Mastercard Foundation Head of Agrifood Systems Job 2026
Mastercard Foundation is inviting applications from highly experienced and qualified professionals for the position of Head of Agrifood Systems, PANA.
The successful candidate will lead the development and implementation of transformative agrifood systems, agribusiness, climate resilience, and youth employment programs across Pan-African Programs, supporting the Foundation’s Young Africa Works strategy.
The position covers Ethiopia, Rwanda, and Kenya and requires extensive experience in agricultural sciences, agribusiness, agrifood systems, rural development, climate-smart agriculture, or related fields.
Job Summary
Job Title: Head of Agrifood Systems, PANA
Organization: Mastercard Foundation
Location: Ethiopia / Rwanda / Kenya
Job Type: Full-time
Job Sector: Agriculture / Agribusiness / Development / Climate Resilience
Positions: 1
Job Overview
Reporting to the Director, Agrifood Systems, the Head of Agrifood Systems will be responsible for developing and implementing transformative programs for the Foundation’s Pan-African Programs team.
The role supports the Foundation’s Agrifood Systems strategy, which aims to unlock millions of sustainable, dignified, and fulfilling work opportunities for young women and men across Africa through the transformation of agricultural and food systems.
The successful candidate will provide strategic leadership, develop regional partnerships, support country programs, drive knowledge sharing, and strengthen the Foundation’s work in agrifood systems, agribusiness, climate resilience, and youth employment.
Key Responsibilities
Strategic Implementation
The Head of Agrifood Systems will:
- Interpret and cascade the Foundation’s agrifood systems strategy roadmap.
- Support successful execution of the Pan-African Programs portfolio.
- Align agrifood systems programming with the Young Africa Works strategy.
- Develop new regional and Pan-African partnerships with diverse organizations.
- Build partnerships that create systemic impact and enable young people to thrive.
- Work with Country Program teams to provide timely and context-specific support.
- Support implementation of agrifood systems, agribusiness, climate, and related country portfolios.
- Lead the creation of collaboration platforms and networks that support the scaling and acceleration of agrifood systems and agribusiness programs.
- Drive the Foundation’s strategic work in agrifood systems, agribusiness, and climate resilience.
Knowledge Management and Learning
The successful candidate will:
- Support country teams to regularly collect and consolidate program learnings.
- Synthesize learning from country and regional programs.
- Share and integrate lessons into future program development and co-creation processes.
- Ensure country and regional teams have access to relevant technical expertise in agrifood systems.
- Co-lead the community of practice on agrifood systems and climate.
- Support internal and external learning agendas.
- Promote knowledge exchange across country and regional programs.
Stakeholder Engagement
The Head of Agrifood Systems will:
- Represent the Foundation as a senior spokesperson at conferences, workshops, and media events.
- Build relationships with senior representatives of governments.
- Engage donors, foundations, private-sector organizations, and other strategic partners.
- Develop relationships with business leaders and influential stakeholders.
- Strengthen awareness of the Foundation’s programs.
- Contribute to strengthening the Foundation’s public profile and brand.
- Participate in high-level discussions relating to agriculture, agribusiness, climate, and youth employment.
Leadership and Collaboration
The position will involve:
- Leading, managing, motivating, and developing staff within the agriculture thematic team.
- Establishing clear objectives and accountabilities for team members.
- Regularly assessing individual and team performance.
- Providing functional leadership to agrifood systems staff in country programs.
- Ensuring country teams understand objectives and approaches aligned with the Foundation’s enterprise-level agriculture strategy.
- Collaborating with colleagues across functions and countries.
- Promoting effective teamwork in delivering the Foundation’s agrifood systems agenda.
Required Qualifications and Experience
Applicants should have:
- 12 to 15 years of professional experience in agricultural sciences, agribusiness, agrifood systems, nutrition, rural development, climate-smart agriculture, or a related field.
- At least 7 years of experience leading and managing teams.
- A PhD or Master’s Degree in Agricultural Sciences, Agricultural Economics, or a related field.
- Demonstrated expertise and established networks across agriculture and agrifood systems.
- Strong experience in value-chain development.
- Experience with private-sector engagement.
- Knowledge of inclusive market systems development in Africa.
- Experience in program development.
- Experience initiating and managing large, complex programs, preferably in agriculture and agribusiness.
- Experience in youth empowerment and agripreneurship is an added advantage.
- Proven experience engaging senior government officials and key partners.
- Experience working with media, business leaders, donors, foundations, and other influential stakeholders.
- Experience speaking at conferences and other professional forums.
- Experience with media interaction; formal media training is an advantage.
Key Candidate Profile
The ideal Head of Agrifood Systems should be a strategic and influential leader with:
- Deep knowledge of agriculture and agrifood systems transformation.
- Strong understanding of agribusiness and agricultural value chains.
- Knowledge of climate resilience and climate-smart agriculture.
- Strong understanding of youth employment and enterprise development.
- Experience designing and implementing large-scale programs.
- Strong networks across African agricultural ecosystems.
- Strong systems-thinking capabilities.
- Ability to identify root causes, market barriers, and opportunities for scale.
- Strong strategic thinking and influencing skills.
- Ability to translate enterprise-level agriculture priorities into practical portfolio strategies.
- Strong stakeholder-management skills.
- Ability to interact confidently with senior and diverse stakeholders.
- Excellent organizational and prioritization skills.
- Strong attention to detail.
- Ability to work effectively in complex and ambiguous environments.
- Creativity and ability to develop innovative approaches.
Knowledge and Skills
Candidates should have substantive knowledge of:
- Agrifood systems transformation.
- Agriculture and agribusiness.
- Agricultural value chains.
- Inclusive market systems.
- Climate resilience.
- Climate-smart agriculture.
- Rural development.
- Youth employment.
- Agripreneurship.
- Private-sector engagement.
- Sustainable and inclusive economic development.
- Employment and enterprise pathways across agricultural value chains.
The successful candidate should also demonstrate the ability to translate agriculture programming into dignified and fulfilling work opportunities, enterprise pathways, market systems, and scalable employment outcomes.
Language Requirements
Applicants should have:
- Fluency in English.
- Working knowledge of French and/or Portuguese is an added advantage.
Professional Attributes
The ideal candidate should demonstrate:
- Professional maturity.
- High integrity.
- Cultural sensitivity.
- Strong interpersonal skills.
- Commitment to inclusive development.
- Ability to work effectively across different cultures and countries.
- Strong commitment to advancing opportunities for young people, particularly young women.
- Commitment to inclusive development of agricultural value chains.
- Ability to work comfortably and effectively in ambiguous and complex environments.
- Commitment to Mastercard Foundation’s values and vision.
Application Information
Applicants should ensure that their application clearly demonstrates their experience in agrifood systems, agribusiness, program development, leadership, agricultural value chains, climate resilience, and youth employment.
Application Deadline
Saturday, 12 September 2026
Applicants are encouraged to apply early and not wait until the closing date.
Employer Information
Mastercard Foundation
Position: Head of Agrifood Systems, PANA
Location: Ethiopia / Rwanda / Kenya
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