East Africa Manager, Partnerships, Community Pass Nairobi, Kenya

Our Purpose

Mastercard powers economies and empowers people in 200+ countries and territories worldwide. Together with our customers, we’re helping build a sustainable economy where everyone can prosper. We support a wide range of digital payments choices, making transactions secure, simple, smart and accessible. Our technology and innovation, partnerships and networks combine to deliver a unique set of products and services that help people, businesses and governments realize their greatest potential.

Title and Summary

East Africa Manager, Partnerships, Community Pass

Role Overview

Mastercard is dedicated to inclusive economic growth for all people across the globe. Through Community Pass, we drive digital and financial inclusion to increase access to critical services for remote and marginalized communities, particularly in the agriculture sector. We innovate in technology, business models, and in partnership approaches to drive locally-led, cost-effective and economically sustainable development impact.

The East Africa (EA) Partnerships Manager will secure support from non-commercial partners to drive the scale, scalability, and sustainability for Community Pass ecosystem in East Africa. The role will work closely with all Community Pass domains and functions (Markets and Sales | Operations | Product). The EA Partnerships Manager will be responsible to assess the needs of target markets, customers, and consumers and develop a strong pipeline of partners and secure partners and funding to support those needs – including development banks, NGOs, funders, and providers of critical agricultural and financial services. The Manager will also develop the country chapters for MADE Alliance: Africa and lead implementation efforts for partnerships initiatives in the region. This pivotal position ensures that Community Pass ecosystem in East Africa can sustainably scale and improve lives and livelihoods in underserved communities, driving financial inclusion and access to critical services.

The role will be based in Nairobi and will report directly to the VP, Partnerships, Community Pass. This role is crucial for the success and growth of our initiatives in East Africa, and we look forward to welcoming a dynamic and dedicated professional to our team. More information about the team: www.mastercard.com/communitypass.

Key Responsibilities:
• Mapping needs of Community Pass customers and consumers in East Africa in order to accelerate their growth and sustainability, and develop a pipeline of partners based in East Africa who can meet these needs, including recruitment of these partners to the MADE Alliance: Africa
• Designing and closing partnerships with partners based in East Africa that provide financial or in-kind support for Community Pass programs, and maintain ongoing relationship with these partners to secure additional support in the future or expand to new communities and markets
• Design in-market operational models for collaborating with global and regional partners’ East Africa teams to facilitate the closure of partnerships and launch of initiatives
• Establishing, convening, and operationalizing of MADE Alliance Country Chapters in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, and Ethiopia in order to secure additional commitments and accelerate implementation of support from partners
• Lead partner and project management for implementation of all Partnerships initiatives in East Africa, in coordination with Community Pass Markets, Ops, and Products teams, such that these initiatives drive tangible benefits to the scale, scalability, and sustainability of Community Pass initiatives
• Lead monitoring and evaluation of all Partnerships initiatives in East Africa, including summarization of learnings for internal Community Pass audiences as well as other MADE Alliance members.
• Work with Mastercard’s Public Policy and Community Pass Markets teams to secure support of East African governments for Mastercard, Community Pass, and the MADE Alliance

All About You:
• Result and process oriented
• Excellent leadership and interpersonal skills at all levels, from on-the-ground operational teams to executive stakeholders
• Experience closing sales and partnerships agreements
• Proven track record in coordinating complex multi-stakeholder engagements to drive tangible results
• Greater communicator with excellent oral presentation, and writing skills
• Analytical and decision-making capabilities
• Versatile background in business, technology, and operations
• Experience in agriculture and digital/financial inclusion is a plus, but not required

Corporate Security Responsibility

All activities involving access to Mastercard assets, information, and networks comes with an inherent risk to the organization and, therefore, it is expected that every person working for, or on behalf of, Mastercard is responsible for information security and must:

• Abide by Mastercard’s security policies and practices;

• Ensure the confidentiality and integrity of the information being accessed;

• Report any suspected information security violation or breach, and

• Complete all periodic mandatory security trainings in accordance with Mastercard’s guidelines.