Education Portfolio Manager at Old Mutual in Johannesburg

Job description

Let's Write Africa's Story Together! Old Mutual is a firm believer in the African opportunity and our diverse talent reflects this. Job Description Lead the design, implementation and continuous improvement of the Foundation’s Education portfolio, translating the strategy into measurable school-level impact. The role connects needs-led school support, high-quality implementation partnerships and supports employee volunteerism so that interventions are practical, evidence-informed, scalable and responsive to local context. Key Result Areas Strategy and portfolio leadership Own the Education portfolio implementation roadmap and translate strategic objectives into annual plans, priorities, milestones and measurable outcomes. Guide the phased three-year rollout, ensuring implementation choices reflect provincial context, school need, feasibility, additionality and available resources. Use clear selection and intervention criteria to prioritise support that addresses evidenced school and learner needs rather than applying a one-size-fits-all model. Continuously review the portfolio against emerging evidence, implementation learning and the Foundation’s strategic intent, and recommend course corrections where required. Programme design and delivery Lead end-to-end programme design and delivery, from needs assessment and solution design through contracting, implementation, handover and close-out. Oversee education interventions that strengthen learning conditions and outcomes, including appropriate literacy, numeracy, teacher-support and enabling school interventions where these align to assessed need. Coordinate school-level implementation so that partner activity, employee volunteerism opportunities and learner-facing engagements are sequenced effectively and do not disrupt teaching and learning. Partnerships and stakeholder management Build and manage strategic relationships with schools, implementation partners, education stakeholders and relevant government structures, including the Department of Basic Education and provincial education authorities where appropriate. Identify partnership opportunities that strengthen reach, quality, sustainability or system alignment. Lead partner scoping and onboarding from a programme perspective, defining deliverables, roles, safeguards, reporting requirements and escalation pathways. Represent the Education portfolio credibly in senior stakeholder engagements, sector forums and internal governance processes. Measurement, learning and reporting Define programme-level outputs, outcomes and indicators aligned to the strategy and ensure reliable baseline, implementation and outcome data are available for decision-making. Monitor delivery quality, learner and school reach, partner performance, implementation risks and progress against agreed milestones and budgets. Turn monitoring insights into practical improvements and clearly communicate performance, lessons, risks and decisions required to leadership and governance forums. Maintain a credible evidence base showing what was funded, who was reached, what changed and where the Foundation’s contribution added value. Governance, risk and financial management Manage the Education portfolio within approved budgets, delegations, procurement requirements and finance and risk governance. Ensure programme and partner decisions are supported by appropriate due diligence, contracting, safeguarding, evidence and approval processes. Maintain oversight of delivery dependencies, reputational and implementation risks, and escalate material issues early with recommended mitigation actions. People and cross-functional leadership Contribute to functional resource planning and coordinate internal and external resources required for successful delivery. Provide clear direction, prioritisation and quality assurance to assigned staff and service providers, with accountability for performance and outputs. Collaborate across Foundation, GSI and relevant business teams