Senior Director-Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program – Grant Position

Reports to: Provost

Role Purpose:

This role provides strategic leadership and expert oversight for the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program under the Provost, ensuring the achievement of programs’ goals and objectives in alignment with AUC’s mission, and high-quality and timely submission of deliverables. The director is responsible for the comprehensive lifecycle management of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program, ranging from recruitment and selection through student academic progress, graduation, and grant closeout. He or She leads the implementation and coordination of the program with all stakeholders, Mastercard Foundation, AUC leadership and support offices, partner institutions and organizations, and others. The position acts as the primary technical liaison with the Mastercard Foundation for technical collaboration on specified program activities and for reporting.

Core Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership and Program Management:

• Set the long-term vision and strategy for the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program, aligning with the University’s mission and vision
• Provide overall technical, management, and financial oversight and support to the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program staff and scholars
• Advise senior administration on risks, compliance obligations, and strategic opportunities for program expansion and growth
• Design and maintain Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program’s systems and workflows to streamline operations and improve service delivery to students

Grant Lifecycle Management, Pre-and Post Award:

• Work closely with office of sponsored programs on the development of compliant, high-quality proposals, ensuring alignment with request for proposal requirements, proper budgeting, and timely submission
• Exercise executive ownership of the full grant lifecycle for the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program, including technical implementation, financial management, reporting, and closeout, and serve as the sole or primary authorizing authority for all grant expenditures, ensuring fiscal responsibility and accountability across grant activities
• Oversee the preparation and submission of accurate, timely technical and financial reports in compliance with the sponsor’s requirements

Compliance, Policy and Risk Management:

• Ensure Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program is administered in strict accordance with sponsor regulations and AUC policies
• Mitigate institutional risk by managing the legal, ethical, and regulatory aspects of the portfolio and preparing risk management and contingency plans
• Support efforts to streamline University policies and procedures for the effective use of grant funds while ensuring readiness for internal and external audits, serving as the main point of contact for compliance clarifications

Student Recruitment, Selection and Success:

• Lead the development and implementation of recruitment and selection strategies for new scholarship cohorts in collaboration with the sponsor, stakeholders, and relevant AUC offices
• Oversee student admissions coordination, retention strategies, academic monitoring, and successful graduation of scholarship recipients while ensuring effective integration of scholarship students into the academic, co-curricular, and campus life of AUC

Leadership Education and Program Design:

• Oversee the technical design, development, and delivery of leadership education curricula, civic engagement programming, mentorship, internships, and community service activities
• Work closely with AUC schools and academic departments to develop tailored courses and syllabi for scholarship students and supervise the design and delivery of special orientation programs

Monitoring, Evaluation and Information Management:

• Ensure that program design, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation meet sponsor standards and stated program objectives
• Oversee information management systems, including student records, alumni tracking, and outcome data and use data analysis to make informed program improvement, sponsor reporting, and strategic decision-making

People Management and Capacity Building:

• Recruit, supervise, coach, and evaluate a team of professional and managerial staff responsible for sponsored scholarship programs to build and sustain a high-performing team with clear accountability, professional development pathways, and succession planning

Additional Related Duties:

• Perform other related duties as assigned

Qualifications and Skills

Education and Experience

• Master’s degree is required, preferably in public administration, business, or a related field
• Minimum of 12 to 15 years of professional experience, preferably in scholarship management or leadership education, must include at least eight years of demonstrated expertise in management of externally-funded programs
• Proven senior-level supervisory experience is mandatory

Technical Skills:

• Technical: Expert knowledge of scholarship management, design and implementation of leadership education curricula
• Leadership: Strong leadership skills with the ability to lead cross-functional teams and mentor staff
• Communication: Fluency in English, with excellent negotiation, presentation, and editing skills
• Strategic: Ability to conceptualize objectives, exercise independent judgment, and work under pressure in a deadline-oriented environment

This position is open until June 1st, 2026

Placement is based on the candidate’s experience and skills. Only candidates who make it to the short list will be contacted.

"The American University in Cairo is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply."

“We thank all individuals who have expressed interest in working at The American University in Cairo.”