Co-creation HUB is Africa’s leading technology innovation ecosystem builder on a mission to accelerate the application of science, technology and social capital for economic prosperity across Africa.

Our mandate is to build a formidable innovation ecosystem with a deeply rooted network, cultivating strategic partnerships and practical industry know-how that can support entrepreneurs and innovators in building thoughtful, relevant and scalable solutions. From our locations in Lagos, Abuja, Ijebu Ode, Ilorin (in Nigeria), Nairobi (Kenya), Windhoek (Namibia), and Kigali (Rwanda), Lome (Togo) we have built a vibrant community of over 81,000 people and counting and have supported to a portfolio of over 120 early-stage ventures including Lifebank, Ushahidi, Riby, BudgIT, Stutern, Kopo Kopo, Sendy, mFarm, Wecyclers and many more.

In 2019 iHUB became part of a wider collective of Co-Creation Hub Africa (CcHUB), which includes Design Lab in Rwanda, & CcHUB Namibia, Elimu, Syndicate & Growth Capital; all these companies collectively contribute to stimulating innovation and the application of technology across Africa for social impact across diverse sectors.  Together as CcHUB, we are Innovating for African Economic prosperity.

Job Purpose

We are looking for a proactive and highly organized Program Associate to support the execution of startup support programs at the Ilorin Innovation Hub. The ideal candidate will assist in program planning, implementation, and ecosystem engagement efforts, ensuring smooth operations and impactful outcomes. This role is an opportunity to work closely with startups, industry experts, and community stakeholders to build a thriving innovation ecosystem.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Assist the Program Manager in planning and executing innovation challenges, startup incubation programs, and related projects. This includes developing detailed work plans, scouting for high-potential participants, and selecting strong cohort members.

• Manage day-to-day interactions with startups, ensuring they receive timely mentorship, training, and business support.

• Oversee the logistics of roadshows designed to drive ecosystem engagement in Ilorin and source for high-potential innovators

• Actively identify professionals, experts, academics, and researchers who could join the CcHUB expert network to facilitate community events and provide mentoring and advisory support to startups in the pre-incubation and incubation programs.

• Support the Program Manager and Community Team in executing planned weekly virtual and physical ecosystem events 

• Track program activities to ensure adherence to timelines, and contribute to impact measurement and reporting to assess program effectiveness and inform continuous improvements.

• Develop and maintain relationships with local universities, entrepreneurs, and community partners to drive ecosystem engagement and source talent for program participation.

• Coordinate logistics for workshops, bootcamps, community events, and stakeholder meetings, including scheduling, resource planning, and participant management.

• An educational background in Technology, Engineering, and/or Business-related fields.

• Minimum of 2+ years experience in program/project management in the startup space, enterprise development or consulting experience. 

• Project Management certification is a plus. 

• Passionate about technology, startups, innovation, with an understanding of the technology ecosystem.

• Entrepreneurial experience or experience working in a startup environment with demonstrated understanding of the technology and startup support ecosystem. 

• Creative problem solver with excellent verbal and written communication skills.

• Organized, resourceful, able to take initiative and make sound decisions.

• Proven ability to nurture, support, and grow a vibrant community.

• Ability to work well in a team and can individually prioritize multiple tasks while maintaining accuracy and attention to detail. 

• Proficient knowledge of Microsoft and Google suites. 

A relocation allowance will be offered to successful candidates residing outside Ilorin Nigeria