Requirements

About Project Sankofa

Project Sankofa is the flagship workforce optimization initiative of the Economic Transformation Council (ETC)—a global, impact-driven body dedicated to transforming access to meaningful careers and leadership development for youth.

More than just a career platform, Sankofa is designed to guide young individuals through a structured 10-year journey—from internships to leadership. It connects them with mentors, internships, global exposure, skill-building programs, and structured career progression through a super-connectivity ecosystem of corporates, institutions, and changemakers.

We are entering our build and execution phase, and are now onboarding our founding tech leadership. As CTO, you will be at the heart of transforming this bold vision into a powerful and intelligent platform.

Position Summary

We are seeking an experienced, innovative, and purpose-driven Chief Technology Officer (CTO) to lead the technical strategy, product development, and infrastructure for Project Sankofa.

As CTO, you will be a core member of the founding team and will play a crucial role in shaping not just the technology—but the culture, scalability, and sustainability of a platform designed for millions of users globally.

Key Responsibilities

Technology Strategy & Architecture

• Define the overall tech roadmap aligned with the mission of Project Sankofa.

• Architect a modular, scalable, secure and globally accessible platform with robust back-end infrastructure and a seamless front-end user experience.

Platform Development & Engineering Leadership

• Lead end-to-end development of web and mobile applications.

• Build and manage a high-performing team including full-stack developers, AI/ML engineers, DevOps specialists, and QA.

• Implement Agile/Scrum practices and continuous integration/continuous deployment (CI/CD) pipelines.

AI Integration & Data Analytics

• Design and integrate AI/ML-based tools for career recommendations, behavioral mapping, performance tracking, and real-time insights.

• Oversee development of dashboards and custom analytics tools for stakeholders: students, employers, institutions, mentors.

Security, Compliance, and Infrastructure

• Ensure adherence to global data protection standards (GDPR, SOC2, ISO 27001) and cyber risk mitigation.

• Optimize and manage cloud infrastructure (AWS, Azure, GCP) and storage systems.

Collaboration & Leadership

• Collaborate with the CEO/Founder, board members, global advisors, PR and academic partners to drive alignment between technology, social impact, and growth.

• Be an ambassador of the platform’s values in all technical partnerships and talent acquisition efforts.

Educational Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Information Systems, or a related field (mandatory).

• Master’s  degree or higher in a technical, engineering, or business discipline (preferred).

• Professional certifications in Cloud Computing, Cybersecurity, AI/ML, or Agile leadership are an added advantage.

Preferred Experience & Skills

• 8+  years in technical leadership roles, including 3+ years as CTO, Co-founder, or Senior Engineering Lead.

• Strong experience with full-stack development, scalable system architecture, and API design.

• Proficiency in tech stacks such as: Node.js, Python, React/Next.js, MongoDB/PostgreSQL, Docker, Kubernetes.

• Exposure to EdTech, HRTech, or platforms focused on learning, career guidance, or job matching is highly desirable.

• Proven experience in developing and deploying AI/ML modules, data visualization dashboards, and real-time analytics engines.

• Experience working in startup ecosystems or early-stage product development with a build-to-scale approach.

What We Offer

• Equity and leadership stake in a globally relevant and socially driven platform.

• Opportunity to co-build a product from zero to one and scale it for long-term sustainability and impact.

• Access to a high-level global advisory network spanning corporates, universities, HR leaders, development experts, and public institutions.

• Flexible work environment with autonomy, creative freedom, and a mission-first team.