Professional Development Facilitator - SPARK Centre of Excellence - 2026

About SPARK Schools

About SPARK Schools

SPARK Schools is a social impact disruptor and is leading change in the education space through its network of affordable private schools. The SPARK Schools network provides transformational education innovation through Africa’s first blended learning model, which elevates student achievement and provides the tools teachers need to serve their scholars effectively.

The personalized model, which combines direct, peer collaboration and online instruction, allows educators to evaluate the needs of scholars and equips schools to provide personalized pathway instruction at an affordable cost. SPARK Schools is pioneering this transformative education model to ensure the accessibility of university and careers for all.

SPARK Schools is a high growth, mission and values-driven entrepreneurial organisation, operating 21 primary schools and 5 high schools and serving over 17, 000 families in 2026. We are looking for dynamic people to join our team.

Reports To: CoE Manager / Head of Professional Development

On-site reporting: Centre of Excellence (Support Office) - permanent placement, not deployed to schools

Purpose of Role

SPARK Schools teachers drive scholar achievement by maintaining high expectations for classroom culture, behaviour and academic growth for all scholars. The Professional Development Facilitator is a permanent, Centre of Excellence (CoE)-based specialist with deep, expert-level command of the SPARK blended learning model, instructional practices and school culture standards. This person is responsible for designing and delivering the training pathway that takes educators through the CoE pipeline and certifies them as Tier 3 Educators - fully deployment-ready professionals equipped to be placed into schools across the network.

This is a permanent, network-level role based at the Centre of Excellence (Support Office). The Professional Development Facilitator does not carry a classroom of their own; instead, their classroom is every educator moving through the CoE pipeline. They are the custodian of instructional quality and consistency across all trainee, locum and newly-placed educators.

• Owns the design, delivery and continuous improvement of professional development content aligned to the SPARK blended learning model.
• Trains, coaches and assesses educators against the Tier 1 → Tier 2 → Tier 3 readiness framework, certifying only those who meet the standard for school placement.
• Works closely with the Professional Development Manager, CoE Manager and school Principals to ensure trained educators are placement-ready and aligned to real school needs.
• Acts as the network's subject-matter expert on instructional model fidelity, classroom culture and CQ (Character Quotient) delivery.
• This is not a once-off training role. The Professional Development Facilitator builds and maintains a living curriculum, tracks each educator's readiness data over time, and is accountable for the quality of every educator who graduates from the CoE pipeline into a school.

Curriculum Design & Facilitation

• Design, build and continuously refine the CoE training curriculum covering the SPARK blended learning model, instructional delivery, classroom management and assessment practice.
• Facilitate pre-placement training and orientation sessions for all incoming Locum and Generalist Educators before deployment.
• Deliver ongoing professional development sessions, workshops and learning sprints during non-deployment periods.
• Model exemplary instructional practice, including live-teach demonstrations and co-teaching walkthroughs, so educators can see the standard, not just hear about it.
• Develop training materials, facilitator guides, assessment rubrics and readiness checklists used across the CoE pipeline.

Tier 3 Certification & Educator Readiness

• Own the Tier 1, Tier 2 and Tier 3 progression framework, defining the competencies, observations and evidence required at each stage.
• Conduct classroom observations, provide structured feedback and coach educators through targeted improvement plans.
• Assess and certify educators as Tier 3-ready: capable of independently managing a classroom, delivering the instructional model with fidelity and upholding scholar culture from day one of deployment.
• Maintain accurate, up-to-date readiness records and progress data for every educator in the pipeline, sharing this with the Professional Development Manager and CoE Manager.
• Provide input into placement decisions, flagging educators who require further development before being deployed to a school.

Professional Development & Centre of Excellence

• Complete all pre-placement trainings and orientation sessions delivered by the Centre of Excellence before deployment
• Attend professional development sessions and training on weekdays, weekends or school holidays, if applicable.
• Attend scheduled professional development sessions during placement periods as directed • Actively engage with feedback from school leaders and CoE coaches and implement changes promptly
• Demonstrate a growth mindset and a willingness to be trained across different school models and grade phases
• Be trained progressively across all school contexts in the portfolio — building a deep understanding of each school’s culture, instructional model, and scholar population so that each deployment is more effective than the last
• Attend all scheduled CoE professional development sessions, workshops, and learning sprints during non-deployment periods

Instructional Model Expertise & Quality Assurance

• Maintain deep, current expertise in the SPARK blended learning model, experience labs, online instruction platforms and personalized pathway instruction.
• Partner with school leaders and CoE coaches to gather feedback on deployed educators and feed this back into training design.
• Keep training content aligned to network-wide updates in curriculum, technology platforms, assessment requirements and child protection, anti-bullying, health and safety policies.
• Support the design and administration of formative and termly assessment practice within training, so educators are proficient before they reach a live classroom.

Centre of Excellence Operations

• Attend and contribute to CoE and Support Office team meetings, planning sessions and network-wide gatherings.
• Communicate professionally with school leadership, the Support Office and educators in the pipeline. • Submit training attendance registers, certification records and readiness data as required.
• Support Saturday events, parent community engagements or school open days where CoE representation is required.
• Champion a growth mindset culture within the CoE, modelling the self-reflection and feedback orientation expected of every educator moving through the pipeline.

Requirements

Qualifications and experience

The ideal candidate will possess the following qualifications:

• Professional proficiency in English
• B.Ed or PGCE degree (postgraduate qualification in Education Leadership, Curriculum Development or a related field advantageous)
• SACE registration
• Clear criminal record
• A minimum of 4-5 years' classroom teaching experience, including demonstrated success within the SPARK Schools blended learning model or a comparable model
• Prior experience in teacher training, coaching, mentorship or curriculum design is strongly preferred

Qualities

• Expertise: Deep, current mastery of the SPARK blended learning model and instructional best practice
• Coaching Mindset: Ability to develop others through observation, feedback and modelling, not just instruction
• Excellence: A track record of high personal and professional standards
• Mission Alignment: A deep belief in the transformative power of quality education for every scholar
• Discernment: Able to make fair, evidence-based judgement calls on educator readiness
• Self-Reflection: Ability to receive and implement feedback without defensiveness, and to model this for others
• Collaboration: A team-first orientation that places scholar outcomes above personal comfort or preference
• Consistent and reliable
• Warm, encouraging and approachable
• Tech-readiness: Comfort with digital platforms, learning management systems, and educational technology

Values: Service, Persistence, Achievement, Responsibility, Kindness

Benefits

SPARK offers

• fair market linked remuneration

• performance-based annual bonuses and increases

• above average/good annual leave

• life, disability and funeral cover

• employee wellness support

• educational support & study leave

• individualised professional development, support and mentorship

• employee discount on school fees

• opportunities for career growth

Compensation: Market Related

Locations: Gauteng

• SPARK Support Office

Position Type: Full Time

SPARK schools is an equal opportunities employer and preference will be given to candidates from designated groups with due consideration of the company’s Employment Equity goals and targets.

SPARK schools encourages persons with disabilities to apply.

SPARK Schools may expire the posting of this advertisement at their own discretion.

Kindly note that should you have not heard from us within two weeks of the closing date please consider your application unsuccessful.