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 professional in gender programs looking to increase your impact, read on!

THE OPPORTUNITY 

Reporting to the Director, Gender Programs, the Head, Gender Entrepreneurship and Financial Inclusion will co-design and implement Pan-African programs that support gender-inclusive financial systems, entrepreneurship, and skills development, enhancing work opportunities for young women in Africa. The role involves supporting partner implementation, monitoring gender equality initiatives, and providing insights on gender dynamics in entrepreneurship and finance. As the subject matter expert, s/he will help shape programs to achieve the Foundation’s goal of enabling 21 million young women to enter the workforce by 2030.

The successful candidate will be based in any of our offices in Africa (Ethiopia, Nigeria, Senegal, Ghana, Rwanda, Kenya, or Uganda).

WAYS YOU CAN CONTRIBUTE 

  • Provide gender expertise in programs to enhance young women’s access to entrepreneurship, workforce development, and financial services, shape diagnostics, strategic priorities/outcomes, and develop impactful interventions.
  • Guide program design centred on young women using Design Thinking/Human-Centered Design principles.
  • Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to mainstream young women, implement initiatives that remove barriers to financial inclusion, and support partners with implementation and collaboration opportunities.
  • Provide colleagues and partners with key data/knowledge to inform program design and work closely with the impact team to analyze data, monitor progress, and assess the impact of initiatives on young women.
  • Collaborate with the policy and thought leadership team to engage policymakers in developing and implementing laws and reforms that support young women in the workforce in Africa.
  • Oversee iterations and reviews of strategic outcomes, programs, and interventions for young women, ensuring resources and budgeting are included.
  • Develop and roll out a young women-centred program design tool to help the Foundation’s program team design customized approaches for young women in rural and marginalized urban areas.
  • Oversee research and evaluation of partners to ensure relevant, rigorous, and respectful approaches to enhancing young women’s access to work.
  • Work with the Knowledge Management team to identify, document, and mobilize insights and learning related to young women from the Foundation’s portfolio.
  • Build and manage relationships with implementing partners and leaders in the field of women’s economic empowerment and identify and contribute to relevant learning networks or Communities of Practice.
  • Represent the Foundation at gender-related events.

 WHO YOU ARE

  • Masters in business administration, International Development, and/or Gender from a recognized university.
  • Relevant professional qualification and membership of a professional body.
  • Minimum 10 years of relevant experience managing large SMEs, Access to Finance, or Access to Markets programs for women.
  • Expertise in developing and leading women, especially young women-led entrepreneurship initiatives.
  • Experience designing access to finance programs for women, particularly in rural or marginalized communities.
  • Experience in partnership management, including capacity assessment, feedback, training, collaborations, and networking for effective gender outcomes.
  • Experience in planning and delivering gender training, synthesizing data, and articulating key insights to multiple audiences.
  • Knowledge of local, national, regional, and pan-African women’s and youth-serving organizations and understanding country-specific social, economic, and political contexts.
  • Ability to provide expert technical advice and communicate progress and lessons learned to colleagues and the development community.
  • Expertise in developing and applying gender analysis and design tools in multi-sectoral programs.
  • Excellent analytical skills, strategic thinking, and ability to contribute to the Foundation’s strategy development as a thought partner.
  • Excellent project management skills, including managing multi-stakeholder projects.
  • Ability to speak multiple languages is welcomed.
  • Flexible, adaptable, and able to execute a range of job duties and priorities.
  • Excellent communication skills to articulate information across cultures.
  • Possess professional maturity, sensitivity to different cultures, and impeccable integrity that exemplify the Mastercard Foundation vision and values.

Deadline for Applications is June 13, 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/
Follow the Foundation on Twitter at @MastercardFdn

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