Director of Community

Do you have experience building and scaling vibrant communities that bring people together around shared goals and opportunities? Have you led strategies that connect learners, alumni, or professionals into meaningful networks that drive engagement and long-term impact? Are you someone who understands that great communities are built through authentic relationships, not just events and programs? Do you enjoy designing systems, frameworks, and experiences that enable communities to thrive across multiple regions and markets? Are you excited about the idea of helping build one of the most powerful professional communities for emerging African talent? If so, this might just be the role for you.

About ALX Africa

ALX Africa, a non-profit organisation under the ALX Foundation, is dedicated to unlocking the potential of Africa's digital future. Formerly part of Sand Tech Holdings, we've embarked on an independent journey to provide world-class tech skills training and career acceleration programmes. Our mission is to bridge the digital divide, upskill and re-skill talent, and create a generation of innovative leaders. By 2030, we aim to empower 2 million Africans to secure sustainable tech careers.

With hubs in 8 cities across Africa and counting, we provide safe access to quality learning and a dedicated network of expert instructors. Our innovative programmes equip learners with the practical skills and knowledge needed to succeed in today's rapidly evolving tech industry. Through a combination of rigorous coursework, industry partnerships, and hands-on projects, we prepare our students for in-demand roles in software engineering, data science, and cybersecurity.

We achieve this by:

• Providing young professionals with access to the most in-demand tech skills that will power the future.
• Empowering the next generation of technology innovators, entrepreneurs, and business leaders through challenging, real-world coursework.
• Building a lifelong, impactful community of tech professionals that support them at all stages of their career journey. 

Our impact thus far:

• 347k+ graduates since 2020
• 257k youth in work
• 31k youth starting own ventures
• 60k youth in jobs created by entrepreneurs

 Visit our website www.alxafrica.com to learn more about our digital revolution.

Role Summary

The Director of Community is a senior leadership role responsible for building and galvanizing the ALX community ecosystem across Africa. Reporting directly to the Chief Operating Officer (COO), this leader will shape the strategy that connects learners, alumni, and regional teams into a unified, high-impact community that extends far beyond the learning experience.

At ALX, community is not a supporting function - it is a core driver of engagement, opportunity, and belonging. The Director of Community will ensure that the ALX network becomes one of the most powerful professional communities for emerging African talent, supporting learners throughout their journey and enabling alumni to remain actively connected to the ecosystem.

As ALX expands beyond its current hub markets, regional teams will lead the expansion into new markets. The community function serves as a strategic partner and enabler - providing the frameworks, systems, and programs that help regional teams activate and engage communities both online and in-person, including in locations where ALX does not yet have a physical presence.

The Director will also help position the ALX community as a powerful engine for growth by leveraging peer networks and alumni advocacy to drive awareness, referrals, and recruitment into ALX programs.

This role requires a leader who combines deep passion for community-building with the ability to design systems that scale. The ideal candidate has personally built and managed communities, understands the dynamics that drive authentic engagement, and has grown into a strategic leader capable of expanding those communities across regions and markets.

The Director oversees three key functions:

• Community Experience
• Rewards & Recognition
• Alumni Relations

Specific Responsibilities

Community Strategy & Ecosystem Development

• Define and lead the continental community strategy connecting ALX learners and alumni across Africa.
• Partner with regional teams to enable community activation in both existing and emerging markets.
• Develop scalable frameworks, playbooks, and systems that support regional teams in building strong local communities.
• Build strategies that enable community engagement both online and in-person across the continent.
• Position the ALX community as a key driver of learner recruitment through referrals and advocacy.

Community Experience

• Oversee the Community Experience team responsible for designing meaningful experiences for learners and alumni.
• Define experience standards and strategic frameworks that regional teams use to run local community initiatives.
• Support regional teams in delivering high-quality community events and engagement opportunities.
• Design select flagship experiences that connect learners and alumni across markets.
• Track and evaluate engagement across regions to measure the effectiveness of community initiatives.

Rewards & Recognition

• Lead the Rewards & Recognition function that incentivizes participation across the ALX ecosystem.
• Oversee the evolution of the ALX rewards experience where learners and alumni earn points through meaningful engagement.
• Ensure the rewards ecosystem delivers meaningful value through redeemable benefits such as partner offers, experiences, and exclusive opportunities.
• Identify partnerships that strengthen the rewards ecosystem and expand available benefits.
• Use rewards and recognition to drive sustained engagement across the community.

Alumni Relations

• Lead the Alumni Relations team responsible for maintaining long-term relationships with ALX graduates.
• Develop scalable strategies for alumni relationship management and engagement.
• Ensure alumni relationship managers maintain consistent and meaningful touchpoints with graduates.
• Connect alumni with career opportunities, learning pathways, community engagement, and professional networks.
• Strengthen ALX’s reputation as a lifelong partner in the professional journeys of African talent.

Leadership & Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Provide strategic leadership to the leaders of the Community Experience, Rewards, and Alumni Relations teams.
• Elevate the function from primarily tactical execution to strategic ecosystem development.
• Establish clear goals, metrics, and reporting structures to measure community impact.
• Partner closely with programs, partnerships, marketing, product, and regional leadership teams.
• Build and mentor a high-performing team capable of scaling community initiatives across multiple markets.

Community-Led Engagement

• Design systems that empower community members to organise and lead initiatives.
• Develop ambassador and community leader programs that support grassroots engagement.
• Encourage peer-led events, mentorship circles, and learning initiatives across the ALX ecosystem.
• Work with regional teams to identify and support highly engaged community members who can drive local activation.
• Build a community model where members play an active role in sustaining engagement across the network.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Community Engagement

• Growth in active community participation across regions
• Event participation rates and repeat attendance
• Growth in community-led experiences and initiatives

Regional Community Enablement

• Adoption of community playbooks and frameworks by regional teams
• Number of markets supported with community activation programs
• Regional team satisfaction with community support

Community-Led Activation

• Number of community-led events and initiatives
• Growth in community ambassadors or volunteer leaders
• Percentage of experiences driven by community members

Community-Driven Recruitment

• Percentage of new learners joining through community referrals
• Number of applicants originating from community channels
• Alumni participation in recruitment and advocacy

Alumni Engagement

• Percentage of alumni actively engaged annually
• Alumni participation in community initiatives
• Alumni progression into jobs or new learning opportunities

Community Expansion Support

• Growth in community engagement in markets beyond current hub locations
• Online engagement across new regions

Skill Requirements - Essential

• 8+ years of experience building and leading high-engagement communities at scale, with at least 3 years in a leadership role.
• Demonstrated experience personally managing or growing communities before transitioning into leadership roles.
• Deep passion for community building and strong intuition for authentic engagement.
• Experience designing scalable community programs across multiple regions or markets.
• Proven leadership managing teams responsible for engagement, member experience, or ecosystem development.
• Strong strategic thinking combined with the ability to translate vision into operational systems.
• Experience in education, technology, professional networks, or mission-driven ecosystems is highly preferred.

Person Specification/Attributes

• Courage: Willingness to speak up, challenge the status quo, and embrace new challenges.
• Humility: Openness to learning, seeking help when needed, and a focus on serving others.
• Adventure: A passion for setting ambitious goals, tackling difficult tasks, and finding joy in the journey.
• Initiative: Proactive problem-solving, a sense of ownership, and a willingness to go above and beyond.
• Resilience: The ability to bounce back from setbacks, persevere through challenges, and emerge stronger.
• You believe deeply in the power of community to change lives.
• You have built communities yourself and understand the nuances of engagement.
• You think about community as a network of relationships and opportunities - not just events.
• You enjoy connecting people and creating environments where they support each other’s growth.
• You can move between big-picture strategy and the realities of how communities operate.

Employment Type

This role is a full-time position

Preferred Time Zones

The preferred time zones are GMT +2

Due to the considerable amount of virtual working and interaction with colleagues and customers in different physical locations internationally, it is essential that the successful applicant has the drive and ethic to succeed working in small teams physically but in larger efforts virtually. Self-drive to communicate constantly using web collaboration and video conferencing is essential. As an employee, you will be encouraged to continually develop your capability & attain certifications to reflect your growth as an individual.