as possible.

Requirements

Qualifications and Experience:

• Bachelor's degree in Education or a related field.
• At least 5 years of experience in education management.
• 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.
• Strong classroom observation skills.
• Experience of working as a School Performance Manager/ School coach is a plus.
• Experience of having worked closely with government authorities.

About You:

• Passionate about Rising’s mission.
• You have excellent verbal and written communication skills, and interpersonal skills.
• You demonstrate people skills; 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 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

Compensation and Benefits:

We offer a competitive 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.

The benefits we offer are built to have a strong added value on our staff’s well-being and we are excited to discuss this further with you in the process.

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 recognizes the importance of safeguarding children and prioritizing 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.