Policy and Partnerships Director at Bridge International Academies

What You Will Do

• Get the government to register Bridge schools on Alternative Provision of Basic Education and Training (APBET);
• Lobby with the government to pass legislation on Private Public Partnerships (PPP);
• Manage broader strategic stakeholder management with NGO/ donor/ think tank/ academic and other important 'influencers’. Both in the hopes of unlocking donor wallets and also managing our broader relations/ standing with this important community;
• Responsible for all strategic communications, internal and external;
• Work with local, regional and national officials and groups with respect to the Bridge International Academies’ registration, strategic efforts, and related activities;
• Work with key stakeholders on consultative efforts to drive reforms in delivery of education to underserved communities;
• Identify opportunities and work with partners in the private sector to drive efficient service delivery with government schools;
• Identify CSR partners in the private sector to strengthen Bridge International Academies’ market presence and delivery;
• Identify the larger contours of PPP and CSR relationships and be responsible for structuring PPP and CSR contracts;
• Plan, develop, administer and evaluate programs, activities and daily operations related to the governmental affairs support function;
• Coordinate complex interactions with legislators, legislative staff, other local and state officials, federal agency staff and other government officials/staff;
• Establish and implement short- and long-range goals, objectives, policies and operating procedures for the government relations support function; monitor and evaluates program effectiveness; effects changes required for improvement;
• Lead proactive and reactive media relations, social media, web-based communications, and crisis communications; and
• Work very closely with the global Corporate Affairs team, including liaising with many inbound donor and civil society stakeholders.

   

What You Should Have

• Master’s degree in public policy, public relations, communications or a related field;
• Bachelor’s degree in public policy, public relations, communications or a related field;
• Over 10 years’ experience in the government, public and education sectors in a public relations or communications role;
• Extensive knowledge of local/ county government organization and legislative processes in primary education;
• Rolodex of contacts within the ministry of education or equivalent local and state regulatory bodies;
• Knowledge of local/ county government issues related to the provision of primary education;
• Demonstrated ability to work with Kenyan media, including local, national and regional media across print, broadcast and online;
• Crisis communications skills;
• Experience acting as an on-the-record spokesperson;
• Prior experience within a fast-paced, metric driven consulting or educational organization;
• Relationships with editors and reporters in Kenyan and Ugandan media;
• Ability to draft press releases, statements, opinion pieces and press materials;
• Traditional and social media monitoring and crisis communications skills; and
• Experience working for a political, non-profit, or other social campaigns that concern an idea or a movement rather than a product.

   

You’re also

• A detailed doer - You have a track record of getting things done. You’re organized and responsive. You take ownership of every idea you touch and execute it to a fine level of detail, setting targets, engaging others, and doing whatever it takes to get the job done. You can multi-task dozens of such projects at once and never lose sight of the details. Likely, you have some experience in a start-up or other rapid-growth company.
• A networking mastermind - You excel at meeting new people and turning them into advocates. You communicate in a clear, conscientious, and effective way in both written and oral speech. You can influence strangers in the course of a single conversation. Allies and colleagues will go to bat for your ideas.
• A creative problem-solver - Growing any business from scratch comes with massive and constant challenges. On top of that, Bridge works in volatile, low-resource communities and runs on fees averaging just $6 a month per pupil. You need to be flexible and ready to get everything done effectively, quickly, and affordably with the materials at hand. Every dollar you spend is a dollar our customers, who live on less than $2 a day, will have to pay for.
• A customer advocate - Our customers – these families living on less than $2 a day per person – never leave your mind. You know them, get them, have shared a meal with them (or would be happy to in the future). You would never shrink back from shaking a parent’s hand or picking up a crying child, no matter what the person was wearing or looked like. Every decision you make considers their customer benefit, experience, and value.
• A life-long learner -vYou believe you can always do better. You welcome constructive criticism and provide it freely to others. You know you only get better tomorrow when others point out where you’ve missed things or failed today