Career Launch Manager at African Leadership University (ALU)

About The Career Development Team

The purpose of the Career Development Team at ALU is to design the systems that help our students make informed decisions on how to become the leaders that will transform Africa. We prepare students with the relevant skills and mindsets for the world of work; connect them to professional opportunities to practice their skills; and inform ALU's learning model with insights from employers on the future of work and our students' work readiness. We also partner with employers across Africa to ensure our graduates are set up for success with relevant skills and a year of real work experience as they launch into successful careers and leadership journeys after graduation.

While most of our students will likely take on professional jobs, we believe that Africa's success is also tied to building career support systems which help young leaders launch impactful alternative career paths in entrepreneurship, academia, public service, activism and art. At our core, our role is to help students understand themselves as professionals, understand the realities of the world, and then to successfully find their place in it.

About The Role

The Career Launch Manager will report directly to the Head of Career Development and work closely with the Student Placement Coordinator and Employer Partnerships Manager. You will be responsible for curating a diversity of career pathways, including jobs, graduate school and entrepreneurship opportunities for ALU students. You role will involve supporting our final year students and recent graduates to launch into successful career pathways after ALU and preparing them to drive and accelerate their careers thereafter.

Responsibilities

• Developing a deep understanding of student interests and concerns about what it takes to succeed on the job market as a young professional to inform the Career Development Team's job support strategy
• Designing and executing a professional development strategy that prepares final year ALU students to be confident and successful in securing post-graduation opportunities including jobs, graduate school and entrepreneurial pathways. This strategy will include designing and facilitating workshops, group and individual office hours.
• Educating students and Faculty on expectations of entry level jobs in Africa
• Developing a deep understanding of ALU academic programs and training students and Faculty to accurately communicate the value of an ALU student to potential employers
• Influencing the ALU academic experience by leveraging insights from employers who hire ALU interns to ensure ALU's classroom preparation stays relevant and adaptive
• Launching our inaugural alumni professional community engagement plan, organizing peer learning and accessing professional opportunities for ALU students

Requirements

• Minimum of 5-7 years of work experience in Africa; ideally working in a fast paced, high-performing industry like consulting/ investment-banking/ a notable or high growth start up
• Minimum of 2 years of work experience in a managerial position; proven track record of managing high performing teams preferred
• Experience with stakeholder management and relationship building across all levels of partnership - CEOs, HR, Hiring Managers - to negotiate and create common interest and tangible value for all parties
• Experience in experiential learning, instructional design, and project management
• Strong belief in the amazing potential of Africa's youth, and you see them as active participants of their own learning, not passive recipients
• Track record of being self-directed, persistent, and systems-driven
• Exceptional coaching abilities to effectively develop students to have the right expectations and mindsets such as instilling confidence to create opportunities where there are none
• Ability to communicate effectively, ensuring students understand job and salary expectations