Governance and Systems Consultant

About the Job

The Tongabezi Trust School and Twaabane Creative Centre is seeking an experienced consultant to develop sustainable governance, finance, and HR strategies and to advise on long-term management to ensure our continued success.

Governance and Systems Consultancy

During this 1 year, fixed-term, on-site consultancy role, you will be responsible for the review, development and implementation of effective governance procedures for the Tongabezi Trust School (‘Tujatane’) and the Twaabane Creative Centre, including the development of a comprehensive new operational strategy. The role involves a high level of responsibility, and will be pivotal in ensuring the continued success of the organisation. We seek a candidate with senior leadership and governance experience, who can work with the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) and Board of Governors (BoG) to develop systems, policies and procedures that will enhance daily operational effectiveness and strengthen organisational governance.

You will be ultimately accountable to the BoG and report to the Chair of the BoG. You will provide support and guidance to the SLT, but will not be line managing the team.

The ideal candidate will facilitate and foster a strong working relationship between the SLT and the BoG. At the end of the consultancy contract you will be expected to advise on any future additional roles needed to support leadership and governance.

Responsibilities

Governance 

• Lead on the development of a new organisational strategy with the board and SLT, including strategic development plans for Tujatane and Twaabane
• Lead on the review of all existing policies and work with the SLT and BoG to draft additional policies as required, including (but not limited to) HR, finance, and procurement, admissions, diversity, staff development, safeguarding and pupil welfare. 
• Work with the SLT to refine existing and develop new systems and processes to improve efficiency and day to day operations, including clear schemes of delegation for the SLT and BoG
• Work with the BoG to refine the terms of reference for the BoG and its committees, refine board paper templates and develop a clear decision-making process to support SLT to determine what should be taken to relevant committees and what should be tabled for full BoG meetings 
• Identify and recommend cost-effective tools to digitise governance procedures and reduce manual effort

Finance

•  Lead on the review and development of clear financial policies, procedures and controls for Tujatane and Twaabane including (but not limited to) annual budget development/approval, accounting processes, restricted funding management and governance procedures
• Work with finance department to provide training to staff on new financial policies and processes introduced
• Review of financial reporting processes for Board and committee review

HR

•  Review existing job descriptions and define roles and responsibilities for staff
• Support SLT to develop RACI matrix to ensure clarity of roles and responsibilities
• Develop clear organogram with HR manager
•  Provide support and guidance to SLT members
• Identify professional development needs of SLT to ensure they are able to take on increased responsibility at end of consultancy period
• Make recommendations to the Board on additional roles required at the end of the consultancy period
• Develop new job descriptions for new roles approved by the Board

Person Specification

• Minimum five years experience working in a senior leadership role that reports into a Board
•  Minimum five years experience living in and working for an NGO in Africa (ideally Southern Africa)
• Bachelor’s degree or higher-level qualification relevant to the role
• Sound understanding of charity structures and best practice in organisational governance
• Previous experience of HR and finance portfolio within senior leadership role
• Strong communication and organisational skills
• Passion for making a difference in a rural community

About Tongabezi Trust School and Twaabane Creative Centre

The Tongabezi Trust School - known as Tujatane - was born in 1996 from a desire to provide underprivileged rural Zambian children living within walking distance of the school with a sound and holistic education in a bid to improve the quality of their lives. We started in 1996 with 15 preschool students in a single classroom. Today, we have nearly 300 students in our primary school, 80 who we sponsor into high school and another 60 being supported at university or college. Our alumni include pilots, nurses, lawyers, engineers, and accountants. Our vision is to develop the child as a whole and help them gain a greater knowledge and understanding of educational and social issues so they can make informed choices and have the chance of bright, promising futures.

Twaabane Creative Centre, a sister project of the Tongabezi Trust School, is a creatively oriented vocational skills training centre. It was born from a desire to provide a vocational pathway to ex-students of Tongabezi Trust School and community members whose skills and interests aligned with practical or creative employment prospects. The mission of the centre is to promote social and economic development in Simonga, Livingstone by improving access to income generating opportunities through the provision of free, high quality skills training in the artisan sector. Twaabane projects include Tailoring classes, Agribusiness classes, Adult Literacy classes, and Counselling sessions.