Pan-Africa Senior Manager, Refugee-led Organization Opportunity Fund

ABOUT THE COMPANY

WUSC (World University Service of Canada) is a Canadian non-profit organization dedicated to improving education, employment, and empowerment opportunities for youth around the world.

JOB SUMMARY

The ideal candidate brings deep expertise in grants management for local and community-based organizations and working within diverse African contexts.Advanced degree in International Development, Social Sciences, Business Administration, or a related field.Minimum of 8 years of experience in program management, grant-making, or capacity-building, with at least 5 years focused on refugee/displacement contexts.Demonstrated experience designing and managing funds or grant programs for local organizations, preferably refugee-led or community-based organizations.Strong understanding of the African RDP ecosystem, including challenges and opportunities related to education, livelihoods, and organizational development.Proven ability to work collaboratively with diverse stakeholders, including donors, partners, and youth-led groups.Excellent strategic planning, financial management, and MERL skills.Fluency in English; professional proficiency in French is highly desirable.Demonstrated ability to build equitable partnerships with marginalized and community-led organizations

RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategic Leadership & Fund ManagementDesign and oversee the implementation of the RLO Opportunity Fund, including grant-making processes, eligibility criteria, and funding cycles.Develop and manage the fund’s budget, ensuring effective and compliant allocation of resources to RLOs.Ensure alignment of the Opportunity Fund with the initiative’s overall strategy and the donor’s RDP Strategy.RLO Capacity Strengthening & Transition SupportWork closely with the Training and Curriculum Development Specialist to design and deliver capacity-building programs for RLOs, including institutional development, financial management, MERL, and safeguarding.Support the systematic transition of TA delivery from WUSC staff to RLOs, in collaboration with the Head of the TA Mechanism and the Head of Higher Education Inclusion.Develop and manage a “Grants Plus” model, pairing financial support with tailored technical assistance to ensure RLO sustainability and growth.Partnership & Ecosystem EngagementIdentify, assess, and onboard RLO partners across target countries, ensuring diversity in geography, gender, disability, and thematic focus (including green/climate initiatives).Foster strong relationships with RLOs, the donor’s teams, and other ecosystem actors to enhance collaboration and knowledge sharing.Represent the RLO Opportunity Fund in internal and external forums, advocating for refugee-led solutions and inclusive funding practices.Monitoring, Learning & AdaptationIn collaboration with the Lead, Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning, and Research (MERL), develop and implement a robust MERL framework for the Opportunity Fund, tracking RLO progress, impact, and readiness for TA provision.Facilitate learning exchanges, reflection sessions, and adaptive management processes to continuously improve fund delivery and RLO outcomes and to share best practices.With support from the MERL and Communications teams, document and disseminate success stories, lessons learned, and best practices related to RLO empowerment and funding models.Compliance & Risk ManagementEnsure all RLO partnerships and fund disbursements adhere to WUSC and the donor’s compliance, safeguarding, and due diligence requirements.Mitigate risks related to RLO capacity, financial management, legal registration, and program delivery.World closely with the GESI and Safeguarding unit to ensure that all aspects of the Opportunity Fund are designed to effectively build collaborative, safe and equitable partnerships with RLOs;Promote ethical and inclusive practices in all aspects of fund management and partner engagement

REQUIRED SKILLS

Project management, Grant and fund management, Budgeting, financial planning, Partnerships

REQUIRED EDUCATION

Post-graduate education