Background

We are looking for an EDUCATIONAL ENTREPRENEUR to lead an innovative community skills development school in Malawi. Our vision is to develop a school that becomes increasingly self-reliant while producing people who are self-reliant in mind, spirit and practical life, grounded in Christian values. Our mission is to provide demand-driven, practical skills and entrepreneurship training, centred on: sustainable food production and value addition; making useful and marketable products; developing student entrepreneurship; and generating income through products and services produced by the school and its students.

The Leader/Principal’s Role

S/he will provide educational, entrepreneurial and organisational leadership. The successful candidate will be expected to: develop practical, demand-driven training programmes; recruit students and actively promote the school in surrounding communities; understand the aspirations of individual students and help them identify the training pathway most likely to lead to economic self-reliance; build relationships with parents, community leaders, businesses, churches, government, donors and other partners; communicate and "sell" the school's vision appropriately to different stakeholders; identify viable products and services based on real market demand; develop school enterprises in which students learn through actual production and sales; introduce students to costing, pricing, quality control, marketing and basic business management; lead and support teaching staff; manage school resources responsibly; monitor educational, financial and enterprise performance; report transparently and be accountable to the Trustees and the community; represent the school professionally and build confidence in its vision and achievements.

The Leader/Principal should be an innovative problem-solver who can turn limited resources and local opportunities into practical learning and income-generating activities.

Who are we looking for?

The ideal candidate will have: experience in education, vocational training, youth development, business or a related field; proven management and organisational ability; practical understanding of business and entrepreneurship; strong communication and people skills; the ability to recruit, motivate and inspire students; an understanding of local community needs and opportunities; personal integrity and financial responsibility; commitment to Christian values; curiosity, initiative and willingness to experiment and learn.

We do not expect the successful candidate to know everything. The school itself is developing an innovative model. More important than having every answer is the ability to identify problems, investigate, generate ideas, try solutions, measure results and learn from experience. Practical entrepreneurial experience will be highly valued. A candidate who has actually built, managed, produced or sold something may be more suitable than someone with impressive qualifications but little practical experience.

Support

This is an ambitious role, but the Leader/Principal will not be expected to develop everything alone. The donor/founder will remain available in the background as a sounding board for brainstorming, strategic reflection and guidance when useful. The Leader/Principal will nevertheless retain responsibility for day-to-day leadership and decisions within the authority delegated by the Trustees.

An opportunity to build something different

This is an opportunity for someone who wants to help build a school where: students learn by doing → create useful products and services → learn entrepreneurship → generate income → become more self-reliant → and contribute to making the school itself increasingly self-reliant. If you are an educator, entrepreneur, organiser and problem-solver who would enjoy helping build such an institution, we would like to hear from you.

• Develop practical, demand-driven training programmes.
• Recruit students and actively promote the school in surrounding communities.
• Understand the aspirations of individual students and help them identify the training pathway most likely to lead to economic self-reliance.
• Build relationships with parents, community leaders, businesses, churches, government, donors and other partners.
• Communicate and "sell" the school's vision appropriately to different stakeholders.
• Identify viable products and services based on real market demand.
• Develop school enterprises in which students learn through actual production and sales.
• Introduce students to costing, pricing, quality control, marketing and basic business management.
• Lead and support teaching staff.
• Manage school resources responsibly.
• Monitor educational, financial and enterprise performance.
• Report transparently and be accountable to the Trustees and the community.
• Represent the school professionally and build confidence in its vision and achievements.

• Educational leadership
• Entrepreneurial skills
• Organizational ability
• Communication skills
• People skills
• Problem-solving
• Ability to recruit, motivate and inspire students
• Understanding of local community needs and opportunities
• Curiosity, initiative and willingness to experiment and learn
• Practical entrepreneurial experience

• Experience in education, vocational training, youth development, business or a related field.
• Proven management and organisational ability.
• Practical understanding of business and entrepreneurship.
• Personal integrity and financial responsibility.
• Commitment to Christian values.