Head, Program Operations 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, Program Operations

Location: Nigeria
Reporting to: The Director, Program Operations

Job Description

• As the operational anchor within the HECSI platform, the Head, Program Operations ensures the coordinated execution of program plans, partnership processes, and operational learning across multiple countries and initiatives.
• Acting as a key deputy to the Director of Program Operations, this role leads platform-wide portfolio management, pipeline acceleration, and execution governance, supporting platform leadership and country teams to deliver high-quality, inclusive outcomes.
• This position will lead the design, implementation, and continuous improvement of integrated planning processes, operational frameworks, and programmatic quality standards to enhance portfolio execution and impact delivery across geographies.
• The incumbent will also foster a culture of disciplined program execution, knowledge sharing, and operational innovation across the Platform.
• The successful candidate will be based in any of our offices in Canada and Africa (Ethiopia, Nigeria, Senegal, Ghana, Rwanda, Kenya, or Uganda)

Ways You Can Contribute
Strategic Business Partnering & Program Governance:

• Serve as a strategic thought partner to the Executive Director and Program Directors on platform-wide planning, program design, and performance oversight.
• Provide high-level guidance and advisory on pipeline development, investment readiness, portfolio performance, and program execution health.
• Lead quarterly and annual strategic and operational planning cycles across the platform, ensuring strong alignment with the Foundation’s priorities and country-level strategies.
• Facilitate coordination across multi-country initiatives and workstreams to ensure synergy, coherence, and learning across the platform.

Program Operations & Execution Oversight:

• Oversee the implementation of operational frameworks and execution standards that improve delivery discipline, quality, and accountability.
• Monitor program implementation end-to-end through integrated dashboards and portfolio trackers; proactively flag risks and coordinate course corrections with HECSI and Country teams.
• Lead the development and institutionalization of key performance indicators, operational trackers, and turnaround time (TAT) measures for all major operational milestones.
• Ensure all platform processes, policies, and tools are regularly reviewed, standardized, and optimized for greater efficiency and learning.

Program Planning & Portfolio Management:

• Drive the formulation and updating of multi-year, platform-level operational plans and portfolios, ensuring integrated and adaptive program delivery.
• Lead forecasting and portfolio planning in collaboration with Program Finance and HECSI teams, ensuring appropriate resourcing and milestone alignment.
• Oversee the tracking and coordination of programmatic priorities and implementation calendars across the Platform to ensure timely execution.
• Facilitate program proposal reviews and platform governance engagements, ensuring due diligence and alignment with planning frameworks.

Process Excellence & Capability Building:

• Champion operational excellence by embedding process discipline, structured project management approaches, and continuous improvement methodologies (e.g., Lean Six Sigma).
• Lead capacity building efforts across program teams through targeted training, knowledge-sharing, and cross-functional workshops, in collaboration with Learning & Development and Foundation Academy.
• Act as a change agent by driving adoption of systems, tools, and ways of working that improve decision-making, performance management, and accountability.

Cross-Team Integration & Knowledge Management:

• Drive collaboration across country offices, program teams, and integrated functions to break down silos and promote knowledge exchange.
• Support the design and delivery of cross-platform learning events, retreats, and planning sessions to strengthen shared accountability and performance monitoring.
• Foster a culture of collaboration, curiosity, and operational innovation across the Platform.

Who You Are

• Master’s degree in business administration, International Development, Public Policy, Public Health, Education, Economics, or other relevant fields.
• Minimum 12 years of work experience in Planning, Strategy and/or Project/Program management in both the private and public sectors.
• Professional certifications in Project Management (PMP, PRINCE2), Change Management, Process Improvement (Lean Six Sigma) or related disciplines preferred.
• Proven track record in strategic planning, portfolio management, and large-scale program implementation across multiple countries or functions.
• Deep experience managing operational systems, processes, and tools to drive program performance and governance.
• Demonstrated ability to influence senior leaders, manage cross-functional stakeholders, and lead strategic initiatives with high degrees of complexity and ambiguity.
• Experience in designing and facilitating high-impact learning, planning, or review sessions involving diverse stakeholders.
• Strong knowledge of inclusive development principles and experience integrating gender, youth, or marginalized group lenses into operational frameworks.
• Strategic thinker with strong execution and delivery orientation.
• Demonstrated excellence in problem-solving, system thinking, and change leadership.
• Advanced stakeholder management, negotiation, and facilitation skills.
• Resilient and adaptive leader comfortable navigating ambiguity and complexity.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to inspire and influence without authority.
• High emotional intelligence, professional maturity, and cultural sensitivity.
• Deep commitment to the Foundation’s mission, values, and youth-centered approach.
• A highly analytical problem-solver and critical thinker who can define root cause, evaluate alternatives and find solutions effectively.
• Service mindset for responsiveness to requests and striving towards becoming trusted business partners to drive common Foundation goals.  
• A team player with strong self-direction balanced with a 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