Lead, Programming Excellence

The Opportunity

• Reporting to the Head, Programming Excellence, the role will lead and coordinate programming excellence across programs.
• The role will be responsible for driving efficiencies, effectiveness, and quality assurance of overall end-to-end programming processes and partner experience.

Way You Can Contribute

• Lead Foundation-wide programming processes, standards and capacity building strategies  
• Coordinate with the various delivery platforms to support consistent quality in scaling of the Foundation’s programs to help generate dignified work for more young people.
• Oversee program management and implementation processes, policies, and guidelines (work in coordination/consultation with enabling functions to ensure enterprise cohesion)
• Manage the program implementation processes, policies, guidelines and standards ensuring quality, coherence and alignment of all program processes post final design and enhancement of IPIA to Programming for Impact
• Take ownership of guidelines, tools, processes, templates to ensure standardization in coordination and consultation with OE.
• Enhance & streamline programming processes, workflows, documents, tools and overall process turnaround time for positive partner experience
• Work with Program Finance to measure, monitor & track program processes for effectiveness and efficiencies
• Implement recommendations to enhance program processes
• Manage and govern revisions to all programmatic processes, policies, guidelines in coordination with core relevant cross functional departments.
• Monitor the implementation of program-wide processes, policies, guidelines and standards and d lead the development and implementation of changes to ensure continued coherence and alignment to the evolving programming needs.
• Identify and curate contents for the Program Academy to drive capability, effective onboard and learning within Programs Team
• Drive capability enhancement across Program teams through trainings, workshops & learning within the Program teams in coordination with P&C & Foundation Academy
• Work with P&C to embed program learning in programming processes

Who You Are

• University Degree, preferably in business administration or a related field is required; Master's Degree will be advantageous.
• Program Management experience
• Minimum of Ten (10) years of experience driving program delivery
• Two (2) years leadership and management experience in a multi-country environment in Africa, with a preference for private sector experience.
• Experience in partnership management, process design & program management within nonprofit organizations, international NGO’s and/or learning institutions is also helpful.

Competencies:

• Mastery of Microsoft Office suite (Word, PowerPoint, Excel).
• Strong coordination, project planning and program management skills.
• Advanced skills in process mapping and management
• Excellent organizational and prioritization skills; demonstrated attention to detail and ability to handle multiple tasks simultaneously.
• Exposure to strategic systems thinking with an ability to understand and engage with stakeholders in different ecosystems and design programming that addresses root causes and critical needs.
• Substantive knowledge of key issues and emerging trends and barriers in youth and work across Africa.
• Excellent English written and spoken communication skills, proofreading skills with a high attention to detail.
• Strategic and critical thinker with strong Programmatic experience
• Strategy and planning experience.
• Skilled at cross-functional coordination and collaboration.
• Process improvement implementation experience.
• Familiarity with Foundation processes and policies yet unafraid to innovate and redefine them.
• Strong partnership mindset and able to align stakeholders across different roles toward common goals.
• Skilled communicator and influencer, from executive through to technical levels and external constituencies, know how to navigate ambiguous environments and are comfortable at managing up and beyond hierarchy.
• Excellent multi-stakeholder management skills with senior Foundation colleagues and senior levels of external stakeholders.
• Fosters a positive spirit of collaboration in a complex, and rapidly evolving environment.
• Results drive/orientation, an eye for detail and pragmatic decision maker.
• Possess professional maturity, sensitivity with different cultures, and impeccable integrity that exemplify the Foundation’s values.
• Demonstrate a commitment to Mastercard Foundation’s values and vision.

Application Closing Date
31st July, 2026.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online

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