Head, Workforce Development

WAYS YOU CAN CONTRIBUTE 

• 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 country-specific circumstances.
• 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 & processes.
• Supports in preparing communications related to the Workforce development unit towards internal & external contacts for approval promptly.
• Determines internal and external meetings involving the Country program’s partners in relation to Workforce development.
• Coaches and mentors, the team within the Workforce Development unit and beyond
• Leads the team to deliver results aligned with Foundation goals and KPIs.
• 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 WAEMU.
• Serve as a focal point for the Foundation in local Workforce Development platforms that can scale and accelerate Mastercard Foundation programs.
• Recruit and build a cohesive workforce development team in WAEMU and grow our people.
• Interact with counterparts from other program teams to ensure strategic alignment and inform the Country Director about workforce development projects.

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 in a relevant professional body.
• A minimum of 12 years of experience driving strategy and program success across WAEMU or African countries.
• At least five years of leadership and management experience, with a minimum of 3 years in a multi-country African environment.
• Demonstrated expertise in education and skills development, workforce development, or related fields, with a deep understanding of WAEMU's education and skills landscape.
• Proven track record of working with and mentoring successful workforce development endeavours.
• 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 and presentation skills and critical and analytical abilities.
• You have a commitment to Mastercard Foundation’s values and vision.