Head, Evidence & Insights Needed

Published May 26, 2021 · Updated May 25, 2021

Reporting to the Head of Impact, the Head, Evidence & Insights will be responsible for leading the vision for, and managing the Evidence and Insights Work stream to ensure that high quality independent evaluations and reviews are commissioned and managed well, that Impact Labs are established to support and elevate Indigenous knowledge, and that evaluative evidence is consolidated and provided to the Foundation to support adaptive management and governance. In doing so, the Head of Evidence and Insights will be part of the senior Impact team in implementing the vision of the Impact Strategy to transform the ways evaluations and reviews are conducted in giving greater voice to youth and Indigenous ways of knowing.

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

Responsibilities

Strategic management of the Evidence and Insights Work-stream

With specific responsibility for leading the Evidence and Insights work-stream, you will:
Work with the Head of Impact and the core Impact team to ensure that the vision of the Impact Strategy is operationalized across Africa and in indigenous communities in Canada.
Develop and implement strategies and operational work-plans to deliver the E&I work-stream activities, manage, mentor and coach staff, and engage innovative partners across Africa and indigenous Canada to nurture the co-creation of indigenous knowledge and data.
Manage the timely provision of essential impact reports and narratives to the Impact Reporting work-stream.

Overseeing Outcome & Impact reviews

Ensure the commissioning and conduct of country strategy and annual program impact reviews, aiming to generate formative, independent, credible, and useful evidence and insights by assessing the performance and results of Foundation’s Young Africa Works country strategies and associated portfolios and programs.
Lead the development of An Approach to Evaluations and Reviews in Mastercard Foundation (policy-guideline equivalent) that sets out the types of evaluations and reviews that will be undertaken at Program, Portfolio and Country systems level, including the use of innovative practices and methods to ensure insights into the lives of young women and men, their families, institutions, and systems.
Lead the development of an Annual Evaluation Plan that sets out the scope of the Foundation’s annual evaluation and review activity at Partner, Program, Strategy and Mission levels.
Socialize the approach to evaluation across the Foundation to ensure the production of independent, credible evidence that meets high professional standards.
Develop mechanisms and standards for sourcing high quality independent Evaluation and evaluation specialists, including deploying a transparent EOI and RFP process that reaches beyond the convention evaluation market.
Ensure the engagement of hard to reach stakeholder groups, particularly vulnerable young women, and men in the evaluation process.

Impact Labs and Narratives of Change

Working closely with the Impact Partner Organizations, lead the scoping and establishment of a network of evaluative Impact Labs in Africa and Canada capable of deepening innovations & foresight around youth-focused impact (existing or new Labs).
Manage the alignment of Impact Partner Organizations and associated data collection, Impact Labs and the role of Youth Associates .
Ensure that  indigenous Canadian and African thought and practice leaders are central to the Foundation’s support for indigenous knowledge and data.
Ensure that narrative impact evidence and insights through youth lenses and perspectives informed by indigenous knowledge are central to the evaluation work of the Foundation.
Ensure that evaluations, syntheses and summaries of evidence and insights are commissioned and managed in ways that empower voice and agency of youth and that messages are tailored to specific audiences and platforms.

Professional networking and representation

Participate and represent the Impact Unit of the Foundation in external professional forums and networks relating to Evaluation and Insights as may be authorized by the Head of Impact.
Participate in Foundation internal meetings and forums as relevant for the evaluation and insights agenda of the Impact team.

Qualifications

Educational and professional qualifications

Advanced University degree in International Development, Economics, Evaluation, Data Science, Social Science, Social Innovation or other relevant field.
Minimum 8 years of evaluation management experience including managing evaluation teams, specialists and partnerships, and reporting to senior management and Boards.
Minimum 8 years of experience as an evaluation practitioner conducting country strategy and program evaluations in diverse development and private sector initiatives.

Sector and stakeholder experience

Substantial experience in development, market-based organizations, philanthropic organizations or investors working in sectors such as agriculture, labor, finance, tourism, technology, social development, health, social enterprise.
Strong understanding of socio-economic analysis, systems change, foresight analysis, data systems, and tech-enabled data collection and analysis.
Familiarity with policy and practice debates on evidence, equity, inclusion, decolonization, post COVID economic reform among others.
Support for evaluation and evidence practice that encourage thought leadership and innovation in the use of mixed methods, qualitative and quantitative data, narratives, systems change, participatory techniques for facilitating inclusive evaluations, evidence and insights.
Strong understanding and commitment to the use of indigenous knowledge and techniques of enquiry to enrich evidence with communities and citizens.
Strong networks and work experience with youth groups, including youth in vulnerable circumstances, youth-targeted development investments, including the private sector.

Geographic experience

Professional experience in multiple countries in Africa, and ideal, experience with global initiatives.

Communication, professional networks, values

Demonstrated ability to communicate and engage effectively with a range of stakeholders including senior managers, Boards, team members, private and public sector partners and young evaluators.
Excellent research, analytical and writing skills.
Membership in professional evaluation associations, notably in emerging African and Indigenous Evaluation networks; and/or professional certificate in evaluation is highly desired.
Flexible, adaptable, and able to execute a range of job duties and changing priorities.
Professional maturity, sensitivity with different cultures, and impeccable integrity that exemplify the Foundation’s values.
French language and/or local language skills are an asset.
You have a commitment to Mastercard Foundation’s values and vision.

Deadline for Applications is June 14, 2021.

For more details: https://boards.greenhouse.io/mastercardfoundation/jobs/5218346002