Malengo is a non-profit organization (US: 501(c)(3); Germany: gGmbH) that facilitates international educational migration. We provide mentoring and financial support to students from low-income countries who want to complete a Bachelor’s degree in a high-income country. We aim to give millions of students the opportunity to pursue the education they want, and to lift themselves and their families out of poverty in the process. We believe that this is one of the most effective poverty reduction strategies in per-dollar terms that is available.

 Malengo currently recruits low-income, high-ability students in Uganda, and supports them in applying for and completing a Bachelor’s degree in Germany. By 2030, we aim to support students from most low-income and lower-middle income countries, and facilitate undergraduate studies in more than a dozen destination countries. Our program is sustainable by combining a strong network of volunteer mentors with a financial model in which students support future generations of scholars once they have a high enough income (income share agreements, ISAs). More information about Malengo is available on our website, malengo.org.

We are now searching for a full-time Program Manager in Germany as our program is rapidly expanding there. Your primary responsibility will be managing the day-to-day responsibilities associated with assuring that our African Scholars in Germany are fully supported, our volunteer mentors are actively engaged and effectively supporting our Scholars, and our partnerships with universities and other stakeholders are robust. You will be our key bridge between our operational staff in Africa and our program in Germany.

Responsibilities include:

• Oversee and ensure the quality of the Scholar experience in Germany, including setting up new strategies, tracking progress, and individual trouble-shooting with students as issues arise. Much of this will be working with our Scholars, university partners, and volunteer mentors. Core activities include:

  • Liaising with government officials and other stakeholders to make sure our Scholars have what they need to meet federal, local, and university requirements to be in the country

  • Designing and implementing trainings for our students that help them adjust to life in Germany, including initial onboarding 

  • Overseeing outreach to Scholars on a regular basis to assure they are supported academically and personally throughout their time in Germany

  • Building a sense of community of Scholars within and across our cohorts, including designing and leading retreats and events 

  • Setting up a German language strategy for our Scholars

  • Building a comprehensive housing strategy to assure that our Scholars are housed in safe and convenient housing upon arrival to Germany

• Refining our volunteer mentor strategy as we scale up which includes identifying new ways to source high quality mentors and improving approaches to equipping mentors to be effective, like developing a new mentor portal. You will proactively identify when a mentor is underdelivering for their Scholar and find new solutions. 

• Lead the daily operations of Malengo in Germany, including tracking budgets, implementing a social media strategy, and setting up new processes and systems as we grow. For example, you may design and implement a dashboard that tracks important metrics associated with our Scholars in Germany.

• Be the daily bridge between our Operations teams in Africa and Germany to assure a seamless Scholar experience

We seek a highly motivated, entrepreneurial, culturally sensitive self-starter who will be the engine of Malengo’s programs in Germany and who has the drive to grow the program to serve thousands of students each year. You might be the ideal candidate if you recognize yourself in these descriptions: 

About the candidate

• You are inspired by Malengo’s mission and want to create opportunities for thousands of students from low-income countries.

• You are passionate about working with students and creating a program that serves them and their families. You can communicate effectively with students, parents, and university partners. 

• You have an entrepreneurial attitude, can operate as an independent self-starter, and are willing to take on many different tasks.

• You have significant project management experience, including experience setting up and adhering to timelines, developing and launching new processes/ systems, and working collaboratively with teams to plan out and execute tasks.

• You are collaborative and collegial and excited to work with central Malengo leadership and our global teams.

• You have emotional intelligence, cultural sensitivity, and are able to work with individuals of different backgrounds. You can develop and maintain relationships with government partners, embassies, and schools.

• You are solutions-oriented and have a continuous improvement mentality, both about yourself and the organization.

• You speak native or near-native English and German. French fluency is highly desirable.

• Having lived and worked in Africa is a plus, but not required.

• You have a strong commitment to evidence and organizational learning.

• You are quantitatively minded and interested in continually assessing organizational performance.

• You have a Bachelor’s, Master’s, or PhD degree in any subject.

• You are willing to be based in Germany. The specific location is flexible as we work mostly remotely. Occasional travel within Germany, and to Uganda and the US, will be required.

• You are able to commit to a full-time position.

What we offer

Malengo is a young organization, incorporated as a 501(c)(3) non-profit in the United States, and as a gGmbH (non-profit LLC) in Germany. We offer the following benefits:

• Competitive salary commensurate with background and experience (EUR 50,000–75,000 p.a.)

• Healthcare benefits

• Retirement plan

• A choice between Unlimited PTO or 30 vacation days per year

 Applications will be considered on a rolling basis until the position is filled.

Anticipated start date: as soon as possible.

Application deadline: None, but we hope to fill this position very soon, so applications that arrive before December 2, 2022 have the best chance of receiving full consideration.

Malengo is committed to diversity, and we believe that our work is strengthened by our differences in background, culture, experience, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, race, ethnicity, disability, and more. We actively seek and welcome applicants who identify as BIPOC, women, members of the LGBTQIA community, persons with disabilities, and people at the intersections and peripheries of these identities.