Head, Enterprise Initiatives 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: Head, Enterprise Initiatives

Job ID: JR-0000000352
Location: Lagos

Job Summary

• The role, Head, Enterprise Initiatives, reporting to the Senior Director, Program Operations & Planning.
• The Head, Enterprise Initiatives, is responsible for the effective design, coordination, and execution of enterprise-wide programmatic and strategic priorities. Operating within the Program Operations & Planning (POP) team, the role supports delivery of large-scale, complex, and often cross-cutting initiatives that advance the Foundation’s mission. The role acts as a senior advisor and operational partner to the Senior Director, Program Operations & Planning and contributes to shaping enterprise coherence, ways of working, and the successful execution of priority projects.
• The incumbent ensures initiative alignment with strategic objectives, provides technical advisory support to emerging enterprise efforts, and works closely with internal stakeholders across platforms, countries, and enabling functions.

Ways You Can Contribute

• Strategic Enterprise Delivery
• Lead or support the design, coordination, and execution of enterprise-wide initiatives that cut across countries and thematic platforms.
• Ensure enterprise initiatives are strategically aligned to Foundation-wide goals and contribute to the advancement of Young Africa Works and related strategies.
• Serve as a senior point of coordination for large initiatives that require input from multiple departments and countries.
• Champion enterprise coherence by identifying linkages and interdependencies across programs and ensuring alignment with the Foundation’s broader strategic direction.
• Operational Support to Senior Director
• Provide strategic and operational leverage to the Senior Director, acting as a chief of staff to ensure efficient planning, execution, and governance.
• Prepare enterprise-level documentation, presentations, and reports to inform executive decision-making (e.g., for EXCO, GMT, and the Board).
• Lead tracking, risk identification, and mitigation planning for enterprise projects and pilots.
• Technical & Advisory Support
• Provide technical consultation on the development and rollout of program roadmaps and operating models across delivery platforms.
• Offer guidance and quality assurance on enterprise strategy documents, project plans, and implementation roadmaps.
• Contribute to the institutionalization of standard tools, templates, and frameworks that strengthen program operations.
• Enterprise Planning, Governance & Learning
• Oversee planning processes and governance structures that support enterprise initiative execution, including cadence-setting, reporting cycles, and learning reviews.
• Integrate adaptive learning and change management practices into the lifecycle of enterprise initiatives.
• Partner with KM, BI, Research, and Impact to ensure that insights, tools, and frameworks from enterprise work are captured and shared across the Foundation.
• Stakeholder Engagement & Capacity Building
• Engage internal stakeholders at senior levels to align on enterprise priorities and mobilize support for emerging opportunities.
• Contribute to capacity-building activities on enterprise thinking, critical problem-solving, and integrated delivery.
• Facilitate working groups and cross-functional task teams in delivering enterprise solutions effectively and inclusively.

Who You Are

• Master’s degree in a relevant field such as international development, business administration, organizational development, public policy, or related discipline.
• Minimum of 12 years of relevant experience in operational leadership, enterprise coordination, or managing complex, cross-functional initiatives in a matrixed organization.
• Project or program management certification (e.g., PMP, PRINCE2) is an asset.
• Demonstrated experience in advisory roles, enterprise planning, consulting or strategic operations.
• Experience working across different sectors and engaging with NGOs, multilateral institutions, government bodies, and private sector actors.
• Strong familiarity with youth employment, education, or inclusive economic development is a plus.
• Consulting or advisory experience is a strong advantage.
• Enterprise Thinking: Ability to connect dots across platforms, countries, and enabling functions, and to translate complexity into action.
• Execution Orientation: Strong track record of delivering initiatives from concept to implementation in dynamic environments.
• Stakeholder Management: Ability to engage senior leaders, build trust, and manage alignment across varied interests.
• Communication & Facilitation: Excellent written and verbal communication skills; able to synthesize and convey complex information clearly.
• Learning & Adaptation: Committed to continuous improvement and embedding reflection in enterprise efforts.
• Organizational Agility: Comfortable navigating ambiguity and managing multiple workstreams with overlapping timelines and stakeholders.
• A team player with strong self-direction balanced with collaborative and creative approach, with the ability to work under minimal supervision.
• Agile, 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 and support a culture of change.
• Possess professional maturity, sensitivity with different cultures, and impeccable integrity.
• Alignment and commitment to Foundation mission and values.
• Aptitude for and keen interest in learning new information design and communication technology.
• Flexible, adaptable, and able to execute a range of job duties and changing priorities.

Application Closing Date
20th August, 2025.

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