Head, Scholars Programs Support Services

ABOUT MASTERCARD FOUNDATION

Mastercard Foundation seeks a world where everyone has the opportunity to learn and prosper. Through its Young Africa Works strategy and Canadian EleV program, the Foundation works with partners to ensure that millions of young people, especially young women, access quality education, financial services, and dignified work. Mastercard Foundation was established in 2006 through the generosity of Mastercard when it became a public company. The Foundation is independent with its own Board of Directors and CEO.

THE WORK AT THE FOUNDATION

We are currently in an exciting period at the Mastercard Foundation as we intensify the implementation of the Young Africa Works strategy, aiming to empower 30 million young people throughout Africa to access dignified and fulfilling employment.

To ensure the Foundation’s accessibility to our partners and program participants, we have established offices in Rwanda, Kenya, Ghana, Senegal, Ethiopia, Nigeria, and Uganda. These offices provide strong in-country support for the implementation of Young Africa Works. We collaborate with governments, the private sector, educators, and other funders to enhance the quality of education and vocational training, equip young individuals with the necessary skills for the workforce, expand access to financial services for entrepreneurs and small businesses, and facilitate connections between job seekers and meaningful employment opportunities.

Our values serve as our guiding principles, transcending and surpassing all other considerations. We wholeheartedly encourage you to bring your bold ideas, curiosity, and expertise to your work.

If you are an experienced Scholars’ Leader looking to increase your impact, read on!

THE OPPORTUNITY

Reporting to the Director of Scholars Program, the Head of Scholars Programs Support Services will lead and coordinate programming excellence within scholars’ programs, strategically focusing on strengthening transformative leadership, transition from secondary & tertiary education, and alumni support services. S/he will be responsible for the leadership of all learning, monitoring, evaluation, and learning insights activities in the Scholars Program including collection, analysis, and synthesis of Scholars Program data.

WAYS YOU CAN CONTRIBUTE

• Design and maintain the Program’s transformative leadership competency framework, reviewing and updating it as necessary with new knowledge and insights.
• Develop an overarching strategy and set of face-to-face and online programs to enhance the transformative leadership experience that Scholars and alumni receive to support their learning and development.
• Lead co-creation and delivery of innovative, transformative leadership programs for Scholars and alumni across the Scholars Program partner network.
• Drive inclusion, ensuring that all transformative leadership programs and inputs consider the specific realities and needs of marginalized youth, particularly women, refugees displaced youth, and young persons with disabilities.
• Develop a long-term strategy for showcasing the Foundation as a thought leader and contributor to transformative leadership and leadership development of young people, in Africa.
• Provide technical assistance to Scholars Program partners (universities and NGOs) to establish and monitor transition-related KPIs and strengthen their programs and inputs to support scholars transitioning to work, entrepreneurship, or further higher education.
• Drive inclusion, ensuring that all entrepreneurship and transition programs and inputs consider the specific constraints and realities of marginalized youth, particularly women, refugees and displaced youth, and young persons with disabilities.
• Capture data and lessons learned and ensure that insights and impact are routinely and effectively reported and integrated into program adaptations.
• Contribute to ongoing strategic planning efforts within the Scholars Program and the Foundation more broadly (e.g., Reimagining Work)
• Facilitate the development of the learning insights strategy for integrating insights into the program planning.
• Co-create routinely with the Director of the Scholars Program on learning insights KPIs.
• Coordinate all learning activities for the Scholars Program, including co-creating with Research, Knowledge Management KM (MIS), Business Intelligence (dashboard), and partner-led MERL activities (e.g., MTRs, final evaluations, other learning exercises).
• Manage the overall learning framework applicable to the Scholars Program.
• Lead the review and revision of the Learning Insights (e.g., Theory of Change) as necessary.

WHO YOU ARE

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Public Policy, International Development, Social Sciences, or a related field.
• Fifteen (15) years of experience of significant management experience at a senior level in global organizations with strong leadership experience in international relations, education, development, and/or government or public policy within non-profit organizations, international NGOs, and/or learning institutions is required.
• Six (6) years of exceptional leadership experience, building and managing high-performing teams.
• Demonstrated financial management experience including preparation and management of budgets, contracts, etc. Senior-level experience in Africa and exposure to international issues are crucial. Private sector experience would be an asset.
• Demonstrated success at facilitating organizational change and building and managing high-performing teams in a growing office with proven success.
• Proven experience effectively engaging with high-level government officials, key partners, media, business leaders, and other influential personalities.
• Fluency in English is required, and other languages relevant to the work, particularly French or a local language, are also desirable.
• Strong understanding of global, national, and local contexts that influence and inform education opportunities.
• Excellent organizational and prioritization skills; demonstrated attention to detail and ability to handle multiple tasks simultaneously.
• Exposure to strategic systems thinking with an ability to understand and engage with stakeholders in different ecosystems and design programming that addresses root causes and critical needs.
• Exceptional analytical skills, the ability to think strategically and contribute as a thought partner in the Foundation’s strategy development.
• Exceptional interpersonal and listening skills with the ability to build effective partnerships across all levels of the Foundation.
• Passionate about youth education and employment in Africa.
• Ability to strategically plan and execute over long timeframes, coupled with patience and persistence to achieve goals; adept at balancing immediate execution needs with longer-term visioning.
• A team player with high emotional intelligence and an entrepreneurial mindset to build a new function in a dynamic environment.
• Service mindset and striving towards becoming a trusted business partner to drive common Foundation goals.
• Results-driven and motivated by a high sense of performance excellence and urgency.
• Drive to continually experiment and innovate, building and leveraging best-in-class expertise and lessons learned.
• Flexible, adaptable, and able to execute various job duties and changing priorities.
• Possess professional maturity, sensitivity to different cultures, and impeccable integrity that exemplify the Foundation’s values.
• Demonstrate a commitment to the Mastercard Foundation’s values and vision.

Deadline for Applications is May 6, 2024.

Mastercard Foundation (the “Foundation”) values and respects your privacy. By submitting an application for this opportunity, you hereby agree to the Foundation’s collection, use and disclosure of your personal information in accordance with its Privacy Policy (available at https://mastercardfdn.org/privacy/). Please note that the Foundation may share your personal information with third-party agencies that support the Foundation’s recruitment activities, and such third-party agencies may contact you directly regarding this opportunity. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the Foundation’s Privacy Officer at the address indicated in its Privacy Policy.

The Mastercard Foundation values the unique skills and experiences each individual brings to the organization and we are committed to creating and maintaining an inclusive and accessible environment for everyone.

Completion of satisfactory business references and background checks are essential conditions of employment.

For more information and to sign up for the Foundation’s newsletter, please visit http://www.mastercardfdn.org/
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