MasterCard Foundation -Ethiopia

Job Title : Program Lead, Agriculture

ABOUT MASTERCARD FOUNDATION

Mastercard Foundation seeks a world where everyone has the opportunity to learn and prosper. Through its Young Africa Works strategy and Canadian EleV program, the Foundation works with partners to ensure that millions of young people, especially young women, access quality education, financial services and dignified work. Mastercard Foundation was established in 2006 through the generosity of Mastercard when it became a public company. The Foundation is independent with its own Board of Directors and CEO.

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

Reporting to the Country Head, Ethiopia, the Program Lead Agriculture will work collaboratively with the country-based expertise, Agriculture Technical Expertise Group and other Foundation staff including Program country team members who are developing country strategies to develop partnership pertinent to Young Africa Works in Ethiopia (YAW-E) strategy and support the implementation of such programs and their interlinkages.

This person will be responsible for a portfolio of agriculture/agrifood systems and agribusiness related programs and partnerships in Ethiopia. They will be expected to interact effectively with senior levels of partner organizations to advance the current work of the Foundation, while concurrently contributing to the Foundation’s country strategy development and new programs. The person will be expected to provide expertise to identify constraints that prevent agricultural systems from functioning effectively at the country level. This work includes identifying constraints that prevent young people from developing skills relevant for work in the sector and that prevent agribusinesses from accessing the finance, capacity and markets needed to grow; the development and design of programs in the agricultural sector and incorporating the agricultural sector’s needs into country strategies.

WAYS YOU CAN CONTRIBUTE

• Identify challenges and opportunities in the agricultural sector that can be unlocked through education, labour and financial systems, to drive job growth.
• Provide agricultural sector expertise to support country program and Foundation country teams in the design and management of agricultural and agri-finance programs to scale country-level inclusive education, financial and labour systems in Africa.
• Support Country program in the development or implementation of new programs, including co-creation of programs and due diligence of potential partners and projects.
• Work closely with the Ethiopia country team and other team members to achieve team goals.
• Provide perspective and expertise on emerging issues and trends in the agricultural and agrifood/agrifinance and agribusiness sector.
• Manage agriculture programs, distilling learnings for Foundation staff and country teams. Includes oversight of day-to-day activities of particular programs or processes, conducting field visits, and reviewing project budgets.
• Communicate progress and learnings from projects to foundation colleagues and the wider development community.
• Work closely with the program and country teams to leverage synergies across programs and across geographies.
• Build relationships with partner organizations, communities of practice, and global stakeholders.
• Represent the Foundation and collaborate with key internal and external audiences.
• Identify and help overcome challenges and other barriers to team effectiveness.
• Share knowledge and learning and offer insights and solutions.
• Contribute insights to the Foundation’s thought leadership on youth employment in Africa.

WHO YOU ARE

• Master’s degree or equivalent experience in Agricultural Economics, Agribusiness, Business Development, and/or Financial Inclusion.
• Six (6) plus years of experience in agriculture/agrifood systems/agribusiness and/or financial inclusion is required. This experience could include project management and/or field experience working in developing countries.
• Experience with commercial agricultural companies operational in Africa.
• Demonstrates a strong understanding of the role of agriculture and agriculture finance in economic growth and development, particularly in Africa, and as it relates to small holder farmers.
• Understands market and systemic challenges to financial inclusion for rural and agricultural economics in Africa and best practices for addressing them, including M4P (Markets for the Poor) and facilitating market systems.
• Experience with global grant making, especially in designing market systems development programs. This experience may come from working in another funding organization, corporation or an NGO.
• Demonstrates strong understanding of agricultural markets in Africa and the systemic challenges leading to stagnant growth.
• Understanding of the role agri-food and rural SMEs can play in economic transformation and job creation.
• Demonstrates strong analytical skills, the ability to think strategically and contribute as a thought partner in the Foundation’s strategy development.
• 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 agriculture.
• Possess understanding and knowledge of current trends and innovations in agri-finance for value chains, agri SMEs and smallholder farmers.
• Demonstrates strong budgeting skills with the ability to manage a large portfolio of assets.
• Demonstrates experience in providing expert technical advice to program managers and implementers.
• Command of quantitative and qualitative business analytics.
• Excellent project management skills, including multi-stakeholder projects.
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to be flexible and adaptable.
• Proactive, engaged and a self-starter.
• Ability to work both independently and as part of a team.
• Bilingual English and Amharic oral and written language skills preferred.
• Is willing to travel up to 40% of the time.
• 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.
• Possess professional maturity, sensitivity with different cultures, and impeccable integrity.
• Committed to Mastercard Foundation’s values and vision.

Deadline for Applications is 4^th September 2020

The Mastercard Foundation values the unique skills and experiences each individual brings to the organization and we are committed to creating and maintaining an inclusive and accessible environment for everyone.

Completion of satisfactory business references and background checks are essential conditions of employment.

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