Lead, Health Innovation and Entrepreneurship 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: Lead, Health Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Location: Lagos
Employment type: Full time

Job Summary

• Reporting to the Head of Health Initiatives, the Lead, Health Innovation and Entrepreneurship will contribute to the continuing design and implementation of Health as an economic sector and strategic planning and execution to advance the Foundation’s programmatic priorities in health entrepreneurship.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design and execution of evidence-based interventions and partnerships that will advance Health Entrepreneurship to enable young people (particularly young women) to find dignified and fulfilling work.
• Ensure alignment of programs in Health Entrepreneurship with roadmaps and strategies across the Foundation and global and national priorities.
• Work with platform and country teams to ensure connectedness, complementarity and synergy.
• Work with external agencies at global and continental level, local partners, academia and where appropriate the private sector, to identify scalable opportunities, leverage expertise and enhance thought leadership.
• Develop the Health Innovation and Entrepreneurship implementation framework leveraging the experience we gained from the Foundation’s multiple programs in in Africa and Canada.
• Seek opportunities to link, integrate, and leverage existing and upcoming programs across countries and thematic teams such as access to finance and digital technology.
• Contribute to building the Health Workforce Initiatives Team by fleshing out the Health Innovation and Entrepreneurship pillar of the roadmap.
• Work with colleagues in the health initiatives in strategy design, program/partnership development, implementation and learning by connecting the dots and ensuring synergy as one integrated team.
• Serve as a point of contact for Health Innovation and Entrepreneurship internally and externally and represent the Foundation where appropriate.
• Work with colleagues in impact to build monitoring framework to assess impact, synthesize learning, and improve program design and implementation.
• Serve as a thought partner to colleagues in other platform and country programs.
• Work with program finance to develop and manage the budgets and ensure spending adjustments or budget modifications as necessary.
• Create space to listen to young people, partners and stakeholders to scope new ideas, seek counsel, and support programming efforts.
• Champion integrated program design, implementation and learning by developing and maintaining productive work relationships and collaboration with various functions of the Foundation including finance, communication, impact, enterprise risk management, and legal.
• Establish and strengthen relationships with other stakeholders and agencies relevant to the health strategy pillar.
• Facilitate integration, collaboration and convening relevant actors to drive impact at scale.
• Effectively lead colleagues, ensuring high quality of work, safeguarding and alignment with Foundation values.
• Drive oneness building a supportive and collaborative work environment.
• Oversee performance management of direct and indirect reports.

Qualifications and Experience

• MBA or Master’s in entrepreneurship, global development, education, public policy or another related field.
• Fifteen (15) years of experience at a senior level in global organizations with strong leadership experience in innovation, entrepreneurship/enterprise development, development and/or government or public policy within the private sector and/or non-profit organizations is required.
• Six (6) years of exceptional leadership experience, building and leading entrepreneurship and innovation interventions/programs.
• Demonstrated financial management experience including preparation and management of budgets, contracts, etc. Senior level experience in Africa and with exposure to international issues ideally is crucial. Private sector experience would be an asset.
• Advanced expertise in developing and leading innovation and entrepreneurship efforts in Africa.
• Proven experience effectively working with government officials, key players in the health space, business leaders, entrepreneurs and other actors.
• Solution based approach while demonstrating innovation, integrity, quality, creativity, flexibility and resilience.
• Fluency in English. French is an added advantage.
• Excellent strategic insight and ability to translate plans to action to deliver impact with quality and speed.
• Excellent analytical skills with the ability to express facts and ideas in a clear, convincing and organized manner.
• Demonstrates mature and sound judgement when addressing highly complex needs
• Innovative and entrepreneurial and who is able to formulate and develop new or creative approaches to problems and inspires others on the team to do so as well.
• Flexible, adaptable, and able to execute a range of job duties and changing priorities.
• Possess excellent verbal, written, and presentation skills with the ability to articulate information to a variety of constituents across cultures.
• Possess professional maturity, sensitivity with different cultures, and impeccable integrity that exemplify the Foundation’s values.
• Commitment to Mastercard Foundation’s values and vision.

Application Closing Date
21st March, 2025.