Program Lead, Agriculture at Mastercard Foundation…How to Apply.

Job Description

The Mastercard Foundation seeks a world where everyone has the opportunity to learn and prosper. All people, no matter where their starting point in life, should have an equal chance to succeed. We believe that with access to education, financial services, and skills training, people can have that chance.

THE WORK AT THE FOUNDATION

We have entered a very exciting time at the Foundation as we scale up our operations across Africa to realize our Young Africa Works strategy. Our role at the Mastercard Foundation is to be a catalyst. Our Young Africa Works strategy focuses on working with others to spur systemic change so young people have the opportunity to find work that is dignified and fulfilling.

The Foundation has opened offices in Rwanda, Kenya, Ghana, Senegal, Ethiopia, Nigeria and Uganda, building a broader leadership presence in Africa to develop specific strategies that support youth employment. Within a country, we work with governments, the private sector, educators and other funders to improve the quality of education and vocational training, prepare young people for the work force, expand access to financial services for entrepreneurs and small businesses, and connect job seekers to dignified and fulfilling work.

We are ambitious and driven. Our values transcend and rise above everything else as our guide. We encourage you to bring your bold ideas, curiosity, and expertise to your work. We laugh at ourselves and with each other. We are a team. Our journey together makes our impact even more meaningful.

If you have passion for the youth and are ready to build something new and increase your impact, read on!

THE OPPORTUNITY

The Program Lead, Agriculture report to the Country Head. They will be responsible for specific agriculture program(s) that provide solutions to address the constraints preventing agricultural systems from functioning effectively and focused on the Foundation’s commitment to enable dignified and fulfilling work for young women and young people in general. She/he will provide expertise and interact effectively with senior levels of partner organizations and ecosystem stakeholders to advance the development and delivery of the Foundation’s country strategy.

WAYS YOU CAN CONTRIBUTE

Program Design

• Support the origination and design of interventions across the agricultural space and related value chains.
• Integrate impact considerations to ensure the needs of young women and young people in general are addressed within the program design.
• Work collaboratively with Country Program team in development of strategies relevant to Young Africa Works in Kenya and their interlinkages to agricultural, agri-business and agri-finance programs.

Delivery

• Lead implementation of partnerships in the agricultural space and related value chains.
• Extract, capture and communicate details to elaborate progress and learnings from programs to colleagues and the wider development community.
• Collaborate with Country Program team to leverage synergistic opportunities to enhance Impact/outcomes of Young Africa Works programs.
• Represent the Foundation’s interest in programing governance activities, such as investment committees, advisory committees, or other stakeholders to provide oversight or elevate and leverage learnings.
• Working closely with implementation partners and beneficiaries to contribute towards systematic learning and reflection processes to enable for continuous adaptive management of the program.
• Partner and guide implementation partner in identifying and overcoming barriers to team effectiveness by sharing knowledge and learnings while offering insights and possible solutions to issues and/or program challenges.

Expertise and Thought Leadership

• Provide perspective and expertise on emerging issues and trends in the agricultural, agribusiness and agri-finance sector, including climate change.
• Identify challenges and opportunities facing Ag sector MSMEs that can be unlocked through education, labor and financial systems to drive job growth.
• Stay on top of developments in the MSME and financing space – new concepts, key partner, new information being generated, policy movements, important upcoming events, etc.

People Leadership

• Lead matrixed/cross functional team in myriad of activities related to co-design and implementation phase.
• Supervise colleagues and/or junior staff experts by providing timely coaching and support necessary for success and growth.
• Identify and help overcome challenges and other barriers to team effectiveness.

Stakeholder Management

• Build relationships with partner organizations, communities of practice, and global stakeholders.
• Represent the Foundation and collaborate with key internal and external audiences.

WHO YOU ARE

• Master’s degree or equivalent experience in Finance, Business, Agricultural Economics and/or Financial Inclusion.
• Minimum ten (10) years of relevant experience in agricultural companies, agribusiness, agri-finance and agriculture value chains is required.
• Minimum 5 years of leadership and management experience.
• Experience working in commercial agricultural companies operational in Africa.
• Demonstrates a strong understanding of the agriculture market system and the role of system players including financial inclusion in economic growth and development and the lives and livelihood of smallholder farmers.
• Understands market and systemic challenges of the agriculture, agri-food system and agribusiness in Kenya, the EAC and Africa and best practices for addressing them.
• Experience and understanding in a variety of value chains (cash and food crops), the small businesses and SMEs along the value chain, and supply chain / logistics in the agri-food system.
• Understanding of the role agri-food and rural SMEs can play in economic transformation and job creation for youth.
• Demonstrates a strong understanding of agricultural markets in Africa and the systemic challenges leading to stagnant growth.
• Demonstrates strong analytical skills, the ability to think strategically and contribute as a thought partner in the Foundation’s strategy development.
• Demonstrates strong budgeting skills with the ability to manage a large portfolio of assets.
• Command of quantitative and qualitative business analytics.
• Excellent project management skills, including multi-stakeholder projects.
• Possess excellent verbal, written, and presentation skills with the ability to articulate information to a variety of constituents across cultures.
• Excellent people skills, ability to coordinate technical and cross-functional teams
• Excellent listening and interpersonal skills required.
• Bilingual English oral and written language skills preferred. Ability to speak a local language is highly preferred.
• Possess professional maturity, sensitivity with different cultures, and impeccable integrity.
• Committed to Mastercard Foundation’s values and vision.

HOW TO APPLY

Submit your CV and Application on Company Website : Click Here

Closing Date : 20th May, 2021