Masakhane African Languages Hub Hiring: Partnerships & Resource Mobilisation Lead to Power African AI Growth (Remote 2026)

The Masakhane African Languages Hub is inviting applications for a highly experienced Partnerships and Resource Mobilisation Lead to join its growing remote team. This senior-level opportunity is designed for professionals passionate about ethical AI development, African language inclusion, and building sustainable funding ecosystems for technology-driven social impact.

As artificial intelligence continues to shape global systems, Masakhane stands at the forefront of ensuring that African languages are not left behind. This role represents a unique chance to contribute directly to one of the continent’s most influential initiatives in natural language processing (NLP) and AI innovation.

About Masakhane African Languages Hub

The Masakhane African Languages Hub is a transformative initiative under the Masakhane Research Foundation. It focuses on addressing the long-standing underrepresentation of African languages in digital technologies, particularly in AI systems.

Through open-source datasets, research collaboration, and community-driven innovation, the Hub is working to develop inclusive language technologies that reflect Africa’s linguistic diversity. Its mission extends beyond research, aiming to create practical AI solutions that benefit sectors such as healthcare, agriculture, education, and governance.

A key vision of the Hub is to empower communities across Africa by ensuring equitable access to AI tools while preserving linguistic heritage and promoting digital sovereignty.

About the Role: Partnerships and Resource Mobilisation Lead

This remote leadership role is designed for a strategic professional with strong experience in partnerships, fundraising, and ecosystem development. The successful candidate will be responsible for expanding Masakhane’s global network of collaborators across philanthropic, academic, government, private sector, and community stakeholders.

The position can be structured as either a full-time or contractor role, depending on location and engagement type. It offers an annual salary range of USD $65,000 to $75,000, alongside remote work flexibility and occasional global travel.

Key Responsibilities

The Partnerships and Resource Mobilisation Lead will play a central role in building sustainable systems for collaboration and funding.

Strategic Partnership Development

The role involves designing and executing a comprehensive partnership strategy aligned with Masakhane’s mission. This includes identifying new collaborators, cultivating long-term relationships, and negotiating agreements that support African language technologies as digital public goods.

The lead will also help strengthen cross-sector networks within the African AI and NLP ecosystem, ensuring that partnerships are inclusive, non-extractive, and community-driven.

Ethical Stewardship and Value Alignment

A core responsibility of the role is ensuring that all partnerships align with Masakhane’s ethical principles. This includes promoting fairness in data use, supporting linguistic equity, and ensuring community-centered decision-making processes.

The candidate will champion language justice, advocating for under-resourced African languages and ensuring that collaborations contribute meaningfully to closing digital gaps across the continent.

Resource Mobilisation and Financial Sustainability

Beyond traditional fundraising, this role focuses on developing diversified funding models that support long-term sustainability. The successful candidate will work to secure unrestricted funding from philanthropic organizations, impact investors, and strategic global partners.

Additionally, the role involves strengthening technical sovereignty by building partnerships with African cloud providers and research institutions. This ensures that African AI systems remain locally owned and sustainably developed.

Required Qualifications and Experience

Applicants must bring at least seven years of experience in partnership management, business development, fundraising, or a related field. Experience working within African technology, innovation, or research ecosystems is highly desirable.

The ideal candidate will have:

• A proven track record of securing funding or strategic partnerships
• Experience working with governments, NGOs, private sector, and academic institutions
• Strong understanding of Africa’s linguistic and digital landscape
• Excellent negotiation and relationship-building skills
• Strong commitment to ethical and community-led development approaches

Fluency in English is required, while knowledge of African languages such as Swahili, Zulu, Hausa, Amharic, or Arabic is highly desirable. French or Portuguese proficiency is considered an added advantage.

Skills and Competencies

The role requires strong strategic thinking and operational execution skills. Candidates should be capable of managing complex stakeholder ecosystems, coordinating distributed teams, and handling budgets and partnership agreements.

Additional competencies include:

• Strong project and stakeholder management abilities
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• High attention to detail and accountability
• Ability to balance strategy with implementation
• Familiarity with research funding cycles and grant management

Candidates should also demonstrate cultural sensitivity, adaptability, and alignment with Masakhane’s mission of inclusive and ethical AI development.

Why This Role Matters

This position is more than a fundraising or partnerships role—it is a strategic leadership opportunity within a movement that is reshaping the future of African AI.

By joining Masakhane, the successful candidate will contribute to building systems that ensure African languages are represented in global AI infrastructure. The role directly supports efforts to preserve linguistic diversity, promote digital inclusion, and empower communities through technology.

Application Process

Interested candidates are encouraged to apply by submitting a detailed CV and a cover letter outlining their relevant experience and vision for strengthening Masakhane’s partnerships and resource mobilisation efforts.

Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, and early submissions are strongly encouraged due to high demand.

This is a rare opportunity to join a pioneering African-led initiative shaping the future of language technology, AI ethics, and digital equity across the continent and beyond.

CLICK HERE TO APPLY

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Disclaimer: Remote Job Opportunities (RJO) is not the organization offering this opportunity. For any inquiries, please contact the responsible organization directly. Please do not send your applications to RJO, as we are unable to process them. Due to the high volume of  emails we receive daily, we may not be able to respond to all inquiries. Thank you for your understanding.