EdTech Ecosystem Lead, Regional Centre for Innovative Teaching and Learning in ICT (CITL) at Mastercard Foundation

Mastercard Foundation is a global foundation based across four hubs in Kigali, Rwanda, Nairobi, Kenya, Accra, Ghana and Toronto, Canada. 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 below:

Job Title: EdTech Ecosystem Lead, Regional Centre for Innovative Teaching and Learning in ICT (CITL)

Location: Lagos

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.
• 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. If you are an experienced ICT program management professional ready to build something new and increase your impact, read on!

Understanding the centre for innovative teaching and learning program area at the foundation

• The Centre for Innovative Teaching and Learning in ICT (CITL) seeks to establish a growing and impactful African EdTech ecosystem that will catalyse innovation and advance promising practices in the use ofs ICT in learning and teaching to benefit African learners, educators, and policymakers.
• This will be created through a blended learning approach and a network of local EdTech companies to support learners at all levels across the continent.
• Working at the intersection of EdTech entrepreneurs and Governments, the CITL will support Tech Hubs and entrepreneurs with growth-stage EdTech models to scale up technology innovations to improve teaching and learning at scale. 

The Centre will:

• Identify key challenges in learning systems to be addressed through EdTech solutions. 
• The CITL will engage Government leaders to identify key challenges or constraints in teaching and learning systems that EdTech solutions can help resolve.
• Partner with Tech Hubs across the continent to support EdTech solutions with potential to scale.  Through partner Tech Hubs, the CITL will issue a series of competitive calls for EdTech entrepreneurs to address key problems/challenges identified by country governments.
• Support EdTech entrepreneurs to design, test and validate their innovations.  Selected EdTech entrepreneurs will be provided a number of supports to enhance and grow their models.
• Test and validate approaches with Government, teachers and students.  Through partner Tech Hubs and in collaboration with relevant institutions, the CITL will develop a testing and validating network which will allow entrepreneurs in its programs to test and refine EdTech innovations and to engage with Government leaders to validate innovations and provide feedback on potential for scale.
• Advance research and share best practices.  The CITL will support the establishment of partnerships, processes, and infrastructure to collected, analyze and publish education and skills data for policy formulation, monitoring, and assessment. 
• This will include synthesizing available evidence of “what works” in each of the problem or challenging areas identified by policymakers and will contribute to the evidence based in these areas.  The CITL will help define and scale the EdTech market in Africa to catalyze investment and address key barriers in the EdTech ecosystem.

The Opportunity

• Reporting to the Head of the CITL, the EdTech ecosystem Lead, will be responsible for the design and implementation of the partnerships between the CITL and key strategic partners including Tech Hubs and various implementing partners across Africa. 
• She/he will ensure that the hundreds of EdTech companies/entrepreneurs supported through the CITL program, are accelerated to better serve African learners. 
• She/he will build knowledge for the Centre to make it an important resource for all education stakeholders in all things EdTech. 
• She/he is an eLearning expert resource for the Centre and the Foundation.
• She/he will also work and collaborate with other CITL staff, as well as the other Foundation staff in the countries where the CITL operates, as well as at our regional hubs.
• The successful candidate will be based in Nigeria or Ghana.

Ways You Can Contribute

• You can contribute and provide support to the refinement and improvement of the CITL strategy and roadmap.
• You can contribute to evolution in thinking and new approaches needed to get to scale and produce systemic impact.
• You can establish a network of Tech Hubs across Africa to partners with in incubating and accelerating local EdTech companies in the growth stage.
• In partnership with the Tech Hubs and other relevant institutions, you can establish a testing and validation mechanism that will allow participating EdTech entrepreneurs to validate their solutions.
• You can stay on the top of the education needs on the continent, the technology infrastructure on the ground and the education technology trends to inform the work of the CITL.
• You can provide support to partners to ensure successful implementation of programs, and that the intended impact is achieved.
• You can provide support to current and future programs as appropriate, including reviewing periodic narrative and financial reporting and data collection.
• You can track program progress and collaborate with colleagues in impact and design and learning to collect and validate data and learnings.
• You can leverage foundation resources to develop new or creative approaches to solve problems and inspire others on the team to do so as well.
• You can provide support in the adaptation of the EdTech to country context, leveraging country diagnostics and learning from our portfolio of partners.
• You can provide support to the design and delivery of appropriate mechanisms to monitor effectiveness and impact of EdTech.
• You can act as a resource to Tech Hubs, EdTech entrepreneurs, and other implementation partners.
• You can explore, establish, and manage partnerships with other likeminded organizations.

Who You Are

• You have a Graduate Degree (Master's / PhD), preferably in Education, technology or relevant field.   
• Minimum of 10 years’ experience in education and/or managing corporate/government affairs public/private partnerships.
• You have proven experience effectively engaging and collaborating with high-level government officials, development partners, business leaders and other network influencers.
• You have experience with public speaking at conferences and other forums including media interaction. Formal media training is an asset.
• You are able to think strategically and contribute as a thought partner in the Foundation and program strategy development.
• You are able to analyze and synthesize large volume of information.
• You have a sound understanding of innovation ecosystem in Africa.
• You are detail-oriented with a demonstrated ability to produce quality work consistently and effectively.
• You are highly self-motivated and directed.
• You excel in prioritization and time management skills.
• You are willing to travel when needed (up to 25% of the time).
• You are flexible, adaptable, and able to execute a range of job duties and changing priorities.
• You possess excellent verbal, written, and presentation skills with the ability to articulate information to a variety of constituents across cultures.
• Professional maturity, sensitivity with different cultures, and impeccable integrity that exemplify the Foundation’s values.
• You have a commitment to Mastercard Foundation’s values and vision.

Application Closing Date
7th July, 2022.

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