App Development Manager @Unknown

EduSpots is looking for an experienced, solution-oriented and passionate App Development Manager to lead the design, development and continuous improvement of our mobile applications.

Summary

EduSpots was created to show that communities themselves can design, lead and sustain transformative learning. By unlocking the knowledge and creativity already present in communities, the model turns education into a shared civic responsibility rooted in local ownership and collective action.

In 2015, the first Spot was created by the Addae family in Abofour, Ashanti Region of Ghana, in response to a locked privately owned library in a neighbouring community, built on principles of community ownership, local leadership and purposeful collaboration.

Since that point, over 700 local leaders named Catalysts, including students, teachers and community members, have come together to create 50 community-owned learning hubs known as ‘Spots’ – a concept drawn from the Ghanaian idea of a drinking space. Each Spot is unique, shaped by the identity and aspirations of its community, but all are part of a connected online network advancing inclusive, future-ready education through WhatsApp for Learning and the EduSpots App.

Through the Spots, thousands of learners, or Sparks, take part in playful, community-rooted clubs ’ –across early years education, digital skills, STEM, climate action and gender equity themes ’ – that spark curiosity, collaboration and civic action. Many Sparks grow into Catalysts themselves, with one in four new Spots now founded by those who first joined as Catalysts.  From this cycle of change, a movement is emerging across rural Ghana and beyond.

EduSpots has grown through a participatory model in which every Catalyst has a voice in shaping the network’s future. Their ideas and experiences feed into programme design and wider decision-making, with over half of our staff team drawn directly from Catalyst pathways.

As one Catalyst commented in the 2025 independent evaluation: “We’re not just implementing a pre-set model. Our ideas and experiences are actively shaping how EduSpots evolves. It’s truly a collaborative effort.” Find our latest guide book here. 

In 2026, the EduSpots team is looking to double its impact by moving from 50 to 100 Spots, reaching an additional 10,000 learners, also widening our reach through its EdTech Innovations as part of the Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship, and the launch EduSpots Unlocked to share aspects of our approach with the wider NGO community.

We are excited by our future. Do visit www.eduspots.org for further information.

About this role 

Location: Remote working, Ghana-based

Reports to: Head of Programme & Product Operations 

Salary: Manager band 

Hours: Full-time 

As EduSpots grows and develops, the need to innovate and strengthen our digital tools grows with it. At EduSpots we know the power of the community lies with the people within it, and EduSpot have developed an App in order for communities themselves to log the remarkable progress they are making. The EduSpots App has been developed as a tool through which Catalysts log their activity, track learner progress and record what’s happening in their Spot. 

The App Development Manager will take full ownership of the EduSpots App – its development, its performance and its rollout across our network. We’re looking for a senior, hands-on developer to take ownership of the EduSpots App and make sure it’s fit-for-purpose, and straightforward for its users. Day to day, that means building and improving functionality, ensuring the app runs reliably in low-connectivity environments, and working through improvements and fixes with care and technical rigour. Alongside this we are looking for someone who can oversee the uptake of the EduSpots App, and ensure its use across rural communities in Ghana and Kenya. 

The App Development Manager will work closely with our team, particularly our Regional Coordinators to gather feedback from Catalysts, community members, and staff to ensure the App is being used to its full potential. The foundations of the app are already in place. The postholder will be inheriting an existing product and building on it: improving current functionality, resolving bugs, refining the user experience and, over time, expanding the Apps capabilities. 

Main duties and responsibilities 

App Development and Technical Leadership 

• Manage the full EduSpots technology stack – Flutter (mobile app), React (web app), and Ruby on Rails with a PostgreSQL database (backend) – overseeing deployment to production and staging environments via Heroku.
• Take full ownership of the development of the EduSpots App, conducting an initial audit to establish priorities across bugs, performance and user experience.
• Lead the development of new features and functionality, making decisions about technical approach and priorities in line with organisational goals.
• Develop and maintain high-quality, well-documented code across the app.
• Ensure the app performs reliably in low-connectivity environments, optimising for the realities of rural Ghana (& Kenya). 
• Lead the ongoing development of the Android version of the app, with potential responsibility for future iOS expansion.
• Manage app releases, version control and deployment across relevant platforms (Google Play Store and, in time, the Apple App Store if relevant).
• Maintain clear technical documentation, ensuring the app’s architecture and codebase are transparent and sustainable.
• Stay current with relevant mobile development frameworks, tools and best practices, recommending improvements where appropriate.
• Ensure the app meets appropriate standards for data security, privacy and safeguarding across multiple jurisdictions (U.K., Ghana and Kenya).

App uptake and user engagement

• Manage the rollout strategy for the EduSpots App, monitoring clear goals for adoption across the network.
• Work closely with Regional Coordinators to gather structured feedback from Catalysts, community members, and staff on their experience of the app.
• Translate community feedback into clear development priorities, balancing technical feasibility with user need.
• Support the wider team in understanding and championing the app, providing guidance and informal training where needed, championing the App and its uptake across our programmes. 
• Develop and implement strategies to drive app adoption across the EduSpots network, identifying and addressing barriers to use.
• Monitor app usage data and user engagement metrics, reporting progress and shaping future development accordingly.

Partnerships and Fundraising 

• Joining Mastercard Foundation EdTech sessions as needed, and supporting partnerships development and fundraising needs in the area of EdTech. 

The postholder will be expected to report regularly on app development progress and usage, keeping the wider team informed and involved.

Personal Specification 

Essential

• Minimum of 5 years’ professional experience in mobile app development, with a strong portfolio demonstrating hands-on technical delivery.
• Proven, hands-on experience across the EduSpots technology stack:

• Flutter for mobile app development
• React for web app development
• Ruby on Rails with a PostgreSQL database for backend development
• Heroku for deploying and managing production and staging environments
• Google Play Console for managing app releases (and ideally the Apple App Store)

• Proven ability to diagnose and resolve complex bugs, performance issues and UX problems in existing codebases.
• Strong experience with Android development; familiarity with iOS development or a clear willingness to develop this skill.
• Experience with version control systems (Git) and collaborative development workflows.
• Experience deploying and managing apps via the Google Play Store, and ideally the Apple App Store.
• Ability to develop for low-bandwidth and low-connectivity environments.
• Experience gathering user feedback and translating it into technical requirements and development priorities.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to explain technical concepts clearly to non-technical colleagues.
• Experience managing the rollout of a digital product, including prioritising work and communicating progress clearly to non-technical colleagues.

Desirable

• Experience working within an NGO, EdTech or social impact context.
• Familiarity with backend development and API integration.
• Experience with app analytics tools and user engagement metrics.
• Knowledge of mobile accessibility standards and inclusive design principles.

Personal qualities 

• A genuine problem-solver and someone who takes real pride in building things that work.
• Highly self-directed and able to manage your own priorities effectively in a remote working environment.
• Collaborative and people-centred, with a genuine interest in understanding how communities use technology in practice.
• Patient and empathetic, with the ability to communicate technical ideas to non-technical colleagues and community members.
• Committed to EduSpots’ values of community leadership, play, teamwork, passion, care, daring, sustainable impact and learning mindset.
• A genuine commitment to community-led education and EduSpots mission 
• Flexible, adaptable, and resilient, with the ability to respond effectively to changing operational needs, working in a past-faced environment. 

Our core values are play, passion, community leadership, learning mindset, caring, daring and sustainable change. 

Please send a tailored covering letter and CV to recruitment@eduspots.org by 21st June, 2026 with a hope to meet shortlisted candidates shortly afterwards for a start date in July. 

For further information please see www.eduspots.org. Also follow us on social media – @eduspots on  LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook 

EduSpots is committed to the safeguarding of children, with safeguarding education a core part of our work. Appointment will be subject to child protection screening appropriate to the post. 

We are committed to being an inclusive and equitable employer; actively promoting diversity at all levels of our organisation and ensuring everyone feels included, valued and supported to fulfil their potential, encouraging candidates from all backgrounds to apply.

This job description will be reviewed annually and may be subject to amendment or modification at any time in consultation with the post holder.