ABOUT THE ROLE

Nova Pioneer is seeking a dynamic PSSP Lead to spearhead the full implementation of the Post-School Success Platform (PSSP)—our flagship initiative preparing young Africans to thrive beyond school. This is the key entrepreneurial leadership role responsible for bringing the platform to life, guiding both the digital product (tech build, UX design, and content development) and the offline programmes (PSP Seminars, Graduate Summits, African Innovation Olympiad, and PSS Camps).

The PSSP Lead will drive the vision, strategy, and execution of the platform across its pilot/MVP phase, first market uptake, revenue generation, and initial scaling, ensuring strong product–market fit and long-term sustainability. Working closely with internal teams and external partners, the Lead will curate and connect fragmented career, university, and entrepreneurship resources into a single guided pathway; secure partnerships with universities, employers, and incubators; manage budgets and reporting (including P&L); and grow membership to 15,000+ users over the first three years while diversifying revenue streams.

You will also recruit, coach, and manage a cross-functional team of programme managers and coordinators, aligning them to deliver excellent, data-driven programming at scale. Based in Nairobi, the PSSP Lead supports Nova Pioneer’s secondary and JSS schools at Tatu City and Eldoret while extending the platform’s reach to non-Nova students and alumni, reporting directly to the Senior Director of Schools.

Key responsibilities of the role include:

Digital Product Creation

The PSSP Lead will own the vision and delivery of the platform’s digital product—bringing together technology, UX, and content to create a seamless online experience for Post School Prep (PSP), The Graduate Platform (TGP), and Innovator Pathway (IP). This means guiding the full product life cycle from MVP design to pilot launch, iteration, and scale, ensuring the platform achieves strong product–market fit, integrates with in-person programming, and delivers measurable impact for users.

Lead the end-to-end development of the PSSP digital product, including tech build, UX design, and content development.

Define the product vision, roadmap, and success metrics for PSP, TGP, and IP channels within the platform.

Oversee MVP design and pilot testing, turning learnings into actionable improvements and feature enhancements.

Ensure seamless integration between the AI Success Coach, user dashboards, and offline programmes (seminars, summits, Olympiad).

Manage product development partners and vendors, ensuring timely delivery, quality standards, and cost control.

Implement feedback loops and data analytics to drive continuous improvement, user growth, and retention.

Coordinate with marketing, partnerships, and programme teams to align platform features with go-to-market and user acquisition plans.

Offline Programs 

The PSSP Lead in Partnership with the Nova Pioneer Global PSS Lead will direct the design, delivery, and scale-up of all offline programmes that complement the digital platform, creating high-impact, in-person experiences for students and graduates. This includes PSP Seminars, Graduate Summits, the African Innovation Olympiad, and PSS Camps. By shaping content, logistics, and partnerships, the Lead will ensure these events deepen user engagement, deliver measurable outcomes, and generate revenue, all while reinforcing the PSSP’s brand and reach.

Design, plan, and oversee execution of PSP Seminars, Graduate Summits, African Innovation Olympiad, and PSS Camps to complement the digital platform.

Develop content, schedules, and participant experiences that align with PSSP objectives and user needs.

Manage event logistics, budgets, and risk mitigation to ensure high-quality delivery at scale.

Partner with universities, employers, and incubators to enrich programmes with mentorship, recruitment, and innovation opportunities.

Build feedback and evaluation processes to capture learning, measure outcomes, and continuously improve offline offerings.

Integrate offline events seamlessly with the PSSP digital platform to drive user growth, retention, and community building.

Establish pricing, sponsorship, and marketing strategies to generate revenue and enhance the profile of PSSP events.

Partnership and Revenue Growth

The PSSP Lead will build and manage the partnerships and revenue strategy that make the Post-School Success Platform sustainable and scalable. This includes forging relationships with universities, employers, incubators, sponsors, and tech vendors, while designing and executing pricing, user acquisition, and sponsorship models. By aligning external stakeholders and internal teams, the Lead ensures PSSP achieves its growth targets, diversifies income streams, and delivers exceptional value to students and partners alike.

Identify, negotiate, and manage strategic partnerships with universities, employers, incubators, and sponsors to expand the platform’s reach and offerings.

Design and execute go-to-market strategies, including pricing models, user acquisition plans, and sponsorship packages to drive early uptake and revenue.

Secure funding, sponsorships, and in-kind support to scale PSSP programmes sustainably.

Build partner engagement frameworks and feedback loops to improve services and strengthen long-term relationships.

Oversee external vendor and service-provider contracts, ensuring delivery quality and cost effectiveness.

Represent PSSP at industry events, forums, and meetings to elevate the platform’s profile and attract partners.

Monitor and report on revenue performance and partnership outcomes, making data-driven adjustments to maximize impact and sustainability.

Team Leadership and Operations

The PSSP Lead will build and steer the team and operational systems needed to deliver the Post-School Success Platform at scale. This includes recruiting, coaching, and managing a cross-functional team spanning both product/tech and programme delivery; overseeing budgets, reporting, and delivery rituals; and creating a culture of innovation, accountability, and data-driven execution. By setting clear goals, tracking progress, and removing barriers, the Lead ensures the platform delivers on its promise to students and partners.

Recruit, coach, and manage a diverse cross-functional team covering product and technology roles (Product/UX Designer, Software Architect, Software Engineers – front & back end, Development Ops) and programme and commercial roles (PSP Programme Manager, PSP Marketing & Sales Associate, TGP Programme Manager, TGP Employer Partnerships Associate Manager, TGP Marketing & Sales Associate).

Set clear goals, KPIs, and delivery plans for team members, providing ongoing feedback, mentorship, and professional development.

Oversee operational systems, budgets, and reporting, including MEL indicators and P&L performance, to ensure disciplined execution.

Establish agile delivery rituals, risk management processes, and continuous improvement practices to keep programmes on time and on budget.

Foster a collaborative, innovative, and mission-driven culture within the PSSP team and across Nova Pioneer.

Maintain strong communication and alignment with Nova Pioneer leadership, school teams, and external stakeholders on progress, outcomes, and next steps.

ABOUT YOU

You have a minimum qualification of a Bachelor’s degree in Education, Business Administration, Technology Management, or a related field is required; a Master’s degree (e.g. MBA, M.Ed., Public Policy, or related discipline) is highly desirable.

Mission Alignment: Experience in youth development, education, employability, or a comparable mission-driven domain.

Leadership Experience: 

Minimum 7+ years of product/programme leadership delivering digital platforms and multi-site programmes; at least 3+ years leading cross-functional mid-size teams across product, tech, and programme functions.

Experienced in recruiting, coaching, and managing cross-functional teams, fostering a culture of innovation, accountability, and continuous improvement.

Product & Programme Delivery: 

Proven track record of guiding MVP → v1.0 → scale delivery; strong Agile/OKR practice; budget ownership and P&L literacy

Ability to design, prioritize, and execute product roadmaps from MVP through scale, integrating digital and offline components.

Blended Programmes, GTM and Revenue Design: 

Experience building and leading blended programmes (digital plus seminars/events) with go-to-market and pricing strategy exposure.

Skilled in go-to-market strategy, pricing models, and user acquisition to drive sustainable growth and revenue

Data & Systems Thinking: 

Excellent problem solver and systems thinker with data fluency (activation, retention, completion, NPS) and experience in risk and stakeholder management.

Strong monitoring, evaluation, and learning mindset; comfortable setting KPIs, analyzing impact data, and translating insights into action.

Technical Fluency: Comfortable using modern delivery and analytics tools: Jira or Asana, Notion or Confluence, Figma, GitHub or GitLab, and Amplitude or GA4 with Looker or Tableau; familiarity with CI/CD (GitHub Actions or CircleCI), observability (Datadog or Grafana), and cloud platforms (AWS or GCP) is a plus.

Partnership Development and Staholder Engagement: 

Demonstrated success in building partnerships with universities, employers, incubators, and sponsors across Kenya, South Africa, or similar markets.

Proven ability to cultivate and manage partnerships with universities, employers, incubators, sponsors, and tech vendors, while aligning diverse stakeholders behind a shared vision.

You are a strategic thinker and a thought leader but you are also able to translate your ideas into action and execute on them.

You have excellent written and verbal communicator, able to simplify complex ideas, inspire action, and represent Nova Pioneer externally.

You have strong project management skills. You are able to juggle multiple tasks and meet deadlines and targets.

You understand best practices for youth safeguarding, data privacy, and responsible AI, ensuring ethical implementation of programmes and technology.

You are a problem solver - you are proactive in identifying issues and address these thoroughly by making an effort to find appropriate solutions.

You thrive in start-up or early-stage environments; able to pivot quickly, manage risk, and deliver under tight timelines.

You have a heart and belief in the African continent and are keen to shape young minds of innovators and leaders.

You resonate deeply with our mission and culture principles in developing the next generation of innovators and leaders.