Categories: Vacancies, May 2026

Lead, Health Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Location: Accra, Ghana ; Addis Ababa, Ethiopia ; Dakar, Senegal ; Kampala, Uganda ; Kigali, Rwanda ; Lagos, Nigeria ; Nairobi, Kenya.

Organization: Mastercard Foundation

Deadline: March 21, 2025.

Job Description

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 Health Entrepreneurship professional looking to increase your impact, read on!

THE OPPORTUNITY

Reporting to the Head of Health Initiatives, the Lead, Health Innovation and Entrepreneurship will contribute to the continuing design and implementation of Health as an economic sector and strategic planning and execution to advance the Foundation’s programmatic priorities in health entrepreneurship.

The successful candidate will be based in one of our offices in Africa (Ghana, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya, Senegal or Rwanda).

WAYS YOU CAN CONTRIBUTE

Lead the design and execution of evidence-based interventions and partnerships that that will advance Health Entrepreneurship to enable young people (particularly young women) to find dignified and fulfilling work.
Ensure alignment of programs in Health Entrepreneurship with roadmaps and strategies across the Foundation and global and national priorities.
Work with platform and country teams to ensure connectedness, complementarity and synergy.
Work with external agencies at global and continental level, local partners, academia and where appropriate the private sector, to identify scalable opportunities, leverage expertise and enhance thought leadership.
Develop the Health Innovation and Entrepreneurship implementation framework leveraging the experience we gained from the Foundation’s multiple programs in in Africa and Canada.
Seek opportunities to link, integrate, and leverage existing and upcoming programs across countries and thematic teams such as access to finance and digital technology.
Contribute to building the Health Workforce Initiatives Team by fleshing out the Health Innovation and Entrepreneurship pillar of the roadmap.
Work with colleagues in the health initiatives in strategy design, program/partnership development, implementation and learning by connecting the dots and ensuring synergy as one integrated team.
Serve as a point of contact for Health Innovation and Entrepreneurship internally and externally and represent the Foundation where appropriate.
Work with colleagues in impact to build monitoring framework to assess impact, synthesize learning, and improve program design and implementation.
Serve as a thought partner to colleagues in other platform and country programs.
Work with program finance to develop and manage the budgets and ensure spending adjustments or budget modifications as necessary.
Create space to listen to young people, partners and stakeholders to scope new ideas, seek counsel, and support programming efforts.
Champion integrated program design, implementation and learning by developing and maintaining productive work relationships and collaboration with various functions of the Foundation including finance, communication, impact, enterprise risk management, and legal.
Establish and strengthen relationships with other stakeholders and agencies relevant to the health strategy pillar.
Facilitate integration, collaboration and convening relevant actors to drive impact at scale.
Effectively lead colleagues, ensuring high quality of work, safeguarding and alignment with Foundation values.
Drive oneness building a supportive and collaborative work environment.
Oversee performance management of direct and indirect reports.

WHO YOU ARE

MBA or Master’s in entrepreneurship, global development, education, public policy or another related field.
Fifteen (15) years of experience at a senior level in global organizations with strong leadership experience in innovation, entrepreneurship/enterprise development, development and/or government or public policy within the private sector and/or non-profit organizations is required.
Six (6) years of exceptional leadership experience, building and leading entrepreneurship and innovation interventions/programs.
Demonstrated financial management experience including preparation and management of budgets, contracts, etc. Senior level experience in Africa and with exposure to international issues ideally is crucial. Private sector experience would be an asset.
Advanced expertise in developing and leading innovation and entrepreneurship efforts in Africa.
Proven experience effectively working with government officials, key players in the health space, business leaders, entrepreneurs and other actors.
Solution based approach while demonstrating innovation, integrity, quality, creativity, flexibility and resilience.
Fluency in English. French is an added advantage.
Excellent strategic insight and ability to translate plans to action to deliver impact with quality and speed.
Excellent analytical skills with the ability to express facts and ideas in a clear, convincing and organized manner.
Demonstrates mature and sound judgement when addressing highly complex needs
Innovative and entrepreneurial and who is able to formulate and develop new or creative approaches to problems and inspires others on the team to do so as well.
Flexible, adaptable, and able to execute a range of job duties and changing priorities.
Possess excellent verbal, written, and presentation skills with the ability to articulate information to a variety of constituents across cultures.
Possess professional maturity, sensitivity with different cultures, and impeccable integrity that exemplify the Foundation’s values.
Commitment to Mastercard Foundation’s values and vision.

Deadline for Applications is March 21, 2025.

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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