Senior Economic Inclusion Manager - Pan Africa

World University Service of Canada (WUSC) is a leading Canadian international development organization that works with and through its southern partners to promote sustainable development. Founded in 1957 and currently working in more than 20 countries worldwide with an annual budget of approximately $45 million dollars, WUSC fosters youth-centered solutions for improved education, economic, and empowerment opportunities to overcome inequality and exclusion. We believe youth have the potential to provide for their families, build strong communities, and create positive social change for future generations. Globally, WUSC has a network of higher education institutions, civil society organizations, private sector partners, professionals, students, volunteers, faculty, and community leaders that can be leveraged to support our work.

WUSC’s members are Canada’s most globally engaged post-secondary institutions. WUSC offers a dynamic international work environment with a diverse intercultural workforce. We offer employees exciting opportunities to apply their skills and gain experience all while making a difference for youth around the world. Employees at WUSC work hard to create lasting change in education, employment and empowerment.

DREEM project:

WUSC, through the DREEM project, plays a unique role as a technical assistance and strategic learning partner to the Mastercard Foundation and its partners. The DREEM project contributes to the Foundation’s commitment to meaningfully include refugee and displaced youth in their Scholars Program and Young Africa Works strategies.

The DREEM project focuses on two thematic areas:

1. Higher Education Inclusion:

a. Support Scholars Program (SP) partners and staff with the knowledge, capacity and networks to meaningfully recruit and serve refugees and displaced youth in higher education and transition to work and to work towards more inclusive societies;

2. Economic Inclusion:

a. Support Young Africa Works (YAW) country partners and staff primarily in Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and Ethiopia and also in other countries around the continent to gain the knowledge, capacity and networks to meaningfully include and develop programming that meets the unique training and employment needs, opportunities and aspirations of refugee and displaced youth, especially young women;

b. Strengthening Economic Opportunities for Refugees (SEOR) to complement WUSC’s existing Learning through Education and Access to Employment Pathways

(LEAP) project and provide refugee entrepreneurs, especially young women with improved access to market-oriented business support services that improve business and employment outcomes in Kenya.

Mastercard Foundation recently approved an enterprise-wide Refugee and Displaced Persons (RDP) Strategy aiming to invest in young Africans who have faced forcible displacement—and in the host communities, they become part of—by enabling access to high-quality education and training and supporting young people's pathways to dignified and fulfilling work as employees or entrepreneurs and job creators. The Foundation also works with multiple stakeholders across the public, private, and non-profit sectors, particularly young people themselves, to address systemic barriers inhibiting the economic prospects of forcibly displaced youth.

Job Role:

The Senior Economic Inclusion Manager - Pan Africa will play a critical role in advancing the missions of WUSC and the Mastercard Foundation in enhancing access to educational and economic opportunities for RDP youth, with a focus on Rwanda, francophone Africa, South Sudan and other countries of expansion. This position requires a dedicated, innovative and experienced individual who can provide technical guidance on issues of displacement, lead programming and research initiatives, identify new opportunities and stakeholders for partnerships, and develop strategies in a variety of geographies on the continent that advance the delivery of the Foundation’s RDP strategy.

The Senior Manager will work closely and in collaboration with WUSC teams in Kenya and globally, the Mastercard Foundation’s regional and country teams, and the Foundation’s partners. Reporting to the DREEM Project Director, they will:

• Work collaboratively with DREEM team members to provide technical, programmatic, and coordination support to ensure the economic inclusion goals of the Mastercard Foundation under DREEM are met;
• Provides overall direction and strategic guidance for the technical advice and capacity building and advisory support for Young Africa Works partners and programming in Rwanda, South Sudan, francophone Africa and new countries of focus;
• Assume responsibility and accountability for ensuring that Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning (MERL) and gender equality and social inclusion (GESI) are meaningfully and effectively incorporated and mainstreamed into all aspects of DREEM’s collaboration with the Young Africa Works strategy;
• Ensuring program strategy and alignment with Young Africa Works to identify strategic opportunities and develop initiatives to mainstream RDP youth inclusion across programming;
• Supports the design, development and delivery of resources and training for Young Africa Works staff and partners across the countries of focus (where relevant);
• Ensures effective partnership and stakeholder engagement with Young Africa Works staff, partners and other stakeholders;
• Maintains up to date knowledge on emerging trends and issues in the displacement context;
• Support communication, progress and learnings from RDP projects to colleagues and partners within and beyond WUSC and the Foundation;
• Builds networks with RDP youth and African-based organizations to advance the mission of the RDP strategy;
• Leads country or regional convenings on RDP inclusion thematic areas;
• Identifies critical research gaps and opportunities in RDP inclusion and manages research projects that are building evidence for further interventions and partnerships;
• Identifies promising practices and ways to share learnings across the network; and
• Works closely with the DREEM Deputy Director and Director to identify broader policy, research and strategic network opportunities.

Qualifications:

The ideal applicant will combine technical expertise in one or more of DREEM’s sectors (higher education, durable solutions for refugees, vocational and technical training, support to entrepreneurs and businesses), a familiarity with the displacement context in at least one of the countries/regions of focus, an ability to get things done, and strong organization, coordination, and communication skills.

• At minimum, a Bachelor’s degree in a related field (International Development, Public Policy, International Relations, Refugee Studies);
• At least seven years of work experience in development cooperation or technical assistance projects;
• Relevant experience on projects that promote livelihoods and economic inclusion for displaced/ refugee youth, entrepreneur support within a refugee setting, tertiary or technical education for displaced/ refugee youth;
• Understanding of market-based approaches to youth employment and livelihoods;
• Previous training and experience in systems development would be desirable;
• Experience providing technical support to development organizations and a commitment to a participatory partnership approach to capacity development;
• Demonstrated success in developing toolkits and training materials for mid to senior level staff in private sector, government and civil society organizations;
• Deep knowledge of key issues and emerging trends and barriers in education and youth employment in one or more regions or countries on the African continent;
• Demonstrated commitment to social inclusion and knowledge of the specific constraints and realities of challenges faced by refugee and displaced groups;
• Adherence to gender equality and social inclusion principles; proven knowledge of and commitment to the concept of gender equality and intersectionality within programming;
• Complete fluency in English is essential, with the ability to write articulately and cogently, and to edit at a similarly high level;
• Fluency (or professional competencies) in French is strongly desired;
• Strong planning, organization and problem-solving skills with ability to work hands-on, independently, and within team in a fast-paced work environment;
• Commitment to WUSC’s mission of building a better world for all young people, particularly displaced and refugee youth.

Other requirements:

• The headquarters of the DREEM project is located in Nairobi, Kenya; the manager is expected to be based on the African continent, and must already possess the relevant work authorizations in the country they are/will be residing in.
• The role will require frequent travel across the continent, and occasional international travel for conferences, workshops and meetings;
• Ability to work a flexible schedule.

WUSC’s activities seek to balance inequities and create sustainable development around the globe; the work ethic of our staff, volunteers, representatives and partners shall correspond to the values and mission of the organization. WUSC promotes responsibility, respect, honesty, and professional excellence, and we will not tolerate harassment, coercion, sexual exploitation or abuse of any form. Successful applicants will be required to undertake an enhanced criminal record check where appropriate.

Only those candidates selected for an interview will be contacted. WUSC is an equal opportunity employer. We welcome and encourage applications from people with disabilities. Accommodations are available on request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process.

How to apply

If you wish to apply for this exciting role, please submit your application here (Link at Apply Button) by 15th December 2023.