EdTech Ecosystem Partner for West Africa

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 have entered a very exciting time at the Foundation as we scale up our operations across Africa to realize our Young Africa Works strategy. Our role at the Mastercard Foundation is to be a catalyst. Our Young Africa Works strategy focuses on working with others to spur systemic change so young people have the opportunity to find work that is dignified and fulfilling.

The Foundation has opened offices in Rwanda, Kenya, Ghana, Senegal, Ethiopia, Nigeria and Uganda, building a broader leadership presence in Africa to develop specific strategies that support youth employment.  Within a country, we work with governments, the private sector, educators and other funders to improve the quality of education and vocational training, prepare young people for the work force, expand access to financial services for entrepreneurs and small businesses, and connect job seekers to dignified and fulfilling work.

We are ambitious and driven. Our values transcend and rise above everything else as our guide. We encourage you to bring your bold ideas, curiosity, and expertise to your work. We laugh at ourselves and with each other. We are a team. Our journey together makes our impact even more meaningful.

We have entered a very exciting time at the Foundation as we scale up our operations across Africa to realize our Young Africa Works strategy. If you are an experienced ICT program management professional ready to build something new and increase your impact, read on!

UNDERSTANDING THE CENTRE FOR INNOVATIVE TEACHING AND LEARNING PROGRAM AREA AT THE FOUNDATION

The Centre for Innovative Teaching and Learning in ICT (CITL) seeks to establish a growing and impactful African EdTech ecosystem that will catalyse innovation and advance promising practices in the use of ICT in learning and teaching to benefit African learners, educators, and policymakers.

This will be created through a blended learning approach and a network of local EdTech companies to support learners at all levels across the continent.

Working at the intersection of EdTech entrepreneurs and Governments, the CITL will support Tech Hubs and entrepreneurs with growth-stage EdTech models to scale up technology innovations to improve teaching and learning at scale.  The Centre will:

• Identify key challenges in learning systems to be addressed through EdTech solutions.  The CITL will engage Government leaders to identify key challenges or constraints in teaching and learning systems that EdTech solutions can help resolve.
• Partner with Tech Hubs across the continent to support EdTech solutions with potential to scale.  Through partner Tech Hubs, the CITL will issue a series of competitive calls for EdTech entrepreneurs to address key problems/challenges identified by country governments.
• Support EdTech entrepreneurs to design, test and validate their innovations.  Selected EdTech entrepreneurs will be provided a number of supports to enhance and grow their models.
• Test and validate approaches with Government, teachers and students.  Through partner Tech Hubs and in collaboration with relevant institutions, the CITL will develop a testing and validating network which will allow entrepreneurs in its programs to test and refine EdTech innovations and to engage with Government leaders to validate innovations and provide feedback on potential for scale.
• Advance research and share best practices.  The CITL will support the establishment of partnerships, processes, and infrastructure to collected, analyze and publish education and skills data for policy formulation, monitoring, and assessment.  This will include synthesizing available evidence of “what works” in each of the problem or challenging areas identified by policymakers and will contribute to the evidence based in these areas.  The CITL will help define and scale the EdTech market in Africa to catalyze investment and address key barriers in the EdTech ecosystem.

THE OPPORTUNITY

Reporting to the EdTech Ecosystem Lead of the CITL, the EdTech ecosystem partner for West Africa, will be responsible for the implementation of the partnerships between the CITL and key strategic partners including Tech Hubs and various implementing partners across West Africa.  She/he will ensure that the EdTech companies/entrepreneurs supported through the CITL program in West Africa, are accelerated to better serve African learners.

She/he will  contribute towards building knowledge for the Centre to make it an important resource for all education stakeholders in all things EdTech.  She/he will be an EdTech expert resource for the Centre and the Foundation. She/he will also work and collaborate with other CITL staff, Foundation staff in West Africa, as well as at regional hubs

WAYS YOU CAN CONTRIBUTE

• You can contribute and provide support to the refinement and improvement of the CITL strategy and roadmap.
• You can contribute to evolution in thinking and new approaches needed to get to scale and produce systemic impact, especially in West Africa.
• You can establish a network of Tech Hubs across West Africa to partners with in incubating and accelerating local EdTech companies in the growth stage.
• In partnership with the Tech Hubs and other relevant institutions, you can establish a testing and validation mechanism that will allow participating EdTech entrepreneurs to validate their solutions in West Africa.
• You can provide support to partners to ensure successful implementation of programs, and that the intended impact is achieved.
• You can provide support to current and future programs as appropriate, including reviewing periodic narrative and financial reporting and data collection.
• You can provide support in the adaptation of the EdTech to country context, leveraging country diagnostics and learning from our portfolio of partners.
• You can act as a resource to Tech Hubs, EdTech entrepreneurs, and other implementation partners in West Africa

WHO YOU ARE

• You have a Bachelor Degree, preferably in education, technology or relevant field.  
• You have a minimum of 5 years’ experience in managing partnerships in education related fields; preferably in the EdTech field.
• You have experience working with entrepreneurs; preferably EdTech entrepreneurs.
• You have proven experience effectively engaging and collaborating with high-level government officials, development partners, business leaders and other network influencers.
• You have experience with public speaking at conferences and other forums including media interaction. Formal media training is an asset.
• You have a sound understanding of innovation ecosystem in West Africa.
• You are detail-oriented with a demonstrated ability to produce quality work consistently and effectively.
• You are highly self-motivated and directed.
• You excel in prioritization and time management skills.
• You are willing to travel when needed (up to 25% of the time).
• You are flexible, adaptable, and able to execute a range of job duties and changing priorities.
• You possess excellent verbal, written, and presentation skills with the ability to articulate information to a variety of constituents across cultures.
• Professional maturity, sensitivity with different cultures, and impeccable integrity that exemplify the Foundation’s values.
• You have a commitment to Mastercard Foundation’s values and vision.

Deadline for applications is July 30, 2022.

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.

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