Partner, Partner Engagement at MasterCard

THE OPPORTUNITY



Reporting to the Head, Partner Stewardship, the Partner will support the design, coordination, and execution of a comprehensive Partner Stewardship and Accompaniment Framework across the Foundation's portfolio. The role will serve as a key operational driver within the Partner Stewardship team, working across the pillars of the Partner Engagement Framework.



The Partner will play a critical role in translating the Partner Stewardship strategy into practical, day-to-day delivery; coordinating accompaniment activities, supporting the design and rollout of partner engagement initiatives, and ensuring consistency and quality across all partner touchpoints. The role will work closely with internal teams, including Program Teams (Countries & other Platforms), Impact, Evidence & Learning, Strategic Insights & Program Performance, Programming Excellence, and external stakeholders including the Foundation Partners and accompaniment/institutional strengthening partners.


THE ROLE

Partner Accompaniment Coordination


Support the design and rollout of Partner Accompaniment, including the Partner opt-in and onboarding process, Partner capacity assessments, and Capacity Action Plans (CAPs).
Coordinate the delivery of accompaniment activities across Partner archetypes, regions, and themes, ensuring alignment with the Foundation's accompaniment principles and values.
Maintain and regularly update the Marketplace Directory of vetted capacity accompaniment providers available to Partner
Coordinate the provision, monitoring and tracking of all capacity enhancement activities by various teams at the Foundation, ensuring all providers are aligned with the Foundation's engagement and accompaniment framework.


Partner Experience and Engagement


Support the standardization of partner onboarding, engagement, and feedback processes to ensure a consistent and positive partner experience across the portfolio.
Support the bi-annual Partner survey, coordinating data collection, analyzing feedback, and tracking the implementation of recommended actions.
Monitor and help address partner experience incidents, escalating to the Head as required, and documenting learnings for continuous improvement.
Maintain open communication with partners and support the gathering of feedback to build trust and improve partner experience over time.


Frameworks, Tools, and Systems


Support the development and maintenance of guidelines, frameworks, tools, and processes that underpin Partner Stewardship and Accompaniment, including the Partner Resource Hub, Partner Connect, and other digital engagement on the Daraja Platform.
Research and implement lean, smart, and agile processes to enhance clarity, efficiency, and creativity in partner stewardship and accompaniment delivery.
Track, document, and leverage learnings to improve partner engagement, support allocation, and program outcomes on an ongoing basis.


Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning


Support the monitoring and tracking of partner accompaniment outcomes across the portfolio, contributing to regular reporting to Foundation leadership.
Support evidence generation, documentation of key learnings, and translation of insights into adaptive improvements to the accompaniment and overall Partner stewardship model.
Promote a collaborative environment for partners to share knowledge, resources, and experiences to address common challenges and leverage learnings for improved performance


Internal Capability and Coordination


Support the building of partner stewardship capabilities of Foundation staff, ensuring engagement is consistent and responsive to evolving partner needs.
Coordinate cross-functional engagement with Program Teams, Impact, legal, Finance, Program Performance, and other enabling functions to ensure coherence in partner stewardship delivery.
Contribute to the positioning of the Foundation as a thought leader in partner engagement and accompaniment by supporting development of knowledge products, knowledge sharing and institutional relationship management.


WHO YOU ARE


University degree in development studies, business administration, social sciences, or a related field is required.
Relevant certification in program management, organizational development is an advantage
Minimum of Five (5) years of relevant experience in partner management, organisational development, capacity strengthening, or programme management, with demonstrated progression into roles of increasing complexity and responsibility.
Demonstrated experience in designing and implementing capacity strengthening or accompaniment programmes across diverse organisational types including non-profit, private sector, academic, and public institutions.
Experience working with and across African organisations and contexts, with a strong understanding of the diversity of the African development ecosystem.
Experience in partnership management, process design, and stakeholder engagement across complex, multi-stakeholder environments.
Familiarity with monitoring, evaluation, and learning frameworks and their application in partner accompaniment or programme quality contexts.
Experience working across multiple geographies and cultural contexts, with the ability to adapt approaches to different organisational and regional realities - Added advantage.


Competencies:


Highly organised with strong coordination and project management skills; able to manage multiple workstreams simultaneously without losing attention to detail.
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills; able to translate data and partner feedback into actionable improvements.
Skilled communicator and influencer: Able to engage confidently at all levels, from Foundation leadership and senior external stakeholders to Partners and Accompaniment Partners on the ground. Equally comfortable producing clear written communications, facilitating complex conversations, and navigating sensitive situations with discretion and professionalism.
Critical thinker with an agile mindset; comfortable navigating ambiguity and responding to change with professionalism.
Strong partnership mindset; able to build trusted relationships with partners and align stakeholders across different roles toward common goals.
Familiarity with Foundation processes and policies yet unafraid to innovate and improve them.
Skilled at cross-functional coordination and collaboration across technical and operational teams.
Results-driven with a pragmatic approach to decision-making and a strong eye for detail.
Experience working in complex, fast-moving environments with multiple internal and external stakeholders.
Influencing without authority that enables coordination across Accompaniment Partners, internal Foundation teams, and other stakeholders without direct line authority over any of them.
Comfort with ambiguity and adaptive management
Proficiency in Microsoft Office suite and digital collaboration platforms.
Possess professional maturity, sensitivity with different cultures, and impeccable integrity that exemplify the Foundation's values
Demonstrate a commitment to Mastercard Foundation's values and vision.