Senior Manager, Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program

ABOUT ALU

ALU provides higher education for a higher purpose. Our students declare missions, not majors.
They develop the real-world skills to take on the world’s most pressing challenges. And they take ownership of their learning from day one through our peer and student-led approach – because ALU believes in the power and agency of young people to start shaping the future right now.
Together with a world-class faculty and staff, our students are igniting a ripple of positive impact across Africa and the world.

We are dedicated to fostering an open yet secure environment, balancing the safety of students, staff, and visitors with respect for individual rights, and safeguarding responsibilities.

HOW WE WORK

As a high-growth start-up, the ALU Team works in starkly different ways to traditional academic bureaucracies. We approach education from first principles, empower individuals to design, test, and implement creative new ideas, and work closely together to craft transformative learning experiences. We are deeply passionate about our students and excited by the challenge of building something entirely new.  

The African Leadership University is committed to ensuring the safety and Well-being of all students under our care. As part of this commitment , we have a comprehensive safeguarding policy in place , which outlines our Zero-tolerance approach to any violation of safeguarding.

ABOUT THE ROLE

ALU seeks a strategic and results-oriented Program Manager to lead its Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program. This critical role sits in the Partnerships and Fundraising team and demands a deep understanding of program management, financial stewardship, and performance metrics. The successful candidate will oversee key aspects of the program, driving the achievement of goals and metrics, whilst ensuring alignment with ALU’s broader strategic objectives. By effectively managing resources, mitigating risks, and fostering collaboration, the Program Manager will contribute significantly to the program’s success and the overall organisational health.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Program Oversight & Management

• Lead strategic oversight of the Mastercard FoundationScholars Program, ensuring all program objectives and critical mandates are met.
• Monitor and evaluate the quality of events, training sessions, and internships associated with the Scholars Program, ensuring they meet the highest standards and contribute meaningfully to scholars' development.
• Coordinate and influence the delivery team of the entire lifecycle of Mastercard Foundation Scholars, ensuring a cohesive and supportive experience that aligns with ALU’s mission through the Foundation’s guidelines.
• Ensure compliance with all agreement stipulations with Mastercard Foundation, maintaining accountability for program outcomes and deliverables.
• Coordinate and collaborate with the teams responsible for Scholars Outreach ensuring that we are conducting research and have demonstrated data on successful sources of high achieving individuals from low income and vulnerable populations across the continent.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with key stakeholders within Mastercard Foundation, ensuring they have timely and accurate reports and data about the Scholars and the fund at any given time.
• Develop relationships with other Mastercard Foundation Scholar partners to share learnings and participate in an active community of practice.

Program Management and Performance:

• Work with the Impact team, develop and implement a robust monitoring and evaluation framework to assess program effectiveness, measure outcomes, and identify areas for improvement.
• Analyse program data to inform decision-making, identify trends, and measure impact.
• Collaborate with the Impact team to prepare comprehensive program reports and measure progress against key metrics and outcomes for the MCF program and fund performance to communicate progress and outcomes to stakeholders.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure data integrity and effective reporting.
• Spend time with Scholars to understand their experiences; capturing stories of impact for both ALU and Mastercard Foundation materials, newsletters and websites, whilst identifying strengths and areas for improvement across the full value chain.
• Identify and implement process improvements to enhance program efficiency and effectiveness.
• Liaise with the Alumni and Entrepreneurship teams, track the progress of Scholar and Alumni Scholar ventures, ensuring that stories are collected and that support continues for these communities. 

Financial Management and Stewardship:

• Oversee the program budget within the framework established by the VP of Finance and Chief Business Officer, ensuring optimal allocation of funds and adherence to financial guidelines.
• Monitor financial performance and identify underutilised resources or gaps in financial budget allocation against the MCF contract.
• Review scholarship disbursement at a regular cadence in accordance with program guidelines and financial regulations.
• Collaborate with the finance team to ensure accurate financial reporting and compliance.

Risk Management and Compliance:

• Identify and assess potential program risks such as financial, safeguarding, and other relevant risks as outlined in the contract.
• Develop and implement risk mitigation strategies to protect program assets and ensure compliance.
• Monitor adherence to program guidelines, donor requirements, and legal regulations.
• Conduct regular program audits and reviews to identify control weaknesses and areas for improvement.

Data Liaison

• Collect and analyse relevant data to inform decision-making and reporting.
• Create, maintain, and update a centralised repository of frequently asked questions and corresponding answers.
• Act as a liaison between Mastercard Foundation staff, ALU Leadership, and guest relations teams for events, visits, programs and various engagements for both ALU and the Foundation.
• Proactively communicate updates, changes, and relevant information to ensure alignment and coordination.

Ensure the safety and well-being of all young persons and vulnerable adults with whom we deal,  by adhering to ALU’s comprehensive safeguarding policy, maintaining a zero-tolerance approach to any violations of safeguarding standards. 

REQUIREMENTS

• Master's degree in education, social work, or a related field.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in program management, preferably in the education or non-profit sector.
• Demonstrated experience working with underprivileged communities, particularly refugees and those with disabilities.
• Demonstrated experience with financial analysis and performance. 
• Strong leadership, organisational, and interpersonal skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Proficiency in data analysis and reporting.
• Experience with AI technologies and data management preferred.

Ideal Candidate Profile

• A strong lean towards partnership development and collaboration.
• Able to juggle multiple initiatives simultaneously.
• Passionate about development, impact and social causes.
• Strong understanding of higher education trends and best practice.
• Demonstrated experience in international program development and management.
• Ability to think strategically and creatively to develop innovative programs.
• Excellent problem-solving and decision-making skills.