DREAMS District Manager (DDM)

Education Development Center (EDC), with funding from USAID, is implementing the South Africa School-Based Sexuality Education and HIV Prevention (Activity) that will support the South African Government to reduce HIV infections in students and teachers by assisting the Department of Basic Education to implement high quality, evidence-informed sexuality and HIV prevention education programs.

The Department of Basic Education (DBE) National Policy on HIV, STIs and TB provides the framework for prevention, treatment, care and support of all learners, educators, school support staff and officials in the basic education sector, in all public and independent primary and secondary schools in the Republic of South Africa. Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) and the provision of sexual and reproductive health services are strategies included in the policy to realise a systematic response to HIV, STIs and TB. These strategies align to and present the sector’s contribution towards the National Strategic Plan (NSP) on HIV, TB and STIs for South Africa, 2023-2028. 

EDC is seeking to hire three DREAMS District Manager (DDM)  to work in the district in the following provinces:

DUTIES

The DREAMS District Manager (DDM) will provide capacity development and support to the school-based Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) program in the DREAMS  districts. The DDM manages, monitors and supports the implementation of CSE through Scripted Lesson Plans (SLPs) in line with the DBE policies on CSE implementation. The DDM is also responsible for the development and implementation of a mentoring and coaching plan to support educators in CSE implementation. The DDM is expected to compile performance progress against objectives. The DDM will be part of an EDC team, closely collaborating with educators, school management and education officials, to roll out high-quality CSE and HIV prevention training in schools. The DDM is integral to the assessment of learner risk and vulnerability, and to initiate links to relevant health services

Essential functionsinclude (but are not limited to):

The DDM is expected to articulate clearly and courteously with officials at the provincial and district offices of the Department of Education (DoE). S/he should be able to develop and maintain positive relationships with clients, consultants, partners, co-workers, and funders. The job requires adherence to EDC policies and procedures.

Core Functions

Works with the EDC technical team and officials to: 

• Identify and map schools serving vulnerable learners, for Activity implementation.
• Identify training needs, develop and implement a training plan on CSE SLPs for the educational district in which s/he is working. This includes educators, departmental heads, school governing bodies, senior management teams, education officials and parents.

• Monitor classroom implementation of the SLPs and report on progress as well as any implementation challenges.
• Conduct school- and/or classroom-based health talks that may result from SLP implementation.
• Draft and implement a mentoring and coaching plan to support the educators, as they teach the CSE SLPs in the classroom.
• Provide input on materials development as needed, for example: supplemental materials and interactive audio or video materials
• Compile and submit all required training documentation to the EDC Administrators for logistic and procurement purposes.   
• Participate and represent EDC at district and school level for meetings, workshops and other events as necessary.
• Maintain partnerships with relevant stakeholders at district and school level.

Linkages and Layering 

• Work with DREAMS implementation partners to host health campaigns that will bring AGYW into contact with health workers from adolescent and youth friendly clinics and social workers.
• Support the DREAMS Linkages Manager (DLM) to develop sexual and reproductive health (SRH) layering implementation plan with DREAMS implementation partners and ISHP teams.
• Follow up timeously with implementing partners for feedback on the linking and layer of learners to services.
• Support linkages and layering through the district stakeholder forum and other implementing partners working within existing structures under the ISHP program.
• Map adolescent youth friendly services (AYFS) to schools, in collaboration with DLM and treatment and care partners, in CSE implementing districts.
• Complete and share enrolment/class list and two-way referral of learners with DLM, to link with implementing partners and other stakeholders.
• Provide support to Learner Support Agents (LSAs), DREAMS Ambassadors and School-based Support Teams (SBSTs) to strengthen linkages and layering, and to include any additional support program to strengthen CSE that may be initiated.
• Assist with the distribution, collection and analysis of Risk and vulnerability forms in collaboration with LSAs, SBSTs and DLMs.

Monitoring, Data Management and Reporting

• Collect quality implementation data (enrolment, SLP rollout and training data) at district and school levels, and share with Strategic Information (SI) Unit and Administrators for record keeping purposes.
• Ensure adherence to data flow and quality procedures and timelines.
• Conduct primary data analysis to strengthen implementation at school level. 
• Monitor SLP implementation and ensure progress towards attainment of targets.
• Identify implementation challenges and propose remedial action at district and school level. 
• Compile and submit monthly progress and adhoc activity reports, as necessary, to the Senior Program Manager (SPM).
• Identify and collect success stories and lessons learned for submission to SPM.
• Participate in data verification meetings with the SI unit and implementing partners. 
• Participate and provide logistical support to all research/surveys and data quality assessments undertaken at district and school level.
• Support the monitoring process as necessary, for example: administering pre and post