Program Manager (Sierra Leone)

Company Background: Solon Capital Partners (“Solon”) creates, partners and invests to deliver financial returns and transformative impact. Building on a 14-year track record, Solon employs a differentiated model based on business creation, partnership and patience to maximize impact scale and financial returns while mitigating risk. Solon has a portfolio of innovative businesses now operating across three impact verticals and nine countries in Africa and beyond.

Terra Nova Solutions ("TNS") is a Solon portfolio company that acts as the shared services provider for Solon. TNS is a professional services firm empowering clients in Africa’s frontier and challenging markets. TNS provides a range of finance, compliance, consulting, and advisory services across multiple sectors and geographies in Sub-Saharan Africa.

The Opportunity: Solon is seeking to build a football player development and marketing system across West Africa – breaking down the structural barriers to empower the continent’s ascendant talent.  Launched in Ghana in April 2024, we are implementing the first phase of this project: a free grassroots training program for boys and girls from the age of 6, layered across primary schools in each target market in West Africa.  Sierra Leone is our next target market.

We are looking for an experienced and proactive Program Manager to support Solon's intention to implement this initial phase of our player development program in Sierra Leone. The role will involve working with a close-knit team to evaluate and develop opportunities for implementing the program.  You will be joining a team that is collegial, collaborative, and curious.

Responsibilities:  

The ideal candidate will take a hands-on approach to successfully manage various workstreams to assess Sierra Leone as a new market for establishing a football player development program. It will mean working closely with communities, government, and other partners to solve problems and advance the project initiatives. It will also mean being ready to respond with enthusiasm to a fast-paced and wide-ranging set of requests and challenges.

Examples of responsibilities include:

• Opportunity Assessment. Identify and evaluate potential partnership opportunities with school providers in Sierra Leone in order to establish the first phase of our football player development program – a grassroots training program for boys and girls from age 6, layered across existing primary schools.
• Program Implementation: in coordination with Solon team, implement and grow grassroots training program with identified school providers in Sierra Leone; providing effective oversight to ensure program meets Solon standards and objectives.
• Stakeholder Engagement. Building and maintaining relationships with key stakeholders, including service providers, government officials, donor partners, consultants, and community members. Engage with potential local partners, industry experts, and other stakeholders to gather insights and promote Solon's business interests.
• Reporting and Assessment. Prepare detailed reports and presentations for senior management to aid in decision-making processes.
• Project Management. Manage timelines, resources, and deliverables for designated project. Ensure all project activities adhere to Solon standards and objectives, delivering results within established timelines and budgets.

Qualifications: Basic qualifications for the engagement include:

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Economics, International Relations, or related field.
• Proven experience in business development, or a similar role, preferably within Sierra Leone or similar markets.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including preparing detailed project reports and presenting to diverse audiences.
• Superb attention to detail and diligence.
• Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, multicultural team environment.
• Strong interpersonal skills and problem-solving abilities.
• In-depth knowledge of Sierra Leone's culture, customs, and business practices.
• Fluent English (spoken and written).
• Integrity, sound judgement, and business acumen.
• Professional presence and demeanour.
• Ability to legally reside and work in Sierra Leone.
• Passion for or interest in football

Experience and knowledge in any of the football, education, or carbon markets/project development initiatives is desirable.

Nature of Engagement: An initial 6-month contract engagement with the potential to extend the term or transition to a full-time role with the company. 

Work Hours: Meetings and deadlines based on standard business hours in the GMT time zone will need to be accommodated.  

Location: The engagement requires the candidate to reside in West Africa, preferably in Sierra Leone. The engagement will be remote in nature. Travel throughout West Africa may be required, along with occasional global travel.

Salary: Solon strives to be an organization of choice and offers competitive compensation packages, including performance-based incentives.