Chief Executive Officer

* Have a deep-seated vocation in the early reading and early mathematics space.
* Have a proven track record of leadership within the education and development sector.
* Have a strong understanding of who the main ‘players’ are, what their motivations and concerns are, what are the key risks in the sector.
* Have a good understanding of how the Dept. of Basic Education works, its directorates and role-players, and how it interfaces with provincial departments of education.
* Be strategic, forward-thinking, and willing to take risks.
* Be flexible, adaptable and comfortable with uncertainty. Interventions and circumstances change.
* Be familiar with a shared services environment for Finance, Legal and HR.
* Understand the education-related philanthropic ecosystem of South Africa - what funders look for, what funders require in terms of reporting and sign-off.
* Be a relational leader and willing to work collaboratively, learning from and seeking advice from the ExCo and ManCo (especially in the first year) and the Board of Directors.
* Have strong interpersonal skills with high EQ.
* Have difficult conversations, motivate and inspire people, sense and head off relational conflict at an early stage.
* Understand the benefits and limitations of quantitative and qualitative evaluations
* Be a visionary leader, knowing where to take the organisation next, being able to create a clear and compelling picture of the best future for the organisation.
*Be able to effectively lead an Executive team and work effectively with the Board of Directors.

Key Skills
*Must be able to communicate with their employees using concise, easy-to-understand language.
*Responsible for maintaining morale and company culture with their guidance.
*Friendly and approachable.
*Should have an optimistic nature in general, and able to identify opportunities even within difficult situations.
*Must be able to take timely action based on the environmental factors at work.
*Ability to Be Innovative