Lead, Education Access and Success (East and Southern Africa) at Mastercard Foundation

• Reporting to the Head, Education Access and Success (East and Southern Africa)
• This role is responsible for developing and managing a regional portfolio of Education Access and Success initiatives, including the Leaders in Teaching Initiative and new pipeline programming

• Lead new program design and approval processes, including scoping, intervention design, partner identification and engagement, co-creation, proposal development and internal approvals
• Manage existing partnerships and country portfolios in the region, in collaboration with Country Representatives and cross-functional teams, supporting implementation of programs, tracking progress and ensuring program goals and targets are achieved according to plan
• Ensure all relevant internal systems and trackers are updated accurately and on time (eg. grant management systems, impact trackers, forecasts etc.)
• Cross-functional collaboration in the design and implementation of program partnerships, with a focus on impact
• Support the Leaders in Teaching continental learning organization in the region in support of initiative-level learning and knowledge sharing
• Provide ongoing guidance, support and technical assistance to Country Workforce Development teams implementing Leaders in Teaching initiatives in the region.
• Provide back-stopping support to the other regional Lead when required
• Contribute to the planning and management of the Education Community of Practice at the Foundation
• Advance thought leadership internally and externally on secondary education and teacher development initiatives, in line with Secondary Education team Communications, Policy and Thought Leadership strategy
• Manage and mentor Program Partners, Interns and Analysts to support program development and management
• Support partners to capture data and learning and ensure that insights and impact are routinely and effectively reported, and continually integrated into program design and implementation
• Cultivate and manage relationships with eco-systems actors and education stakeholders to scale impact, representing the Foundation in regional/local workshops, conferences and education fora
• Develop and manage consultancies

• A Master’s Degree in a relevant field including education, economic development or related social sciences field
• Relevant professional qualification in program management would be an asset in this role
• Minimum of 8 years overall experience, with demonstrated leadership experience
• Experience engaging with the senior leadership of development partners and education organizations, high-level government representatives and the private sector
• Experience co-creating and building new initiatives or transforming existing ones into something more impactful, in a multi-cultural environment
• Experience in proposal and partnership development, M&E design and program communications
• Experience and sensitivity to issues of safeguarding and inclusion; experience delivering programs for women, people with disabilities, and/or refugees and displaced youth highly desirable
• Experience working in a fast-paced, fluid environment, managing multiple competing priorities
• Experience working across cultures and geographies, and experience living and working in Africa is required.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with multi-location and virtual teams
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to articulate information to a variety of constituents across cultures
• Knowledge and understanding of key issues, emerging trends, opportunities and critical barriers in education (especially secondary education and skills development) in Africa
• Excellent English and French language skills are required
• Excellent analytical skills, the ability to think strategically and to contribute to the development of the Foundation’s strategy
• Ability and willingness to travel
• Excellent ability to build effective working relationships with cross-functional teams
• Possess professional maturity, sensitivity with different cultures, and impeccable integrity.

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