Careers at Busara Center

Purpose of the role

The TVET Thematic Expert brings extensive knowledge and expertise in Uganda’s TVET sector, as well as the ability to assess current approaches, outcomes, and gaps, and recommend actionable strategies to strengthen youth employment and enterprise development through TVET skilling and institutional capacity building. The expert will help Busara and Mastercard Foundation Uganda establish: 

• How trends in Uganda’s TVET sector are impacting youth employment opportunities where the strategy is active in Uganda.
• The extent to which the strategy, partnerships, and investments are positioned to respond to and capitalize on these trends.
• Opportunities, risks, and gaps in the strategy’s TVET positioning, and practical, prioritized recommendations to strengthen it.

Key Accountabilities/Responsibilities

• Conduct literature review on the TVET ecosystem and review relevant Young Africa Works Strategy documents, reports, and results data of Uganda’s implementing partners.
• Provide technical input to assessments and reviews related to TVET system indicators. 
• Map sector actors and current trends in Uganda’s TVET sector relevant to youth employment and upskilling, and benchmark against relevant associated strategies in East Africa.
• Conduct Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) and consultations with relevant stakeholders and ecosystem actors.
• Assess the extent to which current programs address critical TVET sector challenges: access to TVET institutions, the cost of institutional learning, the impact of technology on the sector, among others.
• Assess the TVET sector relevance and positioning of Young Africa Works Strategy in Uganda’s current partner portfolio and flagship interventions, including alignment with national TVET policy priorities.
• Identify barriers and opportunities for youth participation in the TVET sub-sectors, to strengthen skilling outcomes, including potential new partnerships, delivery models, priority sub-sectors, or areas of focus.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of TVET skilling, mentorship, and linkages to dignified and fulfilling work, and finances for the youth participants. 
• Produce a report with findings, recommendations, and a prioritization framework for dissemination to Busara and the Young Africa Works stakeholders.

Indicative Deliverables

• An inception report covering the methodology, work plan, and budget.
• Key Informant Interview (KII) discussion guides tailored to various stakeholders.
• Audio recordings and notes from Key Informant Interview (KII) discussions. 
• A draft narrative report including an executive summary, findings, learnings and recommendations, and a prioritized action matrix.
• A PowerPoint slide deck for presentation to the Foundation. 
• Hold a validation and dissemination session with the Foundation. 
• A final PowerPoint slide deck incorporating input from the validation and dissemination session.
• Participate in sensemaking sessions with the Foundation, Implementing Partners, and other relevant ecosystem actors, as required.
• A final narrative report incorporating input from the validation, dissemination, and sensemaking sessions. 

Required Qualifications

The expert should possess

• An advanced degree in TVET, Education, Vocational Training, or a related field.
• Minimum 8-10 years of experience in TVET program design, delivery, or evaluation in Uganda, ideally within youth employment or skilling programs serving refugee or host community populations.
• Demonstrated experience designing and conducting qualitative fieldwork (IDIs, FGDs, KIIs), including lifejourney/storytelling techniques, with TVET trainees, instructors, and institutions.
• Working knowledge of Uganda’s TVET/BTVET policy framework, competency-based training and assessment, and institutional accreditation processes.
• Familiarity with Uganda’s refugee response context (including major refugee-hosting districts) and labor market systems relevant to TVET graduates is strongly preferred.
• Strong facilitation skills in relevant Ugandan local languages, or demonstrated experience working effectively through local language facilitators and interpreters.
• Prior experience contributing to donor-funded evaluations or strategic reviews, ideally within mixed methods, Made in Africa evaluation-aligned designs, is an advantage.

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Purpose of the Role

The Agribusiness Expert brings agribusiness expertise in Uganda to assess current approaches, outcomes, and gaps, and recommend actionable strategies to strengthen youth employment and enterprise development across agricultural value chains. The expert will help Busara & Mastercard Foundation Uganda establish: 

• How trends in Uganda’s priority agricultural value chains (production, agro-processing, input supply, agri-logistics, and agri-trade) are impacting youth employment opportunities where YAW Uganda is active.
• The extent to which the current YAW Uganda strategy, partnerships, and investments are positioned to respond to and capitalize on these trends.
• Opportunities, risks, and gaps in the strategy’s agribusiness positioning, and practical, prioritized recommendations to strengthen it.

Key Accountabilities/Responsibilities

• Review relevant YAW strategy documents, reports, and results data of the Uganda Agribusiness implementing partner (Heifer International), and the wider Mastercard Foundation Africa strategy.
• Conduct key informant interviews (KIIs), Focus Group Discussions (FGDs), In-Depth Interviews (IDIs) and consultations with Mastercard Foundation staff, program youth participants, implementing partners, agribusiness and agro-processing firms, farmer organizations, financial-sector actors, government counterparts (e.g., Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industries and Fisheries [MAAIF]; National Agricultural Research Organization [NARO] and others).
• Map current trends in Uganda’s priority agricultural value chains relevant to youth employment, including on-farm production, agro-processing, input supply, agri-logistics, agri-trade, and access to agricultural finance; and benchmark against relevant agribusiness and youth employment strategies in East Africa.
• Assess the extent to which current programs address critical agribusiness challenges: access to land, inputs, finance, technology, markets, and climate-smart practices. 
• Assess the agribusiness relevance and positioning of YAW Uganda’s current partner portfolio and flagship interventions, including alignment with national agricultural policy priorities.
• Identify barriers and opportunities for youth participation in high-growth agricultural sub-sectors (e.g., horticulture, dairy, coffee, poultry, aquaculture, agro-processing), to strengthen agribusiness outcomes, including potential new partnerships, delivery models, priority value chains, or areas of focus.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of agribusiness training, mentorship, and linkages to finance and markets. 
• Produce a strategic review report with findings (including an agribusiness analysis chapter), recommendations, and a prioritization framework for dissemination to Busara and Mastercard Foundation/YAW stakeholders.

Indicative Deliverables

• Inception report with methodology and work plan.
• Technical input to the Strategic Review Questions relating to Agribusiness indicators. 
• Desk review synthesis input on Agribusiness models relevant to the Implementing Partner’s sector and geography. 
• Administering Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) and In-depth Interviews (IDIs) with Implementing Partner leadership, agribusiness officers, and relevant ecosystem actors (sector regulators and associations). 
• Technical analysis notes on agribusiness outcomes and linkage to finance and markets. 
• Interim findings presentation to Foundation team.
• Final report (max 40 pages, excluding annexes) including executive summary, agribusiness analysis chapter, recommendations, and a prioritized action matrix.
• Drafted sections of the final Strategic Review report covering agribusiness outcomes, systems contribution, and related recommendations. 
• Participation in sensemaking and validation sessions with the Mastercard Foundation and the relevant Implementing Partner, as required.

Required Qualifications

The expert should possess

• An advanced degree in agribusiness, agricultural economics, rural development, or a related field.
• Minimum of 8-10 years’ demonstrated experience in agribusiness strategy, value chain development, or agricultural programming in Uganda. 
• Strong understanding of Uganda’s agricultural and agribusiness landscape, including policy environment, relevant policies and regulatory bodies (e.g., MAAIF, NARO), priority value chains, agro-processing, agricultural finance, market dynamics, and youth engagement. 
• Proven track record conducting strategic reviews, evaluations, or advisory assignments for donor-funded or foundation-funded agricultural or agribusiness programs.
• Familiarity with youth employment and financial inclusion in agriculture preferred; familiarity with the Mastercard Foundation’s Young Africa Works strategy and youth employment programming is an added advantage.
• Excellent analytical, facilitation, report-writing, and stakeholder engagement skills, with the ability to synthesize complex information for both technical and donor/board audiences.

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Who We’re Looking For

• We are looking for a leader who has successfully operated at scale and can lead across strategy, business development, delivery, people, and organizational development.
• You will be someone who is comfortable building where there is ambiguity, creating systems without creating unnecessary bureaucracy, and bringing different teams and portfolios together around a shared mission. You will combine strong commercial and operational judgment with intellectual curiosity, a deep understanding of behavioral science, and the ability to build trusted relationships with senior stakeholders.
• Most importantly, we are looking for someone who can help Busara move from strong individual practices and portfolios toward an increasingly integrated, scalable, and sustainable organization.

Key Accountabilities/Responsibilities

• The Vice President, Research, Advisory & Practice will provide enterprise-level leadership across Busara’s practice areas, with responsibility for translating strategy into sustainable growth, high-quality delivery, strong partnerships, and organizational capability. The role will work across practices, geographies, and functions to ensure that Busara operates as an integrated organization and continues to deliver meaningful impact at scale.  The key areas of responsibility include and not limited to:

Strategy and Practice Leadership

• Define and lead Busara’s overall research, advisory & practice strategy across sectors and regions in alignment with Busara’s overall organizational strategy
• Ensure coherence and integration across practices, geographies, and portfolios 
• Identify and develop new practice areas, service lines, and strategic opportunities in development and adjacent sectors.
• Translate research, delivery experience, and learning into scalable tools, frameworks, and approaches to strengthen institutional adoption
• Design and model the norms that ensure different portfolios operate as a unit towards a singular mission
• Ensure the overall sustainability of every practice area, measured against revenue, margin, utilization, share of practice partnerships and overall contribution to Busara's mission.

Commercial Leadership and Partnerships

• Own revenue growth, margin performance, utilization, and renewal targets across practice areas
• Oversee the full business development lifecycle, including pipeline management, forecasting, and conversion
• Lead or support the development of major proposals, partnerships, and contracts
• Build and maintain senior relationships with funders, governments, multilaterals, and implementing partners
• Strengthen commercial discipline, including pricing, opportunity selection, and portfolio balance
• Coach and support senior leaders in business development and account management
• Allocate resources strategically across practices.

Delivery Excellence and Impact

• Hold overall accountability for the quality, rigor, and impact of program delivery
• Strengthen and enforce quality assurance systems across all projects and portfolios
• Improve delivery reliability, including timelines, staffing models, and execution consistency
• Monitor portfolio performance and address delivery risks proactively
• Strengthen implementation capability across teams and geographies
• Build and maintain knowledge management systems to support learning and reuse
• Drive continuous improvement based on performance data and feedback

Leadership and Organizational Development

• Lead, coach, and develop senior leaders across practices and portfolios
• Build a strong leadership pipeline and succession plans for critical roles
• Clarify roles, decision-making structures, and accountability across teams
• Strengthen management capability, including performance management and delegation
• Partner with the People function on recruitment, retention, and talent development
• Partner with Director Voice on designing and co-creating impact strategies that are rooted in practice area relationships but can be supported with voice outputs
• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous learning

Experience

• 12–15+ years of experience in global development, consulting, research, or advisory environments with at least 5 years at the senior executive level
• Proven track record of leading strategy, business development, and delivery at scale
• Experience managing complex, multi-country portfolios or programs
• Demonstrated success in building partnerships with funders, governments, or multilaterals
• Experience leading and developing senior teams
• Deep familiarity with applied behavioral science, psychology, economics, or a related discipline.
• Experience working across Africa and South Asia strongly preferred; lived or worked 

Skills and Capabilities

• Strategic thinking with operational discipline – able to hold the long arc and the near-term simultaneously.
• Deep commercial acumen, including revenue growth, margins, and pipeline management
• Entrepreneurial builder  – comfortable creating structure where none exists, and evolving it as the organization grows.
• People leadership – a coach and talent developer who builds diverse, high-trust teams.
• Behavioral science fluency –  able to translate rigorous methods into practical, client-facing solutions.
• External presence – credible, warm, and articulate in front of the most senior stakeholders.
• Cross-functional influence  – able to lead with authority across People, Finance, Comms, and Project Operations.
• Future-oriented: able to engage with new technologies and support implementation of our AI strategy.

What Success Looks Like

• Sustained revenue growth and improved financial performance across practice areas.
• High-quality, consistent delivery across practice areas, portfolios and geographies.
• Strong pipeline and conversion of strategic opportunities.
• Clear and scalable practice areas with increased reuse of tools and approaches.
• Strengthened leadership bench and organizational capability.
• Enhanced reputation and influence of Busara in the global majority development ecosystem.

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Purpose of the Role

• The Gender, Inclusion and Safeguarding Expert brings expertise in gender-responsive evaluation, inclusive programming for structurally excluded groups, and safeguarding practice. Across assigned Strategic Reviews, the expert leads disaggregated analysis across gender, refugee status, and disability status; oversees qualitative data collection with these populations; ensures safeguarding standards are upheld throughout fieldwork; and ensures inclusion perspectives are reflected across all review deliverables.

Key Accountabilities/Responsibilities

• Lead disaggregated analysis of quantitative and qualitative findings across gender, refugee status, and disability status for each assigned review, examining how outcomes in reach, access, progression, and quality of life differ across these inclusion population groups.
• Oversee the design and quality of qualitative instruments (IDI, FGD, and KII guides) to ensure they are gender-responsive, trauma-informed, and appropriate for engagement with refugees, young women, and persons with disabilities, adapted to the specific population and geography of each assignment.
• Directly oversee Key Informant Interviews (KIIs), In-Depth Interviews (IDIs), and Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) with refugee youth, young women, and other structurally excluded groups, with FGDs conducted single-sex to support open and honest sharing, in locations and languages appropriate to each assignment.
• Ensure all fieldwork involving refugees, PWDs, and young women applies appropriate adaptations to interview environment, pace, and logistics, consistent with safeguarding commitments and POA inclusion and equity principles.
• Serve as the review team’s primary safeguarding focal point during fieldwork for each assignment: ensuring informed consent procedures are properly followed, identifying and managing any safeguarding risks or disclosures that arise during data collection, and ensuring a clear referral pathway is in place and communicated to field teams before data collection begins.
• Examine the extent to which gender, safeguarding, disability inclusion, and refugee protection were integrated into the Implementing Partner’s program design and delivery, and how this influenced inclusion outcomes (POA Question Area 1).
• Lead analysis of system-level changes supporting greater inclusion of young women and marginalized groups, and of unintended positive or negative effects on these groups (POA Question Areas 3 and 4).
• Train or brief Research Coordinators, Senior Field Officers and Field Officers on gender-responsive and safeguarding-sensitive data collection practices ahead of fieldwork for each assignment.
• Co-author the gender, inclusion, and safeguarding sections of each Strategic Review's final report, ensuring inclusion perspectives are integrated throughout, not confined to a standalone section, and contribute to recommendations for strengthening inclusive design in future programming.

Indicative Deliverables

• Inception report with methodology and work plan.
• Technical input to the Strategic Review instruments relating to gender, inclusion, and safeguarding indicators and disaggregation strategy.
• Desk review synthesis input on gender, inclusion and safeguarding relevant to the Implementing Partner’s sector and geography. 
• Administering Key Informant Interviews (KIIs), In-depth Interviews (IDIs) and Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) with documented adaptations for refugee, PWD, and young women respondents relevant to the assignment.
• A short safeguarding briefing note and referral pathway for field teams, finalised before data collection begins.
• Oversight of qualitative fieldwork as scheduled for the assignment, with field notes or summaries as agreed with the review’s lead.
• Disaggregated analysis note covering gender, refugee status, and disability status across POA outcome areas.
• Interim findings presentation to the Foundation team.
• Final report (max 40 pages, excluding annexes) including executive summary, digital economy analysis chapter, recommendations, and a prioritized action matrix.
• Drafted sections of the final Strategic Review report covering gender, inclusion, safeguarding integration, and related recommendations.
• Participation in sensemaking and validation sessions with the Mastercard Foundation and the relevant Implementing Partner, as required.

Required Qualifications

The expert should possess

• Advanced degree in gender studies, social sciences, development studies, or a related field.
• Minimum 8-10 years of experience in gender-responsive evaluation, inclusive programming, or safeguarding in development or humanitarian contexts in Uganda, ideally including direct work with refugee or displaced populations and persons with disabilities.
• Demonstrated experience designing and conducting qualitative fieldwork (IDIs, FGDs, KIIs) with structurally excluded groups, including trauma-informed and culturally appropriate facilitation techniques.
• Working knowledge of safeguarding frameworks and referral pathways appropriate to the Uganda context, including experience handling sensitive disclosures during fieldwork.
• Familiarity with Uganda’s refugee response context (including major refugee settlement areas) and with national gender and disability inclusion policy is strongly preferred.
• Strong facilitation skills in relevant Ugandan local languages, or demonstrated experience working effectively through local-language facilitators and interpreters.
• Prior experience contributing to donor-funded evaluations or strategic reviews, ideally within mixed-methods designs, is an advantage.

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Purpose of the Role

• The Financial Inclusion and MSME Expert brings specialist expertise in financial sector development, MSME finance, and inclusive finance mechanisms (including credit guarantees, digital financial services, and value chain finance) relevant to Uganda and the East Africa region. Across assigned Strategic Reviews, the expert leads the analysis of financial inclusion outcomes, assesses contribution to system- and ecosystem-level change in the financial sector, and contributes substantively to final review reports.

Key Accountabilities/Responsibilities

• Lead the technical analysis of financial inclusion and MSME outcomes for each assigned review, including access to finance, uptake and use of credit, loan repayment performance, savings behavior, and growth in business assets and practices.
• Assess how financing mechanisms used by the implementing Partner under review (e.g. credit guarantees, blended finance, tailored credit products) have influenced lending behavior toward youth, women, refugees, and MSMEs, and whether financial institutions have become more confident serving these groups over time.
• Examine enterprise progression along the growth spectrum (micro to small to medium), including which combinations of interventions generate the strongest results for enterprise growth and job creation.
• Lead the systems and ecosystem contribution analysis under POA Question Area 4 as it relates to financial inclusion, assessing evidence that partner actions and Foundation investment are strengthening financial institutions, value chains, and the broader enabling environment for inclusive finance in Uganda.
• Contribute to each review’s desk review by assessing the Implementing Partner's financial inclusion approach against comparable and alternative inclusive finance models operating in Uganda and the East Africa region.
• Support the development and review of qualitative Inquiry content and analytical frameworks relating to financial capability, financial behavior, and enterprise outcomes.
• Lead Key Informant Interviews with Implementing Partner leadership, technical teams, and ecosystem actors (financial regulators, sector associations) relevant to financial inclusion.
• Co-author the financial inclusion, MSME outcomes, and systems contribution sections of each Strategic Review's final report, and contribute to actionable recommendations for future access-to-finance programming.

Indicative Deliverables

• Inception report with methodology and work plan.
• Technical input to the Strategic Review Questions relating to financial inclusion and MSME indicators. 
• Desk review synthesis input on financial inclusion and comparative inclusive finance models relevant to the Implementing Partner’s sector and geography. 
• Administering Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) and In-depth Interviews (IDIs) with Implementing Partner leadership, credit or finance officers, and relevant ecosystem actors (financial regulators, sector associations). 
• Technical analysis notes on financial inclusion outcomes, financing mechanism effects, and enterprise progression. 
• Interim findings presentation to the Foundation team.
• Final report (max 40 pages, excluding annexes) including executive summary, digital economy analysis chapter, recommendations, and a prioritized action matrix.
• Drafted sections of the final Strategic Review report covering financial inclusion outcomes, systems contribution, and related recommendations. 
• Participation in sensemaking and validation sessions with the Mastercard Foundation and the relevant Implementing Partner, as required.

Required Qualifications

The expert should possess

• Advanced degree in economics, finance, development studies, or a related field.
• Minimum 8-10 years of experience in financial sector development, MSME finance, or inclusive finance programming in Uganda or East Africa, including experience with at least one of: digital financial services or value chain finance.
• Demonstrated experience analyzing financial inclusion outcomes for underserved populations, including youth, women, refugees, and PWDs, within the Uganda or East African context.
• Prior experience contributing to or leading evaluations, strategic reviews, or assessments for development programs, ideally within mixed-methods (quantitative and qualitative) designs.
• Strong analytical and report-writing skills, with the ability to translate technical financial data into actionable findings for non-specialist audiences including donors and implementing partners.
• Familiarity with Uganda’s financial inclusion policy landscape (e.g. National Financial Inclusion Strategy II) and with regional financial sector regulators is an advantage.
• Availability for flexible, short-term deployment across multiple assignments within the Uganda portfolio over the engagement period.

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Purpose of the Role

• To conduct a strategic review of the YAW strategy programs, bringing expertise from the digital economy perspective in Uganda, with specific focus on digital economy dimensions of the YAW strategy, portfolio, and results; assess current integration, identify gaps, and recommend actionable pathways to strengthen digital inclusion, skills, and employment outcomes for young people.

The expert will support Busara and Mastercard Foundation Uganda to establish: 

• How digital trends (digital skilling, digital jobs and gig work, e-commerce, digital financial services, and platformisation of work) are affecting the sectors and value chains where YAW Uganda is active.
• The extent to which current YAW Uganda strategy, partnerships, and investments are positioned to respond to, and capitalize on, these trends.
• Opportunities, risks, and gaps in the initiative’s digital economy positioning, and practical, prioritized recommendations to strengthen it.

Key Accountabilities/Responsibilities

• Review relevant YAW strategy program documents, reports, and results data related to Digital Economy implementing partners in Uganda (10X & FSDU), and the wider Mastercard Foundation Africa strategy.
• Conduct key informant interviews (KIIs), Focus Group Discussions (FGDs), In-Depth Interviews (IDIs), and consultations with Foundation staff, YAW strategy implementing partners, program youth participants, and government and private-sector digital economy stakeholders (e.g., fintech, e-commerce, gig platforms, government agencies).
• Map the current trends in Uganda’s digital economy relevant to youth employment, such as digital skills development, online and platform-based work, e-commerce, and digital financial inclusion; and benchmark against relevant digital economy strategies in East Africa.
• Assess the extent to which current programs prepare youth for digital employment, entrepreneurship, and financial inclusion.
• Assess the relevance and positioning of YAW Uganda’s current partner portfolio and flagship interventions within the digital economy.
• Identify strategic opportunities for YAW Uganda to enhance digital economy outcomes, such as establishing new partnerships, innovative delivery models, or targeted focus areas. 
• Identify barriers like infrastructure issues, skills gaps, or policy shortcomings, and explore ways to deepen integration into the digital economy.
• Produce a strategic review report with findings (including a digital economy analysis chapter), recommendations, and a prioritization framework for dissemination to Busara & Mastercard Foundation/YAW stakeholders.

Indicative Deliverables

• Inception report with methodology and work plan.
• Technical input to the Strategic Review Questions relating to Digital Economy indicators. 
• Desk review synthesis input on digital economy models relevant to the Implementing Partner’s sector and geography. 
• Administering Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) and In-depth Interviews (IDIs) with Implementing Partner leadership, digital economy officers, and relevant ecosystem actors (digital economy regulators, sector associations). 
• Technical analysis notes on digital economy, financing mechanism effects, and enterprise progression. 
• Interim findings presentation to Foundation team.
• Final report (max 40 pages, excluding annexes) including executive summary, digital economy analysis chapter, recommendations, and a prioritized action matrix.
• Drafted sections of the final Strategic Review report covering digital economy outcomes, systems contribution, and related recommendations. 
• Participation in sensemaking and validation sessions with the Mastercard Foundation and the relevant Implementing Partner, as required.

Required Qualifications

The expert should possess

• A minimum of a Master’s degree in a relevant field such as Economics, Development Studies, Digital Development or Innovation, Information Systems, ICT Policy, or a related field.
• Minimum of 8-10 years’ experience working in digital economy strategy, digital inclusion, or technology-for-development, with a deep understanding of Uganda or the East African digital landscape.
• Proven track record conducting strategic reviews, evaluations, or advisory assignments for large-scale development programs.
• Strong understanding of Uganda’s digital economy landscape, including digital financial services, e-commerce, gig/platform work, and relevant policy and regulatory bodies.
• Excellent analytical, writing, and facilitation/stakeholder engagement skills, with the ability to synthesize complex information for both technical and donor/board audiences.
• Familiarity with youth employment and financial inclusion programming preferred; familiarity with the Mastercard Foundation’s Young Africa Works is an added advantage.