Impact Lead, Regional Programs at 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.

We are recruiting to fill the position of:

Job Title: Impact Lead, Regional Programs

Location: Nigeria

The Work at the Foundation

• We have entered a very exciting time at the Foundation as we scale up our operations across Africa to realize our Young Africa Works strategy. Our role at the Mastercard Foundation is to be a catalyst. Our Young Africa Works strategy focuses on working with others to spur systemic change so young people have the opportunity to find work that is dignified and fulfilling.
• The Foundation has opened offices in Rwanda, Kenya, Ghana, Senegal, Ethiopia, Nigeria and Uganda, building a broader leadership presence in Africa to develop specific strategies that support youth employment.  Within a country, we work with governments, the private sector, educators and other funders to improve the quality of education and vocational training, prepare young people for the work force, expand access to financial services for entrepreneurs and small businesses, and connect job seekers to dignified and fulfilling work.
• We are ambitious and driven. Our values transcend and rise above everything else as our guide. We encourage you to bring your bold ideas, curiosity, and expertise to your work. We laugh at ourselves and with each other. We are a team. Our journey together makes our impact even more meaningful.
• If you are an experienced Impact Lead, Regional programs professional looking to increase your impact, read on!

The Opportunity

• Reporting to the Regional Head of Impact, Region (Eastern and Southern Africa or Western, Central and Northern Africa); the Impact Lead, Regional Program will be responsible for leading the Impact function at regional level, supporting the Regional impact Head in formulating strategic outcomes for regional initiatives.
• The role leads the development of the Regional Impact Measurement Framework and its implementation.
• The regional Impact Lead works closely with impact partners organization/s at regional level responsible for the maintenance of sector specific data bases for measuring results and impact sector-based data agencies such as labour statistics, agricultural data collection and reporting agencies and regional development planning, monitoring and evaluation agencies.
• In collaboration with the enterprise-wide Evidence and Insights Unit and under the guidance of the regional impact head, the regional Impact Lead develops the plan for thematic Impact Review/Assessments and evaluation plans, outcome monitoring and the evaluation of the impact of the Foundation’s strategic initiatives for the region.

Ways You Can Contribute

• Partners with strategy and planning lead/sector leads in formulating strategic outcomes for the regional programs.
• Defines sector/program specific measurable and evaluable outcomes and associated tools.
• Leads Impact processes that inform regional strategy and program development
• Leads the alignment of regional program impact with other mandated regional actors/institutions and systems for measuring impact.
• Provide support on the development and implementation of strategies, tools and events that strengthen dialogue with key public and private sector stakeholders. These include (but not limited to) policy briefs that highlight the impact of the Foundation’s regional Program strategy and programs on the region as they relate to priority sectors/interventions for youth employment and empowerment, as well as support to external thought leadership events.
• Lead knowledge translation activities, working in partnership with the Foundation’s communications team to map audiences and develop engagement strategies that seek to promote value-addition by the Foundation in the field of Measurement and Impact narratives.
• Provide support on the Program Planning and Implementation units to:
  • Analyze root-causes and barriers to the creation of opportunities for dignified and fulfilling work for young women in men.
  • Support the sector/program leads to refine intentional goals and strategies to accelerate the opening up of these opportunities.
  • Help translate and refine these intentional goals into Measurable Outcomes that will lead to Impacts at scale and aligned to regional strategies for creating work opportunities for young women and men.
  • Support the development of methods, tools, and techniques for measuring the Outcomes and corresponding Impact narratives.
• Lead the development and implementation of a holistic, culturally relevant and spiritually rooted methodologies and instruments for assessments, measurement and research activities that enables the understanding of what impact means, and how these can be measured and narrated with youth-focused lenses.
• Oversee external Impact Partner Organizations (IPOs) who will be engaged to support impact monitoring and verification activities that contribute to Impact Assessments at the program levels.
• Ensure alignment with the Foundation’s strategic objectives, cross-cutting priorities, and policies, procedures, especially gender-equity and social inclusion considerations.
• Play a leading role in the commissioning and management of quarterly impact monitoring studies/data and evidence, and their collation into annual Impact Reviews to inform Country Program adaptive management processes.
• Contribute a strong evaluation and impact assessment perspective to impact measurement and the generation of impact insights and narratives that resonate with local/indigenous cultures and ways of knowing.
• Facilitate participatory focused group and learning events with young women and men in collaboration with Youth Engagement staff, as well as culturally relevant vectors of knowledge and elders to generate insights that will foster adaptation and collaborative planning.
• Provide support and facilitate program teams in the formulation of outcomes that are responsive to the transformation intents of program managers and implementers.
• Attract and build a talented team/network of impact measurement specialists and evaluators to deepen reflections on new and emerging thinking on impact assessment
• Develop tools and approaches for application to the requirements of the Young Africa Works Strategies. This includes bringing on board talented the next generation of innovative African evaluators and supporting their successful integration into country teams as well as effective succession planning.
• Lead performance management to ensure delivery of goals.
• Establish and review effective and efficient ways of working between teams, between regional Programs and Impact. Develop and implement processes and oversee effective implementation.

Who You Are

• A Post-graduate Degree and / or equivalent experience and training is an asset.
• A knowledge of research methods, and in particular research approaches and skills related to gathering data and insights among indigenous communities, youth, and other vulnerable groups, using appropriate cultural lenses and perspectives
• Ten (10) plus years' experience working with the private and non-profit sectors, particularly in a role relating to National and Regional institutions in the relevant region, as well state and non-state actors in the field of Evaluation, Reviews and Impact.
• Strong public policy experience, especially working with regional institutions mandated to undertake planning, policy formulation and implementation
• Working experience in research, evaluation and learning, with demonstrated technical expertise in qualitative research methods, tool design, validation and data analysis.
• Experience at senior leadership and management, preferably leading a country.
• Experience establishing institutions for accountability and learning.
• Experience living and/or working in multiple countries in the region / culturally diversified community groups.
• Experience navigating research protocols, review processes and management of big data with government and academic institutions.
• Strong familiarity and experience leading the development of M&E policies, regionally; and supporting the implementation of same in regional contexts, including experience in building the capacity of both state and non-state actors to function efficiently in the evaluation sector.
• Experience applying a range of tech-enabled tools for data collection, analysis, reporting, and communication.
• Experience in participatory approaches and demonstrated commitment to gender inclusion and youth engagement.
• Deep familiarity with national and regional mandated institutions responsible for collecting, collating, and analyzing data for the purpose of measuring and reporting on outcomes and impacts. Deep knowledge of local research and evaluation methods.
• Strong language, cultural and identity/affiliation with national people
• Membership in national networks and authorities as applicable
• Skills and competency to develop Measurable Outcomes and Impacts, as well as methods and tools for measuring same within national mandated institutions
• Understanding of systems thinking and strong ability to develop and test theories of change and associated practice tools as they may be relevant and appropriate for indigenous communities.
• A dynamic thinker, you bring effective experience in stakeholder engagement and policy influencing. This can include experience working in community-based organizations, governance and related councils/commissions, regional and national government and the private sector.
• High tolerance for ambiguity and change, and ability to adapt to changing priorities within a fast-paced work environment with a “roll up the sleeves” attitude.
• Strong problem-solving skills combined with a track record of pivoting in response to opportunities and challenges.
• Are results driven and motivated by a sense of performance excellence and a sense of urgency; possesses a proactive and ‘self-starter’ mentality.
• Possesses a global mind-set and professional maturity and demonstrates sensitivity to working within different cultures.
• You have a commitment to Mastercard Foundation’s values and vision.

Application Closing Date
13th September, 2021.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online