John Ngwenya: Bridging technology and African development at Sand
John Ngwenya is the Senior Product Manager on the Product Team at Sand, leading efforts to develop innovative tech products that drive African development. In this blog, John shares insights on his journey at Sand, his passion for African development, American Football, and how he balances his professional and personal life.
What’s your role at Sand, and what led you to this position?
I’m a Senior Product Manager on the Product Team at Sand. I have been a Product Manager for years, working on tech products across various industries. The jump to Sand / ALX felt like a natural progression for me. I have long had an interest in developing Africa – this seemed like a unique opportunity to combine both of these passions. Born in Zimbabwe and now based in Wales, UK, I’ve always been drawn to the idea of contributing to Africa’s growth. Sand’s mission to unlock the minds and potential of our African youth – developing real African leaders – is a cause I can truly get behind.
What piece of advice would you give a newcomer at Sand?
This is a unique company and to succeed, you need to understand its dynamics. Live our CHAIR values – these are not just talked about in our interviews, but lived daily. In particular, I would like to call out Initiative. Those that make it at Sand take the initiative to do, to make things happen without being told – do this and you’ll find success. My favourite thing about my job is the responsibility and freedom you are given. We support a lot of teams, and this freedom and deep collaboration with great people and teams allows us to drive great outcomes for the business. It is great seeing that work come to life as we build the platforms that support the business.
How does working at Sand allow you to make an impact in your field?
Working at Sand helps me in a few ways – it is a great combination of having real responsibility that allows you to create platforms for impact for our users, while simultaneously working for an org with a global view. This combination of working for a fast scaling global business and intrapreneurial spirit is truly rare. Sand / ALX is really unique, and that really helps if you are self-motivated. The org allows for work-life integration, especially being remote. As a PM with a young family, my schedule can be quite hectic, but the flexibility allows me to find the right balance between my work and life commitments, while ensuring we deliver on great outcomes.
Tell us about your life outside of work. How do you keep yourself busy? Do you have a passion in life?
I tend to spend most of my time outside work with my young family – my wife and two children (aged 5 and 2), that keeps me very busy. You can describe me as a sport watching geek though – I used to play a lot of American Football, but these days I am just a fan of the game, so Sunday nights = Football. Anyone that knows me well knows the geek part – I have a lifelong passion for gaming, not that I get to play that much these days!
What’s a core memory from your life that still resonates with you today?
I still remember in my late teens, I had recently won a County chess championship and played in the UK nationals, but had also just been selected to represent England U19s in American Football. I had a rare moment of clarity that taught me that you can pursue more than 1 goal in life – you are not 1 dimensional. I try to live this and teach the same to my children
How has Sand’s mission inspired you personally?
As I mentioned earlier, I have always wanted to help develop Africa. I was born in Zimbabwe and while I live in the U.K. I am very aware of the immense potential the country has. ALX’s mission is to unlock the minds and potential of our African youth – developing real African leaders. That is a mission I can truly get behind. It combines my passion for technology and my desire to contribute to Africa’s growth, making my work at Sand deeply fulfilling and personally inspiring.
Discover your potential with a career at Sand
If you’d like the opportunity to define and create your very own career at Sand, just like John, please visit our careers website and apply to any of the currently open roles, or join our talent community to receive updates on career opportunities and events from Sand.