Consultant, Access to Finance - WAEMU

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 Finance professional looking to increase your impact, read on!

THE OPPORTUNITY

Reporting to the Head, Access to Finance WEAMU, the Consultant will primarily engage partners for successful program design and implementation. S/he will work with the Foundation’s Program and support teams as well as with external partners to provide technical expertise in financial inclusion and entrepreneurship development for the development of programs and interventions. S/he will help partner build a shared understanding of key issues and opportunities to grow employment for young people and contribute to the Foundation’s learning agenda.

WAYS YOU CAN CONTRIBUTE

• Support program teams in developing new programs in alignment with the Young Africa Works strategy.
• Support program teams in the monitoring of access to the Finance program portfolio.
• Incorporate research-based insights in financial inclusion and entrepreneurship development into program design and ensure continuous learning by assessing the performance and impact of programs and projects.
• Facilitate co-design workshops with Program teams.
• Contribute new programming ideas and collaboration models in financial inclusion.
• Work closely with other team members at the foundation to ensure alignment with the broader mission and goals.

WHO YOU ARE

• Master’s degree or equivalent in Finance, Business and Development Economics and other relevant field.
• Minimum 7 Years experience working in West Africa, Africa for a global or regional organization in international development and/or commercial banking, microfinance, or private equity.
• Experience working on MSMEs support programs and knowledge of local, regional, social, economic, regulatory, business, and political contexts in West Africa.
• Experience working on financial initiatives targeting women and/or youth is a plus.
• Demonstrate experience in project design and management with a focus on enterprise development and MSME support.
• Strong understanding of MSME segments (from early stage to growth stages) in Africa and the systemic challenges constraining their growth.
• Understanding the role MSMEs can play in economic transformation and job creation.
• Excellent project management skills including multistakeholder projects.
• Excellent ability to work with numbers to understand project budgeting and work with Finance colleagues at the design, implementation, and monitoring stages.
• Excellent prioritization and time management skills
• Ability to both work independently and within a team environment
• Flexible, adaptable and able to execute a wide range of job duties taking into account changing priorities.
• Excellent verbal, written and presentation skills with the ability to articulate information to a variety of constituents across cultures.
• Professional maturity, sensitivity to different cultures and impeccable integrity that exemplifies the Foundation’s values.
• Commitment to the Foundation's values and vision

Deadline for Applications is April 03, 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/
Follow the Foundation on Twitter at @MastercardFdn

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