Vacancy Announcement

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.

 Job title: Program Partner, Agriculture

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 are a agricultural specialist ready to build something new and increase your impact, read on!

THE OPPORTUNITY

The Program Partner will report directly to the Ethiopia Program Lead, Agriculture. The successful candidate will support Agriculture /Agri-business, agrifood systems programming activities, development and support of partnerships and work collaboratively with other Foundation staff, such as Program country team members who are developing and implementing country strategies (e.g. Education/Skilling, Digital Economy, MSME, etc.).

WAYS YOU CAN CONTRIBUTE

• Identify challenges and opportunities in the agricultural sector that can be unlocked through education, labor and financial systems, to drive job growth.
• Explore the nexus between Agriculture/Agribusiness, labor market systems and Financial inclusion programming while promoting cross learning and integration
• Provide agricultural sector expertise to support country program and Foundation country teams in the design and management of agricultural, agribusiness and agri-finance programs to scale country-level inclusive education, financial and labour systems in Ethiopia
• 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 collaboratively with country team members in development of strategies pertinent to Young Africa Works in Ethiopia and support the implementation of such programs and their interlinkages. 
• Manage Agriculture /Agri-business programming implementation activities, including grants management, program quality, pipeline development and co-creation with strategic partners.
• Communicate progress and learnings from projects to foundation colleagues and the wider development community.
• 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.
• 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 in Agriculture, International Development, or related field required.
• Minimum of 5 years of relevant field-based experience in coordinating or managing moderately complex projects required, preferably within Agriculture space in Ethiopia and the counties.
• Strong management skills and knowledge of Agriculture/Agrifood systems in Ethiopia to ensure delivery of high-quality programming and continuously works towards improving programming impact.
• Project management experience in Agriculture is highly desirable.
• 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.
• 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 the ability to communicate progress and learnings from projects to colleagues and the wider development community.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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 15^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.

For more information and to sign up for the Foundation’s newsletter, please visit http://www.mastercardfdn.org/. Follow the Foundation on Twitter at @MastercardFdn