The World University Service of Canada (WUSC) is seeking an exceptional bilingual development professional to join its flagship DREEM initiative as Deputy Project Director (DPD). This senior leadership opportunity offers experienced professionals the chance to contribute to one of Africa’s most ambitious refugee and displaced youth empowerment programs.

The position supports the implementation of the second phase of the DREEM initiative (2026–2031), a transformative Pan-African programme that aims to significantly improve education and employment opportunities for refugee, displaced, and host community youth, particularly young women.

The successful candidate will play a central role in shaping strategy, managing technical teams, coordinating partnerships, and driving implementation across multiple African countries.

Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, and interested candidates are strongly encouraged to apply early.

About WUSC

World University Service of Canada (WUSC) is a leading Canadian international development organization dedicated to creating positive educational and economic opportunities for young people around the world.

WUSC’s vision is a world where every young person thrives and feels a sense of belonging. Through innovative partnerships and locally driven solutions, the organization works to ensure that young people can realize their aspirations and build meaningful futures.

Headquartered in Ottawa, Canada, WUSC operates across Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Latin America, and the Middle East. The organization is recognized globally for delivering sustainable development programs that create measurable and lasting impact.

WUSC offers a dynamic multicultural working environment that brings together professionals from diverse backgrounds who share a commitment to social justice, inclusion, and youth empowerment.

About the DREEM Initiative

In January 2026, WUSC launched Phase II of the DREEM programme, which will run until 2031.

The initiative focuses on supporting refugee, displaced, and host community youth (RDP youth) across Africa by helping them access dignified employment opportunities and quality education.

Building on the achievements of its first phase, DREEM Phase II seeks to expand its reach into new geographic areas while strengthening local systems that support refugee and displaced populations.

Vision and Goals of DREEM Phase II

The programme has set highly ambitious targets for the next five years, including:

Indirectly enabling one million refugee, displaced, and host community youth to secure dignified employment opportunities.
Supporting 35,000 young people to access education opportunities.
Strengthening the inclusion of refugee and displaced youth in economic systems.
Enhancing access to higher education and technical education pathways.
Building sustainable local capacity through Refugee-Led Organizations (RLOs).

The programme places a strong emphasis on supporting young women and promoting gender-responsive development approaches.

The Strategic Role of Refugee-Led Organizations (RLOs)

A defining feature of DREEM Phase II is its commitment to localization and refugee leadership.

The initiative recognizes Refugee-Led Organizations as critical actors in creating sustainable and community-driven solutions.

The programme will support RLOs through three key mechanisms:

1. RLO Opportunity Fund

Providing direct financial access and support to Refugee-Led Organizations.

2. Capacity Strengthening

Equipping RLOs with technical expertise and organizational development support.

3. Integrated Participation

Embedding RLOs throughout programme implementation and decision-making processes.

This strategy aims to create sustainable local ownership and long-term impact.

Position Overview: Deputy Project Director

The Deputy Project Director serves as the second-in-command of the DREEM programme and works closely with the Project Director to ensure successful programme implementation and achievement of results.

The DPD will support strategic planning, operational oversight, staff management, partnership coordination, and technical leadership at the Pan-African level.

The role is ideal for a visionary leader who combines technical expertise with strong people management and partnership-building skills.

Preferred Duty Stations

WUSC offers flexibility regarding the candidate’s duty station.

Preference will be given to candidates based in:

Nairobi, Kenya
Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire
Accra, Ghana
Kigali, Rwanda
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Lagos, Nigeria

The successful candidate must already possess legal work authorization in the country where they intend to be based.

No relocation allowance will be provided.

Key Technical Areas of Responsibility

The Deputy Project Director will oversee three major technical pillars of the programme.

1. Refugee-Led Organization Engagement

Supporting localization efforts and strengthening refugee-led institutions.

2. Technical Assistance Mechanism

Providing technical support to partners across the DREEM ecosystem.

3. Higher Education Inclusion

Expanding access to higher education opportunities for refugee and displaced youth.

The DPD will directly supervise Senior Technical Managers responsible for these pillars as well as the Training and Curriculum Development Specialist.

Core Responsibilities

The successful candidate will be responsible for a wide range of leadership, technical, and operational functions.

Strategic Programme Leadership

Responsibilities include:

Ensuring project activities achieve annual workplan commitments.
Supporting adaptive management and programme quality assurance.
Driving implementation of programme objectives across Africa.

Staff Leadership and Capacity Building

The Deputy Project Director will:

Mentor and coach programme staff.
Strengthen competencies in project management and partnership development.
Build staff capacity around refugee inclusion approaches.

Training and Technical Support

Responsibilities include:

Developing training materials and capacity-building tools.
Designing coaching and mentoring interventions.
Supporting organizational learning initiatives.

Partnership Development and Stakeholder Engagement

The role involves:

Building relationships with implementing partners.
Coordinating with consultants and subcontractors.
Managing strategic donor relationships.
Collaborating with government stakeholders and institutions.

Donor Coordination

The Deputy Project Director will work closely with:

Mastercard Foundation
WUSC headquarters in Canada
African country teams
Youth Advisory Board
Youth Technical Committee

The DPD may also represent the programme when required.

Programme Planning and Management

Additional responsibilities include:

Budget development
Annual work planning
Project reporting
Monitoring implementation performance
Ensuring compliance with donor requirements

Qualifications and Experience Required

WUSC is seeking a highly qualified professional with extensive experience in international development and refugee inclusion.

Education

Candidates must possess:

A Master’s Degree in:
- International Development
- Education
- Public Policy
- Social Sciences
- Or a related discipline

Additional project management certifications such as PMP or PRINCE2 are considered strong assets.

Language Requirements

Fluency in both English and French is mandatory.

This bilingual requirement reflects the programme’s Pan-African scope and the need to work effectively across Anglophone and Francophone countries.

Sector Expertise

Candidates should demonstrate substantial experience in one or more of the following sectors:

Forced displacement
Refugee inclusion
Inclusive market systems
Higher education
International development

Specialized Technical Expertise

Applicants should possess expertise in at least one of the following areas:

Localization and organizational strengthening
Refugee-Led Organization development
Refugee inclusion in higher education
Technical assistance design and delivery

Leadership and Project Management Experience

The ideal candidate will demonstrate:

Extensive project management experience
Budget management expertise
Work planning experience
Team leadership and coaching abilities
Cross-cultural management skills

Why This Opportunity Stands Out

This position offers a unique opportunity to shape one of Africa’s largest refugee and displaced youth inclusion programmes.

Successful candidates will have the opportunity to:

Influence policy and programming across multiple African countries.
Contribute to improving opportunities for one million young people.
Work with leading international development partners.
Lead innovative approaches to refugee inclusion.
Strengthen Refugee-Led Organizations across Africa.
Drive systemic change in education and employment ecosystems.

Additional Considerations

Candidates should be aware that:

The position may require periodic travel across Africa.
Flexible working hours may occasionally be required.
Criminal background verification may be conducted where appropriate.
WUSC maintains a strict commitment to safeguarding, accountability, respect, and professional integrity.

Application Information

Applications are reviewed continuously on a rolling basis.

Because the recruitment process may close once a suitable candidate has been identified, interested professionals are encouraged to submit their applications as early as possible.

This is a rare opportunity for experienced bilingual development leaders to contribute to transformative change for refugee and displaced youth across Africa while working with one of the continent’s most innovative and impactful international development initiatives.

Apply here

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WUSC DREEM Deputy Project Director Job 2026: Lead a Pan-African Initiative Empowering One Million Refugee and Displaced Youth Across Africa @African Initiative Empowering One Million Refugee and Displaced Youth Across Africa