Programme Lead at GrowthAfrica

About the role 

• As Programme Lead, you are accountable for the day-to-day execution of all programme activities within your country. At least two thirds of your time is dedicated to hands-on delivery. You will lead a small country team and be the primary face of GrowthAfrica for local stakeholders, partners and participants. 
• You know your country's startup and innovation ecosystem from the inside. You have credibility on the ground, relationships with the right people and the operational discipline to translate energy and ambition into results that can be measured and built upon. You figure things out. If something is not working, you fix it. 

Key responsibilities 

• Translate the master programme plan into a rolling country operational plan with monthly milestones and clear task ownership. 
• Oversee the full participant pipeline from outreach and recruitment through incubation to acceleration, within country targets. 
• Directly facilitate or co-facilitate workshops and participant sessions when required, maintaining programme quality standards throughout. 
• Line-manage and develop the country team, conducting regular check-ins and performance reviews, and creating a culture of accountability and high performance. 
• Manage relationships with local ecosystem partners, co-working hubs, mentors, investors and government stakeholders. 
• Think creatively about how to identify and reach the right women entrepreneurs, particularly in rural and peri-urban communities that are easy to overlook. 
• Ensure country-level compliance with grant disbursement procedures, safeguarding policies and reporting requirements. 
• Report to the Head of Programme weekly and contribute data and narratives to quarterly and annual reports. 
• Support the recruitment, onboarding and induction of country team members in coordination with the Head of Programme. 

Qualifications and requirements 

• You have 8 to 10 years of experience in programme or project management, preferably in entrepreneurship support, incubation or accelerator programmes. 
• You hold a degree in Business, Development Studies, Social Sciences or a related field. A postgraduate qualification is an asset. 
• You have a demonstrated track record of hands-on delivery in a multi-stakeholder programme environment in sub-Saharan Africa. 
• You have a strong understanding of the local startup and innovation ecosystem in the country of 
• assignment. Named networks, hubs and relationships matter. 
• You have experience managing small teams and fostering a performance-oriented culture. 
• You have excellent facilitation, communication and relationship management skills, with participants, partners and senior stakeholders alike. 
• You are resourceful and solutions oriented. You do not wait for perfect conditions. You make it work. 
• You have a genuine commitment to supporting women entrepreneurs and understanding of what authentic engagement with that community requires. 
• Local language proficiency is a strong advantage. 
• You must be based in your country of application with valid right to work documentation.