Lead, Pan-African Program Research

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.

UNDERSTANDING AND MEASURING IMPACT 

The Foundation has developed a comprehensive Impact Strategy that takes a holistic outcome-focused approach to measuring impact at individual, community, and systems level, that elevates the voices of young women and men in defining and measuring dignified and fulfilling work, and that values indigenous knowledge and new ways of knowing.

Working with young women and men in Canada and within Africa represents a unique opportunity to develop, implement, and learn from programming and influencing activities in ways that value African and Indigenous ways of being and knowing. Impact measurement and the associated narratives are guided by youth-focused lenses and located within the nexus of nationally owned strategies and global best practices and thought leadership. The methodologies and tools used are determined and co-created in partnership with youth and other Indigenous vectors of knowledge in communities and countries where we work.

If you are an experienced research professional looking to increase your impact, read on!

THE OPPORTUNITY

Reporting to the Head, Program Research, the Lead, Pan-African Program Research will spearhead knowledge development and research initiatives within the Pan-African programs (PANA), supporting the Young Africa Works and other Foundation objectives. This involves leading and contributing to the research and knowledge development agenda concerning PANA program strategies, addressing immediate research inquiries, and ensuring quality assurance for diagnostic, research and development and other research activities to facilitate effective programming across regions and initiatives.

The successful candidate will be based in Rwanda or Kenya.

WAYS YOU CAN CONTRIBUTE

• Lead the design of research systems, processes, and protocols for Pan-African (PANA) initiatives and programs, ensuring high-quality research design, implementation, and analysis to drive the Foundation’s thought leadership and enhance the fields of Agrifood systems, digital economy, entrepreneurship, and gender.
• Collaborate with PANA program teams to identify and address research questions that enhance the effectiveness of PANA programs and partnerships, aligning with the Young Africa Works (YAW) strategy.
• Contribute to building a culture that encourages evidence-informed decision-making.
• Co-develop research partnerships aligned with PANA programming needs and the knowledge development strategy.
• Engage with the PANA team on evidence needs and lead in providing program research services and technical advice to support knowledge building and program co-design and review processes.
• Working closely with the team, develop and ensure quality control of internal and externally commissioned PANA research outputs and content.
• Contribute to developing the research strategy and building the PANA research agenda and knowledge expertise to address long-term strategic questions on global development and youth empowerment.
• Lead engagement with local stakeholders and PANA and Functional teams to determine long-term priority research needs.
• Write and publish lessons learned from the Foundation’s programs to influence best practices internally and externally.
• Disseminate relevant lessons learned and insights to internal and external audiences, focusing on the PANA team and partner institutions.
• Develop strong global and in-region relationships with external research partners, working closely with the team.
• Lead research partnerships with the PANA programs team on proposal development and review, providing technical input into proposals.
• Working closely with the team, build and strengthen the capacity of others to deliver high-quality research, analysis, publications, and documentation.
• Develop partnerships that centre youth and provide young researchers, particularly Scholar Alumni, opportunities to learn and develop their research skills.
• Under the guidance of Research Heads and Directors, act as a subject matter expert for Foundation PANA research work alongside team members.

 WHO YOU ARE

• Masters or PhD in global development, social sciences, education, public policy, or other related fields.
• Leadership experience in international relations, economics, education, development, and/or government or public policy within non-profit organizations, international NGOs, and/or learning institutions.
• Expertise in researching development, political, and social issues across Africa, with an in-depth understanding of research methodologies and approaches, especially in economic transformation/growth and development policy.
• Proven experience effectively engaging with technical experts and institutions to build communities of practice.
• Ability to plan for and prioritize multiple enterprise-wide initiatives with varying timelines.
• Experience in building and managing high-performing teams with proven success.
• Strong research skills with the ability to translate findings to technical and non-technical teams.
• Experience with strengthening research systems within the higher education sector.
• Fluency in other languages relevant to the work; French is an added advantage.
• Strong verbal, written, and presentation skills with the ability to articulate information to various constituents across cultures.
• Possess professional maturity, sensitivity to different cultures, and impeccable integrity that exemplify the Foundation’s values.

Deadline for Applications is September 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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Last updated on Aug 27, 2024