Position: School Director (full time)

Location: Dabwe Town, Gardnersville, Liberia (on-site)

Organization: Damiefa School, a program of Mineke Foundation

Reports to: Board of Mineke Foundation

Contract: 12–18 months, performance-based, with potential for renewal Start Date: September 2025

Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply

About Damiefa School

Damiefa School is a private school, managed by Damiefa School. It was founded in 1982 by Dabwe Wiah and his Dutch wife, Mineke Muilerman. The school is committed to delivering high-quality, affordable education (ABC through Grade 9) to students in Dabwe Town and surrounding areas.

Damiefa School is steadily gaining public recognition for its commitment to educational excellence. The school offers the curriculum as prescribed by the Ministry of Education. Additional subjects include the Liberia Reads! reading comprehension program, basic agriculture, digital skills, and art education. It is also a WAEC examination center.

The school operates under the umbrella of Mineke Foundation and is currently undergoing a strategic transformation to become financially self-sustaining.

Between 2021 and 2023, the school underwent extensive renovations. It reopened in 2022 and currently operates at about 68% financial sustainability with the remaining 32% coming from funders. The school is on course to become financially self-sustaining within the next 2 years. At which time, donor funding for core operations will end. Funding for new school projects will continue, as long as they are not core operations.

The Role

We are seeking an experienced and entrepreneurial School Director with a strong business mindset to strengthen the operational, financial, and strategic foundations of Damiefa School. This role is central to achieving the school’s goal of full financial independence within the next two years.

The School Director will lead all (non-academic) aspects of the school’s operations, drive income generation (including school fees, sponsoring etc), enforce financial discipline, oversee facility use, and coordinate marketing and parent engagement.

The School Director will work alongside Mineke Foundation’s Team Coordinator (academic lead for Damiefa School) and the Acting Principal (responsible for daily operations and academic quality) to implement goals and ensure high performance.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic & Financial Management

· Develop and manage the school’s annual budget in consultation with the Board.

· Ensure fee enforcement and oversee income collection.

· Track, analyze, and report on key financial indicators and cash flow.

· Develop and implement income-generating activities, such as rentals of the auditorium, sponsorships and partnerships.

Institutional Development & Marketing

· Coordinate school marketing campaigns in collaboration with staff and international volunteers.

· Strengthen brand positioning and increase enrolment through targeted strategies.

· Identify and cultivate potential donors, sponsors, or partners to support school goals.

· Work closely with the team to maintain high parent engagement and educational quality.

Operational Oversight

· Supervise procurement, logistics, maintenance, and use of school facilities.

· Ensure timely repairs and upgrades, are carried out if needed.

· Ensure compliance with financial and operational policies.

Performance Management & Collaboration

· Monitor and evaluate operational targets and KPIs.

· Submit monthly joint management reports with Mineke Foundation’s Team Coordinator providing input regarding academic quality.

· Supervise staff and provide input on school-wide decisions.

· Collaborate with the team, Board, and international volunteers on school-wide initiatives.

Expected Results

· Fee collection rate consistently at or above 95% (currently 85%).

· Additional annual income generation – such as from donations, sponsorships or partnerships – of at least 3x the gross annual salary of the School Director, to be initially achieved within 18 months of starting work.

· No budget overruns and timely financial reporting.

· Smooth collaboration with team, Board and international volunteers.

Requirements

· Proven experience in business management, income generation and strategic operations in a low-resource or community-based context.

· Strong financial acumen, with demonstrable success in income generation.

· Good organizational and problem-solving skills.

· Flexible and able to work in a dynamic, values-driven environment.

· Strong written and verbal communication skills.

· Strong digital skills (word processing, basic spreadsheet, email and online collaboration tools such as Dropbox, Zoom and WhatsApp)

· Experience working in education or social enterprise settings is highly desirable.

How to apply

Qualified candidates are invited to submit the following:

1. Cover Letter (max. 2 pages)

o Explain your motivation for applying.

o Briefly share your vision for the School Director role and how you would approach it if selected.

2. CV (max. 3 pages)

3. Reference Projects (max. 1 page total)

o Provide two brief examples of projects that showcase your skills relevant to this role. For each project, include:

§ A brief description of the project and the key challenge faced

§ Your role and actions taken by you

§ The results you achieved

4. Names and contact details of two professional references who can attest to your character, experience, and results obtained.

Send your application via email to the Chair of Mineke Foundation, Ms. Tonia Dabwe, through info@minekefoundation.org and CC teamcoordinator@minekefoundation.org

Deadline for submission: July 25, 2025