ACN Affiliates Program Associate at African Leadership Academy

POSITION OVERVIEW:

• The Program Associate – Affiliates plays a central role in strengthening ACN’s scholar-to-career conversion system. This position is responsible for operational excellence, performance tracking, and high-quality coordination across 15 Affiliate partners, up to 50 ACN Campus Ambassadors annually, and up to 20 Peer Coaches annually. The role ensures disciplined execution, robust data integrity, strong recruitment pipelines, and measurable coaching-to-placement conversion outcomes.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Ambassador Program Leadership

• Lead recruitment, onboarding, and activation of up to 50 ACN Ambassadors annually. Design, coordinate, and coach structured Ambassador training on the relevant LMS, as well as mentorship, and build Communities of Practice.
• Track Ambassador-led scholar recruitment and referral pathways into Peer Coaches, Sector Networks, and Affiliate programs.
• Monitor activation and performance metrics, ensuring alignment with recruitment targets.
• Manage incentive tracking and disbursement processes linked to verified outputs.
• Maintain high engagement and attendance across required Ambassador activities.

Peer Coach Program Coordination

• Recruit, onboard, and support up to 20 Peer Coaches annually.
• Coordinate structured coaching training and ongoing engagement sessions on the LMS.
• Track scholar progression from application through interview and placement.
• Maintain coaching dashboards aligned to placement and conversion targets.
• Validate coaching evidence and ensure stipend disbursements meet compliance standards.
• Identify and escalate pipeline bottlenecks affecting conversion rates.

Affiliate Performance & Compliance Coordination

• Provide structured coordination support across 15 ACN Affiliates.
• Track reporting submissions, engagement metrics, and milestone compliance.
• Support logistics for Affiliate capacity-building workshops and peer learning sessions.
• Lead data validation processes across recruitment, training, and placement outputs.
• Coordinate preparation of Affiliate performance review documentation.
• Ensure compliance with safeguarding, DEI, and reporting standards.

Data, Reporting & Systems Management

• Maintain real-time tracking dashboards covering: Scholar recruitment volumes, Training participation, Coaching engagement, Placement outcomes.
• Ensure audit-ready data integrity across program systems.
• Contribute to quarterly and donor reporting processes.
• Maintain organized documentation systems and shared trackers.
• Support cross-functional collaboration with Employer Engagement, Finance, and Monitoring & Evaluation teams.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS AND SELECTION CRITERIA

Required Education and Experience: 

• Bachelor's degree in Development Studies, Education, Business, Social Sciences, or related field
• 2–4 years of experience in program coordination, youth development, nonprofit delivery, or employment initiatives
• Experience working with university partnerships, coaching programs, or youth employment ecosystems preferred

Preferred Education and Experience: 

• Experience working across multiple African countries is advantageous
• French language proficiency is a strong asset

COMPETENCIES: 

Technical competencies: 

• Strong program coordination and project management capability
• Experience maintaining dashboards and performance tracking systems
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, CRM, and data tracking tools required

Generic Competencies

• Exceptional organizational and time management skills
• Ability to manage multiple stakeholders across countries and time zones
• Strong analytical thinking and data literacy
• Clear and professional written and verbal communication

Attributes

• High attention to detail and quality assurance discipline
• Ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced, performance-driven environment
• Strong professional judgment and accountability