Program Manager, Africa at SeedStars Academy

Level: Mid Level

About the Programs Team

• The Programs team alongside Lab, Incubation, and Investments is a central squad at Seedstars. The Programs team’s key activity is to provide enterprise support through the execution of structured programs to make sure entrepreneurs have the knowledge, network, and services to scale.
• The Programs team operates as a critical revenue generator for Seedstars by developing tailored solutions to address unique challenges faced by startups and entrepreneurs around the globe.
• The Program squad is the fastest growing business unit in Seedstars and is composed of a Head of Global Programs, a Regional Partnership Manager, a Global Startup Growth Lead, eight full time Program Managers, three Program Management Contractors and four local Entrepreneur in Residences and Innovation Experts.
• The team works in close collaboration with many business units throughout the group, including Partnerships, and Finance.

About the Job

• You will be part of the team coordinating an entrepreneurship program we are running in Africa. Your main objectives will be to:
  • Make sure startups gain value out of the programs we provide.
  • Ensure partner satisfaction and coordination.
  • Ensure that we have the right teams to deliver programs of excellent quality.
• This role can be done remotely. Preference given to candidates based out of Africa. 

Key Responsibilities

• Managing partner relationships (KPI alignment, deliverable validation, feedback, etc.) 
• Project administration (contract finalization, invoicing, budget tracking, reporting, etc.)
• Coordinating and training the various teams that are to deliver the programs  
• Communication with all stakeholders (internal, with startups, and with the partners and clients) 
• Tracking, monitoring and evaluation of program metrics and milestone completion 
• Ensuring the program stays on track from a budget and timeline perspective 
• Identify the areas for improvement of the programs and share best practices 
• Work hand-in-hand with the external mentors / experts to prepare their sessions and train them how to work with the entrepreneurs to provide the best possible value through the webinars and face-to-face interactions  

Your Profile

• Your Mindset:
  • Excellent team player with high levels of empathy 
  • Passion for problem solving and striving for excellence 
  • Knack for coordination
  • Extremely polished and straightforward communication –written and spoken– with different levels of stakeholders
• Your Experience:
  • At least 2 years in operational positions. Such as running entrepreneurial innovation programs, supporting startups, developing startup ecosystem
  • Experience creating and managing startup & entrepreneurial programs 
  • Experience working in remote positions 
  • Experience working in various cultural environments
• Nice to have:
  • You are either a local entrepreneur or innovation enthusiast
  • You are an active member in your startup community 
  • Knowledgeable about the startup ecosystem in your country or region
  • ​​Africa and Crypto/Blockchain expertise

 Why our employees love working with us:

• We are on a mission which is bigger than all of us: to impact people’s lives in emerging markets.
• You get many growth opportunities and responsibilities early on.
• You work in an entrepreneurial culture where you’re surrounded by a vibrant and diverse team.
• We offer autonomy and flexibility with a flat hierarchy and a strong belief that responsible people should have the freedom to do their work when and how they want.
• We were awarded as one of the most democratic workplaces in the world due to our freedom centered practices .