Saide Partner Development Director and Children’s Literature Digital Publisher Jobs in Braamfontein, Johannesburg, South Africa

Passionate about children’s early literacy?

Interested in joining the African Storybook Project’s founding team?
Saide’s recently established, innovative African Storybook Project aims to support early literacy development through creating and stimulating the use of a website and digital library of openly licensed local language stories for the first few years of reading.
 

Founded in 1992 as an educational Trust, Saide strives to increase access to quality cost-effective education through  the use of open learning approaches, quality distance education strategies, and appropriate technology in South Africa and the African region.
 

Saide seeks to appoint two dynamic professionals from 2013 to 2016 to be based at our offices in Braamfontein, Johannesburg.

Director: Partner Development
 

(full time contract position until December 2016)
 

The incumbent will be responsible for international advocacy, for developing mutually beneficial partnerships with a wide range of children’s literacy organizations in sub-Saharan Africa, and for providing leadership, management and strategic guidance for the effective use of the website and its openly licensed stories in the pilot countries - Kenya, Uganda and South Africa.
 

Requirements:

• Strong advocacy and networking skills, and the ability to communicate the vision, objectives, tools, and lessons of experience of the project to a wide range of audiences;
• Ability to engage critically with the development of the website with the support of specialists in the field;
• Ability to provide strategic leadership;
• Competence in managing people and complex projects;
• Masters degree in a relevant area.

Knowledge of one or more local African languages will be an advantage.
 

The incumbent must be prepared to travel widely in the African region and elsewhere as required.

Children’s Literature Digital Publisher 

(full or major time contract position until December 2016)
 

The key role for this position is to lead and manage the acquisition and digital publication of a critical mass of stories in local languages for early reading.
 

Requirements:

• Passion for and knowledge of African children’s literature for the early years, including emergent literacy;
• Ability to write for children;
• Knowledge and experience of publishing on the web;
• Ability to manage a publishing process, with a good design sense and attention to detail;
• Commitment to professional learning, particularly in alternative publishing models and open licensing;
• Excellent English communication skills, both oral and written.
• Knowledge of one or more African languages;
• At least an Honours level qualification in a relevant area.  

Remuneration will be commensurate with skills and experience.

Applicants are required to submit a written one page motivation, CV and the names and contact details of three work-related referees via email, by 18 February 2013 to: 

Ms. Maureen Madonsela,
e-mail: aspvacancies@saide.org.za 

Tel: (011) 403 2813 

Website: www.saide.org.za
 

More comprehensive project and position descriptions are available on the website.