Business Development Intern at AfroStory (Pty) Ltd

About the job

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT INTERN – AfroStory.org

 

Male Black Candidates are particularly encouraged to apply, to increase the diversity of our team. Our company is a startup using technology to help solve long-standing social issues relating to access to literature.

 

AfroStory® (Pty) Ltd is an Ethical, African business that aims to get a billion books in African homes by the end of 2022 (100 books x 10 million purchases) using digital apps designed for those with few or no books in the house. We have done away with annual subscriptions, and only charge once ($2.50 in Middle Income Countries) for full membership access to a digital, growing library of 60 high-quality books via our AfroStory App, now Version 2.1 available on Play Store (5 new books added per month, brand new books and DOE content coming soon). See www.afrostory.org and https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.app.afrostory.

 

We are here to make this quality, rare set of mainly African literature available to all as conveniently and affordably as possible, using state-of-the-art software adapted to work on any phone, selling new books to members at rock bottom prices that benefit authors more than the company, and accepting payments without the need for a bank account at all.

 

We launched the company from Khayelitsha, have strong links with prominent African Authors, work in Township locations and rural areas, and use a mass marketing, low-cost high-volume business model in order to attain our bold targets as well as scale. We are a disruptor startup. We work with Stacey Fru, 5x international bestselling African child author, as well as a number of other shareholders, investors and workers who have gotten us to an excellent place now to refine our business model based on user input, and expand in terms of user base and sales rapidly.

 

 

THE POSITION: BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT INTERN X 1

 

AfroStory® (Pty) Ltd has been operating for around a year (still a startup), and recently received significant kick-start funding to implement its business, marketing and software strategies over the next six months and grow as quickly as possible, so as many people can have access to reading as possible (we are an ethical company in a number of ways, as you can read about on our website). The new Version (2.1) is what we promised the world and now we are systematically taking the model further.

 

We are seeking a Business Intern to help with day-to-day functions of the organization, 2 days per week for a period of three or more months. Your costs will at very least be covered, and we expect to be able to provide important work experience and potentially ongoing employment in the future, depending on performance.

 

The tasks envisaged for the Intern include:

 

1)     Assisting with finding, preparing and loading new content (books) into the App – a confidential process more complex than it sounds, but already well-known to AfroStory.

2)     Social marketing activities and guerrilla marketing – e.g. content creation for the Facebook site, assisting with township-based user testing and trialling adverts, putting out content.

3)     Helping on the software side, where possible, where there are more basic tasks to get involved in, and in fitting with the intern’s background (must be at least highly computer literate..).

4)     Attention to detail, strong and proven work ethic.

5)     Willingness to 'chip in' and go the extra mile, as needed and possible

 

Required qualifications:

 

1)     Must be studying towards a degree or master’s, or recently have finished either. Commerce, Design, Education, Economics, Computer Science (all core to our business), for example.

2)     Ability to travel occasionally within Cape Town and the surrounds. Though much can and must be done remotely and will be, in compliance with all COVID regulations, having your own transport is preferred and you can expect to travel once per week or two weeks to help with work.

3)     Highly computer literate (in Microsoft Office including Excel and social media platforms)

4)     Must have a South African ID or permanent residency with permission to work.

5) Strong willingness and aptitude to learn quickly.

6) Ability to work in a fast-paced, small team and keep calm under pressure.

 

Desirable qualifications:

 

1)     Some programming or software experience or design experience or App experience.

2)     Prior work experience, preferably in a business or NGO, with a reference or two.

3)     Commitment to education, reading for all, and social justice.

4)     An interest in tech startups and technological solutions to social problems

5) Preferrably a fast (touch-) typist with excellent knowledge of English and preferrably some knowledge of English language literature, which we sell.

 

As noted, preference will be given to male black candidates, for diversity reasons.

 

We would like to fill this vacancy quickly, deadline for applications: SUNDAY 15 AUGUST, MIDNIGHT.

 

REIMBURSEMENT: The position pays ZAR2,000 as a stipend for a total of 8 days per month of work. We expect you to come out with a lot more work experience in an interesting and dynamic new organization.