School Support Specialist

The School Support Specialist (SSS) is responsible for the delivery of non-financial education services as developed by the EduQuality program for affordable private schools. As part of a local team of School Support Specialists, and in collaboration with teams across India, this role is focused solely on delivering professional development courses to school leaders and teacher mentors to support effective management, teaching and learning, and supporting effective holistic school development via school quality measurement and school development planning processes.

RESPONSIBILITIES include the following. Other duties may be assigned.
Pathways to Excellence

• Support Education Specialist team to develop and implement a School Self-Assessment and School Development Plan that analyses school performance against 18 domains of education quality.
• Support school development planning teams at each school to identify priority areas for school improvement and train school leaders and teachers on provided digital resources for each domain of education quality.

Cluster Development

• Support school clusters in the development of a Cluster governance committee with a Cluster Leader, Deputy Cluster Leader, and Cluster Administrator.
• Support in the development and maintenance of an annual schedule of Cluster Meetings for school leaders and teacher mentors.
• Facilitate collaboration across Clusters for school enrichment activities, i.e., sports competitions, debate teams, arts exhibitions, among others.

School Leader Professional Development

• Assist Education Specialists in the delivery of School Leadership Professional Development training on leadership and management best practices, including budgeting, marketing and branding, financial management, staff engagement and retention, among others.

Individualized School-Level Support

• Provide one-on-one, personalized support to school leaders to help in the achievement of identified priority areas of need and school development plans by conducting multiple school visits each year
• Provide effective feedback and guidance to school leaders for school improvement based on school leader’s performance in cluster meetings, submission of quizzes, self- assessment and school development plans
• Work closely with Education Specialists to provide guidance and feedback to school leaders using observation tools
• Foster strong relationships with school leaders to ensure high attendance, engagement and participation in the program

Teacher Mentor Professional Development

• Assist Education Specialists to develop mentorship capacity of teachers through Joint Practice Development (JPD) by facilitating independently and/or collaborating with external trainers. Through ongoing coaching and training, JPD targets the improvement of teacher motivation, subject matter expertise, and pedagogical skills within school Clusters and Opportunity International’s broader network of schools.

Learning & Knowledge Management

• Document case studies of ongoing effective practices and innovations from the field for dissemination to internal and external stakeholders.
• Liaise with learning partners, as necessary, who engage with the EduFinance program to evaluate effectiveness and impact.

QUALIFICATIONS

• At least 2-3 years of relevant experience in education development, school leadership or teacher professional development.
• Degree in school-based education or education development, with experience and strong interest in the basic education sector.
• Post-graduate qualification related to education is preferred.
• Understanding of the education sector, school curriculum, school environment, and language/literacy needs in Tamil Nadu.
• Strong writing, data collection, and ICT skills (e.g., Microsoft Office, EdTech, learning management systems, data collection tools, mobile tablets, etc.).
• Ability to manage contract negotiations with external vendors and ability to manage internal work-related expenses is required.
• Experience working within cross-cultural global organizations and NGOs.
• Previous teaching/education/policy fellowship experience preferred but not required
• Passionate about Opportunity’s mission. Able to promote and communicate the organization’s goals and objectives to external and internal stakeholders.

LANGUAGE SKILLS

• Written and verbal fluency in English and Tamil required. Must be able to attend & fully participate in meetings conducted in English.

TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS

• Upto 80% domestic travel required. Access to a personal vehicle strongly preferred
• Able to travel with minimal notice and maximum flexibility
• Willing to travel independently and without escort or planning support

ABOUT OPPORTUNITY INTERNATIONAL
Opportunity International is a global non-profit that has been equipping people to build sustainable livelihoods and educate their children for 54 years. Opportunity provides 21 million families with innovative financial resources, training, and support to grow their small businesses and send their children to school. In 2024, Opportunity International and its partners helped fund 19,000 schools that reached 3.4 million children. We respond to Jesus Christ's call to love and serve people living in poverty. We seek to emulate the Good Samaritan, whose compassion crossed ethnic groups and religions. We serve all people regardless of religion, race, ethnicity, or gender. Discover more at opportunity.org or join the conversation on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

CHILD PROTECTION COMMITMENT
Opportunity believes that all children have a right to protection from any form of abuse regardless of gender, culture, ethnicity, age, religion, sexual orientation, or ability. Opportunity operates in line with international best practices for child protection and recognizes its responsibility to ensure that all employees. This policy applies to anyone acting on behalf of Opportunity or is involved in its programs in any capacity. All employees are subject to background checks, which include criminal checks and sex offender list checks, as allowed by local law.

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