About the Organisation
Since 2013, Mellon Educate has been dedicated to improving access to quality education in South African townships. Over the past decade, we have built and renovated 36 schools, positively impacting thousands of children. In 2018, we launched the Mellon Educate Literacy Programme, which remains our core focus. This initiative aims to address the critical challenge of low literacy levels, ensuring more children remain in education while also creating employment opportunities for young people to become community-based literacy tutors. Our ambitious goal is to deliver the Mellon Educate Literacy Programme in literacy hubs to hundreds of thousands of primary school children across Southern Africa over the next ten years.
About the Job
The Head of Literacy will provide strategic leadership, programme oversight, and advocacy to drive impactful literacy initiatives for early years learners. This role requires an experienced professional with deep expertise in literacy education, programme management, and community engagement. The ideal candidate will be a visionary thinker and a hands-on leader, fostering partnerships to improve literacy outcomes across South Africa.
Key Responsibilities
Strategic Leadership
Develop and implement a comprehensive literacy strategy aligned with the organisation’s mission and objectives.
Monitor literacy trends, policies, and research in South Africa to guide programme development.
Identify funding opportunities, contribute to grant writing, and engage donors to ensure programme sustainability.
Programme Design & Management
Oversee the development and implementation of evidence-based literacy programmes for learners, teachers, and communities.
Design and refine curricula, training materials, and literacy resources tailored to local needs.
Establish measurable programme goals and lead monitoring, evaluation, and reporting efforts to assess impact.
Capacity Building & Training
Provide training, mentorship, and professional development for educators and programme staff.
Strengthen local partners’ capacity to implement and sustain literacy initiatives.
Facilitate workshops and seminars to promote best practices in literacy education.
Stakeholder Engagement & Advocacy
Build and maintain partnerships with government agencies, schools, NGOs, and community organisations.
Advocate for policies and funding to support literacy initiatives at national and local levels.
Represent Mellon Educate at events, conferences, and in the media to promote literacy initiatives.
Team Leadership & Collaboration
Lead, motivate, and develop a team of programme coordinators and literacy specialists.
Foster a culture of innovation, collaboration, and accountability within the literacy team.
Work cross-functionally with other departments to integrate literacy goals into broader education initiatives.
Requirements
Essential Qualifications & Experience
Experienced in delivering literacy education and programme management.
A track record in designing, implementing, and scaling literacy programmes.
Strong understanding of literacy challenges in South Africa, including knowledge of local languages and cultural dynamics.
Experience in monitoring and evaluation, with proficiency in data collection and analysis.
Skills & Competencies
Strategic thinker with the ability to translate vision into action.
Leadership and team management skills.
Excellent written and verbal communication, including public speaking.
Strong relationship-building abilities with internal and external stakeholders.
Analytical problem-solver with attention to detail.
Desirable Attributes
Knowledge of national education policies and frameworks in South Africa.
Fluency in multiple South African languages.
Experience in education-related advocacy and public policy.
To apply
In order to apply, email your application by Monday 24th February 2025 to tracy@actionappointments.co.za - send your completed AA bio form, letter of motivation and updated CV (all in MS Word format).
