Impact Lead, Education and Transitions

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 and evaluation professional looking to increase your impact, read on!

THE OPPORTUNITY

Reporting to the Senior Director, Programs Impact Support & Advisory, the Impact Lead, Education and Transitions will be responsible for translating the Foundation's Impact strategy into results for program partners. Collaborating with program teams and Impact leads across the enterprise, you will develop and implement the partner-level Impact Measurement Framework to ensure program outcomes align with the Foundation's strategic goals. Also, the Impact Lead will support onboarding and realigning program partners, identifying opportunities for review, assessment, and evaluation to ensure the Foundation’s initiatives effectively contribute to continental development goals.

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

WAYS YOU CAN CONTRIBUTE

• Works collaboratively with program teams to formulate strategic outcomes for specific programs and partnerships aligned with the Foundation's shared goals. This includes defining measurable and evaluable outcomes and developing data collection and analysis tools.
• Guides the development and implementation of impact assessment processes to inform strategic decision-making and program development, ensuring partner measurement approaches align with the Foundation's impact and program strategies.
• Supports program design and goal setting by analyzing root causes and barriers to creating opportunities for dignified work for young women and men in the Education and Transitions thematic areas. This involves translating goals into measurable outcomes and contributing to impact at scale through education and transition program strategies.
• Develops and implements impact assessment, measurement, learning, and research methodologies, ensuring they are contextually relevant and culturally rooted across E&T programs. Expands understanding of impact measurement focusing on youth, protecting privacy, and enhancing rigour.
• Analyzes data on progress against targets, supports data quality in partners’ impact monitoring reports and annual reviews, and informs adaptive management processes. Contributes perspectives on impact measurement that resonate with local and Indigenous cultures.
• Oversees activities of external Impact Partner Organizations engaged in monitoring and verification. Supports developing and implementing strategies to enhance dialogue with government and private sector stakeholders, highlighting the Foundation’s impact and initiatives.
• Documents and provides visibility for impact figures, trends, and contributions across the education and transitions platform, collaborative networks, and partnerships. Identifies targets for partner engagement and leads efforts to craft and promote impact narratives highlighting progress.

WHO YOU ARE

• A post-graduate degree and/or equivalent experience and training are added advantages, along with membership in relevant national professional networks and authorities.
• At least ten (10) years of experience in evaluation, reviews, and impact, working with private and non-profit sectors, particularly with state and non-state actors. 
• A minimum of three (3) years of public policy experience with national institutions involved in planning, formulation, and implementation.
• At least five (5) years of experience living in Africa and/or working with young people in Africa.
• Skills and competency in developing tools and methods for measuring outcomes and impact within nationally mandated institutions.
• Experience navigating policy, research, review, and evaluation processes, including understanding big data management with government and research institutions.
• Proven expertise in research and evaluation, including mixed methods, tool design, validation, and data analysis, focusing on using culturally appropriate approaches for gathering data among Indigenous communities, youth, and other vulnerable groups.
• Experience establishing institutions for accountability and learning to enhance program impact in education, employment, and empowerment.
• Experience with national, regional, and international institutions responsible for measuring and reporting education outcomes and impact, with deep knowledge of local research methods and cultural understanding specific to Africa.
• Strong familiarity with developing and implementing M&E policies nationally and regionally, including capacity building for state and non-state actors. Additionally, experience with tech-enabled tools for data collection, analysis, reporting, and communication.
• Experience in participatory approaches, demonstrating commitment to gender inclusion and youth engagement. Deep familiarity with education systems and transitioning young people from education to work.
• Experience working with institutions to enhance technology use and institutional change mechanisms for achieving learning and skills development outcomes at scale in Africa.
• Understanding systems thinking and the ability to develop and test theories of change relevant to Indigenous communities.
• Practical experience in stakeholder engagement and policy influencing, including work with community-based organizations, governance councils, regional and national government, and the private sector.
• High tolerance for ambiguity and change, with the ability to adapt to shifting priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong problem-solving skills and a track record of adapting to opportunities and challenges.

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/
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Last updated on Aug 27, 2024