ABOUT THE
ORGANIZATION:
Kepler is
reinventing higher education with a lens on readiness for 21st century careers.
Africa has the fastest growing youth population in the world, but its education
systems are not ready to unleash what could be the transformative generation of
talent that permanently changes the face of the continent. We aspire to be
among the first to show at scale that it is possible to dramatically improve
learning and employment outcomes while lowering the cost of higher education to
make it more widely accessible.
Unlike traditional
higher education, Kepler builds its academics around the demanding, practical
needs of employers. We deliver the skills that businesses seek through hands-on
learning that combines
world-class online content, high-quality in-person
coaching, and extensive real-world work experience.
Since Kepler’s
launch in 2013, we have made tremendous progress in proving the model:
- Learning: 98%
of students in Kepler’s inaugural class earned their Associate’s degrees
in under two years, and our students are significantly outperforming their
peers at local Rwandan universities across the board, as measured by an
independent, evidence-based research firm. - Jobs:
Kepler students stand out in the Rwandan job market and are getting jobs
at unparalleled rates. 81% of the students seeking employment from
Kepler’s inaugural class have already received full time job offers,
despite not having yet completed their B.A. degrees. - Demand: There
is tremendous demand for Kepler to expand within and beyond Rwanda. Kepler
has already enrolled close to 300 students and is poised to reach tens of
thousands. Last year over 6,000 students—one in six graduating high school
students in Rwanda—applied to Kepler. Philanthropists are eager to support
Kepler’s growth across Africa in the coming years. In addition to its
direct impact, Kepler gets many requests to help other universities and
entrepreneurs learn from its model; we are deeply committed to seeding
like-minded university models around the globe.
Kepler has been
featured widely in the education and mainstream press including Competency Works, Bright,
Scientific
American, and the Chronicle
of Higher Education. Our co-founders, who serve on Kepler’s board, have
deep experience in education in East Africa, having also founded a K12 school
network (Nova and PioneerAcademies) and corporate
training venture (Spire). For more
information, please visit Kepler’s website
and read thispost on Kepler’s early results.
ABOUT THE
POSITION:
Kepler is looking for a visionary Chief
Executive Officer to lead its expansion across sub-Saharan Africa. This is an
opportunity to lead and develop a disruptive university model that transforms
the future of Africa’s youth, while also creating a new educational model for
the world.
The role will
initially be based in Kigali, Rwanda for 6 months or more. As Kepler launches
operations in a second country starting in late 2016 or early 2017, the CEO may
choose to relocate to that country (likely Kenya or South Africa) while
continuing to travel to Rwanda frequently.
Imagine a world in
which all young people in Africa attend a university that sets them up for
long-term career success. A university that demands excellence, helps students
learn by intensively practicing job-relevant skills rather than by sitting in
lectures, and builds the character and growth mindset that will shape the rest
of their lives. A university that delivers students—no matter their family
background—a US-accredited degree at low cost without making them leave their
home countries.
This is what Kepler
has created in Rwanda. We want you to help make it happen everywhere.
As CEO, you will
drive Kepler’s expansion as we move from early piloting into a phase of rapid
growth. You will lead all mission-critical priorities: streamlining and
systematizing the delivery of the Kepler model to prepare for scale; building
the distinctive team and culture that will continue to attract amazing new
talent for decades to come; expanding the existing Rwanda-based campus into
other countries across Africa, establishing partnerships with the
fastest-growing companies in each new country; and raising the growth capital
that will fuel Kepler’s expansion.
Within the next two
years, you will be expected to substantially increase student enrollment in
Rwanda while spearheading Kepler’s expansion into a second country (possibly
Kenya or South Africa). Kepler’s launch in a second country is an excellent
opportunity to design and implement a “Kepler 2.0” model, pushing the
envelope further with the cost and flexibility of our offering to students.
Another key near-term priority lies in proving out a workable student loan
model to ensure that Kepler is accessible to students from low-income families
and that Kepler is financially self-sustaining at the campus level without
donor support. While the Kepler board will expect you to make substantial
progress with large new donor commitments to fund expansion, you will enjoy the
security of having most of Kepler’s budget needs for the first two years covered
by existing commitments.
Responsibilities
include but are not limited to:
- Collaborating
with Board of Directors and senior leadership to set vision and strategy - Recruiting,
developing, and supervising a high-performing senior leadership team - Building
a strong organizational culture defined by clear principles including—but
not limited to—high expectations, transparency, growth mindset, and
customer orientation - Serving
as the external voice for the organization and thought leader on the
transformation of higher education in the developing world, engaging with
partners, and leading thinkers - Cultivating
and managing relationships with the key strategic partners (e.g., employer
partners and university partners) that lie at the heart of the Kepler model
- Overseeing
fundraising planning and implementation, generating a funding base that
enables Kepler to reach its ambitious goals for direct and indirect impact
- Developing
annual operating plans that support Kepler’s strategic goals and
objectives
CANDIDATE
REQUIREMENTS:
- You
have at least 10 years of work experience including significant team
leadership experience - You
have led an organization or a large business/operating unit through a
significant growth phase, and therefore have experience crafting systems,
teams and culture that do not break down with scale - You are
very systematic in your management practices, including both people
management and performance management - You
have substantial experience in the developing world (Africa experience
preferred but not required) and are committed to living in Africa for the
next 4+ years - You are
passionate about learning and view education as the critical lever for
global development. You may or may not have work experience in the sector,
but you have a track record of developing others through coaching, and you
geek out on research and insights about how people learn and grow - Your
past supervisors have consistently perceived you as one of the rising
stars in the organization and promoted you through the ranks - You
have an exceptional ability to think strategically and yet you sweat the
small stuff - You
take pleasure in excellence and impact more than credit or status
LOCATION:
Kigali,
Rwanda(initially)
