Nova Pioneer is looking for a superstar Driver /Auto- Mechanic for our Athi River Primary School ready and willing to start in May 2026.
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, inquiry-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 16 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
The Driver / Mechanic shall be responsible and accountable for the execution of daily transportation of students and the mechanical maintenance of the Nova Pioneer’s fleet of motor vehicles. The Driver/ Mechanic directly reports to the Transport Manager.
Key deliverables include:
- Operate the school motor vehicle in a safe and efficient way according to all relevant legislation, policies and procedures.
- Ensure that “door to door” policy for dropping and picking of pupils is maintained.
- Follow planned route on a time schedule.
- Work together with the bus assistant in maintaining order in the bus.
- Report and document any vehicle defect on daily basis.
- Observe speed limits and all other road signs.
- Fuel allocated vehicle as per fueling schedule.
- Drive pupils to educational trips, sports activities and any other school activity in a safe manner.
- Document actual mileage, timings and destination in the vehicle movement book before commencement of any trip.
- Undertake daily routine checks for tyres, oil, radiator coolant and lights.
- Notify Transport Manager of any accident/incident immediately.
- Notify Transport Manager of any delay, route diversion and riots.
- Follow Emergency policy when involved in emergencies or accident.
- Ensure the allocated school motor vehicle is kept clean on daily basis.
- Ensure the school motor vehicle is safely and securely parked on campus and when on trips.
- Ensure that all pupils on route are on board before journey start.
- Ensure all on board are aware of rules and responsibilities as passengers
- Maintain order and discipline in the school motor vehicle.
Mechanic Duties & Responsibilities
- Diagnosis of malfunctions and troubleshooting: Establish the nature of motor vehicle mechanical problems being experienced, track their frequency and any other unusual occurrences. Conduct inspections and test-drives to establish the cause of the mechanical problems and thereafter to confirm that they have been resolved.
- Undertake or supervise the repair of mechanical repairs on all school motor vehicles: Fix and repair any malfunction/fault on the vehicle’s mechanical systems including and not limited to; engine components and parts, engine cooling system, suspension and steering system, braking system, transmission system, exhaust system.
- Routine Maintenance: Perform weekly safety and maintenance checks on all Nova Pioneer vehicles, document all recommended safety and maintenance data and use it to monitor Key Performance Indicators used in strategic decision making.
- Documentation: Maintain complete and accurate transport related control documents which include; Job Cards for each repair to be carried.
- Feedback: Propose, participate and provide feedback to the Transport Manager on repairs that have been undertaken and maintain a proactive approach towards the execution of tasks.
- Timelines: Work within timelines that ensure the school motor vehicles are ready for daily routes services with minimum or no interruption.
- Perform any other duties as assigned on behalf of the organization including running errands, transporting staff and ferrying students to the hospital for emergency cases.
Compliance with Internal Policies, Standards, National Laws & Regulations
- Adhere to the stipulated standards and conduct outlined by the Nova Pioneer Transport Policy, the Nova Pioneer Employee Handbook and other relevant policies.
- Ensure that all National and County Legal requirements such as licenses, permits or certificates are met and continually kept current or updated. This includes any motor vehicle licenses, approvals, certificates and permits.
Champion & Promote Safety & Best Work Practices
- Conduct weekly workplace inspection to ascertain adherence to the Workplace Health & Safety Protocols and other relevant standards.
- Participate and own all Health & Safety initiatives that may be recommended by the Health & Safety Committee or other Organisation or School Leadership organs.
- Responsibly handle and operate tools, equipment and machinery according to the prescribed manufacturer’s recommendations and safety procedures.
- Correct unsafe conditions in the work area and promptly report any conditions that are not correctable to the supervisor.
- Keep the workshop, equipment and tools in a safe operating condition.
Live the Nova Pioneer Culture
- Fully embrace Nova Pioneer’s culture, values and beliefs and promote them to students, staff, parents and members of the outside community.
- Work collaboratively and cohesively in a team, being mindful and respectful of each person’s contributions and style.
- Maintain the adopted Nova Pioneer Transport Policy approach of door-to-door student pick-up and drop-off.
- Ensure the strict adherence of the various Transport Services Standard Operating Procedures.
- Attend and participate in team meetings that arise throughout the school year.
Operational Excellence
- Proactively monitor and report/act on Customer Feedback.
- Adhere to the Transport Services Safety and Operating Procedures and provide timely feedback.
- Ensure accurate and timely documentation of all relevant records.
- Performs other duties as assigned by your Manager from time to time.
ABOUT YOU
Skills and Qualifications required:
- Diploma in Auto-mechanical engineering from a recognized institution.
- Knowledge of highway code and school bus regulations.
- Possess a PSV License.
- Possess a BCE- Class Driving License for more than 8 years.
- Must Possess a recent (not older than 6 months) Certificate of Good Conduct.
- Recommendation from 3 previous employers.
- Minimum 2 years’ experience with school bus transportation.
- Ability to operate a school bus in a safe and responsible manner.
- Client service and public interaction skills.
- Analytical and problem-solving skills.
- Effective verbal and listening communications skills.
- First aid knowledge.
HOW TO APPLY
Does working at Nova Pioneer excite you? If so, then Apply 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: Where a copy of your resume is required, copying and pasting from a formatted document e.g. Microsoft Word may not result in the formatting transferring correctly to the final resume. 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.
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 on our website.
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.
