Finance Partner at Mastercard Foundation

Mastercard Foundation is a global foundation based in Toronto, Canada with several offices in Africa. Our programs promote financial inclusion and advance education and learning in Africa, primarily for young people, and in Canada for Indigenous youth. The Foundation was established in 2006 through the generosity of Mastercard when it became a public company. From inception, the Foundation was designed to be a separate entity and independent from Mastercard. Our policies, operations, and funding decisions are made by our President and Board of Directors. 

The Foundation believes that youth employment is key to unlocking prosperity, both for youth and their societies. Enabling young women and men from disadvantaged communities to secure dignified and fulfilling work will ensure inclusive development and economic growth in Africa.

We are recruiting to fill the position of:

Job Title: Finance Partner

Location: Lagos

The Work at the Foundation

• The Finance team is a key partner to colleagues in Programs and Impact in implementing and managing programs with implementing partners across Africa.
• Together with Legal & Compliance, Finance works collaboratively to execute and manage partner contracts, develop partner relationships, and meet regulatory requirements, through financial analysis, due diligence, and audit/compliance reviews. 

The Opportunity

• Reporting to Finance & Accounting Lead In country, the Finance Partner will oversee all financial aspects of our program partnerships in country, including due diligence, budgeting, controls, reporting and contracting. This is an opportunity to influence and support our growth across Africa in co-ordination with our Toronto hub.
• The successful candidate will also be the primary Finance contact for the Program teams in country. As such, the individual must be highly motivated, innovative, and results-oriented, with strong listening skills and the ability to build effective working relationships.  
• As the scope and scale of our work across Africa grows, the Finance team structure and processes will also change. The ability to be flexible and adaptable, and a willingness to support wherever needed, are critical to our joint success. 

Ways You Can Contribute

• Manage the full cycle of Finance program partner contracts, i.e., Expression of Interest (EOI), proposal, contract approval, conduct due diligence, budget reviews, program execution and monitoring, and program completion; 
• Guide and train external program partners on all financial aspects of contract execution, including budgeting and reporting, due diligence, and Canadian regulatory requirements; 
• Provide financial expertise and advice internally to the Foundation’s Programs team on the development and implementation of comprehensive programming strategies; 
• Prepare ad-hoc data and support for learning and evaluation activities, including analysis of program outputs and value-for-money; 
• Maintain accurate and timely financial documentation and data, and report on contract commitments, disbursements, and cash flow projections; 
• Monitor program spend against budget and provide analysis and recommendations on proposed changes; 
• Ensure there are adequate business internal controls with the programs to safeguard Foundation’s assets; 
• Monitor, track and report (including forecasting) on program performance;  
• Responsible for compliance with local and international financial regulations and requirements, e.g., Canada Revenue Agency standards, anti-money laundering and anti-terrorism laws, etc. 
• Approximately 10% travel commitment within country and elsewhere as required; 
• Other duties and responsibilities as required. 

Who You Are

• A relevant University Degree / Accounting qualification. 
• Minimum 5 - 7 years of progressive experience in financial roles within large and/or global multinational organizations.  
• Strong analytical skills with a high level of attention to detail. 
• Excellent communicator, (excellent verbal, written, and presentation skills) with the ability to articulate information to a variety of constituents across cultures,  
• Results driven and self-disciplined, with a strong sense of team and common purpose to achieve ambitious goals. 
• Able to formulate and develop a new or creative approach to a problem. 
• Proficient in MS Office applications, particularly Excel. 
• Flexible, adaptable, intellectually curious and open, you are comfortable with ambiguity, receptive to new ideas and willing to learn and change. 
• Professional maturity, sensitivity with different cultures, and impeccable integrity that exemplify the Foundation’s values. 

Application Closing Date
14th May, 2021.