Community and Culture Associate

At the African Leadership University (ALU), we're more than just an institution—we're a catalyst for transformation. Our mission is to develop a new generation of ethical and entrepreneurial leaders who will shape Africa's future. Through our innovative curriculum, focus on experiential learning, and vibrant pan-African community, we empower students to become changemakers, problem-solvers, and innovators. At ALU, we're not just teaching; we're nurturing the leaders who will drive Africa's progress and prosperity in the 21st century

We are dedicated to fostering an open yet secure environment, balancing the safety of students, staff, and visitors with respect for individual rights, and safeguarding responsibilities.

The ALU Team works in starkly different ways to traditional academic bureaucracies. We approach education from first principles, empower individuals to design, test, and implement creative new ideas, and work closely together to craft transformative learning experiences. We are deeply passionate about our students and excited by the challenge of building something entirely new.

The African Leadership University is committed to ensuring the safety and Well-being of all students under our care. As part of this commitment , we have a comprehensive safeguarding policy in place , which outlines our Zero-tolerance approach to any violation of safeguarding.

The Student Life team is at the heart of our university's vibrant community. We are committed to creating a dynamic and supportive environment that fosters students’ interests within and beyond their mission, an authentic pan-African network, individual student growth, well-being, and opportunities for fun! Our team is dedicated to providing exceptional services and experiences that enrich the lives of our students. We strive to build a strong sense of belonging and empower students to reach their full potential. The department is built upon three core pillars: Student Services, Student Wellness, and Student Affairs.

This role is positioned directly within the Student Affairs team, which operates with a dedicated professional structure comprising a Student Affairs Lead, a Community & Culture Senior Associate, and a Community and Culture Associate. Together, this team designs and guides the co-curricular ecosystem, ensuring that student governance, campus traditions, and cultural initiatives align with ALU’s mission to develop Africa's future leaders.

The Community & Culture Associate serves as the primary coordinator, administrator, and operational right hand for the Student Affairs department. This role is dedicated to supporting student growth and building community by turning event concepts and student initiatives into well-executed campus realities. Working in close collaboration with the Student Affairs Lead, you will play a central role in coordinating day-to-day campus activities, student engagement initiatives, student club registrations, and departmental communications. You will also provide day-to-day guidance and task coordination for Student Affairs interns and volunteers supporting departmental activities.

By managing execution logistics, tracking student engagement data, and curating student-facing digital platforms, you will directly enable student leadership and strengthen campus culture. Your work ensures that our vibrant, international student body experiences a seamless, organized, and inspiring environment that supports their journey as future leaders of Africa.

• Day-to-Day Advising & Support: Serve as the primary operational point of contact for the Student Representative Council (SRC), clubs, and societies; provide practical administrative support regarding event logistics, space bookings, and basic financial tracking.
• Registration & Governance Administration: Run the step-by-step registration and annual renewal workflows for all student clubs; distribute approved constitutional templates and verify that submitted organizational documents adhere to established university policies.
• Inter-Club Collaboration Facilitation: Encourage joint activities, peer dialogue, and collaborative programming between different student societies.
• New Club Intake Coordination: Guide student groups through the standardized intake pipeline to establish new clubs and societies based on evolving campus interests, tracking applications from submission to final departmental sign-off.
• Student Leadership Empowerment Support: Foster a supportive environment for student growth by guiding leaders through institutional approval checklists, enabling them to confidently manage their internal workflows and meeting schedules. Support the promotion and coordination of student participation opportunities such as conferences, competitions, workshops, and leadership programs.
• Community Development: Organize community service projects, volunteer initiatives, and outreach programs that allow students to engage with and contribute to the local community.
• Recognition & Awards: Coordinate the nomination logistics, certificate preparation, and communication updates for student achievement initiatives, celebrating the contributions of clubs and societies to campus culture.

• Signature Event Coordination: Manage the on-the-ground execution, timeline tracking, and logistical coordination for major campus milestones, including New Student Orientation, Culture Festivals, and End-of-Year Celebrations.
• Sports & Recreation Administration: Run the administrative tasks for varsity sports and campus recreational leagues, including maintaining player rosters, processing coach service agreements, and securing practice venues.
• Calendar Management: Maintain the master Student Life events and activities calendar, resolving scheduling conflicts and ensuring students have clear visibility of upcoming programs.
• Guest & Partner Coordination: Support the coordination of external guests, speakers, coaches, facilitators, and community partners by ensuring compliance with institutional processes and liaising with relevant departments regarding campus access and event logistics.
• Community Belonging Support: Organize events and activities that promote interaction, collaboration, and social connection among students. Create opportunities for students to share their cultures, experiences, and perspectives with one another.

• Platform Maintenance: Update and curate content for formal student-facing digital platforms, including the Student Sync website and student support pages, ensuring forms and links remain accurate.
• Newsletter and Channel Curation: Draft, format, and distribute the weekly student newsletter and official announcements, turning operational updates into clear, student-centered messages.
• Information Scannability: Ensure all student-facing platforms, schedules, and digital updates are structured logically, making them highly accessible to the student body.

• Inventory Control: Manage the storage, inventory tracking, and checkout procedures for all community assets, sports equipment, and student activity spaces.
• Cross-Functional Liaison: Serve as the frontline operational liaison with internal departments, including Finance, Procurement, Facilities, and Security, to coordinate venue setups, vendor payments, and event safety protocols.
• Conduct Administration: Maintain accurate records related to student conduct processes and support administrative follow-up where required, in alignment with institutional policies.

• Survey Administration: Coordinate the deployment of survey tools, focus group feedback forms, and evaluation metrics immediately following major campus events.
• Data System Entry: Maintain and log student involvement records, athlete profiles, and club participation numbers within the institutional database (Salesforce).
• Operational Reporting: Compile quantitative participation metrics and feedback summaries to support the Student Affairs Lead in generating quarterly impact reports.
• Student Affairs Administration: Maintain departmental records, trackers, calendars, meeting notes, and documentation to support efficient operations and continuity across Student Affairs initiatives.

Ensure the safety and well-being of all young persons and vulnerable adults with whom we deal, by adhering to ALU’s comprehensive safeguarding policy, maintaining a zero-tolerance approach to any violations of safeguarding standards.

• A Bachelor’s degree in Higher Education Administration, Student Affairs, Social Sciences, Project Management, Business Administration, or a related field.
• Minimum of 3 years of professional experience in student affairs, student engagement, community development, events management, or a related field.
• Demonstrated experience in developing and implementing community-building programs and initiatives.
• Experience in advising and supporting student organizations.
• Understanding of student engagement, leadership development, and community-building principles.
• Passion for working with young adults and fostering their personal and professional growth

• Community Building: Expertise in developing and implementing community-building programs.
• Student Organization Advising: Experience in advising and supporting student clubs and societies.
• Communication and Facilitation: Exceptional clarity in written and digital communication, with a skill for organizing complex schedules into easy-to-read student updates. Ability to communicate effectively and facilitate group discussions.
• Technical Proficiency: Hands-on experience working with data systems
• Event Planning and Management: Skills in planning and executing student events.
• Cross-Cultural Communication: Ability to communicate effectively with individuals from diverse cultural back

• Cultural Sensitivity: Sensitivity to the diverse cultural backgrounds of ALU students and the local community.
• Empathy and Compassion: Demonstrated empathy and compassion for students and community members.
• Collaboration and Teamwork: Ability to work effectively as part of a team and with external partners.
• Leadership and Initiative: Ability to take initiative, manage multiple priorities, and coordinate community engagement activities effectively.