Head, Workforce Development at Mastercard Foundation

The Head, Workforce Development, will support the development and lead the implementation of the Young Africa Works Country Roadmap, which includes program development, implementation, reporting, and stakeholder management. This role requires a visionary leader with a deep understanding of digital trends, a passion for workforce development, and the ability to drive initiatives that foster innovation, skill-building, and economic growth.

WAYS YOU CAN CONTRIBUTE

• Identifies opportunities to create impact through developing interventions in the education and skills sector in alignment with the country roadmap.
• Identifies collaboration opportunities within existing partner network and potential new partnerships that are relevant to country specific circumstances.
• Set goals and targets with respect to Workforce Development including transition (e.g., internships, fellowships, job placement, entrepreneurship activities, and further higher education) and monitor and report on progress, attainment and learning.
• Leads the integration of education & skills initiatives with other programs including transitions, youth engagement & inclusion, youth-led grassroot solutions and ensure alignment with the vision articulated in the country roadmap.
• Drive the development and execution of programmatic approach and framework to facilitate synergy, strategic coherence, and alignment in areas of education, skilling, school to work transition, and preparation and placement of young people in work anchored on the country road map.
• Provide technical leadership to ensure the country program and partnerships address the current and emerging needs of young people, especially young women.
• Set up and utilize genuine and comfortable forums to drive engagement and solicit input from young people (networks/groups), especially young women.
• Support Country Programs colleagues during co-creation of partnerships to ensure the youth ‘lens’ is captured and addressed in the approach taken around; (i.) Educations/Skilling, (ii.) Access to Finance and (iii.) Digital enablement
• Support implementing partners to build effective youth engagement and outreach mechanisms that keep young women and men as the focal point in their approach.
• Drive inclusion, ensuring that all entrepreneurship and transition programs and inputs consider the specific constraints of young people with different needs.
• Facilitates innovations and local solutions to engage young people, young women and those with different needs, and to unlock opportunities in emerging economic sectors.
• Manages relationships with senior leaders of stakeholders such as educational institutions, mandated public offices, ministries and youth led organizations.
• Supports development of Workforce Development unit budget and Country program budget in line with policies & processes.
• Supports in preparation of communications related to Workforce development unit towards internal & external contacts for approval in a timely manner.
• Determines internal and external meetings involving the Country program’s partners in relation to Workforce development.
• Coaches and mentors, the team within the Workforce Development unit and beyond
• Drives and inspires technical excellence within the team.
• Leads the team to deliver results in line with Foundation goals and KPIs.
• Prepare and present regular reports to senior leadership on key performance indicators, program effectiveness, and areas for improvement.

WHO YOU ARE

• A master’s degree in relevant field including Education, Management, Economic Development, or related social sciences field and sold relevant experience.
• Minimum 15 years of experience in a similar or related role in a fast-paced environment with local and multinational experience, with seven (7) years of experience leading and managing a team.
• Excellent operational skills covering education policy and education planning, and ability to lead complex policy and strategy dialogue.
• Excellent leadership and supervisory skills with established track record managing teams.
• Ability to influence dialogue and policy and its use in other sectors without direct control or authority.
• Excellent prioritization and managerial skills.
• Demonstrated in-depth experience and track record of results and successfully working across educational practices, disciplinary and institutional boundaries.
• Excellent interpersonal and excellent communication skills.
• Good partnership experience, including involving multiple stakeholders – both public and private.
• Excellent writing and presentation skills yet with perfect critical and analytical skills.
• Strong sense of strategy, including ability to prioritize and exit some activities.
• Possess professional maturity, sensitivity with different cultures, and impeccable integrity that exemplify the Foundation’s values.
• You have a commitment to Mastercard Foundations values and vision.