Program Manager (Education)

Darsel is a global education technology nonprofit focused on improving math learning outcomes for primary and secondary school students in low- and middle-income countries. 

We build accessible AI-powered learning tools, such as WhatsApp chatbots, that help students learn math and provide support to teachers. We partner closely with governments and school systems to scale our solutions and reach the world’s most vulnerable learners.

Darsel has helped 200,000+ students learn math since launching from Harvard and Stanford in 2021, largely as a result of government partnerships in Jordan, India, and Nigeria. We’re on track to meaningfully impact millions of students in the coming years.

Darsel is currently seeking a Program Manager to lead and oversee all aspects of its program in Lagos, Nigeria and support growth efforts in other states. This role offers a unique opportunity to scale a highly impactful program to millions of students. 

The Program Manager will work closely with Darsel’s executive team, local partners and state officials to manage and grow Darsel’s program in Lagos State and beyond. 

The position is based in Lagos, Nigeria and follows a hybrid work model. The candidate must be able to work remotely (work from home). The candidate will also travel regularly for school visits and meetings with district and state education officials within Lagos. The role may also require occasional travel to other states. 

This is a full-time position with a flexible schedule (40+ hours per week) and offers competitive pay based on experience.

Strategic and Partnership Responsibilities:

1. Work with Darsel’s team and local partners to lead and grow a state-wide program in Lagos and ensure long-term program sustainability in line with government priorities.
2. Support government stakeholders to successfully implement and monitor the program, including through strategic, administrative, operational and technical support.
3. Build and maintain strong relationships with state, district and school officials, including through regular sharing of reports and discussion of program progress, with the goal of building shared interest and ownership of the program.
4. Assist with donor engagement and support fundraising activities to ensure ongoing program sustainability.

Operational and Program Delivery Responsibilities:

1. Lead program implementation and operations in Lagos to maximize student and teacher engagement, ensuring that Darsel contributes to improved learning outcomes.
2. Prepare instructional materials such as student brochures and teacher guidelines. 
3. Organize and conduct onboarding and training sessions for new teachers and state officials, both virtually and in-person, as per the requirements of government officials.
4. Manage teacher WhatsApp groups to motivate and support teachers by answering questions, providing guidance, and sharing resources.
5. Conduct field visits and meetings with key stakeholders, including visits to schools across Lagos, to monitor program implementation.
6. Collect and document structured feedback to inform program design and delivery, including through surveys and interviews.
7. Organize award ceremonies for students and teachers, including managing the procurement and distribution of certificates, gifts, and other materials.
8. Prepare program reports including budgets, progress reports, impact reports, case studies and promotional material to be shared publicly and with external stakeholders.

• Mission-driven and deeply motivated by Darsel's mission to improve learning outcomes for millions of students in low- and middle-income countries.
• Experienced education project manager with at least 4 years of experience in the education sector, with a preferred minimum of 2 years in relevant operational work and 2 years in leadership and management roles.
• In-depth understanding of the education system, with a preference for candidates who have experience working with Lagos State Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education and are familiar with the local context.
• Strong communication skills and full fluency in English (spoken and written), including an ability to codify and share learnings and prepare various reports.
• Strong interpersonal skills, including emotional intelligence and empathy, and a demonstrated ability of collaborating effectively with different stakeholder groups including teachers and senior officials.
• Experience with coaching and providing tailored support to different stakeholders.
• Strong managerial and planning capabilities including effective handling of crisis situations and strategic identification of priorities, bottlenecks, and resource requirements.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and manage competing priorities and tasks in a fast-moving environment with limited resources.
• Willingness and ability to learn and adapt based on continuous feedback in order to meet and exceed high performance expectations.

Interested candidates should apply at darsel.tech/lagos-program-manager. Interviews will be conducted on a rolling basis. Any questions about the role can be sent to [email protected]. 

We look forward to receiving your application, and hope you will join us on our journey towards improving math learning outcomes for over 100 million learners by 2030.