Job Position for Programme Manager – Entrepreneurship & Innovation Ecosystem
We are Hiring: Programme Manager – Entrepreneurship & Innovation Ecosystem
EyeCity Africa is a pan-African development consulting firm driving impact across Africa in skills development, capacity building, job creation, entrepreneurship development, and digital innovation. We deliver transformative initiatives spanning higher education innovation, technology solutions, workforce placement, and creative innovation.
We are seeking an experienced, strategic, and self-motivated professional to lead the design, implementation, and scaling of entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystem programmes across Sub-Saharan Africa.
Role Overview
Position: Programme Manager, Entrepreneurship & Innovation Ecosystem
Location: Lagos or Abuja, Nigeria (Preferred due to strategic partner engagement)
Employment Type: Full-time
As programme Manager, you will work closely with Higher Education Institutions, industry leaders, investors, venture funds, regulatory bodies, and young innovators. You will also lead initiatives expanding EyeCity Africa’s Creative Innovation Practice, transforming academic research and creative IP into market-ready, scalable ventures.
Key Responsibilities
Programme Design & Scaling: Lead incubation, acceleration, venture-building, and workforce development initiatives for young entrepreneurs and creative innovators across Africa.
Ecosystem Development & Diagnostics: Conduct ecosystem mapping, gap analyses, and policy diagnostics across tech hubs, higher education institutions, and Cultural & Creative Industries (CCIs).
Commercialisation & Financing: Develop IP-backed pathways, commercialisation models, and alternative funding mechanisms (seed facilities, micro-grants, revenue-share models). Lead grant writing and technical proposal development.
Stakeholder & Event Engagement: Build high-level relationships with regulators, VC funds, and donors. Drive major ecosystem events including hackathons, innovation challenges, demo days, and investor showcases.
Team Leadership & MEL: Mentoring and supervise project officers and consultants while embedding Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) frameworks to track venture survival, capital raised, and job creation.
Qualifications & Experience Requirements
Category Requirements
Total Experience 6+ years leading innovation hubs, incubators/accelerators, creative ecosystem projects, or higher education innovation initiatives.
Leadership Minimum 3 years in a supervisory or managerial capacity.
Track Record Proven history of designing and scaling regional/national projects across Africa with measurable outcome metrics.
Domain Knowledge Deep understanding of Sub-Saharan Africa’s venture landscape, donor agencies, major foundations, and CCI policies.
Bonus Experience Prior experience with Big 4 or top-tier management consulting firms is highly advantageous.
Essential Skills: Incubation/venture acceleration, Human-Centered Design, alternative financing, grant writing, systems thinking, stakeholder diplomacy, and proficiency in MS Office / Google Workspace platforms. Exceptional written and verbal communication skills are required.
Benefits & Compensation
Competitive salary and comprehensive health coverage (employee + dependents)
International project exposure across Sub-Saharan Africa
Lunch allowance, airtime allowance, wellness days, and birthday vouchers
Continuous professional development in a dynamic, collaborative environment
How to Apply
Application Deadline: 31 August 2026 (Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis and may close early if suitable candidates are identified).
EyeCity Africa values thoughtful, authentic applications. While AI tools are recognized in modern workflows, candidate submissions will be strictly evaluated for genuine insight, depth, and personal quality during screening.
