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Idea Program Coach, Anzisha

African Leadership Academy

African Leadership Academy

Johannesburg, South Africa
Posted on Nov 11, 2024

Position Overview:

This position will work at the intersection of two of Africa’s biggest opportunities – education and entrepreneurship. African Leadership Academy (ALA) is a pioneer in both these areas through The Anzisha Prize – a partnership between ALA, Mastercard Foundation, and others focused on job creation through early-age entrepreneurship. Anzisha is launching two new programs, Idea and Build in 2024 which will equip more young people with tools and resources to run successful businesses and celebrate their entrepreneurial endeavours.

Idea Program

The Idea Program is a 3-month program that gives participants the opportunity to build a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) with evidence of sales or impact. The program is mostly asynchronous but includes opportunities for peer-to-peer learning and office hours. Each cohort is 30 participants, with 3 cohorts per year. Participants can move on to the Build Program after completion of the Idea Program.
Coaches manage the Learning Management System (LMS) with support from administrators, the Head Coach, and the Director of Entrepreneurial Education Programs. Coaches will collaborate on the design of the program with external Learning Designers. Managing the course, grading assessments and providing feedback to ensure learning outcomes and outputs are achieved.
The role involves helping young entrepreneurs develop their businesses further, overcome challenges, and navigate the entrepreneurial landscape in their sector. You will have a direct and lasting impact on the growth and success of these entrepreneurs and, subsequently, their ventures.

Start Date: 1 February 2025

Responsibilities:

  • Coaching:
    • Provide one-on-one coaching and participants through office hours across multiple time zones.
    • Support Idea Program participants in the development of models using Original Idea for Development (OID) Toolkit, Business Model Canvas (BMC), prototyping and MVP development.
    • Guide participants in identifying and solving challenges and obstacles they encounter in their entrepreneurial journeys and build an empathy driven relationship with the entrepreneurs.
  • Program Development and Project Management
    • Own and drive program initiatives, including operations and administration, end-to-end, efficiently and precisely.
    • Conceptualize and develop services, tactics and other initiatives that support program participants.
    • Organize and lead online learning sessions for program participants.
  • Tracking & Reporting:
    • Work closely with the Institutional Learning team to drive data collection.
    • Gather comprehensive, timely and accurate data throughout all initiatives.
    • Provide reports on participants' progress and performance within the program assessing it against the learning outcomes.
  • Collaboration:
    • Actively contribute to wider team goals outside of core stream of work.
    • Work closely with other program staff, volunteers, and partners to ensure the alignment and synergy of our efforts.

Key Skills and Competencies:

  • Coaching: Proven experience as an entrepreneur, business consultant, or coach, with a strong understanding of entrepreneurship principles.
  • Problem-Solving: Strong analytical skills to help entrepreneurs identify and overcome business challenges.
  • Leadership: Inspirational leadership style, with a focus on nurturing entrepreneurial talent and fostering a growth mindset.
  • Tech-Savviness: Proficiency in using online platforms for learning management, communication, and project tracking.
  • Empathy: Ability to understand and relate to the unique challenges of young entrepreneurs, offering support that’s both strategic and empathetic.

Preferred Experience:

  • Bachelor's degree in business, entrepreneurship, or a related field (master's degree is a plus)
  • 5 Years of experience in sector-focused entrepreneurship programs or venture accelerator programs.
  • Experience working with diverse participants across different sectors and regions.
  • Data-driven decision-making based on measurable goals or KPIs,
  • Familiarity with asynchronous learning models, online facilitation, and peer-to-peer learning environments.
  • Spanish and Portuguese speakers will be given preference.


Start Date:
1 February 2025
Reporting to: Head Coach, Anzisha