Foundation Coach Senior Associate

ABOUT ALU

ALU provides higher education for a higher purpose. Our students declare missions, not majors.
They develop the real-world skills to take on the world’s most pressing challenges. And they take ownership of their learning from day one through our peer and student-led approach – because ALU believes in the power and agency of young people to start shaping the future right now.
Together with a world-class faculty and staff, our students are igniting a ripple of positive impact across Africa and the world.

We are dedicated to fostering an open yet secure environment, balancing the safety of students, staff, and visitors with respect for individual rights, and safeguarding responsibilities.

HOW WE WORK

As a high-growth start-up, the ALU Team works in starkly different ways to traditional academic bureaucracies. We approach education from first principles, empower individuals to design, test, and implement creative new ideas, and work closely together to craft transformative learning experiences. We are deeply passionate about our students and excited by the challenge of building something entirely new.  

The African Leadership University is committed to ensuring the safety and Well-being of all students under our care. As part of this commitment , we have a comprehensive safeguarding policy in place , which outlines our Zero-tolerance approach to any violation of safeguarding.

ABOUT THE FOUNDATION PROGRAMME

The Foundation comprises of the 8 modules which englobe the 12 tracks representing the Foundational skills that a student is expected to master by the end of their time at ALU. This translates into a total of 60 micro-courses (160 credits) that a student is expected to take throughout the duration of their degree programme. Students will learn these foundational skills (formerly known as meta skills) in the Reflective Thinking, Learning Processes, Self Leadership and Team Dynamics, Responsible Enterprise, Critical Thinking, Quantitative Reasoning, Computational Thinking and Managing Complex Tasks, Communication for impact.

ABOUT THE ROLE

The Foundations Coach Sr. Associate is essential for the effective and efficient operations of Foundation modules. The Sr. Associate guides students through their foundational learning journey, providing academic support and assessing their progress. By analyzing feedback and performance data, the Sr. Associate implements improvements to enhance program delivery and student experience, while serving as a key point of contact between the Foundation and other specializations. They also facilitate the onboarding process for new coaches, support their professional growth, and ensure adherence to university policies.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Team Leading

• Engage in the Foundations' program induction and re-induction of other coaches. 
• Engage with developmental and performance management processes for learning coaches.
• Conduct administrative duties associated with managing other personnel in alignment with University policies and best practices, such as conducting performance reviews based on departmental objectives set by the Undergraduate Leadership team (‘Dean’s Council’).

Students and Programme-related

• Deliver the student program induction for the foundation modules for each new intake and support any redesign by providing feedback and implementing changes approved by the line manager.
• Provide academic and mission support to students individually and in groups throughout their foundation learning journey.
• Engage in the assessment of students’ modules' summative submissions
• Contribute to the annual program review to ensure content is up-to-date, valid, relevant, and reflects current and future trends in the 14 grand challenges and great opportunities, whilst considering pedagogical approaches suited for online learning.
• Conduct regular student-staff consultative group meetings to capture student feedback and implement recommendations to enhance the quality of program delivery.
• Regularly review the Learning Management System analytical reports to identify students who may require intervention from coaches throughout the foundation learning journey.
• Implement modifications to learning materials, assessments, and other relevant components to meet internal and external quality assurance requirements.
• Other relevant activities to ensure the successful delivery of the programme
• Contribute to decision-making as a member of the assessment board.
• Any other reasonable duties that may be allocated from time to time by the line manager.
• Other reasonable duties as assigned by the Dean.
• Act as the contact person between Foundations and other specialisations (BEL/BSE) 

Ensure the safety and well-being of all young persons and vulnerable adults with whom we deal,  by adhering to ALU’s comprehensive safeguarding policy, maintaining a zero-tolerance approach to any violations of safeguarding standards. 

REQUIREMENTS

Educational Qualifications:

• Master's Degree in relevant fields such as Education,  Business Administration, Innovation, Entrepreneurship, or any other related field.

Experience:

• Experience in leading or facilitating workshops, classes, or training programs, particularly in higher education or professional development contexts. This includes designing curriculum, delivering engaging content, and adapting teaching methods to meet diverse learner needs.

• Proven track record in coaching or mentoring students or colleagues, providing academic support, and guiding individuals through their learning journeys. This may involve one-on-one sessions or group mentoring, focusing on personal and professional development.
• Experience in designing and developing curricula for educational programs, ensuring alignment with learning outcomes and pedagogical best practices. This includes creating engaging and inclusive content that caters to diverse learners' needs and integrates innovative teaching methods to enhance student engagement and learning outcomes.

• Experience in analyzing feedback and performance data to assess program effectiveness. This includes implementing improvements based on insights gathered from student assessments and learning management systems, as well as contributing to program reviews to ensure relevance and alignment with educational trends.

• Demonstrated ability to support teams, engaging in facilitating induction or training for new staff. Acting as a liaison between different departments to enhance program delivery.

Skills and Abilities:

• Excellent communication, interpersonal, and collaboration skills.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities with an entrepreneurial mindset.
• Strong commitment to increasing educational access on the Continent.
• Proficiency in utilizing educational technologies and data-driven decision-making.
• Excellent coaching and project management skills.
• Conflict resolution and problem-solving skills, especially within group or team settings.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, for working across various teams.
• Ability to work collaboratively within a multidisciplinary team.
• Organizational skills for coordinating events, managing program adoption, and handling day-to-day operational tasks.
• Based in Kigali, Rwanda (or willing to relocate).