Impact Lead at Mastercard Foundation

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.

THE OPPORTUNITY

The Program Lead, Impact will report to the Regional Head Impact. The job holder is responsible for leading the Impact function in-country, supporting the Country Head in formulating strategic outcomes at Country level. The role leads the development of the Country Impact Measurement Framework and its implementation. The Impact Lead works closely with mandated institutions at the national level responsible for the maintenance of national data bases for measuring results and impact, including national statistical agencies, sector-based data agencies such as labour statistics, agricultural data collection and reporting agencies and national development planning, monitoring and evaluation agencies.  In collaboration with the enterprise-wide Evidence and Insights Unit, the Country Impact Lead develops the plan for Country Impact Review/Assessments and evaluation plans, outcome monitoring and the evaluation of the impact of the Foundation’s strategic initiatives for the Country. The incumbent provides leadership and people management to the Impact team in the Country.

WAYS YOU CAN CONTRIBUTE

Business Partner to Country Head

• Partners with the Country Head in formulating strategic outcomes at Country level.
• Defines Country measurable and evaluable outcomes and associated tools.
• Leads Impact processes that inform country strategy and program development.
• Leads the alignment of Country program impact with mandated national institutions and systems for measuring impact.
• Directs and coordinates the work of the Impact team in-country, aligned to the Program staff.

Impact data capture and reporting

• Provide support on the development and implementation of strategies, tools and events that strengthen dialogue with key government and private sector stakeholders – referred to as Mandated Institutions. These include (but not limited to) policy briefs that highlight the impact of the Foundation’s Country/Program strategy and programs on National Strategies as they relate to priority sectors/interventions for youth employment and empowerment, as well as support to external thought leadership events.
• Lead knowledge translation activities, working in partnership with the Foundation’s communications team to map audiences and develop engagement strategies that seek to promote value-addition by the Foundation in the field of Measurement and Impact narratives.

Measurement Framework Operationalization

• Provide support on the Program Planning and Implementation units to (a) analyze root-causes and blockages to the creation of opportunities for dignified and fulfilling work for young women and men (b) support the Country Head/Program teams to refine intentional goals and strategies to accelerate the opening up of these opportunities (c) help translate and refine these intentional goals into Measurable Outcomes that will lead to Impacts at scale and aligned to National strategies for creating work opportunities for young women and men (d) support the development of methods, tools and techniques for measuring the Outcomes and corresponding Impact narratives.
• Lead the development and implementation of a holistic, culturally relevant and spiritually rooted methodologies and instruments for assessments, measurement and research activities that enables the understanding of what impact means, and how these can be measured and narrated with youth-focused lenses.
• Oversee external Impact Partner Organizations (IPOs) who will be engaged to support impact monitoring and verification activities that contribute to Impact Assessments at the program levels.
• Ensure alignment with the Foundation’s strategic objectives, cross-cutting priorities, and policies, procedures, especially gender-equity and social inclusion considerations.
• Play a leading role in the commissioning and management of quarterly impact monitoring studies/data and evidence, and their collation into annual Impact Reviews to inform Country Program adaptive management processes.
• Contribute a strong evaluation and impact assessment perspective to impact measurement and the generation of impact insights and narratives that resonate with local/indigenous cultures and ways of knowing.

Facilitation

• Contribute insights to the Foundation’s thought leadership on digital skills development in Africa by writing blogs, attending and presenting at conferences and identifying other opportunities to share and deepen learning.
• Provide assistance in expanding the Foundation team’s capacity relating to digital skills development and digital policy, by sharing learning and supporting country teams.

Focus on Youth

• Provide support in the identification of talented young women and men in various disciplines of the countries covered that have interest and potential capacity for community-based research, story-telling and the ability to assess impacts in a participatory manner.
• Provide support on the engagement of young women and men in serving as “Youth Impact Associates” who may be trained and supported to engage communities in the assessment of impacts.
• Design and help deliver training modules that build the capacity of young women and men to engage with Foundation partners and community youth in such assessments.
• Engagement with and solicit the support of elders in gathering information and insights that will shed light on identity, spirituality, and sanctity of the indigenous communities as they translate their wisdom in the context of impact.

Leadership & People Management

• Provides leadership & people management to the in-Country leadership team.
• Attract and build a talented team/network of impact measurement specialists and evaluators to deepen reflections on new and emerging thinking on impact assessment.
• Develop tools and approaches for application to the requirements of the Young Africa Works Strategies. This includes bringing on board talented the next generation of innovative African evaluators and supporting their successful integration into country teams as well as effective succession planning.
• Drive employee engagement for the Country, develop and follow up on engagement plans, collaborating with integrated and embedded regional teams.
• Lead performance management to ensure delivery of goals.
• Establish and review effective and efficient ways of working between teams, in particular between Country Programs and Impact. Develop and implement processes and oversee effective implementation.

 WHO YOU ARE

• Post-graduate degree and/or equivalent experience and training. A knowledge of research methods, and in particular research approaches and skills related to gathering data and insights among indigenous communities, youth and other vulnerable groups, using appropriate cultural lenses and perspectives.
• Ten (10) plus years' experience working with the private and non-profit sectors, particularly in a role relating to National and Regional institutions in the relevant region, as well state and non-state actors in the field of Evaluation, Reviews and Impact.
• Strong public policy experience, especially working with national institutions mandated to undertake planning, policy formulation and implementation.
• Working experience in research, evaluation and learning, with demonstrated technical expertise in qualitative research methods, tool design, validation and data analysis.
• Experience at senior leadership and management, preferably leading a country.
• Experience establishing institutions for accountability and learning.
• Experience living and/or working in a local country/community.
• Experience navigating research protocols, review processes and management of big data with government and academic institutions.
• Strong familiarity and experience leading the development of M&E policies, nationally; and supporting the implementation of same in national contexts, including experience in building the capacity of both state and non-state actors to function efficiently in the evaluation sector.
• Experience applying a range of tech-enabled tools for data collection, analysis, reporting, and communication.
• Experience in participatory approaches and demonstrated commitment to gender inclusion and youth engagement.
• Deep familiarity with national and regional mandated institutions responsible for collecting, collating, and analyzing data for the purpose of measuring and reporting on outcomes and impacts. Deep knowledge of local research and evaluation methods.
• Strong language, cultural and identity/affiliation with national people.
• Membership in national networks and authorities as applicable.
• Skills and competency to develop Measurable Outcomes and Impacts, as well as methods and tools for measuring same within national mandated institutions.
• Understanding of systems thinking and strong ability to develop and test theories of change and associated practice tools as they may be relevant and appropriate for indigenous communities.
• A dynamic thinker, you bring effective experience in stakeholder engagement and policy influencing. This can include experience working in community-based organizations, governance and related councils/commissions, regional and national government and the private sector.
• High tolerance for ambiguity and change, and ability to adapt to changing priorities within a fast-paced work environment with a “roll up the sleeves” attitude.
• Strong problem-solving skills combined with a track record of pivoting in response to opportunities and challenges.