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Process Improvement Manager, Operational Excellence

Location: Toronto, Ontario

About Mastercard Foundation

Mastercard Foundation is a global foundation based in Toronto, Canada with several offices in Africa. Our programs promote financial inclusion and advance education and learning in Africa, primarily for young people, and in Canada for Indigenous youth. The Foundation was established in 2006 through the generosity of Mastercard when it became a public company. From inception, the Foundation was designed to be a separate entity and independent from Mastercard. Our policies, operations, and funding decisions are made by our President and Board of Directors.  

The Foundation believes that youth employment is key to unlocking prosperity, both for youth and their societies. Enabling young women and men from disadvantaged communities to secure dignified and fulfilling work will ensure inclusive development and economic growth in Africa.  

Values are timeless, they transcend and rise above all. They guide everything we do, as employees of the Foundation.  We share a common vision of a world where everyone has the opportunity to learn and prosper. We make mistakes, we reflect, and we grow so that we can impact our world – it’s why we are here. We are ambitious and driven. We encourage you to bring your bold ideas, curiosity, and expertise to your work. We laugh at ourselves and with each other. We are a team. Our journey together makes our impact even more meaningful.  

OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE AT THE FOUNDATION

Operational Excellence (OE) is a team within the Foundation with a mandate to continuously improve how we work across the Foundation by ensuring that our operational processes are: simple; relevant; efficient; and effective.  The team will serve as a Centre of Excellence for best practices in project management, process improvement and procurement.

THE POSITION

Reporting to the lead in Operational Excellence, the Process Improvement Manager will be a key member of the Operational Excellence team.  The initial priority of this individual will be to develop an enterprise-wide sourcing and procurement process, including a framework for our African offices, from the ground up.  This is a unique opportunity to build the process and framework, and transition to other areas of the Operations division to execute.  Best practices in sourcing and procurement will serve as an input into the Centre of Excellence.  The scope of work following the delivery of this first priority may evolve such that this individual will support other organizational improvement opportunities.

Specific Responsibilities

  • As it relates to sourcing and procurement optimization:
    • Partner with all teams across the Foundation on their procurement and sourcing needs and requirements;
    • Based on best practices, develop all sourcing and procurement processes, guidelines, tools and templates to operationalize (for Toronto and African offices) not limited to: Request for Proposals; Request for Quotation; Expression of Interest; Purchase Orders; Vendor or Record; Etc.;
    • Liaise with the Legal and Finance teams to examine contracts related to souring and procurement, as well as develop, implement and maintain procurement policies and procedures;
    • Develop vendor management tools such as scorecard templates;
    • Work with Strategy & Learning, Information Technology, and other teams on tracking and monitoring procurement at the Foundation, including reporting requirements;
    • Act as the first point of contact for questions and feedback related to sourcing and procurement processes, tools and templates;
    • Develop and deliver training to all Foundation staff on the procurement process, tools and templates.
  • As it relates to other process improvement opportunities across the organization:
    • Collaborate with internal teams on current state and gaps, and develop and implement (or support implementation of) a more effective and efficient future state;
    • Use data, develop metrics and reports to monitor the effectiveness of the improvement;
    • Map and help implement new operational processes as required.
  • Contribute knowledge and best practices to help develop the Centre of Excellence.
  • Travel will be required.
  • Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

  • University degree, preferably in business administration or a related field; master’s degree is an asset.
  • Minimum 7 years of experience in process improvement.
  • Certification in lean methodology or other improvement methodologies is required.
  • Demonstrated knowledge of best practices in procurement and sourcing methodologies, tools and templates.
  • Prior experience in building a procurement function within an organization, from the ground up is an asset.
  • Strong project management or PMP certification is an asset.
  • Demonstrated experience in leading enterprise-wide processes and tools with sustainable results.
  • Detail-oriented with a demonstrated ability to consistently and effectively produce high quality work.
  • Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to translate data into meaningful information.
  • Aptitude in decision-making, negotiation and influencing.
  • Demonstrated facilitation and training skills.
  • Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to work with all levels of the Foundation.
  • Proactive and engaged with an ability to thrive in an environment of change.
  • Ability to work independently or with a team in a collaborative setting.
  • Strong oral and written communication skills.
  • Flexible, adaptable, and able to execute a range of job duties and changing priorities.
  • Professional maturity, sensitivity with different cultures and impeccable integrity.
  • Willingness to travel.
  • Excellent technical skills in MS Office (specifically, Excel, PowerPoint and Word); SharePoint; Yammer; and information systems.

TO APPLY

Please email your resume along with a cover letter explaining your interest in the position to robin.barrett@wardhowell.ca, indicating “Process Improvement Manager, Operational Excellence”  in the subject line of your email. We appreciate your interest and advise that only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted directly.

 

The Mastercard Foundation values the unique skills and experiences each individual brings to the Foundation and are committed to creating and maintaining an inclusive and accessible environment for everyone. We appreciate your interest and advise that only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted directly.

Completion of satisfactory business references, background checks (criminal and credit) and proof of education are essential conditions of employment.

If you require accommodation during the recruitment and selection process, please contact the People and Culture Department. We will work with you to provide a positive recruitment experience in a confidential manner.

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