Provincial Partnership Manager

Job Purposes:<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/b>
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The\nProvincial Partnership Manager is responsible for supporting the SmartStart\nnetwork to build and manage strategic relationships with provincial and\ndistrict government, municipalities, and key ecosystem partners to enable\nSmartStart\u2019s mission of expanding access to quality early learning.<\/span>
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The role\nacts as a systems enabler, ensuring alignment between national policy\nintentions, provincial implementation realities, and community\-level delivery.\nIt works closely with SmartStart Branches, Franchisors, Programme Leads, and\nthe Network Support Team to create coherent, joined\-up approaches to\nprovincial, district and community partnership building.<\/span>
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Key Responsibilities<\/span><\/span><\/b>
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1. Provincial Government Partnerships (PEDs)<\/span><\/span><\/b>
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Work closely with Franchisors and branches to\nsupport and capacitate them to:<\/span><\/span>
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• Build and maintain strong, trusted relationships with Provincial\n Education Departments (PEDs).<\/span><\/span>
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• Support joint planning processes by sharing spatial data, mapping\n analysis, and community insights to guide provincial prioritisation of\n underserved areas.<\/span><\/span>
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• Strengthen collaboration on the Bana Pele Blueprint, mass\n registration, compliance pathways, and red\-tape reduction.<\/span><\/span>
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• Develop and maintain provincial partnership agreements, MoUs, and\n implementation frameworks.<\/span><\/span>
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• Represent SmartStart at provincial intersectoral forums, ensuring\n early learning is recognised as a provincial priority and that\n SmartStart\u2019s model is understood and valued.<\/span><\/span>
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• Surface systemic barriers (registration, subsidy access,\n infrastructure constraints) and co\-develop solutions with PEDs.<\/span><\/span>
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  2. Education District\-Level Collaboration<\/span><\/b>
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  Support Franchisors and Branches to work with District DBE officials to\nembed SmartStart\u2019s value proposition at district level, including support for\ninformal ELPs and the registration and subsidy pipeline.<\/span>
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  • Collaborate closely with Branches, Programme Leads, and the Network\n Support Team to ensure consistent and effective approaches to district and\n municipal engagement<\/span>
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    3. Municipal Engagement<\/span><\/b>
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    • Support the role out of SmartStart\u2019s community engagement protocol\n as a norms shifting tool to enable Franchisors and branches to build\n structured and long\-term partnerships with municipalities which expand\n access to early learning programmes and address regulatory barriers<\/span>
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      Build capacity of the network (Branches,\nFranchisors, Programme Leads) to engage municipalities effectively and present\nunified, contextually relevant proposals.<\/span>
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      4.\nEcosystem Engagement & Local Partnerships<\/span><\/span><\/b>
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      • Support ongoing\n ecosystem mapping to ensure we can build the right partnerships with RTOs,\n NGOs, CBOs, local ECD Forums, faith\-based structures, and community\n stakeholders to strengthen local Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE)\n ecosystems.<\/span><\/span>
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      • Support the\n development of infrastructure, nutrition and other strategic partnerships\n aligned to SmartStart\u2019s orchestrator/enabler model.<\/span><\/span>
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      • Position\n SmartStart as a trusted partner in community\-level ECCE planning and\n problem\-solving.<\/b><\/span><\/span>
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        5. Internal Coordination & Support<\/span><\/span><\/b>
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        • Collaborate closely with SmartStart Branches, Franchisors,\n Programme Leads, and the Network Support Team to ensure partnership\n engagements translate into operational improvements and local system\n change.<\/span><\/span>
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        • Provide guidance, tools, templates, and messaging to support\n Branches/Franchisors in navigating provincial and municipal relationships.<\/span><\/span>
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        • Feed provincial insights into national\-level strategy, including\n advocacy priorities and policy opportunities.<\/span><\/span>
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        • Support MEL processes by documenting partnership performance,\n systemic changes, and lessons learned.<\/span><\/span>
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          Requirements<\/h3>

          Qualifications<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/b> <\/span>and Experience<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/b>
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          · <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>Essential experience<\/span><\/span><\/span>
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          · <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>7+ years in partnerships, public sector engagement, ECCE/ECD, education\nsystems, or development sectors.<\/span><\/span><\/span>
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          · <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>A track\-record of success working with government (provincial, district,\nmunicipal).<\/span><\/span><\/span>
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          · <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>Experience managing complex, multi\-sectoral partnerships with NGOs,\nRTOs, CBOs, and community\-level actors.<\/span><\/span><\/span>
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          · <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>Desirable: Understanding of ECCE/ECD policy frameworks and provincial\nimplementation dynamics.<\/span><\/span><\/span>
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          · <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>Bachelor\u2019s degree in Education, Public Policy, Development Studies,\nSocial Sciences, or related field (postgraduate preferred).<\/span><\/span><\/span>
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          · <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>Driver\u2019s licence and willingness to travel extensively across the\ncountry.<\/span><\/span><\/span>
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          Benefits<\/h3>

          N/a
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