Senior Associate - MEST Africa

We are seeking a Senior Associate to join our Scale team in Accra, Ghana reporting to the Scale Manager.

The Senior Associate will work in a small, collaborative team including the Manager and an Associate.

Based on experience and insights within the ecosystem, the Senior Associate will contribute actively to the planning and execution of Scale’s programs.

The primary role will be Project Management and Partner Engagement.

Role Objective

Support the Scale Manager to establish and maintain relations between MEST and the many Partners, Experts and Collaborators engaged in the Scale program.

Take on delegated duties that support MEST and the Scale Manager to implement the Scale Accelerator program.

Key Responsibilities

Partnership with Catalyst Fund Inclusive Digital Commerce Accelerator (CF IDC)

• Support the operational partnership between MEST and CF IDC by contributing to the accomplishment of key deliverables including MEST-hosted workshops and events.

Communication

• Provide accurate and regular verbal and written timely updates to the MEST Scale team, and where necessary, relevant stakeholders.
• Create a positive rapport with partners, experts, and clients.
• Engage with partners, experts, and collaborators to ensure the smooth delivery of the program as well as helping to build key, long-lasting relationships.

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Implementation

• Ensure delivery teams have the relevant skills set, training, and accreditations to deliver high content
• Escalate and resolve issues that arise promptly.

Reporting

• Develop and implement performance management and accountability standards for the
• Be commercially aware and adhere to commercial governance in all activities.
• Seek and use feedback to improve the level of service offered.

Organization, Scheduling & Planning

• Organize and support smooth project delivery from inception to completion, including managing key workstreams.
• Develop and implement business processes and procedures that are appropriate for project delivery ensuring high quality.
• Support the Scale Manager to keep the focus on most critical deliverables and milestones; if/when necessary alert Scale Manager when risks threaten timely reaching of milestones.

Ecosystem experience

• Help Secure and maintain strong relationships with players in the entrepreneurial ecosystem
• Contribute your professional contacts to support the greater connectivity of MEST in the ecosystem.

Technical & Business Content & curriculum development

• Support with the creation of content and curriculum assets
• Contribute content within the required area(s)
• Draft and deliver technical content related to the needed stage of growth for SMEs

Marketing & recruitment

• Partner with the Marketing team to establish buzz and interest in applying for our program.
• Support the Scale Manager to execute recruitment activities, including promotion, vetting

Skills & Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree with at least 4+ years Project Management Experience
• Client facing Project Management
• Strong leadership skills
• Strong organizational skills in project management, communication, partner engagement, and budget support.
• Passion and enthusiasm to drive and deliver business improvement, demonstrating initiative and commerciality in achieving results.
• Demonstratable client, team, and stakeholder engagement and communication skills.
• Ability to engage in a culture of continuous learning and development.
• Attention to detail and thoroughness in all aspects of the project lifecycle.
• Strong working knowledge of e-commerce, software, entrepreneurship, and/or startups in West Africa, especially Ghana.
• Good understanding of the MSME space (in Ghana preferentially)
• Experience in supporting startups and entrepreneurship ecosystems,
• Familiarity with curriculum and content development.
• Flexibility, Agility & Adaptability; open to changes, able to respond quickly, and adjust to changing circumstances.
• Ability to accomplish based on one’s own initiative.
• Technical Knowledge or experience in software development, programming, and other related software for startups and SMEs.
• Strong spoken and written communications skills for engaging with Ecosystem players
• Familiarity with marketing & recruitment practices

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About the company

MEST offers Africa-wide technology entrepreneur training and a network of hubs providing incubation for technology startups in Africa.

Founded in Ghana in 2008, MEST provides critical skills training, and support in software development, business, and communications to Africa’s tech entrepreneurs.

MEST is funded by the Meltwater Foundation, the non-profit arm of Meltwater, a global leader in media intelligence and Outside Insight.

At MEST, our strength is the quality and efficiency with which we deliver our programs to support those we serve.

To date, we have trained over 330 young African entrepreneurs, supported the founding of close to 60 startups across the continent, and received global recognition for the impact we’ve had in Africa.

With support from the Mastercard Foundation’s Young Africa Works initiative, we’re in the process of scaling across Ghana over the next three years, via three innovative and exciting programs: Pre-MEST, MEST Express, and MEST Scale.

The three programs will enable MEST to scale its impact and reach exponentially more young people at more touchpoints along their entrepreneurial journey in Ghana, and in time, across the continent.