I.T. Operations Lead

About Huddle Education

Huddle delivers a comprehensive instructional model targeting South Africa's no-fee and low-fee public educational institutions. Crucially, our approach centers on empowering educators directly, equipping classroom teachers with specialist-designed resources, instructional videos, and ongoing training to ensure quality delivery daily. Our Pioneer model is full-fidelity: hardware, connectivity, and platform access installed and supported in the classroom.

Where You'd Be Working

Huddle's full-fidelity program is based in the Western Cape, in the Cape Town area and surrounds, primarily in Metro East and Metro South schools, with hopes to grow beyond that in time. Huddle's office is based in Pinelands, Cape Town.

Scale

Next year, Huddle will have technology deployed across 13-16 schools, roughly 112 classrooms, each equipped with a laptop, projector, and soundbar or speaker set, with a fleet of tablets potentially added on top. One additional school will house 3 dedicated R&D test classrooms for piloting new tech ahead of wider rollout.

Purpose

This role owns day-to-day internal IT administration, contractor and vendor management, school tech deployment, first-line technical support, R&D. A separate IT Strategist consulting engagement sets DevSecOps direction; this role will help to carry out that work operationally.

Reports to: Head of Operations

Employment type: Full-time

Core Responsibilities

Internal IT & policy

• Google Workspace admin (provisioning, deprovisioning, permissions, groups)
• Tech stack and subscription management (tool approval, renewals, spend visibility)
• Manage and maintain platform permissions and access rights
• Implementing the device policy for the internal team (BYOD-appropriate)
• Internal security support for the team: 2FA enforcement, endpoint protection, data handling hygiene

Support & escalation

• First-line support for internal tech issues
• Second-line troubleshooting where within capability, escalating deeper platform or infrastructure issues
• Track and manage issues through to completion

Contractor & vendor management

• Day-to-day management of IT-related contractors and vendors
• Source new vendors as required
• Operational point of contact for the external dev/platform team

School tech

• Hands-on rollout and on-site troubleshooting of classroom tech
• Own vehicle required; travel reimbursed at the SARS prescribed rate
• Track installations, maintain site logs and documentation
• Coordinate with WCED IT or other connectivity/internet vendors as needed to resolve school-side network issues

R&D

• Field testing of new deployment approaches and tech
• Own the feedback loop: observe, test, improve, document

KPIs / Success Measures

• Call-out rate per classroom: reduced
• Vendor-delivered installs on schedule and passing QA
• Reduced cost of fit-for-purpose tech kit in classrooms
• Ticket turnaround (1st/2nd line) within agreed SLA
• Site logs and asset register kept current

First 90 Days

Exact scope depends on start date, but installations for the new school year will be underway in January regardless of when this role is filled, so most of the following will apply in some form:

• Manage the installation rollout across schools new to the program next year, plus additional classroom installs at existing schools (fleet management)
• Ensure device setup is completed in coordination with internal support and contractors
• Drive toward 100% classroom readiness ahead of the January program start date
• Support the team on the ground through Start Strong, ensuring adequate on-site support during the start of the school year
• Own upskilling of on-the-ground field agents on basic troubleshooting, so small issues can be resolved on site rather than escalated or handled by coordinating a teacher remotely
• (Bonus) Work with the IT Strategist to define the ongoing DevSecOps interface and cadence

Must-haves

• IT certification or equivalent hands-on experience
• Hands-on experience with hardware or AV installation (cabling, mounting, device setup and configuration)
• Own vehicle, valid driver's licence
• Comfortable travelling independently to schools across a range of areas, including townships, as part of regular fieldwork
• Comfortable operating independently without a dedicated IT function to plug into

Nice-to-haves

• Proficient at performing classroom tech installations independently, rather than learning on the job
• Experience in education or low-bandwidth environments
• Experience working alongside an outsourced dev/engineering function
• DevSecOos Interest, aptitude or experience is a plus for the right candidate

Salary: We pay competitive market related salaries to attract top talent. Please see other benefits on our Careers page here. 

What’s the application process? 

A stunning workplace is stunning colleagues. There’s nothing more important for Huddle than finding the right people who will thrive here. And we know that this could be a life-altering decision for you too. So let’s do this dating thing properly before we decide to get married. 

Our application process (which is subject to change) includes the following steps: 

1. Fill in the application form. Time: +-20 mins. Need: Matric certificate, Degree certificate, CV, Courage.

2. Asynchronous video interview. Time: +-25 mins. Need: Computer/phone to record your answers.

3. Work sample. Time: TBC. Need: Your best thinking.  

4. Live interview/s. Time: TBC. Need: Questions and your authentic self.

5. Short or Long-term Offer. Time: TBC. Need: your celebratory anthem 

Due to the large volumes of applications we receive, our small team unfortunately can’t always get back to everyone. If you don’t hear from us within 2-4 weeks, please assume that your application has been unsuccessful. 

We’re cheering you on in your journey to finding your highest calling, hopefully with Huddle!