Head: Workforce Development - 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 Workforce Development looking to increase your impact, read on!

THE OPPORTUNITY

Reporting to the Country Director, the Head of Workforce Development will shape and execute the workforce development strategy. This role is instrumental in driving capacity development and upskilling initiatives for the Education, Skills & TVET sector, and Youth-led grassroots solutions work streams, primarily focusing on enhancing transitions and employment opportunities within these fields.

You will ensure the development and implementation of partnerships, design, and execution plans within the Workforce Development unit and their alignment with the country roadmap as well as with enterprise-level priorities.

WAYS YOU CAN CONTRIBUTE

• Development of contextually relevant, innovative, and effective approaches to improve the quality and relevance of secondary/TVET and skilling/upskilling young people.
• Identifies opportunities to create impact through developing interventions in the education and skills sector in alignment with the country roadmap.
• Identifies collaboration opportunities within the existing partner network and potential new partnerships that are relevant to Ghana.
• Leads the integration of education and skills initiatives with other programs, including transitions, youth engagement and inclusion, and youth-led grassroots solutions, and ensures alignment with the vision articulated in the country roadmap.
• Drive the development and execution of a programmatic approach and framework to facilitate collaboration, strategic coherence, and alignment in areas of education, skilling, school-to-work transition, and preparation and placement of young people in work anchored on the country road map.
• Provide technical leadership to ensure the country program and partnerships address young people’s current and emerging needs, especially young women.
• Set up and utilize genuine and comfortable forums to drive engagement and solicit input from young people (networks/groups), especially young women.
• Support Country Programs colleagues during the co-creation of partnerships to ensure the youth’s lens is captured and addressed in the approach taken around Education/Skills, Access to Finance, and Digital enablement.
• Support implementing partners in building effective youth engagement and outreach mechanisms that keep young women and men as the focal point of their approach.
• Drive inclusion, ensuring that all entrepreneurship and transition programs and inputs consider the specific constraints of young people with different needs.
• Facilitates innovations and local solutions to engage young people, young women, and those with different needs and unlock opportunities in emerging economic sectors.
• Manages relationships with senior leaders of stakeholders such as educational institutions, mandated public offices, ministries, and youth-led organizations.
• Supports development of Workforce Development unit budget and Country program budget in line with policies and processes.
• Supports in preparation of communications related to the Workforce development unit towards internal and external contacts for approval in a timely manner.
• Cultivate and manage relationships with key partner institutions, peer funders, thematic advisors, directors, and Country Directors within the education workforce development space.
• Facilitate engagements with external thought leaders and forums to enhance the Foundation’s reputation as a thought leader in Ghana.
• You have people leadership experience in People management, performance appraisal, team capability development, and careers.

Who You Are

• A master’s degree in a relevant field, including education, management, economic development, or related social sciences, along with relevant professional qualifications and membership.
• A minimum of 12 years of experience driving strategy and program success across Ghana or African countries along with at least 5 years of leadership and management experience.
• Demonstrated expertise in education and skills development, workforce development, or related fields, with a deep understanding of Ghana’s education and skills landscape.
• Experience in public policy within nonprofit organizations, international NGOs, or educational institutions, effectively engaging with senior government officials, key partners, media, business leaders, and other influential individuals.
• Experience in educational technology assessment and evaluation, youth and adult learning and development, curriculum development, and teacher training strategy is advantageous.
• Excellent operational skills covering education policy and planning and the ability to lead complex policy and strategy dialogue.
• Excellent leadership and supervisory skills with an established track record managing teams, influencing dialogue and policy across sectors, and demonstrating strong prioritization and managerial abilities.
• Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills and a history of successful partnership development involving multiple public and private stakeholders.
• A strong strategic sense, including prioritizing and exiting activities when necessary.
• Demonstrated in-depth experience and a track record of results, successfully working across educational practices, disciplinary, and institutional boundaries.
• Excellent writing, presentation skills and critical and analytical abilities.
• You commit to Mastercard Foundation’s values and vision.