Project Director, Strengthening Skills Training Ecosystems & Pathways in Kenya (STEP) project Full Time NEW

Position Location: Nairobi, Kenya

Reports To: Kenya Country Director

Contract Term: 1 Year fixed term (renewable)

Languages Required: English (required); Swahili (strongly preferred)

APPLICATION DEADLINE:

EXPECTED START DATE: March 1 2026 (contingent on signing of project agreement)

Are you a seasoned leader with experience in forced displacement, the digital economy, TVET, and/or market systems development? WUSC is currently looking for a Project Director to oversee an exciting new initiative focused on youth employment pathways in Kenya

BACKGROUND

WUSC is a Canadian global development organization working to catalyze positive education and economic outcomes for young people. We bring together and collaborate with a diverse network of partners (including students, volunteers, schools, governments, not-for-profits, and businesses) who share this mission. Together, we influence systems change, and foster inclusive, youth-centered solutions that enable young people to thrive and belong. We work with all young people, with a focus on women and displaced populations. WUSC currently operates in 28 countries across Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as in Canada, with an annual budget of approximately CAD $65 million. Our global team includes over 100 staff in Canada and more than 250 staff internationally, implementing a diverse portfolio of development projects in collaboration with numerous multilateral and bilateral donors, and philanthropic foundations.

Pending approval,The Strengthening Skills Training Ecosystems & Pathways in Kenya project (STEP) is a seven-year initiative which supports economic development and youth employment in Kenya. STEP will leverage Canadian expertise and market linkages to strengthen pathways to technical, vocational and digital employment for refugees and host community youth in the Kakuma, Kalobeyei, and Dadaab displacement settings in Turkana and Garissa counties. This initiative connects displacement affected youth to employment and entrepreneurship opportunities in Kenyan, Canadian and global markets. It will support over 10,000 young refugees and host community members to access quality market-oriented technical and vocational education and training (TVET), acquire in-demand technical, vocational and digital skills, and access contextually relevant business incubation services and support. It places a critical focus on creating sustainable conditions for, and delivering programs that link young people to meaningful work.

STEP employs an innovative dual-pathway approach to enabling equitable economic participation. The first pathway focuses on the Increased growth of entrepreneurship ventures led by youth, which involves building the capacity of Refugee-Led Organizations (RLOs) and Entrepreneurship Support Organizations (ESOs) to provide business incubation services and establishing local, self-sustaining digital outsourcing agencies to connect entrepreneurs to the global marketplace. The second pathway aims for enhanced access to fair, safe and inclusive employment by supporting the adaptation of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programs to incorporate advanced digital, AI, and green skills relevant to Kenyan and international markets. This strategy is reinforced by technical assistance to government duty-bearers to institutionalize inclusion policies and unblock administrative barriers, while also supporting local organizations to address social barriers like time poverty and gender-based violence (GBV) that prevent women’s participation.

RESPONSIBILITIES

The Project Director (PD) oversees all aspects of the STEP project in Kenya to ensure it is a learning initiative, with the ability to innovate, adapt and produce high-quality outcomes. The PD has overall responsibility for programme strategy, results and reporting, maintaining technical rigor in intervention design, and driving a high performance and learning-oriented culture. The PD is also responsible for budgeting, monitoring and communicating results, and managing risks to project performance. This is closely linked to ensuring a strong and productive relationship between STEP, its partners, Global Affairs Canada, and other WUSC programming. The PD translates the funders’ objectives and research findings into relevant interventions that deliver results and value for money. They drive innovation and adaptation, providing strategy, technical and project leadership, as well as guidance and performance management to an interdisciplinary team.

The Project Director for STEP will report to the Kenya Country Director, and will be responsible for the following:

Vision and Strategy

• Oversee the development of STEP’s strategic documents (Annual Work Plan, Annual Report, Market System Strategies) and communications products.
• Create a culture that balances control/compliance with innovation, embracing risk and dynamic organizational structures.

Technical innovation

• Drive innovation and adaptation in Market Systems Development (MSD) to TVET systems for youth employment. Refine and adapt tools and techniques of a systems approach to work with STEP’s context.
• Ensure that innovation and learning is shared across WUSC’s programming and in-country stakeholders.
• Provide strategic direction to the program’s monitoring and results measurement (MERL) agenda to ensure it delivers real time intelligence to the team and other stakeholders.
• Develop specific strategies for cross-cutting themes (capacity building, gender equality, private sector engagement, environmental sustainability) for the initiative.

Leadership and culture

• Take the lead in developing a team culture that promotes teamwork, critical enquiry and creativity, which brings together different skills to generate innovative development solutions.
• Provide strategic oversight of STEP’s learning and capacity building agenda.
• Identify current and future talent requirements, competencies, risks and opportunities to ensure that the STEP attracts the caliber of staff required to fulfill its objectives.
• Work with colleagues and partners to ensure the effective mobilization, orientation and coaching of volunteers and technical advisors.

Partner Relations and Communications

• Establish and maintain effective relationships between key project partners in Kenya and internally;
• Establish a strong working relationship with the Donor, including planning, capacity building and information sharing;
• Develop robust relationships with project stakeholders, including relevant governments, private sector actors, consultants and civil society organizations;
• Organize and manage governance structures / committees;
• Represent WUSC among stakeholders, ensuring that the STEP project can provide value to local actors and make a positive impact within the digital and entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Technical Direction & Project Management

• Provide technical and managerial direction and guidance to the initiative, in line with the project’s expected outcomes;
• Oversee day-to-day coordination and delivery of project activities in conjunction with staff, technical advisors, volunteers and partners;

Monitoring & Evaluation

• Stay apprised of developments in key markets of interest to the project and develop systems for monitoring changes and adaptations in these markets over time;
• Regularly monitor progress towards results, ensuring appropriate course correction and iterative management;
• Work with team members to produce regular reports to key stakeholders, including the donor agency;
• Maintain regular communication with WUSC colleagues in Canada and with key overseas partners to ensure appropriate support;

Human Resources Management

• Manage the project team in Kenya;
• Supervise, guide and evaluate the work of project staff and consultants;

Financial oversight

• Work closely with the Finance team to establish and oversee a financial management system for the project;
• In conjunction with the finance and project teams, develop and monitor the project budget and ensure regular reporting to the donor;

Donor Liaison & Coordination

• Convene Project Steering and Advisory Committees at regular intervals;
• Coordinate regularly with other development actors to ensure harmonization and synergy with similar initiatives;
• Represent the Project in official communication and fora.

QUALIFICATIONS AND COMPETENCIES

Education

• A university degree in international development, business administration, finance or other relevant area;
• Specialized training in entrepreneurship support, financial inclusion, gender and/or the digital economy would be an advantage.

Experience and Competencies

• A minimum of ten years of progressively more responsible assignments related to management of development initiatives;
• Knowledge and experience in entrepreneurship ecosystem support, forced displacement, and/or TVET. Previous experience with the market systems development approach strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated experience in managing diverse teams and building a culture of curiosity and learning.
• Knowledge of Results Based Management (RBM) and environmental and gender policies and reporting requirements preferred;
• Proven technical, financial, administrative and organizational skills;
• Proven experience managing a multi-disciplinary team of staff;
• Diplomatic skills and the knowledge of cross-cultural, inter-personal communication;
• Proven experience of adaptability to a challenging and constantly changing environment requiring iterative planning on a regular basis;
• Experience in capacity building with local partner organizations and a commitment to a participatory partnership approach to development.

Language and other

• Fluency in oral and written English is required
• Ability to travel internationally as required
• Ability to work a flexible schedule with multiple time zones

WHY WORK WITH WUSC?

Join Us. Our work is important, cutting-edge, and rewarding. We encourage curiosity, innovation, and flexibility.

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 in the lives of youth around the world. Employees at WUSC work hard to create lasting change in education, economic opportunities and empowerment.

• The headquarters of this initiative is located in Nairobi, Kenya; the Project Director must already possess the relevant work authorizations
• The role may require frequent travel across Kenya, and occasional international travel for conferences, workshops and meetings;
• Ability to work a flexible schedule.

APPLICATIONS

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.

Persons with disabilities who need accommodation in the application process, or those needing job postings in an alternative format, may e-mail a request to [email protected].

WUSC is an equal opportunity employer. We welcome and encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds and abilities. Accommodations are available upon request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process. Please note that only the candidates selected for an interview will be contacted

Tagged as: Kenya, World University Service of Canada