Head, Program Risks 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 Risks

Job Requisition ID: JR-0000000522
Location: Lagos, Nigeria
Job type: Full Time

The Opportunity

• Reporting to the Director, Program Risk, the Head, Program Risk is responsible for ensuring the effective execution of risk management activities across all programs at the Mastercard Foundation.
• The role holder will work collaboratively with program teams, senior management, implementing partners, and other key stakeholders to ensure that program-related risks are systematically identified, assessed, and managed.
• This role is essential in fostering strong risk behaviours that enable sound decision-making and support the Foundation in achieving its strategic and programmatic goals.

Responsibilities
Ways you can contribute:

• Support the Director, Program Risk, in coordinating risk management activities across the Foundation’s program platforms and adjacent activities.
• Provide risk advisory services and insights to Foundation program teams, offering guidance on risk identification, mitigation, and response strategies and ensuring risk management is embedded in the entire program cycle from ideation to closure.  
• Collaborate with Foundation program teams, risk champions and implementing partners' risk focal points to foster strong risk behaviours across programs, ensuring a shared understanding of the Foundation’s risk appetite, risk tolerance, and risk management processes.
• Review and critique risk registers submitted by risk champions and implementing partners, and provide actionable insights to enhance the risk identification, assessment, and mitigation process.
• Monitor and analyse emerging risks and trends relevant to the Foundation’s programs.
• Conduct regular spot checks and reviews of program activities, partners, and processes to assess compliance with risk management policies and procedures.
• Develop and deliver tailored capacity-building initiatives for program staff and implementing partners, ensuring they have the tools, knowledge, and training needed to identify, assess, and manage risks effectively.
• Prepare, consolidate program risk reports and provide regular updates on risk management activities to the Director, Program Risks.
• Escalate significant risks and incidents as appropriate.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree in a relevant field such as Risk Management, Business Administration, International Development, Public Administration, Economics, or Finance; a Master’s degree and professional risk certifications are strong assets.
• Over 10 years of relevant experience in risk management, with at least 5 years in a managerial role.
• Demonstrated experience in programmatic risk management within the non-profit, philanthropic, or international development sectors, with a proven ability to implement risk frameworks in multi-country organisations.
• Strong understanding of regulatory, operational, financial, and reputational risks relevant to the international development context
• Experience working in culturally diverse environments, with excellent communication, facilitation, and interpersonal skills; proficiency in English required and French an asset.
• High integrity, sound judgement, and the confidence to uphold principled positions in complex or challenging situations.
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate across teams, build partner capacity, and engage stakeholders with empathy and cultural sensitivity.
• Agile and adaptable, able to respond to evolving priorities while staying informed about emerging trends in risk management and international development.
• Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Application Closing Date
4th March, 2026.

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