Senior Program Manager – The Gambia

The  Luminos  Fund,  an  international  non-profit  bringing  education  opportunities  to  the  world’s  most vulnerable  children,  seeks  an  experienced  and  dynamic  Senior  Program  Manager  to  contribute  to  its rapid  growth  and  expansion  in  The  Gambia.  The  Senior  Program  Manager  will  play  a  lead  role  in program planning and execution, curriculum development, training and coaching for teachers, staff, and Implementing Partners, as well as monitoring Luminos’ classrooms.

The  ideal candidate  is an accomplished education  professional who  has  strong  program management and  data  analysis  skills.  They  should  have  proven  experience  and  capacity  to  work  across  multiple program  areas  successfully,  including  but  not  limited  to  teacher  training,  curriculum  design,  and program monitoring.

Luminos  operates  in  partnership  with  the  Ministry  of  Basic  and  Secondary  Education’s  Curriculum Research Evaluation and Development Directorate (CREDD) to implement and scale the Gambia Classes for  Open  Learning  (GCOL).  GCOL  serves  out-of-school  children  aged  7-14,  through  an  innovative  10- month  accelerated  learning  program  that  enables  them  to  catch  up  to  grade  level,  reintegrate  into government schools, and prepare for lifelong learning. GCOL currently has operations in 20 classrooms, and the Country Manager will support the rapid growth of this program.

This full-time position will be based in the Luminos Fund office in Banjul and will require regular travel to  the  rural  regions.  The  Senior  Program  Manager  will  report  to  the  Country  Manager,  and  will collaborate closely with technical experts based in other country offices.

ABOUT THE LUMINOS FUND

The Luminos Fund (www.luminosfund.org) provides transformative education programs to thousands of out-of-school  children,  helping  them  to  catch  up  to  grade  level,  reintegrate  into  government  schools, and prepare for lifelong learning. Working in partnership with community-based organizations, Luminos is  scaling  up  its  accelerated  learning  program  to  ensure  all  children  have  equal  access  to  joyful, foundational  learning,  especially  those  shut  out  of  education  by  crisis,  poverty,  or  discrimination.  To date, Luminos has helped over 218,541 children secure a second chance to learn. A registered 501(c)(3) non-profit, Luminos is working in Ethiopia, Ghana, Lebanon, Liberia, and The Gambia.

Luminos  is  supported  by  a  range  of  funding  partners,  including  Cartier  Philanthropy,  Dubai  Cares, Legatum,  and  UBS  Optimus  Foundation.  Luminos  has  been  recognized  for  its  achievements  globally, receiving  the  2022  Klaus  J.  Jacobs  Best  Practice  Prize,  the  Library  of  Congress  International  Literacy Award, the Lipman Family Prize, the WISE Award, and the HundrED Global Innovation Award for the last six years.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Program Management

• Take responsibility for the day-to-day planning and implementation of programs.
• Spend approximately two days per week providing coaching and technical support to program facilitators, supervisors, and Implementing Partners on key aspects of teaching and learning, ensuring quality across all classes.
• Engage closely with Implementing Partners to support teacher and student selection, community engagement, program assessment, child protection and safeguarding, and student transition to government schools.
• Leverage a program dashboard and real-time data to inform decision-making across the program.
• Work closely with the Country Manager and other Luminos staff, Implementing Partners, and government advisors, to proactively uphold and further strengthen Luminos’ commitment to child safeguarding, ensuring that every class is a conducive environment for children to learn and grow safely and joyfully.
• Lead training for other staff and partners in responding to child safeguarding scenarios.
• Review reports from Implementing Partners and field teams, liaise with both through daily and weekly check-in calls, and respond appropriately based on the needs of the team and the program.

Curriculum and Training Design

• Work closely with Luminos’ global team to design, develop, and test new curriculum elements

that support student development of key skills.

• Support the development of learning assessments and analyze data to inform curriculum development and training plans.
• Act as a lead trainer for the team.
• Support the design and delivery of training for master trainers, Implementing Partners, and facilitators.

Partner Coordination

• Maintain ongoing communication with relevant Implementing Partners on key issues such as data collection, child safeguarding, and overall program delivery.
• Provide real-time feedback to partner staff on emerging classroom challenges.
• Drive collaboration between Implementing Partners to maximize student learning and facilitator development.

Data Collection & Quality

• Ensure qualitative and quantitative reports are collected in a timely fashion with a high degree of accuracy.
• Lead the programs team and Implementing Partners in using program data to propose program improvements and activities.
• Provide input and support to research and external evaluations associated with the program.

REQUIRED EXPERIENCE

• Bachelor’s degree with 4-5+ years of relevant professional experience required; Master’s degree

in Education or related field of study preferred.

• Excellent leadership skills with increasing levels of responsibility across the business or non- profit sectors including experience working in the education sector.
• Strong track record of successful program and people management.
• Experience leading the delivery of teacher training and continuous professional development for teachers.
• Experience designing curriculum preferred.
• Outstanding interpersonal skills. Strong track record of success in building and managing relationships with a variety of stakeholders.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Proven organizational and time management skills.
• Experience working in The Gambia, especially in rural areas.
• Fluency in written and spoken English. Additional speaking fluency in one or more languages.

CORE ATTRIBUTES

• Belief and demonstrated passion for the mission, vision, and values of Luminos Fund.
• Impeccable integrity, professionalism, and solutions-oriented, can-do attitude.
• Natural curiosity and hunger for continuous learning and improvement.
• Meticulous attention to details large and small.
• Innate sense of responsibility for delivery of quality work, even in challenging circumstances.
• Reliable, self-motivated, with the ability to work independently.
• Experience working with diverse constituents, teams, and colleagues.
• Readiness to problem solve creatively on a myriad of fronts and go above and beyond to deliver success.

To apply for this position, please submit a brief cover letter and your CV at https://the-luminos-fund.breezy.hr/p/9a06ede9d0f9-senior-program-manager-the-gambia. Desired start date: ASAP.

The Luminos Fund is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran, or disability status.