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SENIOR MANAGER, SYSTEMS RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

Job basis: Indefinite term, full time
Level: Senior Management
Location: Pretoria / Cape Town / Johannesburg
Job description:  Senior Manager Early Childhood Development (ECD) Systems Design and Development

Ilifa Labantwana works to secure an equal start for all children living in South Africa through focussing on early childhood development (ECD). Our mission is to ensure that all children in South Africa are developmentally on track to begin formal schooling and to fully participate in the economy and society. We do this through partnership with government, civil society and the private sector, and focus on four priority areas: 1) data for decision-making; 2) systems to increase supply of ECD (e.g. regulatory, operational, quality and skilling systems); and 3) building caregiver/parent demand for ECD.
We seek to appoint a Senior Manager, Systems Research and Development to play a lead role in our organisation. We are looking for an outstanding candidate with experience in systems-thinking and design.  The candidate will focus on the Early Learning component of the Essential Package of ECD, grappling with systems solutions to increase the supply of ECD services.  These will include systems and processes that focus on:

• Revising legislative and regulatory systems to reduce barriers to access (e.g registration requirements)
• Mainstreaming government and non-government support for unregistered and conditionally registered early learning programmes so that they can become eligible for government subsidies, monitoring and support.
• Securing local government commitments to expanding ECD services.
• Maximising safe spaces/venues for early learning programmes – including the upgrading of non-government facilities, and leveraging under/unutilised public facilities for early learning programmes.
• Testing and iterating a national Quality Assurance and Support System for early learning programmes.

The candidate will work alongside another Senior Manager focussed on ECD expansion, Human Resource Development and financing for ECD services.

Core Responsibilities

The successful candidate will take up a leadership role in the organisation. As such, they will represent Ilifa Labantwana publicly, contribute to strategy development and work with the Systems Design and Development Director to identify new opportunities to achieve portfolio goals. They will manage a team of 2 coordinators and develop budgeted annual workplans with their team. The successful candidate will work closely with government as a key partners and manage government relationships. Close working relationships with other non government organisations are important for this role.
The core responsibilities of the candidate will include:

• Research and design of evidence-based, innovative systems solutions (such as frameworks, tools, processes and products) to support systems optimization and/or reform.
• Piloting systems initiatives in field – i.e. managing relationships for pilots, designing pilots, project-managing pilots and managing any contracted consultants or social partners.
• Stakeholder management of government and non-government partners; for the purposes of partnership development and management, capacity-building and change management.

The ideal candidate:

• Must have the following:
  • Tertiary degree with 5 – 8 years of relevant professional experience.
  • Great communication skills – verbal and written
  • Strong research and analytical skills; with the ability to translate evidence into implementable tools, processes and projects
  • Strong project management experience, and the ability to manage staff and expert consultants
  • Understanding and appreciation of human-centred design principles
  • An understanding of public policy and government systems, and experience working with government and non-government partners
  • Excellent relationship management skills
  • Excellent computer literacy is essential especially in MS Outlook, MS Word and MS Excel.
  • Be self-driven, entrepreneurial and a team player – all at the same time!
  • Be adaptable and flexible willing to take on new opportunities that arise aligned to the vision of the organisations
  • Behave in an ethical way that is aligned with the values of the organization
  • Be willing to travel (mostly domestic, but frequently; depending on COVID risk)
• The following are desirable
  • Knowledge of regulatory, compliance, infrastructure, quality and expansion challenges in the ECD sector
  • Knowledge of how laws and regulation affect ECD
  • Understanding of how national, provincial and local government environments affect ECD
  • Experience working in one or more components of the ECD essential package
  • Able to break down complex processes and process map

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until 1 December 2021, with an anticipated start date in February 2022.

Please forward a detailed CV and covering letter to Integration Resourcing, for attention: Fiona Arenhold on email address fiona@i-resourcing.co.za
Ilifa Labantwana strives for diversity and representation in our organisation. All qualified candidates will be considered. BBBEE applicants are encouraged to apply.[SM1]

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