PROGRAMME COORDINATOR FOR SOCIAL INNOVATIONS AFTER-SCHOOL CENTRES
PART-TIME SHORT-TERM VACANCY – Cape Town based
Background:
Social Innovations operates after-school centres in no-fee public schools across four provinces. These programmes aim to help learners build stronger foundations in literacy and numeracy at points of transition such as from foundation phase to intermediate phase and from
Grade R to Grade 1.
Contract period and time requirement: This is a short term part time position as our organisation is in transition and a new organisational structure will be effective from 2026. We are looking for a person to fill this post on a part-time contract basis for the remainder of 2025.
It is suited to a freelance project manager/consultant already working in the public schooling sector. Hours of work will be discussed directly with applicants, but it is estimated that it will require 3-4 hours per day and this can be structured to suit the contractor. With payroll and reporting, the end of the month is the busiest period.
Role Purpose: Overall coordination of the after-school programmes on a day-to-day basis.
The team: The contractor will work with the director, programme administrator and liaise with a team of mentors, academy managers and service providers across four provinces.
Office: Social Innovations has an office in Newlands, Cape Town. The contractor could work from the office, or another arrangement can be made.
Responsibilities:
1. Project day-to-day management and administration: There are monthly/termly that the programme coordinator (PC) drives. These systems are established, but the PC will be asked to contribute to improving how processes are structured and documented. These include:
• Payroll preparation and administration (no previous payroll experience is required)
• Administering weekly and monthly payments
• Ensuring deliveries of materials to schools
• Coordinating training and support visits
• Logging queries from schools and service providers and ensuring that these are resolved.
• Some of our programmes offer incentives to learners for good attendance. Manage the attendance trackers, receive lists from schools and manage the voucher process from the order of voucher to the delivery into the hands of learners.
• Some of our programmes employee teachers assistants through The Learning Trust (TLT)/Social Employment Fund. While the administrator operates the monthly processes and responds to requests from TLT, the PC is required to oversee and support.
• Coordinate weekly progress meetings and monthly report back meetings.
2. Data management and reporting
• The administrator tracks programme dashboards and completes a monthly report per project. The PC is required to keep an eye on the dashboard to ensure that programmes remain on track and to participate in monthly meetings where progress is reviewed.
3. Relationship management and support
• The PC is the human heart of the project. It is up to him/her to maintain good relationship with all parties to the projects, to support where needed and to timeously respond to queries and problems. This is an important requirement of this position.
Person profile:
This person should: have experience of programme management in the public schooling sector; be familiar with the challenges and opportunities within the environment; be aware of the debates that inform the delivery of public education programmes; and be aware of the social structures and complexities within schools.
The person should have experience in working with dashboard systems, excellent working knowledge of MS software including Word, PowerPoint, Excel and strong verbal and written communications skills.
A task orientated, organised and detail focused person that enjoys working with people is the ideal profile for this position.
Application process
Please send a CV, three work-related referees and covering letter that includes:
• What is your experience working in no-fee public schools in SA? What learnings about the sector will you bring with you to this new role?
• Why are you the ideal person for this position?
• How will this short-term post job serve your ambitions? You might want to tell us about your purpose, or about your medium-term career aspirations.
Send to: kimon@socialinnovations.co.za by 8 April 2025
Contact will only be made with shortlisted candidates. Compensation will be discussed in interviews.