Country Field Manager: South Africa at Terra Education, Inc.

Job description

This full-time position will be part of the EduTerra Global International Programs team, which operates Global Leadership Adventures - a teenage study-abroad program. Global Leadership Adventures is a program of EduTerra Global Education, located in Mauritius.

The Country Field Manager will represent GLA in South Africa. They will help manage all operations for existing programs, engage in new program development, and, during the months of June - August, provide hands-on support to summer field staff and programming.

They will work closely with the Africa Regional Director of International Programs based in headquarters in San Diego as they seek to efficiently provide the most high quality, cost-effective programming possible.

This position will work remotely; therefore, the ability to utilize multiple technology platforms and engage in effective written and oral communication is essential.

Status: full-time

Travel: 25-30% international travel

Location: South Africa based. Preference Johannesburg/Cape Town

Start date: Fall 2017

Major Duties And Responsibilities

Due to the dynamic nature of our business, all staff members may be asked to assume tasks and responsibilities outside of their job description. Therefore, we are seeking a candidate that is flexible, eager to pitch-in where needed, and is ready to solve problems and contribute to a successful experience that delivers on our mission. This will often involve working outside of office hours, including, at times, evenings and weekends. Even though there are always a lot of tasks to accomplish, you never lose sight of the larger mission that we strive to fulfill.

Management Of Programs Includes The Following

The Country Field Manager will oversee all program development, implementation and management of new and existing partnerships located in South Africa with additional opportunities in East and West Africa.

Programming & Budgeting: 50%

• 30% - Collaborate with stakeholders to support the growth and development of International Programs throughout South Africa and other countries on the continent. Including but not limited to:
• Research, negotiate and maintain contracts with key suppliers and partners (e.g. transport, lodging, food, activities) per GLA Universal Standards. You will be required to travel for site visits and ongoing support.
• Build and manage comprehensive budgets that account for variables in programming under the guidance of the Regional Director
• Build safe and engaging program itineraries that appeal to teenagers with a balance of community service, cultural immersion, and adventure
• Identify areas of improvement for existing community service projects and seek alternative projects or community-based organizations, as needed
• Implement and maintain all safety protocols and procedures as directed by GLA Universal Standards
• Update tools to communicate program content to Headquarters year round
• 5% - Follow and respond to any U.S. State Department travel alerts for your countries
• Regularly update Headquarters on program changes that must occur due to environmental or civil unrest
• 15% - Maintain relationships with program partners throughout the year, including but not limited to:
• Site visits, as needed, to act as a sounding board, make final decisions and provide hands-on support
• Debrief with stakeholders at the end of the season and support local partners in making changes and attaining those goals the following year

Program Staff Hiring, Training and Support: 50%

• 10% - Assist in recruitment, interviews, and onboarding of Seasonal Program Staff prior to their arrival in country
• 15% - Facilitate the training of Program Directors and Mentors assigned to your regions
• 15% Supervise and support seasonal staff during summer programming:
• Ensure seasonal staff follow policies and procedures
• Offer ongoing feedback and support
• Provide emergency on-call support which includes medical, mental health, behavioral, logistical, natural disaster, etc.
• Check-in calls and troubleshooting with Program Directors and Mentors
• Respond to staff disciplinary actions under guidance of Regional Director
• Coordinate student, staff and director evaluations for the portfolio of programs
• 5% - Provide ongoing communication - draft weekly program reports to update entire team
• 5% - Program wrap up - Propose programmatic and curricular changes accounting for student and staff evaluations and budgetary implications

Requirements

Professional Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree
• Meaningful experience living abroad
• Two years working in an international, multi-cultural work setting
• Two years of leadership experience in education, experiential education and/or travel management.
• Two years of experience managing and coaching staff
• Significant experience building and managing budgets
• Extensive network and connections within South Africa; preferable to have additional contacts in other regions of Africa (East or West Africa)
• Excellent interpersonal skills at all levels, including people-management, leadership and flexibility with advanced written and verbal communication skills in both English and local languages.
• Must be familiar with software programs; Word, Excel, etc.
• Have a strong understanding of cultural, political, and operational challenges within the region.

Essential Qualities

Ideal candidates understand the power of cross cultural immersion. You are a believer in personal growth and development and want to support those around you to achieve the same. You are positive and think outside of the box when presented with challenges. You genuinely enjoy connecting cross culturally and are patient in your communication. In addition to being invigorated by travel, you also have:

• Experience running international service-learning programs
• Excellent networking skills
• Experience working with students

Position and Expected Hours of Work

This is a full-time, remote, contracted position. You will be responsible for providing your own office environment which must have access to Internet, Skype, working computer and cell phone with international calling capability at a minimum.

You will engage in program development throughout South Africa (with potential in other countries) on an ongoing basis. During this time, your transportation, food, and lodging will be covered.

You will travel to the United States 1-2 times a year to engage with the team located in San Diego.

Your typical days of operation will be Monday through Friday. You have flexibility to set your own hours as long as you prioritize weekly meetings with Headquarters to maintain communication.

About Terra Education & Global Leadership Adventures

Terra Education is a mission-driven B-Corporation (http://www.bcorporation.net/terraeducation) organization. We are a rapidly growing organizations - if you are looking for a predictable 9-5 work environment, this won’t be the right fit. Even though there’s always a ton of work to do, we never lose sight of the larger mission that we’re working towards. It’s an environment where we work hard and believe in our mission, but we’re also fun, dynamic and love to travel!

The mission of Global Leadership Adventures is to inspire the next generation to realize their potential to transform the world and their role in it. Global Leadership Adventures (“GLA”) presents a fresh, new approach to service-learning abroad for intellectually-curious and socially-oriented teenagers. Programs are offered in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Europe. Participants explore historic and natural sites in different countries while they learn the local language and history, and serve the community through meaningful volunteer efforts. GLA’s goal is to provide life-changing experiences that will cultivate a global perspective and open-mindedness in students that will ultimately inspire them to become great leaders and global thinkers and seek positive change in their own communities.