Partner, Agriculture

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 agriculture and looking to increase your impact, read on!  

THE OPPORTUNITY  

Reporting to the Lead, Agriculture, the Partner, Agriculture will be responsible for engaging with partners to successfully design and implement programs in line with the country roadmap. You will manage a portfolio of agriculture/Agrifood systems and agribusiness-related programs and partnerships in the country. The Program Partner will be expected to provide expertise to identify constraints that prevent agricultural systems from functioning effectively at the country level.

WAYS YOU CAN CONTRIBUTE 

• Provide support in developing and implementing programs, including co-creation with partners and conducting due diligence on potential projects.
• Manage agriculture programs by overseeing day-to-day activities, conducting field visits, reviewing project budgets, and analyzing progress and trends to distill lessons learned.
• Communicate progress and lessons learned from projects to colleagues and the broader Young Africa Works in-country partnership network.
• Work closely with team members in finance, impact, and other functions to ensure coherence, alignment, and integration across initiatives.
• Represent the Foundation and collaborate with key internal and external stakeholders.
• Identify and help overcome challenges and barriers to team effectiveness.
• Provide perspective and expertise on emerging issues and trends in the agricultural, Agrifood, Agrifinance, and agribusiness sectors.
• Provide support for building relationships with like-minded organizations, communities of practice, and stakeholders to forge coalitions and promote collaboration.

WHO YOU ARE 

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience in Agricultural Economics, Finance, Business, Development Studies, and/or Financial Inclusion.
• Five (5+) years of experience in agriculture/Agrifood systems/agribusiness, including project management or fieldwork in the country.
• Command of quantitative and qualitative business analytics.
• Strong understanding of agriculture’s role in economic growth, smallholder farmer livelihoods, and rural SMEs’ potential in economic transformation and job creation.
• Experience in various value chains (cash and food crops), small businesses/MSMEs, and supply chain/logistics within agriculture.
• Proven skills in supporting project managers and implementers to ensure effective program delivery.
• Strong budgeting skills with the ability to manage large portfolios of assets.
• Excellent project management skills, including monitoring, evaluation, and report writing for multi-stakeholder initiatives.
• Ability to communicate project progress and lessons learned effectively to colleagues and the broader development community.
• Flexible, adaptable, and able to execute a range of job duties and changing priorities.
• Professional maturity, cultural sensitivity, and integrity that align with the Foundation’s values.
• Commitment to Mastercard Foundation’s values and vision

Deadline for Applications is December 5, 2024.

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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