Head, Gender & Inclusion

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.

THE WORK AT THE FOUNDATION

We are currently in an exciting period at the Mastercard Foundation as we intensify the implementation of the Young Africa Works strategy, aiming to empower 30 million young people throughout Africa to access dignified and fulfilling employment.

To ensure the Foundation's accessibility to our partners and program participants, we have established offices in Rwanda, Kenya, Ghana, Senegal, Ethiopia, Nigeria, and Uganda. These offices provide strong in-country support for the implementation of Young Africa Works. We collaborate with governments, the private sector, educators, and other funders to enhance the quality of education and vocational training, equip young individuals with the necessary skills for the workforce, expand access to financial services for entrepreneurs and small businesses, and facilitate connections between job seekers and meaningful employment opportunities.

Our values serve as our guiding principles, transcending and surpassing all other considerations. We wholeheartedly encourage you to bring your bold ideas, curiosity, and expertise to your work.

If you are an experienced professional in gender and inclusion looking to increase your impact, read on!

THE OPPORTUNITY

Reporting to the Country Director, Rwanda, the Head, Gender and Inclusion will oversee the implementation and mainstreaming of the Mastercard Foundation’s strategies for gender, disability inclusion, and the inclusion of Refugees and Displaced Persons (RDPs) in Rwanda. The role ensures programs are designed to accelerate young women, persons with disabilities and Refugees and Displace Persons ability to be in work, while addressing barriers to access; and adhere to guarding standards.  

WAYS YOU CAN CONTRIBUTE 

• Provide gender expertise in programs to innovatively enhance young women’s access to entrepreneurship/workforce development, shape diagnostics, strategic priorities / outcomes, and develop impactful interventions.
• Work closely with Foundation Gender, Disability and Inclusion and Refugees and Displaced persons teams to Develop and implement policies, guidelines, and tools to support staff in integrating inclusive practices, gender-sensitive approaches and safeguarding measures to accelerate young people especially young women in work.
• Lead gender mainstreaming, inclusion, and safeguarding needs assessments. Design and implement detailed support plans for staff and partners at the country level, including training, resource development, and identifying support networks.
• Ensure resources and budgeting are adequately included in programs to implement proposed approach for young women as well as persons with disabilities and RDP.
• Lead training, coaching, and support to program teams, partners, and stakeholders on best practices related to designing and implementing impactful programs for young women, persons with disabilities, refugees and displaced persons and safeguarding.
• Establish monitoring frameworks and evaluation mechanisms to assess the impact of inclusion, gender with specific focus on young women, and safeguarding efforts on program outcomes and beneficiary experiences working closely with impact, monitoring and evaluation teams.
• Represent the organization externally on issues related to inclusion, gender especially relating to young women, , and safeguarding. Build strategic partnerships with organizations and networks working in these areas.
• Work with internal Knowledge Management team to identify, document, and mobilize young women-related insight and learning from the Foundation’s current and future portfolio of work.
• Identify risks related to inclusion, gender, and safeguarding within programs and develop risk mitigation strategies.
• Ensure compliance with relevant policies, legal requirements, and donor expectations regarding inclusion, gender, and safeguarding. Prepare regular reports on progress and challenges for internal and external stakeholders.
• Identify and promote good practices in gender mainstreaming, disability inclusion, RDP inclusion, and safeguarding. Provide ongoing guidance and technical assistance to the Rwanda Program Team and partners on incorporating these practices into their programs.
• Lead the development and execution of the Rwanda Gender Action Plan, Inclusion, and Safeguarding work plans. Coordinate the efforts of all internal and external stakeholders to ensure seamless implementation.
• Implement quality assurance processes to monitor goals and targets related to gender, youth engagement, and inclusion. Conduct program check-ins, capture data, and derive insights to inform continuous program improvement.
• Support the integration of insights and data into program design and implementation to ensure informed decision-making.
• Lead and manage a team working to accelerate young women as well as persons with, disability, and RDP to work. Ensure team members are supported and held accountable for their performance and growth.
• Provide regular feedback, mentorship, and professional development opportunities for team members. Foster a collaborative and high-performing team environment that aligns with the Foundation’s goals and values.
• Lead relevant communities of practice and working groups involving Foundation team members, partners, and key stakeholders to drive collaboration and strategic alignment.
• Initiate and maintain relationships with relevant organizations, including government institutions, focused on women and youth empowerment, refugees, and young people with disabilities, both within the country and globally, particularly those aligned with the Foundation’s programmatic themes.

WHO YOU ARE

• A degree in Business Administration, social sciences, gender studies, international development, or a related field; a master’s degree is preferred.
• Minimum of 10+ years of experience in program development and management roles focusing on women’s economic empowerment / access to work. Strong understanding of youth, disabilities and RDP dimensions, youth engagement, and safeguarding.
• Experience designing and implementing capacity-building initiatives with Human Centered Design expertise is essential, as well as solid experience in both Entrepreneurship development and private sectors and a proven track record of integrating women/young womenand inclusion outcomes in programs and operations as an added advantage.
• Previous experience working with refugees, displaced persons, or people with disabilities is an added advantage.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with a deep understanding of diversity, equity, and inclusion principles.
• Strong experience leading and managing programs focused on Women’s economic empowerment with a focus on youth, community mobilization, people with disabilities, and refugees.
• Strong coordination skills and experience managing consultants, vendors, and suppliers.
• Ability to provide strategic direction and integrate inclusion, gender equality, youth engagement, and safeguarding principles into programmatic activities. Excellent project strategy creation and alignment.
• Proven experience in managing and motivating teams, as well as working in cross-functional settings.
• Ability to analyze data and insights to inform decision-making and program improvements.
• Strong networking and partnership-building skills to collaborate effectively with diverse stakeholders, including experience in stakeholder management, partnership development, and financial management expertise.
• Commitment to upholding ethical standards and promoting a safe and inclusive environment for all stakeholders.
• Integrated thinker and team leader with a high degree of emotional intelligence.
• Proactive, results-driven, and motivated by a high sense of performance excellence.
• Excellent verbal, written, and presentation skills with the ability to articulate information to various constituents across cultures.
• Fluency in English is required, Kinyarwanda and French a plus.
• Demonstrates professional maturity, cultural sensitivity, and integrity, aligning with the Mastercard Foundation's values and vision.

Deadline for Applications is March 21, 2025.

Mastercard Foundation (the “Foundation”) values and respects your privacy. By submitting an application for this opportunity, you hereby agree to the Foundation’s collection, use and disclosure of your personal information in accordance with its Privacy Policy (available at https://mastercardfdn.org/privacy/). Please note that the Foundation may share your personal information with third-party agencies that support the Foundation’s recruitment activities, and such third-party agencies may contact you directly regarding this opportunity. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the Foundation’s Privacy Officer at the address indicated in its Privacy Policy.

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/
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