2025 Tech Department (Kenya) Senior Tech Associate

Nova Pioneer is looking for a superstar Senior Tech Associate based in Kenya to support our schools in Kenya and South Africa. The successful candidate should be willing and available to report on 6th January 2025.
This is an exciting opportunity to be a part of an innovative network of schools that is developing generations of innovators and leaders who will shape the African Century.  

Disclaimer: Nova Pioneer does not charge any fee to process your application.

About Nova Pioneer

Imagine a world in which every young person across Africa attends a school that truly sets them up for success in the 21st century. A school that cares about individual students and allows them to explore the world around them. A school that focuses more on developing skills than on memorizing content. At Nova Pioneer, we have done more than just imagine this future, we are bringing it to life. Nova Pioneer is a pan-African, independent network of schools offering high quality, accessible education from pre-primary through secondary school. Nova Pioneer uses a unique, enquiry-based learning approach that encourages students to ask “why” instead of telling them the “what”. It allows them to form their own thinking through exploration, investigation and collaboration. Nova Pioneer currently has 17 schools in South Africa and Kenya with a vision to launch 100 schools and reach tens of thousands of students across the African continent in the next decade. To learn more visit www.novapioneer.com.

About the role:

Key responsibilities for the role include:

Regional Tech Support & Troubleshooting:

• Be the first point of support for school-based Tech Coordinators and also directly support users (students, parents, and teammates) when troubleshooting tech-related issues via the helpdesk and where necessary escalate the more technical issues that require in-depth problem-solving to the relevant service provider support teams.
• Resolving and responding to helpdesk tickets within laid-out IT SLA timelines.

Internet Network Infrastructure Installation & Management:

• Oversee the installation, configuration, and troubleshooting of all internet network hardware and software-related equipment and systems in line with Nova Pioneer policies and Service Level Agreements with vendors as contained in the contracts.
• Manage and hold the Internet Service Provider(s) accountable to the terms as detailed in the SLA.
• Maintain a record of all equipment handed over or added at each school and be accountable for all network equipment, components, and fittings and provide the required information for insurance, valuation or due diligence purposes.
• In the event of full or partial internet outage, take the lead in the troubleshooting and repair of the internet network hardware and software components in collaboration with school-based Tech Coordinators and service provider agents.
• Lead and facilitate the performance of routine maintenance and inspection of the internet network hardware components and network server software/systems to ensure that schools are receiving the full subscribed bandwidth from the ISPs.
• Manage budgeting, billing, and payments to ensure service continuity and availability with no interruptions or quick restoration turnaround times in the event of a network outage.
• Perform hardware and related operating software updates and upgrades to achieve optimum performance level.
• Liaise with the school-based Tech Coordinators to modify or adjust accordingly the WLAN needs during special sessions that have unusual bandwidth requirements to ensure the systems they are supporting operate effectively e.g. during MAP Testing periods.

Printing Network Management:

• In the event of a full or partial internet outage, take the lead in the troubleshooting and repair of the printing network hardware and software components in collaboration with school-based Tech Coordinators and service provider agents.
• Maintain a good professional relationship with the vendors.
• Keep up with existing SLAs, addendums and printing contracts.
• Process any printing-related invoices and book the payments on NetSuite.

Firewall Management:

• Manage the billing and payments to ensure service continuity and availability.
• Liaise with vendors for all Firewall implementations.
• Firewall, maintenance, monitoring, and security incident reporting and investigations.

Hardware Management:

• Selecting and purchasing new and replacement hardware and operating software, when necessary.
• Onboarding and offboarding of teammates i.e. work directly with school-based teammates to allocate and collect teammate laptops or any other company-issued devices.
• Follow up on repair costs recovery from teammates through Talent.
• Managing and keeping an up-to-date Tech asset inventory for all central and school teammates for budgeting and insurance purposes.
• Liaising with the vendors for all hardware (projectors, printers, servers, laptops) that require external vendor intervention.

CCTV Camera Installation & Maintenance

Tech Infrastructure Expansion & Installations such as Computer Labs:

• Liaise with vendors for new installations and or extension projects.

• Coordinate the annual lab maintenance and purchasing of additional lab devices.

Administration & Management of Nova Pioneer Core Systems:

• Google Workspace
• Student Information System SIS / Ed-Admin
• ERP / Netsuite

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​​​​​​​About You

Skills and Qualifications required:

•  Bachelor’s degree in an appropriate field (information technology, computer science, systems management, or related discipline).
• Possession of relevant professional technical certifications such as CCNA, ITIL, or similar certifications will be an added advantage.
• You strive for excellence in every detail of your work and inspire and challenge everyone around you to do the same. 
• Our culture resonates deeply with your values—and in particular, you are excited to challenge yourself by taking risks and getting more feedback than you’ve ever gotten before
• Experience providing customer service in a technological environment.  Experience in IT support is an added advantage.
• 5-7 years of work experience in a fast-paced, growth-oriented organisation
• Working knowledge of network protocols and experience with various computer applications, operating systems, and printing services. 
• Deep experience with Salesforce (or similar), Netsuite (or similar ERP), Ed-Admin (or other SIS)
• Proven ability to work well with stakeholders of different levels and backgrounds
• Strong communication skills.
• ​​​​​​​Strong collaboration and influential skills. 

How to Apply:

Does working at Nova Pioneer excite you? If so, then apply here now!

To apply, please complete the form on the right hand side of this page. We cannot process applications that are emailed to us.

Please note: You are encouraged to attach your resume in PDF format to protect formatting.

There are a series of stages in the Nova Pioneer interview process and candidates will be moved forward in the process depending on their success in the previous stage. The process is as follows:

• Phone interview: a short conversation to understand your skills and experience a little better.
• Practical demonstration of what you can do: you will complete a written task or a demonstration related to the role you are applying for. Teachers participate in a half-day selection day at one of our campuses as well as deliver a lesson to a class.
• In-person interviews: at this point you will visit one of our schools to meet the team and participate in a series of in-person interviews.
• Final interview: you’ll have a final conversation with the hiring manager before decisions are made.

Working at Nova Pioneer

Nova Pioneer is a place where our people experience tremendous growth, fast! We invest heavily in the growth of our people because it leads to greater mastery in both us and our students. “Novaneers” work harder and work longer hours than most schools but as a result, the growth they experience is extraordinary. We offer consistent and ongoing personal development and provide clear career pathways that ensure that our people are always achieving their personal and professional best. Nova Pioneer has a highly energetic, entrepreneurial environment where our people get to bring their creative and innovative ideas to life. We look for people who are flexible and who are able to adapt and respond quickly to adversity with a positive, can-do attitude (there are no problems, only solutions!). We welcome challenges and roll with the punches because it makes us, and our students, better. There is no problem too big for us! We bring infectious energy and enthusiasm to everything we do because joy fuels our work and learning. Read more about our culture principles here.

Nova Pioneer will never request an application fee from candidates. If you are contacted with a request to pay a fee from someone claiming to be a Nova Pioneer Talent or Recruitment representative, please do not pay them and report it to us immediately on talent.ke@novapioneer.com or talent.sa@novapioneer.com.