Head of Sense Making, Data and Insights

Key Responsibilities for the job<\/i><\/span><\/b>
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Leading and developing <\/span><\/b>SmartStart\u2019s<\/span> network\-wide approach(es) to <\/span>monitoring & feedback as well as sense\-making for\nappropriate action<\/span><\/b><\/span>
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This entails<\/span>
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· <\/span><\/span><\/span>leading coherent target\-setting<\/b> by network management<\/span>
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· <\/span><\/span><\/span>reviewing,\nrevising and developing coherent, fit\-for\-purpose indicators and dashboards<\/b> as appropriate to particular roles & contexts<\/span>
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· <\/span><\/span><\/span>Sense\-making<\/span><\/i>: people\u2019s iteratively interpreting data to make sense\nof experience & environment<\/span>
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o <\/span><\/span><\/span>Sense\-making entails navigating, way\-finding, figuring\nout, explaining, narrating, etc.<\/span>
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o <\/span><\/span><\/span>Sense\-making is what precedes, informs & follows\ndecision\-making and/or action\-taking<\/span>
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o <\/span><\/span><\/span>Sense\-making is individual\-and\-social and ongoing, and\noriented to flexibly appropriate action<\/span>
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· <\/span><\/span><\/span>Recording\-&\-reporting<\/span><\/i>: regular\nperformance recording\-&\-reporting for Hub & network (incl. mgmt.)<\/span>
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o <\/span><\/span><\/span>Preparing a core performance report quarterly (incl.\nExtended annual report at year\-end) appropriate for funders<\/span>
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· <\/span><\/span><\/span>Appropriate action: <\/span><\/i>responding appropriately in\ncontext, including improving and/or innovating<\/span>
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· <\/span><\/span><\/span>Reflecting<\/span><\/i>: guiding & supporting\nreflective practice<\/span>
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Leading <\/span>SmartStart\u2019s using and managing data and information <\/b><\/span>as\nresources <\/b>for sense\-making <\/b>and decision\-making <\/b>across the\nnetwork and platform as well as the ecosystem<\/span>
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This entails:<\/span>
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· <\/span><\/span><\/span>Leading the ongoing\nintroduction and improvement of data management and governance across the\nnetwork <\/span><\/b>(with the IT Head). And, in\ncomplement, l<\/span>eading the reorienting of the data function from a black box service to\na partner activating, amplifying, and enabling distributed data use &\nmanagement <\/span>
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· <\/span><\/span><\/span>Leading iterative assessment of key\ndata assets, opportunities & needs, capabilities, and risks<\/span>
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· <\/span><\/span><\/span>Maintaining a map or maps of key\ndata sets, their sources, and designated owners<\/span>
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· <\/span><\/span><\/span>Guiding and\nsupporting improving data:<\/span>
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o <\/span><\/span><\/span>ethics and relevant compliance (including but not\nlimited to POPIA)<\/span>
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o <\/span><\/span><\/span>availability & accessibility <\/span>
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o <\/span><\/span><\/span>capturing & collection<\/span>
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o <\/span><\/span><\/span>integrity & quality (incl. accuracy, consistency,\nand reliability) <\/span>
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o <\/span><\/span><\/span>usability for sense\-making & decision\-making <\/span>
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o <\/span><\/span><\/span>security and compliance with\nassociated regulations<\/span>
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· <\/span><\/span><\/span>This includes introducing &\nsupporting the use of relevant tools, guides, processes etc that are\nuser\-friendly for data owners & stewards (eg. a data set useability &\nhygiene checklists)<\/span>
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· <\/span><\/span><\/span>Fostering a\ndata\-engaged culture<\/span>
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Leading <\/span>SmartStart\u2019s strategic approach to the big picture information and data systems <\/b><\/span>as resources for sense\-making <\/b>and\ndecision\-making <\/b>across the network and platform as well as the ecosystem\n(with key partners, including <\/span>Ilifa Labantwana<\/span><\/a>, DBE and National Treasury)<\/span>
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· <\/span><\/span><\/span>Mapping and managing population data & using this\nin guiding multi\-year and annual planning, targeting, and projections \u2014\nincluding scenarios and/or futures thinking as apt<\/span>
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· <\/span><\/span><\/span>Leading development of SmartStart\u2019s data systems to\ncohere productively with relevant state and other data systems (including but\nnot limited to <\/span>eCares<\/span><\/a><\/span>) and partners\n(including but not limited to the national department of basic education and\nIlifa)<\/span>
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· <\/span><\/span><\/span>Attending to other strategically significant\ninformation as this emerges and evolves<\/span>
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Leading the central insights\nfunction<\/b>, including leading rapid learning through iterative\nexperimenting <\/b><\/span>and short\-term studies<\/span><\/b>
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This includes leading and co\-creating rapid learning projects<\/span>
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· <\/span><\/span><\/span>Rapid learning<\/span><\/i>: learning through fast feedback\nloops and from & with others<\/span>
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· <\/span><\/span><\/span>Iterative experimenting<\/span><\/i>: trying\nthings, with discipline and rigor, to learn<\/span>
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· <\/span><\/span><\/span>Short\-term studies: focused investigations to answer\nspecific questions over a few weeks or months, whether through analysis of\nexisting data, fieldwork, or both<\/span>
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· <\/span><\/span><\/span>Collective intelligence<\/span><\/i>: sharing\ninformation, insights and/or know\-how and surfacing what emerges<\/span>
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· <\/span><\/span><\/span>Reflective practice<\/span><\/i>: asking questions &\nquestioning assumptions about one\u2019s own work and ways of working (standing on\nthe balcony outside the dance, double\-loop learning, reflexivity, etc)<\/span>
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Collaborating <\/span><\/b>with\nthe Research<\/span>, Reflection\n& Evaluation Head and wider Innovation & Learning portfolio team in<\/span>
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· <\/span><\/span><\/span>Developing an apt research & evaluation agenda for\nSmartStart and <\/span>conceptualizing\nresearch and/or evaluation questions, studies, and terms of reference, etc.<\/span>
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· <\/span><\/span><\/span>Making SmartStart\u2019s practice more reflective<\/span>
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· <\/span><\/span><\/span>Creating knowledge from\nSmartStart people\u2019s experience and expertise<\/span>
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Practicing and exemplifying\nsystems thinking\-and\-doing,<\/span><\/b> including societal\nthinking\-and\-doing<\/span>
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Collaboratively Guiding the\nSmartStart Hub & network of partners + Developing Professionally<\/span><\/b>
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· <\/span><\/span><\/span>Co\-realising SmartStart\u2019s strategy by managing\nstrategically<\/span><\/b>
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· <\/span><\/span><\/span>Seeing and sharing the big picture coherently: <\/span><\/b>co\-building\n& communicating coherence unending<\/span>
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· <\/span><\/span><\/span>Creating the conditions<\/span><\/b> for and\nfacilitating people\u2019s thinking diversely<\/i> and doing good work together<\/i><\/span>
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o <\/span><\/span><\/span>Leading as a learner\-and\-teacher<\/span>
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· <\/span><\/span><\/span>Practicing SmartStart\u2019s \u201cpurple practices\u201d<\/span><\/b> for\ncollective success, incl. but not limited to:<\/span>
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o <\/span><\/span><\/span>Behaving trustworthily and building trusting\nrelationships<\/span>
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o <\/span><\/span><\/span>Playing roles across contexts adaptively<\/span>
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o <\/span><\/span><\/span>Co\-creating our thinking environment and nurturing our\npsychological safety<\/span>
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o <\/span><\/span><\/span>Learning curiously (and unlearning to learn)<\/span>
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o <\/span><\/span><\/span>Asking for & giving reasons (account\-giving /\naccountability)<\/span>
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o <\/span><\/span><\/span>Managing by coaching (and asking \u201cHow can I help\nyou?\u201d)<\/span>
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· <\/span><\/span><\/span>Developing self and systems doing\-and\-thinking<\/span><\/b> <\/span><\/b>
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