Development Coordinator at The Nairobi Waldorf School

On Tuesday, October 8th, 2013

0 Comments | By Daily Jobs in Kenya

Based in Nairobi, Kenya

2 year-contract renewable

Deadline for application: 21 October 2013

Background:

The Nairobi Waldorf School was founded in 1992. Our Vision is to nurture Independent and talented human beings with a lifelong passion for learning and a strong sense of community. Our Mission is to become an inspirational school in Kenya by nurturing, through Waldorf education, well-rounded individuals who are capable of critical, creative and flexible thinking.

What our school has to offer through Waldorf education is as relevant as ever, with the increasing demand of modern life and its related social, political and economic issues, all of which require creative solutions. “The growing ‘creative age’ economy calls for the development of human capacities, capacities that Waldorf schools have cultivated for nearly a century.” Educating the whole human being is becoming an economic, social and political necessity and is no longer simply an alternative lifestyle chosen by parents for their children and for themselves.

Re-thinking education has become a must that should be a joint effort of schools, parents, ministries of education, psychologists, educational scientists, and children themselves.

The creation of the first Waldorf School in 1919 in Germany at the end of World War I, was triggered by the alarming observation of a system of education that didn’t match the needs of modern society. The same is true today.

Our school has established a nurturing and growing community, which shares the simple vision of raising our children holistically in true consciousness and love, with the goal of enabling them to contribute towards establishing a more peaceful and sustainable Kenya and Global community.

Willy Brandt, the former Chancellor West Germany and 1971 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, confirmed the profound relevance of the Waldorf method of education stating: “The advent of the Waldorf Schools was in my opinion the greatest contribution to world peace and understanding of the century.”

Trends in modern society seem to be increasingly hostile towards the healthy intellectual, social, spiritual and physical development of children.

Standard education systems all focus on the premature intellectualization of children, while marginalizing artistic and physical approaches to development. Appropriate development of creativity, inventiveness, innovation and interpersonal skills are thus impeded by this narrow focus.

The Nairobi Waldorf School has adopted a completely different approach to these mainstream trends for years. Currently we are feeling increasing pressure to communicate what we fundamentally believe are a growing need for alternatives in the field of education and to defend more clearly the nature of our learning method in light of these trends.

The Kenyan society is also gradually being modified by the impact of capitalism and an inequitable redistribution of an increasing wealth, which affects the way people interact with each other as well as their life aspirations.

In particular, it encourages excessive consumption, triggers more inequalities and creates a social hierarchy that values a materialistic approach to measure human success and excludes other values and views.

This affects not only human beings but also the environment, which suffers severe and irreparable damage because of excessive consumption.

While economic growth is a key development factor for the continent and thus for Kenya, it is essential to advocate for a more equitable, inclusive and participatory socioeconomic model of our societies and to go beyond money as the primary indicator of success.

Waldorf education hence becomes a unique and alternative approach to positively change and create new values for our societies.

As well as economic success we add the values of community, happiness, peace, creativity, inclusiveness and equality.

We contribute to such change by nurturing the three forces at work in our students and in human nature: Thinking, Feeling and Willing.

Focusing on the first force only is leaving out a whole part of who we are, and doesn’t acknowledge the multiple intelligences that live in each and every one of us: Waldorf education gives children and future adults a better opportunity to fulfil their full potential, as opposed to mainstream education, which focuses on one “general” intelligence.

For us, this means the integration of arts into curriculum, inclusion of cross-hemispherical brain exercises, and focus on developing multiple intelligences through a comprehensive system of education.

We are among Africa’s oldest Waldorf schools and with the support and commitment of our highly qualified Teachers, the generosity and guidance of our Mentors, the faith of our Parents, and strength and commitment of present and former Board of Trustees we have grown steadily in spite of numerous challenges.

We are offering Kenya a unique opportunity to nurture capable, competent and happy human beings.

As we write this plan, our school is proud to welcome 203 children on 2 sites: Kileleshwa and Karen.

Our school has just launched its new 2014-2018 Strategic Plan and is looking for a highly skilled and motivated individual to become our school Development Coordinator, with a view to ensuring a successful implementation of the 5-year plan.

This position reports to the Board and works in collaboration with the College of Teachers, the Faculty, Administration and Finance, as well as parents and the broader community.

Job Overall responsibility:

Responsible for the planning, organizing, and management of project tasks and resources to bring about the successful implementation and completion of the strategic plan.

Responsibilities include:

translating strategic goals into actionable activities,
creating a blueprint for change and planning the work according to the objectives,
mobilising the team in close collaboration with Administration/Finance and the College of Teachers,
assessing and mitigating project risks,
estimating human and financial resource requirements,
allocating resources, organising the work,
assigning tasks in collaboration with Administration and the College of Teachers,
coordinating activities, monitoring project execution, tracking and reporting progress,
ensuring project quality, managing and resolving project issues,
identifying and managing project changes,
communicating project status and issues to all stakeholders.

Duties include:

Developing and managing strategy implementation annual plans, tasks, timelines, milestones and deadlines
Coordinating work with Administration and the College of teachers and monitoring and reporting on implementation status and issues
Assigning tasks to staff and coordinating work in collaboration with Administration and the College of Teachers
Developing a fundraising strategy aiming at financing the strategic plan
Contributing to increasing the visibility of the school in Kenya
Developing strategic partnerships supporting the strategy implementation

More specifically:

Disseminating the contents of the strategic plan in a manner that ensures that all implementers within the school understand its purpose, buy into its objectives and contribute towards achieving the desired results
Map out the methods desired to implement the strategies outlined in this document, in consultation with the Board and other implementers
Create a plan for the implementation which has concrete time and financial targets, in consultation with the Board
Coordinate the implementation of this plan amongst all stakeholders to ensure timely implantation within agreed budgetary levels
Actively search for and implement methods to increase the revenue stream available for the Implementation of this Strategic Plan, in consultation with the Board
Plan and implement a monitoring and evaluation function to ensure that the Implementation plan stays on track and continues to work towards to goals outlined in the strategic plan
Plan and implement a monitoring and evaluation function to ensure that the schools function with fiscal discipline, in line with the Implementation Plan
Report to the board in an agreed manner, on a timely basis and as needs be
Ensure that communication and consultation with Third parties and external organisations are entered into and maintained in order to strengthen interest in the Nairobi Waldorf school, in line with the strategic plan

Required qualifications:

Must have a minimum of 8+ years of strong operational experience: ideally has worked in a senior management role for 5+ years. Experience working for a school or non profit organization an added advantage.
Demonstrated experience in financial planning and analysis.
Skills should include organizational development, personnel management, budget and resource development, and strategic planning.
Excellent people skills, with an ability to partner with a dynamic team.
Personal qualities of integrity, credibility, and commitment to the mission of the Nairobi Waldorf School.
Flexible and able to multi-task; can work within a multi-cultural, fast-moving environment, while driving toward clarity and solutions; demonstrated resourcefulness in setting priorities and guiding investment in people/systems

Contract: 2 years renewable.

Application procedure:

If you are interested in submitting your application to the above position, kindly send your CV and letter of interest to: admin@nairobiwaldorfschool.ac.ke with the subject ‘Development Coordinator Job Application’.

Deadline for application: 21 October 2013.

Thank you for your interest in our school.

“The need for imagination, a sense of truth and a feeling of responsibility, these are the three forces which are the very nerve of education.” Rudolph Steiner, Founder of Waldorf Education.

Website: www.nairobiwaldorfschool.ac.ke

Facebook: http://on.fb.me/15Z5LlC