Nova Pioneer Jobs – June

To apply, click on the link at the end of the posts and all the best with your applications

Managing Director South Africa

MANAGING DIRECTOR:  NOVA PIONEER SOUTH AFRICA

Johannesburg, South Africa  |  Full Time  |  Executive Leadership 

ABOUT THE ROLE

Nova Pioneer is looking for an outstanding Managing Director to lead our South Africa network of nine schools, our talented senior team, and a mission we have spent more than a decade building. This is the most senior role in the South African organisation and one of the most consequential leadership roles across Nova Pioneer globally. It offers a rare chance to lead at scale, shape a thriving network, and work alongside ambitious leaders as part of an international organisation with a growing footprint across multiple countries.

The Managing Director of South Africa is the chief executive of the Nova Pioneer SA network. The MD is responsible for Nova Pioneer’s commercial performance, educational excellence and cultural health across our South African network of nine schools (and growing!).  The MD leads an exceptional senior team of educators and operators to achieve those outcomes in pursuit of our mission: to develop innovators and leaders for the African Century.

Over the next 3 years, the MD’s first mandate will be enrolment growth and market leadership.  The MD, with the support of the CEO, is charged with getting a network of genuinely strong schools to the enrolment density, operational efficiency, and reputational distinctiveness their quality deserves, while ensuring we consistently deliver the Nova Pioneer educational promise with excellence. The right person for this role is inspired by the mission, excited by the commercial opportunity and a strong team and culture leader. They understand that profitability and educational excellence are not in tension; one enables the other.

ABOUT NOVA PIONEERImagine a world in which every young person across Africa attends a school that truly sets them up for success and contribution in the 21st century. A school that cares about individual students and allows them to explore the world around them. A school that focuses more on developing skills than on memorising content. Now imagine not just one school doing this, but a whole network of sibling schools doing this, connected to other schools across Africa that share that same promise and DNA.  At Nova Pioneer, we have done more than just imagine this future, we are bringing it to life. Nova Pioneer is a pan-African, independent network of schools offering high quality, accessible education from pre-primary through secondary school. Nova Pioneer uses a unique, enquiry-based learning approach that encourages students to ask “why” instead of telling them the “what”. It allows them to form their own thinking through exploration, investigation and collaboration. Nova Pioneer currently has 16 schools in South Africa and Kenya with a vision to serve tens of thousands of students across the African continent in the next decade. To learn more visit www.novapioneer.com.

WHAT YOU WILL OWN

People and Culture

• Consistently role-model and actively reinforce Nova Pioneer’s culture principles across all schools and central functions. Ensure culture is lived, not stated, by embedding expectations into daily leadership behaviours, decision-making, and team norms.
• Build, lead, and develop a high-performing regional leadership team (School Leaders and Functional Leads). Ensure clarity of roles, strong accountability, and alignment to regional and organisational priorities.
• Partner closely with the Director of Schools (DOS) to ensure consistent, high-quality performance management of School Leaders and instructional leadership teams.
• Drive strong staff retention through proactive engagement, development, and performance-based recognition. Build and maintain a robust talent pipeline across teaching and leadership roles, ensuring succession readiness for critical positions and alignment to regional growth plans.
• Continuously strengthen and evolve culture in response to organisational growth and regional context, while protecting the core identity of Nova Pioneer. Lead initiatives that reinforce key culture themes and ensure they are embedded in schools and teams.
• Oversee systems to regularly assess cultural health across all schools and functions (e.g., engagement surveys, retention data, performance insights, qualitative feedback). Identify risks early and lead targeted interventions to address gaps and sustain a high-performance, values-aligned environment.

Financial Performance and Profitability

• Financial performance ownership across all nine schools in South Africa
• EBITDA improvement through enrolment growth, cost discipline, operational efficiency, and delivering sustained profit growth
• Budget preparation, management and financial reporting to the CEO, CFO and the board
• Capex allocation decisions within agreed parameters
• Facilities oversight:  scheduling efficiency, usage maximisation, and capital appeal; lease matters supported by CFO, CEO, and Facilities Manager

Enrolment and Commercial Growth

• Network-wide enrolment strategy and execution
• Retention of existing families by identifying risk early and responding effectively
• New family acquisition by positioning, marketing, admissions pipeline
• Pricing strategy in partnership with CEO
• Community positioning and brand in the SA market
• Parent engagement as a driver of family retention and new referrals

Educational Quality

• Accountability for student outcomes across the network in partnership with the South Africa DOS (Director of Schools manages the academic and school health across the portfolio of schools) and with educational leaders from our Kenyan and/or global teams.
• Ensuring commercial focus does not compromise educational integrity
• Supporting the instructional and curriculum leadership layer to thrive
• Championing (including resource allocation) the delivery of our promise, and particularly market leadership in Innovation & Leadership, and developing beyond-classroom opportunities

Stakeholder Relationships

• Parent community trust and confidence
• Government and regulatory relationships and deliverables
• Landlord and property relationships
• Community partnerships

Strategic Planning

• Annual and multi-year SA strategy in partnership with the CEO
• School-level growth plans and capex needs
• Input into network-wide decisions affecting SA
• Network expansion planning (site feasibility, location assessment, and growth viability for new schools)

EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS

Experience

• Senior leadership in a multi-site commercial operation (school networks, retail, hospitality, healthcare, or similar people-intensive business with multiple locations)
• Direct income statement and capex expenditure ownership and accountability at a country or regional level
• Demonstrated enrolment or revenue growth in a competitive market
• Experience leading in the South African context (regulatory environment, labour law, community dynamics ) is an advantage but not a requirement
• Education sector experience is an advantage but not a requirement; genuine respect for educational mission is non-negotiable

Capabilities

• Commercial sharpness:  reads financial data fluently, makes decisions from evidence, holds teams accountable to numbers without losing the human dimension
• Relational intelligence:  builds trust quickly with diverse stakeholders including educators, parents, landlords, and government
• Emotional intelligence: leads with self-awareness and empathy, managing a complex organisation without losing the human dimension
• Presence and communication:  credible and warm in a room, able to hold difficult conversations without losing relationship
• Operational discipline:  sets up sustainable and scalable  systems and rhythms that work without needing constant personal intervention
• Strategic clarity:  can hold the long view while managing day-to-day complexity
• Change leadership:  has led teams through uncertainty and kept morale and performance intact

Personal Qualities

• Excited by the mission and impact
• Comfortable with complexity and ambiguity 
• Names problems early and directly and holds difficult conversations without letting discomfort delay them.
• Open to learning; genuinely curious about what it takes to run great schools and lead in the South African context
• Leads teams to find and implement solutions to problems with a strong bias for action.  Good work done today beats a perfect concept for tomorrow.
• High standards for self and others 
• Culturally attuned to the SA context and the specific communities Nova Pioneer serves
• A stable and grounding presence for a team
• Aligns strongly with and models Nova Pioneer’s culture principles
• Balances the humility to listen and learn from the team with the confidence to lead from the front

REPORTING AND STRUCTURE

Reports to: Chief Executive Officer

Direct reports: Directors of Schools SA, Functional Leads in SA

COMPENSATION

Competitive for a senior country MD role in the South African independent education market. Details available during the selection process.

HOW TO APPLY

Does leading Nova Pioneer South Africa excite you? If so, apply now.

To apply, please complete the application form on our careers page. We cannot process applications submitted by email.

Please attach your resume in PDF format to protect formatting.

All applications will be reviewed and candidates notified of next steps. The Nova Pioneer interview process has a series of stages and candidates will be moved forward depending on their success at each stage. The process is as follows:

• Introductory conversation: A short call to understand your experience and interest in the role.
• Performance Task: Diagnostic exercises: practical tasks aligned to the specific demands of this role.
• Stakeholder scenario interview: In-person or virtual interviews with the hiring committee, including a scenario exercise to test judgment, relational intelligence, and values alignment.
• School visit and interview day: every shortlisted candidate spends a day in one of our SA schools and meets with a cross-section of regional leaders across the network.

Final interview: A final conversation with the CEO

WORKING AT NOVA PIONEER

Nova Pioneer is a place where our people experience tremendous growth, fast. We invest heavily in the growth of our people because it leads to greater mastery in both us and our students. Teammates work hard and the growth they experience is extraordinary. 

Nova Pioneer has a highly energetic, entrepreneurial environment where our people get to bring creative and innovative ideas to life. We look for people who are flexible, adaptable, and respond to adversity with a positive, can-do attitude. We welcome challenges because they make us (and our students) better. We bring infectious energy and enthusiasm to everything we do because joy fuels our work and learning.

Click here to apply

Intermediate/Senior Phase English Teacher (Northriding)

Nova Pioneer is looking for a superstar teacher to teach Grade 6-7 at our Northriding Primary School .This is an exciting opportunity for a dynamic teacher to empower students using an enquiry-based learning approach and to be a part of an innovative network of schools that is developing generations of innovators and leaders who will shape the African Century. 

About Nova Pioneer

Imagine a world in which every young person across Africa attends a school that truly sets them up for success in the 21st century. A school that cares about individual students and allows them to explore the world around them. A school that focuses more on developing skills than on memorizing content. At Nova Pioneer, we have done more than just imagine this future, we are bringing it to life. Nova Pioneer is a pan-African, independent network of schools offering high quality, accessible education from pre-primary through secondary school. Nova Pioneer uses a unique, enquiry-based learning approach that encourages students to ask “why” instead of telling them the “what”. It allows them to form their own thinking through exploration, investigation and collaboration. Nova Pioneer currently has 16 schools in South Africa and Kenya with a vision to launch 100 schools and reach tens of thousands of students across the African continent in the next decade. To learn more visit www.novapioneer.com.

About the Role
We are looking for an exceptional Grade 6-7 Teacher . Teachers lead instruction and planning for subject- or grade-level classrooms and are responsible for driving a rigorous, enquiry-based learning environment the Nova Pioneer way. Resident Teachers are supported by Deans of Instruction who partner with them in their growth journey – working full-time to empower teachers’ development by observing lessons and providing consistent feedback and coaching. Resident Teachers also support and mentor Apprentice Teachers. See below to learn more about the teaching model at Nova Pioneer..

Key responsibilities for the role include:

• Work closely with learning designers to design impactful lessons
• Design and deliver impactful and engaging enquiry-based lessons supported by technology to enhance instructional delivery
• Observe, coach and be a model teacher for Apprentice Teachers
• Infuse joy and passion for learning into lessons so that students are excited about and invested in their academic excellence
• Set and communicate rigorous and ambitious goals for all students and provide student feedback so they internalize it
• Conduct ongoing assessment of student progress. Use assessment data to adjust instructional content and delivery techniques accordingly
• Attend weekly feedback meetings with Deans and learning designers to enhance teaching practices
• Fully participate in opportunities for professional growth including daily team meetings and reflections, weekly professional development meetings, instructional coaching, and organisation wide learning and reflection
• Communicate regularly with parents through e-mail, telephone and parent-teacher conferences
• Contribute to and participate in co-curricular programming for at least one activity in the course of a term
• Participate in a variety of collaborative teams and committees, fulfill supervision duties as assigned, including some morning, evening and weekend events

About You

Skills and Qualifications required:

• Completed Bachelor’s degree in Education (B.Ed) or Bachelor’s Degree + Post Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) –  (Intermediate phase / Intermediate and Senior Phase)
• SACE registered (Kindly provide registration number and certificate in application
• Classroom experience teaching English Intermediate Phase
• Experience and/or understanding of Cambridge curriculum objectives would be an advantage
• Ability to lead a classroom independently, with experience in a classroom (practicals included)

Key attributes to succeed in the role:

• You love teaching and care deeply about the success of each and every student
• You have an understanding of and passion for enquiry based, student-centered learning
• You have a deep understanding of children and you know how to connect with the specific age group that you teach
• You are deeply committed to your development as a teacher and welcome constructive feedback, translating feedback into improvements and innovations in your approach and in your classroom
• You can work within a team-based environment and collaborate with other resident teachers, apprentice teachers and deans
• You communicate openly and effectively with your colleagues
• You are adept at using technology for instruction

Additional Requirements:

• Valid Police Clearance (no older than 6 months) 
• ID Copy / Passport
• Work Permit (if applicable) 
• SACE certificate

How to Apply:

Does working at Nova Pioneer excite you? If so, then apply now!

To apply, please complete the form on the right hand side of this page. We cannot process applications that are emailed to us.

Please note: Where a copy of your resume is required, copying and pasting from a formatted document e.g. Microsoft Word may not result in the formatting transferring correctly to the final resume. You are encouraged to attach your resume in PDF format to protect formatting. Applications will be reviewed on an ongoing basis until the right candidate is identified. Only qualified candidates will be invited for interviews.

About Teaching at Nova Pioneer

Nova Pioneer teachers don’t lecture, they lead discussions and facilitate projects that help students engage deeply and think critically about course material. There are two types of teachers at Nova Pioneer: Resident Teachers and Apprentice Teachers.

Resident Teachers can lead classrooms and, depending on the grade level they are teaching, have strong content knowledge. Resident Teachers are typically qualified teachers with classroom experience or have a strong ability to lead a classroom independently .Centralised lesson planning supports teachers to enable them to deliver rigorous enquiry-based learning and to engage deeply with students to help the on their individual learning journeys.

Click here to apply

Intermediate Phase Math Teacher Maternity Cover (Northriding)

Nova Pioneer is looking for a Temporary Math and Science teacher to teach at our Northriding Primary School ! This is an exciting opportunity for a dynamic teacher to empower students using an enquiry-based learning approach and to be a part of an innovative network of schools that is developing generations of innovators and leaders who will shape the African Century. 

About Nova Pioneer

Imagine a world in which every young person across Africa attends a school that truly sets them up for success in the 21st century. A school that cares about individual students and allows them to explore the world around them. A school that focuses more on developing skills than on memorizing content. At Nova Pioneer, we have done more than just imagine this future, we are bringing it to life. Nova Pioneer is a pan-African, independent network of schools offering high quality, accessible education from pre-primary through secondary school. Nova Pioneer uses a unique, enquiry-based learning approach that encourages students to ask “why” instead of telling them the “what”. It allows them to form their own thinking through exploration, investigation and collaboration. Nova Pioneer currently has 16 schools in South Africa and Kenya with a vision to launch 100 schools and reach tens of thousands of students across the African continent in the next decade. To learn more visit www.novapioneer.com.

About the Role
We are looking for an exceptional Intermediate Phase Math and Science teacher to start in September 2026.. Teachers lead instruction and planning for subject- or grade-level classrooms and are responsible for driving a rigorous, enquiry-based learning environment the Nova Pioneer way. Resident Teachers are supported by Deans of Instruction who partner with them in their growth journey – working full-time to empower teachers’ development by observing lessons and providing consistent feedback and coaching. Resident Teachers also support and mentor Apprentice Teachers. See below to learn more about the teaching model at Nova Pioneer..

Key responsibilities for the role include:

• Work closely with learning designers to design impactful lessons
• Design and deliver impactful and engaging enquiry-based lessons supported by technology to enhance instructional delivery
• Observe, coach and be a model teacher for Apprentice Teachers
• Infuse joy and passion for learning into lessons so that students are excited about and invested in their academic excellence
• Set and communicate rigorous and ambitious goals for all students and provide student feedback so they internalize it
• Conduct ongoing assessment of student progress. Use assessment data to adjust instructional content and delivery techniques accordingly
• Attend weekly feedback meetings with Deans and learning designers to enhance teaching practices
• Fully participate in opportunities for professional growth including daily team meetings and reflections, weekly professional development meetings, instructional coaching, and organisation wide learning and reflection
• Communicate regularly with parents through e-mail, telephone and parent-teacher conferences
• Contribute to and participate in co-curricular programming for at least one activity in the course of a term
• Participate in a variety of collaborative teams and committees, fulfill supervision duties as assigned, including some morning, evening and weekend events

About You

Skills and Qualifications required:

• Completed Bachelor’s degree in Education (B.Ed) or Bachelor’s Degree + Post Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) –  (Intermediate phase)
• SACE registered (Kindly provide registration number and certificate in application
• Classroom experience teaching Mathematics and Science Intermediate Phase
• Experience and/or understanding of Cambridge curriculum objectives would be an advantage
• Ability to lead a classroom independently, with experience in a classroom (practicals included)

Key attributes to succeed in the role:

• Teaching experience in Math and Science 
• Experience teaching ICT in classroom environment
• You love teaching and care deeply about the success of each and every student
• You have an understanding of and passion for enquiry based, student-centered learning
• You have a deep understanding of children and you know how to connect with the specific age group that you teach
• You are deeply committed to your development as a teacher and welcome constructive feedback, translating feedback into improvements and innovations in your approach and in your classroom
• You can work within a team-based environment and collaborate with other resident teachers, apprentice teachers and deans
• You communicate openly and effectively with your colleagues
• You are adept at using technology for instruction

Additional Requirements:

• Valid Police Clearance (no older than 6 months) 
• ID Copy / Passport
• Work Permit (if applicable) 
• SACE certificate

How to Apply:

Does working at Nova Pioneer excite you? If so, then apply now!

To apply, please complete the form on the right hand side of this page. We cannot process applications that are emailed to us.

Please note: Where a copy of your resume is required, copying and pasting from a formatted document e.g. Microsoft Word may not result in the formatting transferring correctly to the final resume. You are encouraged to attach your resume in PDF format to protect formatting. Applications will be reviewed on an ongoing basis until the right candidate is identified. Only qualified candidates will be invited for interviews.

About Teaching at Nova Pioneer

Nova Pioneer teachers don’t lecture, they lead discussions and facilitate projects that help students engage deeply and think critically about course material. There are two types of teachers at Nova Pioneer: Resident Teachers and Apprentice Teachers.

Resident Teachers can lead classrooms and, depending on the grade level they are teaching, have strong content knowledge. Resident Teachers are typically qualified teachers with classroom experience or have a strong ability to lead a classroom independently .Centralised lesson planning supports teachers to enable them to deliver rigorous enquiry-based learning and to engage deeply with students to help the on their individual learning journeys.

Click here to apply

2026 Setswana (First Language) Teacher, Secondary School (Ormonde)

2026 Hiring Season is in full swing! We are currently in search of rockstar teammates who will meaningfully empower Future Innovators and Leaders to start in the year 2026 #AlwaysGrowing! 

Nova Pioneer is looking for a superstar Setswana Teacher to teach Setswana First Language at our Ormonde Senior School in 2026. This is an exciting opportunity for a dynamic teacher to empower students using an enquiry-based learning approach and to be a part of an innovative network of schools that is developing generations of innovators and leaders who will shape the African Century.

About Nova Pioneer

Imagine a world in which every young person across Africa attends a school that truly sets them up for success in the 21st century. A school that cares about individual students and allows them to explore the world around them. A school that focuses more on developing skills than on memorizing content. At Nova Pioneer, we have done more than just imagine this future, we are bringing it to life. Nova Pioneer is a pan-African, independent network of schools offering high quality, accessible education from pre-primary through secondary school. Nova Pioneer uses a unique, enquiry-based learning approach that encourages students to ask “why” instead of telling them the “what”. It allows them to form their own thinking through exploration, investigation and collaboration. Nova Pioneer currently has 14 schools in South Africa and Kenya with a vision to launch 100 schools and reach tens of thousands of students across the African continent in the next decade. To learn more visit www.novapioneer.com.

About the Role

We are looking for an amazing Setswana Teacher to teach Senior and FET Phase (Grade 8 – 12) from January 2026. Teachers lead instruction and planning for subject- or grade-level classrooms and are responsible for driving a rigorous, enquiry-based learning environment the Nova Pioneer way. Teachers are supported by Deans of Instruction who partner with them in their growth journey – working full-time to empower teachers’ development by observing lessons and providing consistent feedback and coaching. Teachers also support and mentor Apprentice Teachers. See below to learn more about the teaching model at Nova Pioneer.

Key responsibilities for the role include:

• Work closely with learning designers to design impactful lessons
• Deliver impactful and engaging enquiry-based lessons supported by technology to enhance instructional delivery
• Observe, coach and be a model teacher for Apprentice Teachers
• Infuse joy and passion for learning into lessons so that students are excited about and invested in their academic excellence
• Set and communicate rigorous and ambitious goals for all students and provide student feedback so they internalize it
• Conduct ongoing assessment of student progress. Use assessment data to adjust instructional content and delivery techniques accordingly
• Attend weekly feedback meetings with Deans and learning designers to enhance teaching practices
• Fully participate in opportunities for professional growth including daily team meetings and reflections, weekly professional development meetings, instructional coaching, and organisation-wide learning and reflection
• Communicate regularly with parents through e-mail, telephone and parent-teacher conferences
• Contribute to and participate in co-curricular programming for at least one activity in the course of a term
• Participate in a variety of collaborative teams and committees, fulfill supervision duties as assigned, including some morning, evening and weekend events

About You

Skills and Qualifications required:

• Completed Bachelor’s degree in Education (B.Ed) or Bachelor’s Degree + Post Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE)
• SACE registered (Kindly provide registration number and certificate in application)
• Extensive experience in teaching Setswana or have Setswana as a major in your last year of University 
• Experience and/or understanding of Cambridge curriculum objectives would be an advantage (O-levels)
• Ability to lead a classroom independently, with experience in a classroom (practicals included)

Key attributes to succeed in the role:

• You love teaching and care deeply about the success of each and every student
• You have an understanding of and passion for enquiry based, student-centered learning
• You have a deep understanding of children and you know how to connect with the specific age group that you teach
• You are deeply committed to your development as a teacher and welcome constructive feedback, translating feedback into improvements and innovations in your approach and in your classroom
• You are able to work within a team-based environment and collaborate with other resident teachers, apprentice teachers and deans
• You communicate openly and effectively with your colleagues
• You are adept at using technology for instruction

Click here to apply

Senior Phase Chemistry Teacher (Ruimsig Secondary)

Nova Pioneer is looking for superstar Chemistry teacher to teach at our  Ruimsig Secondary School  . This is an exciting opportunity for a dynamic teacher to empower students using an enquiry-based learning approach and to be a part of an innovative network of schools that is developing generations of innovators and leaders who will shape the African Century.

About Nova Pioneer

Imagine a world in which every young person across Africa attends a school that truly sets them up for success in the 21st century. A school that cares about individual students and allows them to explore the world around them. A school that focuses more on developing skills than on memorizing content. At Nova Pioneer, we have done more than just imagine this future, we are bringing it to life. Nova Pioneer is a pan-African, independent network of schools offering high quality, accessible education from pre-primary through secondary school. Nova Pioneer uses a unique, enquiry-based learning approach that encourages students to ask “why” instead of telling them the “what”. It allows them to form their own thinking through exploration, investigation and collaboration. To learn more visit  www.novapioneer.com

About the Role

We are looking for an exceptional Chemistry  Teacher to teach grade 8 – 11. Resident teachers lead instruction and planning for subject or grade level classrooms and are responsible for driving a rigorous, enquiry-based learning environment the Nova Pioneer way. Resident teachers are supported by Deans of Instruction who partner with them in their growth journey by observing lessons, providing feedback and coaching. Resident teachers support and mentor apprentice teachers. See below to learn more about the teaching model at Nova Pioneer.

Key responsibilities for the role include:

• Deliver exceptional, real-world, enquiry-based Biology lessons
• Design rigorous lesson plans
• Deliver impactful and engaging enquiry-based lessons supported by technology to enhance instructional delivery
• Observe, coach, and be a model teacher for new teachers
• Infuse joy and passion for learning into lessons so that students are excited about and invested in their academic excellence
• Set and communicate rigorous and ambitious goals for all students and provide student feedback so they internalise it
• Conduct ongoing assessment of student progress. Use assessment data to adjust instructional content and delivery techniques accordingly
• Attend weekly feedback meetings with Deans and learning designers to enhance teaching practices
• Fully participate in opportunities for professional growth including daily team meetings and reflections, weekly professional development meetings, instructional coaching, and organisation wide learning and reflection
• Communicate regularly with parents through email, telephone and parent-teacher conferences
• Contribute to and participate in co-curricular programming for at least one activity in the course of a term
• Participate in a variety of collaborative teams and committees, and fulfil supervision duties as assigned including occasional morning, evening and weekend events.

About You

Skills and Qualifications required:

• A Bachelor’s Degree in Science with Chemistry  as a major or a similar degree + Post Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) is essential. 
• SACE registered
• You have taken Biology as a major to the third-year level at the university
• You have taught Biology at the upper and advanced school level (Grade 10 – 12 experience)
• Ability to lead a classroom independently
• You love teaching and care deeply about the success of each and every student
• You have an understanding of and passion for enquiry based, student-centered learning
• You have a deep understanding of children and you know how to connect with the specific age group that you teach
• You are a team player and you enjoy group problem solving
• You are adept at using technology for instruction

Click here to apply

2027 Intern Educational Psychologists

Nova Pioneer is a network of schools developing generations of innovators and leaders who will shape the African Century. We are looking for dynamic, passionate, and innovative student Psychologists to join our Psychosocial Team (PST) in 2027 as interns.

Our Psychology Internship opportunities aim to contribute to the training and development of high-quality Psychologists who are passionate about delivering excellence in mental healthcare in educational and other settings. Working in an innovative and dynamic school environment, intern psychologists will have the opportunity to gain diverse experience in individual therapeutic work, assessments, group interventions, and multidisciplinary teamwork.

Working with the school’s educational psychologist to provide educational psychological services to students across the Nova Pioneer. This will include individual therapeutic interventions, psychoeducational assessments, group interventions, meeting attendance, collaborative multidisciplinary work, case management, and consultations with parents and teachers.

ABOUT THE ROLE

Working with the school’s educational psychologist to provide educational psychological services to students across campuses of Nova Pioneer. This will include individual therapeutic interventions, psychoeducational assessments, group intervention, meeting attendance and collaborative multidisciplinary work, case management, and consultations with parents and teachers.

Your key responsibilities will be to:

• Work under the supervision of Nova Pioneer’s assigned educational psychologists, who will act as the site supervisors
• As per the HPCSA requirements, the internship will be full-time, and the intern will be required to work through school holidays. Leave days are allocated according to the HPCSA guidelines and the school contract 
• Provide therapeutic interventions, including play therapy and trauma support to primary and secondary  school students from Grade 00/000 to Grade 12
• Provide learning support and remedial interventions to students in primary school.
• Conduct psycho-educational assessments
• Write professional, useful, and psychometrically sound assessment reports
• Provide workshops, group interventions, and facilitate Social and Emotional Learning experiences with an emphasis on prevention and psychoeducation to students, staff and parents
• Attend Student Support Team (SST) meetings and work as part of a collaborative student support team
• Maintain accurate clinical records
• Maintain the highest level of professional and ethical conduct, upholding the professional rules of conduct pertaining to the profession of psychology as laid down by the HPCSA

ABOUT YOU

Essential: 

• Have completed or be nearing completion of an accredited Master’s degree in education or counselling psychology (no time will be given for completion of coursework)
• Have an individualised internship program that has been approved by the Professional Board for Psychology by December 2026
• Be registered with the HPCSA as an intern Psychologist by no later than January 2027
• Be willing and able to work on different campuses of the school
• Have supervised experience in therapeutic interventions and psychological assessment
• Be willing and able to work on different campuses of the school.
• Be willing to travel when necessary
• Have supervised experience in therapeutic interventions and psychological
• You land career empathetic and care deeply about the success of every student 
• You have a deep understanding of children, and you know how to connect with the specific age group that is referred to you
• You are a team player, and you enjoy group problem-solving 
• You are adept at using technology for instruction

HOW TO APPLY

Does working at Nova Pioneer excite you? If so, then apply now!

To apply, please complete the form on the right-hand side of this page. We cannot process applications that are emailed to us.

Click here to apply

Accounts Receivable /Parent Fee Support, Manager

Nova Pioneer is looking for an outstanding Accounts Receivable/ Parent Fee Support, Manager to lead the Parent Fee Support function and serve as a thought partner and key member of the Nova Pioneer leadership team. 
This role is a hybrid position, where the successful candidate will work remotely as well as in our school campuses from time to time.

ABOUT THE ROLE

The Accounts receivable/ Parent Fee Support (PFS) Manager is responsible for overseeing the effective – collection, and support processes related to the debtors book across the organisation in both South Africa and Kenya. 
The role ensures that collection targets are met while maintaining a positive and supportive experience for families. This position works closely with school leadership, finance, admissions, and other internal stakeholders to strengthen billing accuracy, improve payment culture, mitigate credit risk, and maintain high levels of parent satisfaction. 
The role also provides leadership to the Parent Fees Support team across both regions, ensuring strong operational performance, service excellence, and continuous improvement of processes and systems
You will be responsible for :

School Fee Collections Management

• Lead and oversee the collection of billed school fees, including outstanding balances, ensuring collection targets are consistently met or exceeded.
• Manage the collections process within agreed timelines by coordinating, directing, and prioritising the activities of team members.
• Monitor collection performance and develop corrective strategies when collections fall behind targets.
• Identify risk areas early and implement proactive interventions to mitigate potential delinquency
• Subject matter expert for legal issues regarding debt collection operations and management and related engagement with external legal experts and school associations (ISASA) on these matters 

Debt Collection Agencies and Credit Bureaus

• Oversee processes related to bad debt recovery, including coordination with external debt collection agencies where required.
• Engage, manage and monitor performance of debt collection agencies and related processes
• Engage, manage and monitor performance of credit bureaus used for enrolment related credit checks

Parent Satisfaction and Service Excellence

• Ensure effective and respectful communication with families on all matters related to school fees.
• Maintain agreed service standards for response times and quality of communication.
• Oversee the management of parent queries, including the maintenance of accurate records of interactions, complaints, and resolutions.
• Act as the escalation point for complex parent cases requiring intervention.
• Collaborate with internal teams to resolve parent concerns promptly.
• Monitor parent satisfaction feedback and implement improvements where service gaps are identified.

Call centre / customer contact centre operations

• Manage call centre and email operations (Zendesk) for the Nova Pioneer customer contact centre that managers fee related queries
• Escalation for parent related fee disputes and queries.
• Set performance benchmarks and drive performance for customer contact centre productivity, customer satisfaction levels, response times and resolution times

Stakeholder Management and Deliverables

Family Engagement

• Model and promote a positive, empathetic, and professional approach when engaging with families regarding financial matters.
• Ensure the team maintains agreed service level standards for responding to family queries across communication channels.
• Encourage a supportive yet structured approach to collections that promotes a healthy payment culture within the school community
• Manage call centre and email operations (Zendesk) for the Nova Pioneer customer contact centre that managers fee related queries
• Escalation for parent related fee disputes and queries

School Leaders and School Teams

• Provide school leaders with regular updates on campus-specific fee collection performance.
• Highlight areas of financial risk and collaborate with school leaders to implement appropriate solutions.
• Partner with school teams to implement collection initiatives that balance accountability with positive community engagement.
• Provide school leaders with timeous and accurate information regarding the debtors book for their school
• Calculate and provide  financial termination listings / gating listings and support enforcement of these by school based teams

Finance Team

• Work closely with the finance team to ensure family billing is accurate, timely, and clearly communicated.
• Share feedback from families to support improvements in billing clarity and processes.
• Collaborate on adjustments to family accounts, including approvals for statements and invoice updates.
• Provide insights to support improvements in billing processes and operational efficiency.

Admissions Team

• Support affordability assessments for prospective families where applicable.
• Review and approve exceptions related to school fees, including prorated fees for mid-year enrollments and other special cases.
• Partner with admissions and school leadership to ensure financial clearance processes for new families are smooth and timely during onboarding

Reporting and Performance Monitoring

• Produce regular analytical reports on collections performance at both organisational and parent-account levels.
• Provide school leadership teams with monthly updates on collections performance and areas requiring support or intervention.
• Monitor and drive key service indicators such as response times, parent satisfaction scores, and communication volumes.
• Maintain accurate records across databases, dashboards, and reporting systems used by the team.
• Implement and enhance information systems and related processes to improve performance reporting and identify action areas to improve collection performance and service levels

Business Controls and Process Governance

• Recommend and implement internal controls to ensure the accuracy and efficiency of billing and collections processes.
• Approve operational processes such as refunds, prorated school fees, and exceptional family requests.

Management of the Nova Pioneer Foundation (Bursary Programme)

• Develop bursary frameworks, including eligibility criteria, award rubrics, and programme terms and conditions.
• Oversee documentation review and evaluation for bursary applications.
• Award bursaries to qualifying families and ensure proper contracting and documentation.
• Liaise with the finance team to ensure bursaries are correctly applied to family accounts.
• Maintain accurate records of bursary awards and programme activity.
• Produce reports on committed funds, make recommendations for annual budget based on expected requirements  and monitor the foundation’s budget utilisation. 
• Reply to stakeholder requests pertaining to the Foundation

Team Leadership and Development

• Provide clarity, support and accountability for the Global Parent Fees Support team.
• Conduct weekly one-on-one meetings and regular feedback sessions with team members.
• Set team performance goals and track progress against operational objectives.
• Train, coach, and develop team members to build the capabilities required to deliver excellent service and operational performance
• Develop and implement policies and procedures that support effective team performance and operational compliance   

ACADEMIC AND PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS

Kenya

• A Bachelor’s Degree (in Business preferred)
• CPA (K) or Finalist or its equivalent (ACCA, CA etc)

South Africa

• Minimum: BComm with majors in management accounting and / or accounting

CORE EXPERIENCE, SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES

Experience

• A minimum of 3 years experience managing a debt collection team with >1000 retail customers
• A minimum of 3 years’ experience managing a customer-facing call centre / customer contact centre team, with the ability to provide clear direction, accountability, and support to drive strong team performance)

Skills

• Proficient on the use of Excel for financial analysis, modelling and reporting

Competencies

• Demonstrated ability to motivate and sustain team morale, particularly during high-pressure periods such as peak operational cycles such as the start of term.
• Strong ability to manage complex or difficult customer interactions, navigating sensitive situations and achieving constructive, mutually beneficial solutions.
• Experience working in fast-paced or entrepreneurial environments that require high levels of autonomy, ownership, and initiative.
• Results-driven and goal-oriented, with a proactive approach to work and a strong sense of accountability for outcomes.
• Excellent organisational and project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously while consistently meeting deadlines and performance targets.

Experience: Advantageous but not essential

• International team management experience
• Primary and secondary or tertiary private education sector experience    
• Remote team management experience

ADDITIONAL SKILLS AND REQUIREMENTS 

• You are excited about our organisational culture and in particular, you are fired up to challenge yourself by embracing mutual vulnerability and a firehose of feedback
• Ability to treat all confidential information with the utmost professionalism

Click here to apply

We wish you all the best with your applications