About the Anzisha Prize
The Anzisha Program seeks to increase the number of job-generative entrepreneurs fundamentally and significantly in Africa. We believe that a key to doing so is to test, implement and then share models for identifying, training and connecting high potential, very young entrepreneurs (15 to 22-year-olds)–and their parents and teachers so that many more organisations have better collective success in creating a pipeline of entrepreneurs with the capabilities for scale.
In our mission to achieve this, every year, we select the top African entrepreneurs from across Africa and invite them to be a part of the Anzisha Venture Building fellowship / Scholars Entrepreneurship Fund where they receive funding and access to business support that will accelerate their ventures. We want the stories of these young entrepreneurs to be celebrated, seen and heard to encourage young people of high potential to choose entrepreneurship over other career options.
The Anzisha program envisions a future where:
- Very young Africans pursue entrepreneurial activities and consider it as an alternative career path.
- Young African entrepreneurs are successful across job-generative sectors because they have access to support that best works to enable their success.
- Young entrepreneur’s businesses scale, enabling them to hire their peers and create jobs. A future where 1 out of every 5 young entrepreneurs employs at least 3 of their peers.
- Young Africans everywhere are inspired by local role models who are young entrepreneurs or started their journey at their age. Entrepreneurs that they can one day become.
- Parents and teachers support their children and students as they choose to explore entrepreneurship as a potential career path.
Anzisha is run by African Leadership Academy (ALA) which seeks to transform Africa by identifying, developing, and connecting thousands of leaders for the continent over the next few decades. The Academy is founded on the philosophy that a new generation of ethical, committed leaders is the key to Africa’s development. ALA seeks to become a training ground for these future leaders.
Position Overview
The Anzisha Selection Analyst will have the opportunity to read, review, interview and select Africa’s brightest entrepreneurs for the 2024/2025 season. They will work in a team of 5 other analysts led by the Selection lead with a focus on identifying very young entrepreneurs from across the African continent. Specific core responsibilities include but are not limited to the following:
- Carrying out activities to ensure the selection of top finalists for Anzisha-led programs. This includes:
- Reading and rating a minimum of 400 applications.
- Phoning and evaluating a minimum of 100 semi-finalist candidates.
- Using ALA processes, tools and systems to capture, share and present information on applicants and finalists during the selection process. This includes packaging applicant data for the application reading and review of our VBF Team.
- Creating corporate books/ profiles for each of the selected finalists.
- Administrative processes around finalists selection such as communication with applicants, compiling reports, sharing insights and attending weekly meetings.
- Identifying key applicant stories to write about and share on Anzisha platforms.
Profile of Ideal Candidate
- Bachelor’s degree required and/or 3-5 years related experience in specific sectors such as agriculture, manufacturing, retail, marketing, sales, finance, operations, tech, project and process management or human resources
- Pursuing an MBA or is an AL Alum.
- A positive, can-do attitude with a focus on results.
- Competence in other languages spoken widely in Africa (e.g. French, Portuguese or Arabic) is a plus.
- Ability to work and build strong relationships with senior managers, leaders, partners and customers.
- Ability to work independently, handle multiple projects in a fast-paced environment, and negotiate and collaborate effectively
- Highly analytical - ability to understand business models, and gather insights and trends.
- Strong interpersonal and verbal communication skills, and cross-group collaboration skills; the ability to build and deliver effective presentations.
- The aptitude to work with and engage a wide range of internal and external stakeholders; from end users, and senior management/executives to very young entrepreneurs
Reporting: This role reports to the Anzisha Prize Growth and Campaigns Manager
Start Date: 25 August to 31 October, with a possibility of renewal until Mar 2025
Location: Remote/ALA Campus, Johannesburg, South Africa