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Current Opening: Director of Teacher Training (English, French and Computer Basics)

Location: Guinea-Bissau

Reports directly to: Country Director

About WAVS

West African Vocational Schools (www.wavschools.org) is a Christian skills development organization that trains and equips youth in one of the least developed regions in the world. WAVS training centers prepare more than 200 youth for work each year, enabling them to earn a reliable income and provide for their families for the rest of their lives. By recruiting instructors primarily from the African church community, WAVS training centers also serve as a platform for sharing the message of hope in Christ.

Summary

The Director of Teacher Training is responsible for managing vocational courses in English, French, and IT Basics (computer literacy and Microsoft Office). The Training Director will oversee these programs at all three training centers in Guinea-Bissau. The Training Director will invest in the professional development of the teaching staff, model effective teaching methods through classroom teaching demonstrations, develop curricula and teaching materials, establish competency standards that are relevant to the labor market, and help monitor the outcomes of graduates.

Working closely with the Country Director, the Training Director will help achieve the following objectives by the end of 2023 that include, among others:

  • Surveys show that desired outcomes are achieved, including at least 50% of graduates of Language and IT courses are working within 2 years after graduation.
  • Teaching staff demonstrate ability to teach effectively on a consistent basis, based on indicators from teacher evaluations, student surveys, test scores, and graduate outcomes.

Responsibilities

 Team Management

  • Establish healthy, trusting relationships with the teaching staff and contribute to an environment that encourages a strong work ethic and results-oriented job performance.
  • Ensure that the teaching staff consistently fulfill their responsibilities as outlined in their job descriptions.
  • Invest in the professional development of local teaching staff. This includes setting goals and reviewing the performance of team members on a regular basis.

Program Development

  • Assess the effectiveness and relevance of existing curricula and teaching materials for IT Basics and Language courses. Then develop and implement curricula for the purpose of meeting labor market demands. Provide continual evaluation and improvement.

 Research, Monitoring & Evaluation

  • Survey students and graduates (usually via in-person interviews) to gather pre and post-training data on outcomes, including income levels and employment status.
  • Survey employers, employees, and others to assess the needs of the labor market.

 Coordinate with U.S. office

  • Work with the Country Director and Executive Director to set clearly-defined objectives for WAVS programs every six months within the framework of the organization’s 5-year plan.
  • Work from the U.S. office in Fresno, California, for up to six weeks each year.

 Knowledge, Skills & Experience

  • Previous cross-cultural work experience in a developing region, preferably in sub-Sahara Africa, working with development organizations, governments, or in the private sector.
  • Relevant previous job experience in a cross-cultural context may include: managed a program related to skills training; taught ESL, French, and/or basic computer skills; trained teachers and developed curricula; engaged in monitoring & evaluation to improve a specific program.
  • Familiarity with the IT/ICT field. Working knowledge of Microsoft Office products. Familiarity with IT networks preferred. The Training Director does not need to be a software engineer or a web developer, but must be able to teach basic computer literacy skills.
  • Fluent in English.
  • Familiarity or fluency of French strongly preferred, but no required.
  • Familiarity or fluency of Portuguese is preferred, but not required. Must be willing to learn the Portuguese-based Creole common in Guinea-Bissau.

Personal skills:

  • A personal faith in Christ and a desire to share His message of hope with others through words and actions.
  • Embraces a mission-first mindset that prioritizes organizational objectives.
  • Values consistent and clear communication with all team members.

Living Conditions

The Training Director will be based in Guinea-Bissau for about 10 months out of the year and may visit the WAVS office in the United States once a year.

Benefits

  • Competitive salary based on experience.
  • Health and retirement benefits.
  • Housing expense reimbursement.
  • Four weeks of rest time every July with reduced responsibilities.
  • Reimbursement of airfare for one personal trip each year.

Application process

Please email your application to [email protected]. Candidates are encouraged to include a cover letter and/or introductory message with their application.