Higher Education Inclusion Officer

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 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.

Displaced and Refugee youth Enabling Environment Mechanism (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 Mastercard Foundation’s commitment to meaningfully include refugee and displaced youth in their Scholars Program and Young Africa Works strategy.

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

Under the supervision of the Nairobi-Based Deputy Project Director, the Higher Education Inclusion Officer will work closely and in collaboration with the WUSC team in Kenya, the WUSC team based in Canada, and the Mastercard Foundation team.

The Higher Education Inclusion Officer provides essential support to the DREEM project’s day to day operations. Working closely with the Senior Project Manager and the DREEM team, they will support in the coordination of various aspects of the project as outlined below:

Responsibilities:

• Work collaboratively with DREEM team members to provide technical, programmatic, and coordination support to ensure the educational inclusion goals of the Mastercard Foundation under DREEM are met;
• Supports the Higher Education Inclusion Coordinator in providing capacity building support and technical advice to Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program partners on refugee and displaced youth inclusion in higher education;
• Works closely with the DREEM Senior Monitoring, Evaluation, Research, and Learning (MERL) Officer to track Scholars Program partner engagement and impact;
• Supports in the coordination of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program Inclusion Working Group;
• Supports in the development and dissemination of resources and delivery of training opportunities for Scholars Program partners;
• Identifies promising practices and ways to share learnings across the network;
• Coordinates and supports the planning and implementation of outreaches and key convenings within the Higher Education Inclusion portfolio;
• In partnership with the DREEM Senior MERL Officer, supports MERL activities for the Higher Education Inclusion portfolio;
• Attend and participate in relevant internal and external events;
• Other duties as assigned.

Line Manager

Deputy Project Director, DREEM

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 East African refugee context, an ability to get things done, and strong organization, coordination, and communication skills.

Specific competencies:

• At minimum, a Bachelor’s degree in a related field (International Development, Public Policy, International Relations, Refugee Studies);
• Two to three years of relevant working experience;
• Experience working on displacement issues in East Africa;
• Relevant experience on projects that promote inclusion for displaced/ refugee youth in tertiary or technical education;
• Experience providing technical support to partner organizations and a commitment to a participatory partnership approach to capacity development;
• Understanding of the higher education landscape in Sub-Saharan Africa;
• Demonstrated commitment to gender equality and social inclusion, and knowledge of the specific constraints and realities of challenges faced by refugee and displaced groups;
• 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;
• Excellent interpersonal skills & demonstrated ability to establish effective working relations between programs & support;
• 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 officer 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 may require travel to refugee communities across the continent with Scholars Program partners;
• 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.