Job Title

Programme Manager: Digital Skills and Enterprise Development

Job Purpose

The role is designed to lead, coordinate, and drive the implementation of mLab’s Enterprise Development (ED) and Skills Development programmes across all regions. The Programme Manager ensures that mLab fulfills its mandate to enhance the employability and income-generating capacity of digital talent and cultivates a thriving digital innovation ecosystem comprising tech-enterprises, digitally enabled SMEs, and high-potential digital entrepreneurs.

Principal Accountabilities

Summary

The incumbent is responsible for ensuring:

• mLab’s Skills Development (SD) programmes offer relevant, in-demand, industry-recognized certifications.
• A seamless transition of talent (trainees) into Work-Integrated-Learning (WIL), internship programmes, employment, or entrepreneurship, creating a clear pathway from learning to earning.
• mLab’s incubation and enterprise development programmes produce investable, scalable, and revenue-generating enterprises.
• mLab is recognized as an innovation/enterprise support organization (ESO) of choice in Africa for delivering high-impact innovation programmes to international clients.

Specific Accountabilities

Lead the StartUp Incubator

• Design, develop, and coordinate the implementation of the StartUp Incubation programme, including content and curriculum development and operational structure.
• Define the value proposition and competitive advantage.
• Integrate ecosystem activities, SD, and ED programmes, building a robust internal value chain.
• Define entrance and graduation criteria.
• Achieve mLab’s ED KPIs.
• Define Monitoring & Evaluation tools for tracking start-up activities and progress.
• Develop and manage mLab’s Alumni Programme.
• Draft a budget and costing models for funding.
• Benchmark the incubator against peers for best practices.
• Develop a standardized implementation playbook for the Enterprise Development programme.
• Work with Provincial Leads to build a strong pipeline of promising startups, manage administration, and resolve challenges.
• Oversee event coordination.

Lead the Skills Accelerator

• Design, develop, and coordinate the Skills Accelerator programme with relevant team members, ensuring alignment with emerging trends and the Future of Work.
• Define the accelerator’s value proposition and competitive advantage.
• Integrate CodeTribe, CodeUp, StepUp, and StartUp networks.
• Achieve mLab’s skills accelerator KPIs.
• Define Monitoring & Evaluation tools for tracking beneficiaries’ progress.
• Draft a budget for the accelerator.
• Benchmark the accelerator against peers.
• Develop a standardized implementation playbook for Skills Development programmes.
• Work with the Skills Accelerator team to develop a strong pipeline of tech-talent and monitor programme effectiveness.

Business Development and Stakeholder Engagement

• Identify and nurture stakeholder relationships.
• Develop business proposals for funding in collaboration with the COO.
• Stay current with new trends in technology and innovation spaces.
• Facilitate progression of high-potential start-ups and identify revenue opportunities.
• Develop a marketing strategy with mLab’s Digital Marketing and Brand Coordinator.

Project Management

• Collaborate with mLab’s Project Manager to maintain up-to-date event calendars.
• Ensure SD and ED teams adhere to project deliverables.
• Lead or support certain mLab projects as appropriate.

General Responsibilities

• Proficiency in digital technology platforms like Google Cloud and Zoho.
• Ability to synthesize programme data for decision-making and reporting.
• Undertake ad hoc assignments as required by mLab.

Minimum Qualifications Required

• A post-graduate degree in ICT or Business Administration (NQF level 7) or a relevant qualification.
• Preferably skills in software development, business management, innovation, or entrepreneurship.
• Project management or data analysis skills would be an advantage.

Minimum Experience Required

• 5 to 8 years in:

  • Small business development and support
  • Curriculum development
  • ICT Training
  • Project management
  • Stakeholder engagement
  • Working with the youth
  • Technology development and management

Competencies/Knowledge/Skills

• Ability to work with diverse, multi-disciplinary teams
• Excellent time-management and organizational skills
• Good verbal and written communication
• Project management skills
• Financial acumen
• Business Development
• Entrepreneurial skills
• Interpersonal skills
• High-level stakeholder engagement

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APPLICATION DEADLINE: 13 FEB 2026