Leadership Core and Foundations Lead

ABOUT ALU

ALCHE provides higher education for a higher purpose. Our students declare missions, not majors.
They develop real-world skills to take on the world’s most pressing challenges. They take ownership of their learning from day one through our peer and student-led approach – because ALCHE 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, we work in starkly different ways from other academic institutions. 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 College of Higher Education (ALCHE) 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 ROLE

The Leadership Core and Foundations Lead is accountable for the design, teaching, learning, and assessment of the Leadership Core and Foundation modules in the undergraduate programs of ALCHE. The lead will also be responsible for implementing the quality assurance and enhancement processes for these modules, the line management of the Leadership Core and Foundations faculty, and other associated activities to ensure the successful delivery of the modules.

The ideal candidate will possess strong communication, organisational, and problem-solving skills, with experience in higher education and leadership development. This position is essential for enhancing the student learning experience and contributing to the institution’s mission.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Program Leadership and Management

• Oversee Program Delivery: Manage the end-to-end student and faculty experience for the Leadership Core and Foundations in alignment with the teaching and learning strategy.
• Team Leadership: Lead and manage a team responsible for delivering the teaching, learning and assessment to students throughout their Leadership Core and Foundations journey.
• Faculty Development: Oversee the development and performance management of the Leadership Core and Foundations faculty team, ensuring continuous professional growth and alignment with the programme’s objectives.

Curriculum Design and Delivery

• Curriculum Development: In collaboration with the Learning Experience, Design and Implementation team, the curriculum committee, the faculty and the Quality Assurance team, review and redesign the curriculum to meet the evolving needs of students, industry partners, and other relevant stakeholders.
• Evidence-based Educational Practices: Ensure these modules utilise evidence-based pedagogical approaches, aligned with the students’ needs and the institution's teaching and learning strategy.
• Content Curation: Collaborate with global experts to curate and maintain cutting-edge learning experiences.
• Learning Facilitation: Facilitate learning through class sessions, office hours, written feedback, and other teaching methods, fostering an engaging and effective educational environment.

Quality Assurance and Enhancement

• Program Review: Lead the annual program review to keep modules up-to-date and aligned with the institution’s learning model and strategy, implementing the necessary changes based on review findings.
• Teaching and Learning Enhancement: Implement teaching and learning enhancements based on feedback from periodic reviews, student evaluations, and other quality assurance instruments.
• Quality Compliance: Ensure that learning materials, assessments, and other relevant components meet both internal and external quality standards.

Student Experience and Support

• Student Support: Regularly review Learning Management System reports to identify students who may require intervention and collaborate with the relevant student support teams to provide necessary assistance.
• Seamless Experience: Collaborate with other teams to ensure a seamless and supportive student experience throughout their learning journey.

Institutional Service and Academic Governance

• Assessment Board Participation: Actively participate in decision-making processes as a member of the assessment board.Senate Engagement: Contribute to institutional service by engaging in the Senate and its sub-committees, providing valuable input and leadership.

Other Responsibilities

• Additional Duties: Perform other activities as required to ensure the successful delivery of the modules and carry out any other reasonable duties as assigned by the line manager.
• 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

Essential:

• Master’s degree or higher in Entrepreneurship, Leadership, Business Administration, Social Sciences, or related subjects.
• At least 5 years of experience in leadership development, experiential education, or similar roles within higher education.
• Proven experience in curriculum design, development, and quality assurance in higher education.
• Strong communication (oral and written), interpersonal and presentation skills.
• Excellent problem-solving skills with attention to detail.
• Demonstrated ability in team leadership, mentoring, and performance management.
• Proficiency in Learning Management Systems (LMS) and educational technologies, such as Canvas.
• Excellent time management skills with the ability to multitask, prioritise own work, and work independently.

Desirable: 

• Experience in programme management and leadership at a higher education institution.
• Experience with innovative learning techniques in higher education.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, ever-evolving environment, demonstrating high comfort with self-directed work and navigating ambiguity effectively.
• Openness to critique and curiosity to learn from other perspectives.
• Demonstrated commitment to fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• Strong regional and international network with NGOs, startup incubators, accelerators, etc.
• Additional industry or educational credentials, particularly in education, leadership, or entrepreneurship.