Vacancy – Interim Programme Director: Atlantic Fellows for Health Equity at Tekano (AFHESA)

Competitive salary plus benefit | Location: Cape Town

At Tekano (from the Sesotho word for equity) we are committed to building a lifelong community of courageous changemakers who together will accelerate the eradication of inequity and injustice resulting in fairer, healthier and more inclusive societies. Our Fellows and Staff are accomplished leaders working in diverse settings and contexts, who together think, learn, incubate and implement strategies for greater impact. They are on top of developments within the social justice sector, with a keen eye on developments in the structural and socioeconomic determinants of health. We have a diversity of Fellows who are committed to being leaders of change in communities most impacted by health inequities.  We provide them with the networks, architecture and resources to connect, learn and act to address the underlying systemic causes of inequity.  To support, deepen and sustain our community’s impact at this critical juncture, we have two, new permanent roles:

Programme Director

Tekano is looking for a leader with a proven track record in social justice activism, particularly focused on health equity to be its Interim Programme Director for a period of 6 months.

TEKANO is a non-profit organization whose purpose is to build the capacity of visionary, values- based change-makers to advocate for health equity in South Africa. This is delivered through a team of individuals sharing two critical traits:

• Commitment to human rights, evidenced by sustained involvement in activities which have challenged unfair health, social, economic and political structures and arrangements.
• Individuals who want to continually expand their capacity to create the results they truly desire in an environment driven by continuous collaborative learning and improvement at all levels in the organisation.

ROLE PURPOSE

The Programme Director (PD) works closely with the Chief Executive and is responsible for providing strategic leadership and technical programme oversight to TEKANO and the Programmes Team in particular. The PD will conceptualise and lead the Curriculum, Teaching and Learning and activities of the Fellowship Programme.

As a member of the Executive Management Team s/he/they will play a leading role in the ongoing strategic thinking and direction of TEKANO and drive the accomplishment of TEKANO’s mission and vision and assure its responsiveness and accountability to its diverse constituents, as part of the Executive Management Team collective.

CORE ROLE COMPETENCIES INCLUDE:

• Ensure the integration of strategic work and direction of the fellowship programme into the Tekano organisational strategy.
• Partake in Executive Management Team decisions and activities, including the development and implementation of policies, systems and processes.
• Provide overall leadership and support to the Programmes Team.
• Conceptualise, lead and implement the Curriculum, Teaching and Learning programme.
• Establish and implement medium – long term programmatic strategic plans, policies, and operating procedures.
• Institutionalise and lead processes of continual learning, reflection and improvement within programme.
• Determine programme related research to develop the curriculum and programmatic activities of the Fellowship programme.
• Work closely with the Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning department to evaluate the modules, fellowship change initiatives and the overall programme impact.
• Lead and manage the recruitment, selection and contracting of Fellows.
• Oversee curriculum and materials development for the Fellowship Programme.
• Contribute in shaping and implementing TEKANO’s networking, advocacy and communications.
• Work closely with the Executive Management Team in strategising around and planning the annual internal planning process, including the annual Board-Staff workshop.
• Co-ordinating the work of the Programmes Team – including team meetings, fellowship and other activities scheduled.
• Maintain and ensure the upkeep of Tekano quality and standards in programmes design, materials, facilitation, reports, etc.
• Work closely with the Communications department to develop and populate programmes content for various communications initiatives.
• Ensure the necessary monitoring and evaluation systems are in place for Programmes performance against plans.
• Assess level of risks associated with programme implementation; identify and implement mitigation strategies.
• Work with MEL department to prepare and disseminate timely reports on outputs.
• Keep abreast of the political, economic and social context and trends with a structural and social determinants of health equity focus, in South Africa, the region, the Continent and globally.
• Build positive relationships with key stakeholders nationally and globally.
• Build collaborative learning relationships with other South African Fellowship Programmes and the Atlantic Philanthropies Programmes for shared learning.
• Build and maintain collaborative learning partnerships to support the design and delivery of content and case studies pertaining to the cross-cutting themes of the fellowship programme.
• Ensure sound financial and resource management of programme.
• Ensure that the Programme Team budgets are developed and fed into the main budget.
• With support from the Finance function, monitor programme budgets and prepare budget modifications as necessary.
• Conduct staff probation, performance management according to TEKANO timelines ensuring high performing staff.
• Line management responsibility and support for Programme Team.
• Liaising with and supporting other staff members outside of the Programmes Team as required.
• Develop a team culture that values collaboration internally, cross functionally and in partnership with other departments.
• Support both the professional and personal development of staff, ensuring that they can be proactive on all matters, thus maximising and integrating the effectiveness of the service they provide.
• Ensure that the team delivers their planned outcomes and that their agreed targets are met in line with the Organisational Strategy.
• Any other related work allocated by the CEO as and when required.

REQUIREMENTS:

Minimum Qualifications required

Masters level degree in social or political science, public health or devlopment studies.

Experience

• Over 10 Years’ experience in developing and implementing Non-Profit Programmes to strengthen analytical and leadership capabilities of activists and advocates.
• Strong adult education skills with experience in managing and developing learning programmes.
• Demonstrable understanding of social change initiatives and advocacy within a national and international context.
• In-depth knowledge and understanding of the political, economic, social and cultural causes and consequences of inequity, including the intersecting roles of class, gender, race, disability and other factors in reinforcing poverty, prejudice and discrimination.
• More than five years’ experience in leading, managing and motivating staff and teams in a context of substantial diversity.

• Proven experience in working collaboratively across universities, educational institutions, Non-Profit and Social Movements engaged in popular and mass-based education, health equity advocacy and leadership development.

PLEASE NOTE: This is a full-time position with substantive responsibilities and cannot be done part time.

TO APPLY:

• A motivation
• A CV of no more than four (5) pages with three (3) contactable

Send you application to recruitment@tekano.org.za with the position job title in the subject line: TEKANO INTERIM PROGRAMME DIRECTOR.

Closing date: 5 July 2022.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Selection will be a multi-phase process and may require additional submissions. If no notification of appointment is received within 1 month of the closing date, please accept that your application was unsuccessful.

Tekano is committed to affirmative action and employment equity. The right to modify job descriptions, titles and requirements or not to make an appointment is reserved.