Program Partner, Agriculture and Agribusiness at Mastercard Foundation

THE OPPORTUNITY

The Program Partner will report directly to the Kenya Program Lead, Agriculture. The successful candidate will support Agriculture /Agri-business programming activities 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 and agri-finance programs to scale country-level inclusive education, financial and labour systems in Kenya
• 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 Kenya 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 Kenya and the counties.
• Strong management skills and knowledge of Agriculture/Agrifood systems in Kenya 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.
• Excellent presentation and listening skills.
• 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.
• Is willing to travel up to 40% of the time.
• Flexible, 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.
• You have a commitment to Mastercard Foundation’s values and vision.