Location: Johannesburg, South Africa (hybrid)
Reports to: Legends Barber Training Academy NPC Board of Directors (primary); Aspire Institute, Cambridge MA (dotted line)
Direct Reports: 1 (at launch), plus volunteers and interns
Employment Type: Full-time
Salary: R500,000–R600,000 CTC per annum
About Aspire South Africa
Aspire South Africa is the first on-the-ground Aspire Foundry on the African continent, operated in partnership with Legends Barber Training Academy NPC (LBTA), a registered Public Benefit Organisation founded by entrepreneur Sheldon Tatchell. The Foundry operates as an independent entity focused on South Africa, and collaborates with Aspire Institute to localize the mission, expand reach, and bridge the last mile to in-person, on-the-ground community building. Africa represents one of Aspire’s highest-demand regions globally — four of Aspire’s top ten recruiting countries are in Africa — and South Africa is the anchor for Aspire’s presence on the continent.
The Role:
The Country Director leads Aspire’s mission at the country level, responsible for localizing and scaling the Aspire Leaders Program (ALP) and alumni engagement opportunities across South Africa. This is a builder role suited for a leader who can operate across student outreach, program delivery, team management, and external partnerships — moving between field-level realities and board-level conversations with equal comfort.
At this stage of the Foundry’s development, the Director’s primary focus is program delivery and community building: driving applications to the ALP, supporting learner retention and completion, and building the partner and alumni ecosystem. The Director manages a small team — one direct report at launch, alongside volunteers and interns — as well as day-to-day operations and budget execution. They maintain strong donor and partner relationships on behalf of the Foundry and establish the systems and reporting practices that will underpin sustainable growth. They are accountable to the LBTA Board of Directors and work in close coordination with Aspire Institute’s global team.
Key Responsibilities:
Student Outreach and Recruitment
- Drive applications to the Aspire Leaders Program across South Africa, with particular focus on reaching first-generation, limited-income college students at partner universities and institutions
- Set and track regional application targets; report progress to LBTA Board and Aspire HQ
- Plan and run information sessions, peer outreach events, and campus partnerships to build awareness of ALP
- Develop and execute digital and in-person marketing campaigns across social media and other relevant channels
- Cultivate relationships with universities, NGOs, government agencies, and other organizations that can channel prospective students toward ALP
- Publish regular newsletters and communications to prospective and current learners
Program Delivery and Learner Retention
- Facilitate in-person workshop delivery of ALP curriculum, leveraging LBTA’s physical infrastructure to reach learners who cannot engage asynchronously
- Support learners through the program journey to improve completion and retention rates
- Coordinate online peer communities (WhatsApp, etc.) for participant networking and engagement
- Serve as the primary point of contact for learners on the ground, escalating issues to Aspire HQ where appropriate
Alumni Engagement and Leadership Development
- Build and manage a South Africa alumni community, with structured engagement touchpoints throughout the year
- Facilitate internship connections, career exploration, soft skills workshops, and networking events for alumni
- Administer the alumni grants process locally (Community Action Award, Seed Fund), including promoting opportunities, supporting applicants, and coordinating with Aspire HQ on selection and disbursement
- Connect alumni to local job readiness programs, EdTech products, and career development resources
- Build partnerships with employers, incubators, and entrepreneurship support organizations relevant to alumni career paths
Partnerships and External Representation
- Represent Aspire South Africa externally to universities, corporate partners, government stakeholders, and civil society organizations
- Identify and develop partnerships that expand the Foundry’s reach into underserved communities across the country
- Cultivate and steward relationships with current and prospective donors on behalf of the Foundry, keeping them informed of program impact; the Director is not responsible for securing operating funds at this stage but is a key relationship holder
- Maintain regular communication with Aspire Institute’s global team and contribute to cross-Foundry learning and collaboration
Team Leadership
- Manage, coach, and develop one direct report at launch, with the team expected to grow as the Foundry scales
- Recruit, onboard, and coordinate interns and volunteers who support outreach, events, and program delivery
- Set clear goals and maintain accountability across the small team, fostering a high-performance and mission-driven culture
- Work closely with LBTA leadership to align operational activities and shared resources
Operations, Reporting, and Impact Measurement
- Manage day-to-day operations within the approved annual budget, tracking expenditure against plan
- Establish and maintain systems for monitoring and evaluating program impact, including application volumes, retention rates, and alumni engagement
- Prepare regular progress reports for the LBTA Board and Aspire HQ against agreed KPIs
- Maintain records in compliance with POPIA and LBTA’s obligations as a PBO and NPC
- Coordinate logistics for monthly events, partner meetings, and alumni convenings
Qualifications:
- Required
- Bachelor’s degree in Education, Development Studies, Social Sciences, Business, Nonprofit Management, or a related field
- 5–7 years of progressive experience in the nonprofit, education, or social impact sector, with at least 2 years in a role with meaningful autonomy and external stakeholder responsibility
- Demonstrated experience in student or community outreach, program coordination, or partnership development
- Experience managing or coordinating a team, including volunteers or interns
- Strong relationship-builder with the ability to engage credibly across universities, corporates, government, and civil society
- Excellent written and verbal communication in English; ability to communicate in isiZulu, Sesotho, or another South African language is an advantage
- Comfortable working in a lean, remote-first environment with a global team across time zones
- Based in Johannesburg, with willingness to travel domestically 1–2 times per month
- Preferred
- Direct experience supporting first-generation or low-income students in an educational or development context
- Familiarity with South Africa’s higher education landscape and the FGLI student experience
- Experience with digital program delivery platforms, LMS tools, or virtual facilitation
- Existing networks in Johannesburg’s university, NGO, or corporate CSR ecosystem
- Personal experience as a first-generation student is a strong plus
What We Offer:
- The opportunity to build Aspire’s first African Foundry from inception — shaping what the program looks and feels like for South African students and alumni
- Connection to a global network of Aspire Foundries, program alumni, and social impact leaders across four continents
- Collaborative working environment with a mission-driven partner organisation (LBTA) and Aspire’s international team
- Hybrid working arrangement with flexibility in schedule design
- Competitive CTC package of R500,000–R600,000 per annum
How to Apply:
If you are passionate about empowering students and building meaningful community relationships, we would love to hear from you.
Please submit your resume and a brief cover letter detailing your relevant experience and your vision for this role to Dimitri Antoniou at dimitri@aspireleaders.org with the subject line: “Aspire South Africa Country Director.”
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About Aspire Institute
Our Mission
Our mission is to prepare first-generation, limited-income college students and recent graduates to be leaders in their communities. We envision a future where every young person achieves their full potential and contributes their talents to build thriving communities. The Aspire Institute is an independent non-profit co-founded by Harvard Business School Professors Tarun Khanna and Karim Lakhani. To date, we have reached over 500,000 students across 190 countries. We are on a path to enroll 500,000 students in 2026 and double our reach annually. Learn more about Aspire Institute at www.aspireleaders.org.
Our Culture
We are an entrepreneurial, impact-driven organization. Our team plans, experiments, analyzes, and replans. Our core values are rooted in collaboration, innovation, and inclusivity. We believe that true change comes from collective effort, and we strive to bring together diverse voices and perspectives to inform our work. Our commitment to innovation drives us to continuously seek out and apply the latest research and best practices in Aspire’s programs. Inclusivity is at the heart of our operations; we endeavor to create opportunities that are accessible to all underserved and marginalized communities.
Aspire Institute is committed to equal employment opportunities for all applicants and employees, regardless of race, creed, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, or any other protected status.
