SPARK Schools is a social impact disruptor and is leading change in the education space through its network of affordable private schools. The SPARK Schools network provides transformational education innovation through Africa’s first blended learning model, which elevates student achievement and provides the tools teachers need to serve their students effectively.
The blended learning model, which combines classroom teaching and online instruction, allows teachers to anticipate student needs and equips schools to provide personalized education at an affordable cost. SPARK Schools is pioneering this transformative education model to ensure the accessibility of university and careers for all.
SPARK Schools has a culture of collaboration, because getting South Africa to lead global education takes a team effort. We are innovators who strive for excellence through persistence and a sense of urgency to achieve SPARK Schools’ vision, mission and social transformational objectives. Our work environment is vibrant/cheerful, fast-paced/dynamic, engaging/stimulating, tech-enabled and data driven.
SPARK Schools is a high growth, mission and values-driven, entrepreneurial organisation, operating 21 primary schools and 5 high schools and serving over 18,000 families in 2025. We are looking for dynamic people to join our team.
Purpose of Role:
The School Achievement Manager is responsible for the instructional and stakeholder experience outcomes of the schools in their designated region. The primary role of the School Achievement Manager is to manage, coach, and support the Principals of the schools in their designated region, with emphasis on excellence in scholar achievement, school culture, professional and leadership development, and staff, parent, and scholar experience.
School Achievement Managers work closely with the functional teams in SPARK Support, SPARK Schools’ central office, to ensure excellent service to the schools and network-wide alignment in decision-making and execution. School Achievement Managers are integral to SPARK Schools’ culture and our commitment to rigorous, engaging learning experiences for SPARK scholars.
This is a position for a person who understands what it means to own their portfolio, who has a mature, realistic, understanding of their capabilities, and who has the confidence in their ability to deliver against demanding expectations. This role works closely with the Network Operations Manager, Human Capital team, Efficacy team, and school leaders.
Reports To: Head of Primary Schools
Requirements
Manage and Coach Principals
- Work with and through Principals and school leadership teams to drive scholar achievement and productive, positive school cultures.
- Use a regular coaching cycle to build strong relationships with Principals that enable the leaders to meet their performance targets and model effective coaching to their own school leadership team.
- Use research-based coaching practices in coaching leaders and work with the Head of School Achievement to codify SPARK Schools coaching and management practices.
- Use leadership tools and surveys to best assess leader strengths and areas of growth.
- Use scholar achievement and stakeholder experience data to determine goals with each leader and monitor progress toward goals.
- Hold Principals to academic, professional, ethical, and other performance standards.
Develop and Implement Professional and Leadership Development
- Collaborate with fellow School Achievement Managers, the Efficacy team, and the Human Capital team to plan and implement leadership development opportunities for current and future school leaders.
- Collaborate with all departments in SPARK Support, in order to build and maintain relationships between school leaders and the Support office.
- Develop Assistant Principals as instructional coaches alongside Principals.
- Advise Principals as they coach and develop their school leadership team and Trailblazers (prospective school leaders) to ensure the strength of SPARK Schools’ internal leadership pipeline.
Assume Accountability for Scholar Achievement and Stakeholder Experience
- Maintain a regular schedule of school visits to monitor and evaluate instruction and employees, parent, and scholar experience, as well as identify the highest leverage region-wide and school-specific action steps for implementation.
- Collaborate with fellow School Achievement Managers to develop and implement standards, assessment, and performance metrics for instruction and stakeholder experience.
- Ensure alignment of cultural and instructional practices across the network, in line with SPARK Schools practices, policies, and core values.
- Serve as a primary liaison between teams in SPARK Support and school leadership, to ensure clear and distinct lines of communication and accountability.
- Attend coaching 1:1s with the Head of School Achievement and regular team meetings with the School Achievement Managers and Efficacy team.
- Participate actively in staff development opportunities as a member of the SPARK Schools team.
- Conduct self in a professional manner at all SPARK Schools events and to all stakeholders.
- Enforce compliance with ethical standards guided by the company values and mission.
- Update job knowledge by participating in conferences and educational opportunities, reading professional publications, maintaining personal networks, and participating in professional organizations.
Qualifications and Criteria:
The ideal candidate will possess the following qualifications and criteria:
- B.Ed. or PGCE
- SACE accreditation
- At least 3-5 years of experience leading leaders and/or a team of leaders in school management and instruction with proven record of high achievement
- Experience and practice with labour law
Competencies:
- Critical thinking skills applied to strategic planning, data analysis, collaborative problem-solving, and confident decision-making.
- Professional, clear, and concise written and verbal communication, which can be tailored by the audience and brief.
- Ability and willingness to take initiative, in order to drive one’s own development and team leadership in a fast-paced environment;
- Calm and resilience to lead self and others through challenges;
- Strong organisational skills that allow a detail-oriented approach, while maintaining a “big picture” view.
- Ability to consolidate feedback in order to clearly communicate highest leverage action steps.
SPARK Values: Service, Persistence, Achievement, Responsibility, Kindness
Benefits
SPARK offers:
- fair market linked remuneration
- performance-based annual bonuses and increases
- above average/good annual leave
- life, disability and funeral cover
- employee wellness support
- educational support & study leave
- individualised professional development, support and mentorship
- employee discount on school fees
- opportunities for career growth
Compensation: Commensurate with experience/Market related CTC
Location: Rosebank, Gauteng
Position Type: Full Time
SPARK schools is an equal opportunities employer and preference will be given to candidates from designated groups with due consideration of the company’s Employment Equity goals and targets.
SPARK schools encourages persons with disabilities to apply.
SPARK Schools may expire the posting of this advertisement at their own discretion.
Kindly note that should you have not heard from us within two weeks of the closing date please consider your application unsuccessful.
