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.


About the mastercard foundation scholars program
The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program envisions a transformative network of young people and institutions driving inclusive and equitable?socio-economic change in Africa. Since its inception in 2012, the Program has supported over 45,000 young people in Africa to pursue secondary or tertiary education with partnerships from about 51 institutions worldwide.
To enable Mastercard Foundation Scholars and young people across Africa to succeed, we know there is a need to address systemic barriers in higher education, strengthen capacity, support innovative solutions across critical sectors, and connect ecosystem actors to amplify our impact across the continent. Working together alongside young people, universities, NGOs, and other higher education stakeholders, the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program strives to create the conditions that will enable young people to?attain inclusive and relevant education,?transition smoothly?into?dignified?and fulfilling?work, and?lead transformative lives.
Since 2018, the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program has expanded to increase the total number of Mastercard Foundation Scholars with a focus on increasing access to excluded populations (refugees, displaced youth, young women, and young people with disabilities) and young people coming from Francophone, Lusophone, and Arabic Africa.
If you are an experienced communications professional looking to increase your impact, read on!


The opportunity
Reporting to the Head, Scholars Program Partner Network, the Consultant will support communications activities for the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program in Francophone Africa and beyond, as required, for a period of up to 1 year. S/he will collaborate with the Foundation’s partners’ communications point persons to ensure alignment in all related communications, reputation risk mitigation, and brand management. The consultant is expected to closely work with the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program team and the Foundation’s Public Affairs and Communications team.
The successful candidate will be based in any of our offices in Africa (Ethiopia, Nigeria, Senegal, Ghana, Rwanda, Kenya, or Uganda).


Ways you can contribute
Tell the story of how the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program is poised to impact Africa and improve lives, livelihoods, and development outcomes for years to come.
• Develop – in consultation and alignment with the broader communications team – a clear strategic communications plan for the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program’s current portfolio and the future expansion of the Scholars Program in Africa. The strategy should seek to increase the visibility of programs, create content, develop key messages, and ensure internal and external dissemination of content for the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program.
• Liaise within the communications and program teams to develop social media campaigns and collateral 1) highlighting the work and impact of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program Africa 2) supporting partner and programmatic objectives (e.g. recruitment of young people, preparation of young people for the Scholar experience, transitioning young people into work and leadership – etc.) and 3) spotlighting young people’s leadership in their communities,
• Ensure comprehensive onboarding of new Foundation partners and their communications teams. Ensure that all communications about programs are aligned with the Foundation’s overall messaging and outreach strategy.
• Coordinate, in close collaboration with program partners, the kick-off of approved programs within the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program in Africa. This component includes:
Reviewing the program and communications checklist of all elements required before the recruitment of new Mastercard Foundation Scholars and the rollout of new programs at partner institutions.
• Assessing the communications capacity of prospective partners and making recommendations for support to ensure partners can effectively communicate and manage risk and crisis.
• Drafting, reviewing, and disseminating media releases.
• Coordinating virtual or in-person events for the announcement of new partnerships and programs
• Co-design, and provide oversight and support to partners, their agencies, and consultants to create communications plans and strategies (internal and external) that drive successful program implementation.

This includes partner communication plans to create awareness of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program among young people and recruit target populations; the development of tailored strategies by partner institutions to communicate with their stakeholders and their network; and media and publicity campaigns.

• Visiting partners (with the Foundation Program team), meeting with Scholars and young people to better understand their needs in terms of communication and the co-creation of effective communications plans about the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program.
• Ensuring accurate adoption of the Foundation’s brand architecture guidelines and the effective gathering of impact storytelling content.
• Oversee program communications and branding on various online and print platforms including social media platforms such as LinkedIn, Facebook, and X, and at events and convenings.
• Work with the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program staff to develop and strengthen innovative communications models and channels, including the use of both traditional and new, emerging methods, to engage in more impactful ways with and within a range of audiences.
• Work with the Foundation’s Scholars Program team to amplify the voice of youth in Francophone, Arabic, and Lusophone Africa through activations, convenings, and publications.
• Identify and work with youth ambassadors to elevate the voices and views of young people.
• Work with top journalists, bloggers, and other media in Francophone, Arabic, and Lusophone Africa to showcase the impact of the Scholars Program.
• Monitor social media to anticipate and mitigate reputational risk and, in collaboration with the Public Affairs and Communications Reputation Risk and Strategy team, co-design and implement communications plans in crises. This includes media planning, management, and development of periodic media progress reports.
• Support the work of the Alumni network in the Scholars Program by providing support for Alumni-led events, campaigns, and activations. Support media training and the enhancement of the social media capability of the network.
• Ensure internal visibility, awareness, and understanding of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program’s work, impact, expansion agenda, and progress in Africa.
• Identify opportunities to contribute to the Foundation’s thought leadership agenda based on the work of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program in Africa.
• Prepare leaders for speaking engagements and high-level meetings related to the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program in Africa, which may include preparing briefs, talking points, speeches, and presentations.
• Facilitate and support inter-partner exchanges that strengthen the implementation of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program, including exchanges between the francophone and anglophone partner networks.

Who you are
• Expertise in strategic communications, crisis communications, and media relations, and be an excellent writer and storyteller who can package complex, technical information in a way that is broadly accessible and compelling.
• Additional experience with event management, government relations, advocacy, and/or executive communications is desirable.
• Experienced in engaging different audience segments through media and knowledgeable in the production and implementation of Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) campaigns.
• At least 10 years of experience in global communications: including hands-on development of communications materials for multiple and diverse audiences and in coordinating multiple stakeholders around communications initiatives.
• Capability and proven experience in crafting and implementing public relations and communications strategies, communication in crisis, and high-impact content in various formats.
• Proven experience in handling similar campaigns, especially for development organizations and NGOs in Francophone Africa and beyond (Anglophone, Lusophone, and Arabic Africa).
• Broad understanding of the socio-political and economic context in the countries where the Foundation operates and the ability to draw implications from this for communications activities and approaches.
• Strong experience in media relations and engagement using traditional and social media, and multimedia platforms.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, specifically in developing public awareness materials both in French and English.
• Ability to understand the Mastercard Foundation brand, its values, and work, as well as the project goal toward the delivery of quality and timely outputs.
• Demonstrated ability to frame fit engaging content for various audiences through compelling storytelling.
• Proven ability to edit materials and review/adapt them to fast-changing situations, exercising and promoting creative thinking.
• Proficiency in French and English required. Arabic and Lusophone are an advantage.
• Have a strong network and good relationships with the media.
• Have a demonstrated ability to lead successful communications campaigns with a focus on development and human stories using both mainstream and social media.
• Flexible, adaptable, and able to execute a range of job duties in response to dynamic needs.
• Possess excellent verbal, written, and presentation skills with the ability to articulate information to a variety of constituents across cultures.
• Demonstrate a commitment to the Mastercard Foundation’s values and vision.