GrowthAfrica, one of Africa’s leading business accelerators and entrepreneur support organisations, has announced a new recruitment drive for Programme Lead positions in Kenya, Ghana, Uganda, and Rwanda. The organisation is seeking experienced professionals with deep knowledge of local startup ecosystems to lead programme implementation and support the growth of innovative and women-led enterprises across the continent.

The opportunity comes as GrowthAfrica continues to expand its mission of strengthening entrepreneurship ecosystems and accelerating the growth of impact-driven businesses throughout sub-Saharan Africa.

About GrowthAfrica

GrowthAfrica is a growth partner for entrepreneurs that supports startups and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) through business acceleration, incubation, investment readiness, and ecosystem development programmes.

Since its establishment in 2002, the organisation has supported more than 5,000 businesses across Africa through access to:

Capital opportunities
Market linkages
Technology solutions
Entrepreneurial capacity-building
Investment readiness support

Headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, GrowthAfrica operates across multiple African countries and works closely with entrepreneurs, investors, development partners, and ecosystem stakeholders.

Programme Lead Role Designed to Drive Country-Level Impact

The Programme Lead position serves as the primary operational and strategic representative of GrowthAfrica within the assigned country. The successful candidate will oversee programme delivery, stakeholder engagement, and participant support while managing a local team.

According to the organisation, approximately two-thirds of the role will focus on hands-on programme implementation, ensuring that entrepreneurs receive high-quality support throughout the acceleration journey.

The Programme Lead will report directly to the Head of Programme and play a critical role in translating regional objectives into measurable country-level outcomes.

Key Responsibilities

The successful candidate will be responsible for managing the complete programme lifecycle within their assigned country.

Core responsibilities include:

Translating programme strategies into operational country plans
Managing entrepreneur recruitment and participant pipelines
Overseeing incubation and acceleration programme delivery
Facilitating workshops, training sessions, and engagement activities
Leading and developing country-based programme teams
Managing relationships with ecosystem partners and stakeholders
Engaging investors, mentors, innovation hubs, and government institutions
Supporting outreach to women entrepreneurs, including those in rural and peri-urban communities
Ensuring compliance with grant management and safeguarding requirements
Contributing to organisational reporting and programme evaluation processes

The role requires a combination of operational discipline, stakeholder management, and entrepreneurial ecosystem expertise.

Focus on Women-Led Enterprise Development

A significant component of the position involves supporting women entrepreneurs and ensuring that entrepreneurial opportunities reach underserved communities.

GrowthAfrica specifically highlights the importance of:

Identifying promising women-led businesses
Expanding participation beyond urban innovation hubs
Building inclusive entrepreneurship programmes
Creating pathways for sustainable business growth

The organisation is seeking candidates who demonstrate a genuine commitment to advancing women’s economic participation and entrepreneurship across Africa.

Qualifications and Experience Requirements

Applicants must possess substantial programme management experience and strong familiarity with local innovation ecosystems.

Required qualifications include:

Eight to ten years of programme or project management experience
Experience in entrepreneurship support, incubation, or accelerator programmes
Degree in Business, Development Studies, Social Sciences, or a related field
Proven delivery experience in multi-stakeholder programmes across sub-Saharan Africa
Knowledge of local startup ecosystems and entrepreneur support networks
Team management and leadership experience
Strong facilitation, communication, and stakeholder engagement skills
Ability to operate effectively in dynamic and resource-constrained environments

Additional advantages include:

Postgraduate qualifications
Local language proficiency
Existing relationships with innovation hubs, investors, and ecosystem actors

Applicants must be legally authorised to work in their country of application.

Opportunity to Influence Entrepreneurship Ecosystems

GrowthAfrica describes the role as an opportunity to contribute directly to the development of Africa’s innovation economy. Programme Leads will work closely with entrepreneurs, investors, and ecosystem partners to help businesses become market-ready and investment-ready.

The position offers exposure to:

Entrepreneurship ecosystem development
Startup acceleration programmes
Regional innovation networks
Investment readiness initiatives
Multi-country programme implementation

Successful candidates will help shape programmes that support business growth, job creation, and broader economic transformation across Africa.

Why GrowthAfrica Is Recruiting Across Multiple Countries

The recruitment initiative reflects GrowthAfrica’s continued expansion and commitment to strengthening entrepreneurship ecosystems in key African markets.

The organisation highlights several benefits of joining its team:

Working within a diverse international organisation
Supporting high-potential African entrepreneurs
Contributing to economic development and job creation
Exposure to innovation and investment ecosystems across multiple countries
Competitive compensation and benefits packages

GrowthAfrica continues to position itself as a leading player in Africa’s entrepreneurial support landscape, with a strong focus on scalable impact and ecosystem strengthening.

Application Process

Interested candidates in Kenya, Ghana, Uganda, and Rwanda are invited to submit applications before the closing date.

Key application details:

Application deadline: 25 June 2026
Location options: Kenya, Ghana, Uganda, and Rwanda
Employment eligibility: Applicants must reside in and have legal work authorisation for their chosen country

GrowthAfrica has stated that it is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes applications from qualified professionals across diverse backgrounds.

VIEW THE JOB ADVERT HERE

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Disclaimer: Global South Opportunities (GSO) is not the organization offering this opportunity. For any inquiries, please contact the official organization directly. Please do not send your applications & CVs to GSO, as we are unable to process them. Due to the high volume of emails, we receive daily, we may not be able to respond to all inquiries. Thank you for your understanding.