Research Manager, DREEM

Position Title: Research Manager, DREEM

Position Location: Preference for Nairobi, Abidjan, Kampala, Accra, Kigali, or Addis Ababa

Reports To: MERL Senior Regional Manager. DREEM

Application Deadline: Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled. Interested candidates are encouraged to apply as soon as possible.

Expected start Date: June 1, 2026

BACKGROUND

World University Service of Canada (WUSC) is a leading Canadian international development organization driving positive education and economic change for young people around the world. Our vision is a world where every young person thrives and belongs. We believe all young people should have the opportunity to fulfill their aspirations and create their own futures. To help achieve this goal, we develop initiatives that: deliver lasting, measurable impact; are powered by partnerships across the globe; stay true to our core programming principles; and respond to the priorities and aspirations of the people with whom we work.

WUSC is headquartered in Ottawa, Canada, and has offices across Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Latin America, and the Middle East. Our global team of development professionals bring deep expertise and open minds to identify new solutions to old problems and create a better world together. 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 the communities they serve.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

WUSC is launching the second phase (2026-2031) of DREEM, an exciting initiative which aims to significantly expand efforts to help refugee, displaced, and host community (RDP) youth, particularly young women, secure dignified and fulfilling work and access education opportunities across Africa. Building on prior successes, this Phase II will deepen engagement in new geographies, strengthen local ecosystems, and equip partners with necessary knowledge and tools for lasting change. A core strategy is emphasizing the engagement and strengthening of Refugee-Led Organizations (RLOs) to provide sustainable, locally led technical assistance.

Over the next five years, DREEM’s ambitious goals include indirectly enabling one million RDP youth to secure dignified work and 35,000 to access education through the provision of expert technical assistance to a broad ecosystem of actors. Key implementation strategies involve working closely with RLOs through three pathways: providing financial access via an RLO Opportunity Fund, strengthening their capacity to provide technical assistance to partners, and embedding them across Phase II’s functional areas. WUSC will serve as a network orchestrator, facilitating connections for scale and training partners and other stakeholders on RDP inclusion. The initiative will achieve its targets by increasing knowledge among partners, enhancing capacity to develop innovative programming, improving collaboration and inclusive policies, and strengthening the institutional ability of RLOs to design, implement, and sustain RDP solutions.

Role Description:

The primary purpose of this role is to design and oversee a rigorous and ambitious research agenda that generates actionable evidence for WUSC, Mastercard Foundation and its partners to build awareness and ultimately remove systemic barriers that hinder access to education and dignified work for refugee and displaced youth. The Research Manager will ensure that all data collection is inclusive, ethical, gender-responsive, and directly informs the initiative’s technical assistance and policy advocacy efforts.

Reporting to the MERL Regional Senior Manager, they will:

Research Design & Implementation:

• In close collaboration with the thematic pillars (RLO partnerships, Higher Education Inclusion and the Technical Assistance Mechanism), lead the design and execution of research studies, mapping exercises, and situational analyses across the African continent to identify policy and systemic barriers impacting RDP youth as well as opportunities for engagement.
• Manage the production of high-quality research reports, policy papers, and evidence-based recommendations.
• Manage relationships with external research firms, consultants and data collectors

Evidence Generation for Policy & Advocacy:

• In collaboration with the Learning Manager, synthesize research findings into accessible formats (e.g., learning briefs) to influence Mastercard Foundation staff, partners, and broader ecosystem actors.
• In partnership with RLOs themselves, undertake rigorous research to understand the impact of the RLO Opportunity Fund, especially ensuring that research is RDP-centred.
• Support the Youth Advisory Board (YAB) and Refugee-Led Organizations (RLOs) in using research data to advocate for institutional and national policy changes.

Methodology & Data Integrity:

• Implement mixed-methods research approaches, combining quantitative surveys with qualitative methods such as Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) and Focus Group Discussions (FGDs).
• Ensure all research is inclusive and gender-responsive, specifically capturing dis aggregated data for young women, persons with disabilities, and internally displaced persons (IDPs).
• Uphold rigorous safeguarding standards to ensure research activities do not cause harm to vulnerable program participants.

QUALIFICATIONS AND COMPETENCIES

Qualifications:

• Advanced degree in International Development, Social Sciences, Knowledge Management, or a related field.
• Significant experience in knowledge management, MERL, or program learning within large-scale international development initiatives, preferably in Africa.
• Strong understanding of the challenges facing refugee and displaced populations, particularly young women and persons with disabilities.
• Proficiency in qualitative and quantitative research methods, digital monitoring tools, and participatory learning approaches (e.g., Most Significant Change).
• Ability to synthesize complex data into clear, accessible learning products for various audiences.
• Deep commitment to gender-responsive and inclusive approaches in data collection and knowledge sharing.
• Complete fluency in English is essential, with strong oral presentation and writing skills.
• Fluency (or professional competencies) in French is a strong asset.
• Commitment to social inclusion, gender equality, and working with displaced and refugee youth.

Other requirements:

• The headquarters of this initiative is located in Nairobi, Kenya; the Research 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.

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.

WUSC’s office in Kenya is located in Westlands, off Waiyaki Way. Here is some of what you can expect working with us:

• 40-hour workweek, some ability to work flexible hours and a hybrid work arrangement
• 21 days annual leave
• Health insurance coverage
• Free access to an e-learning platform with 350+ courses on various topics
• Get to know and exchange with people from all over the world
• Being part of a friendly, caring and enthusiastic team!

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. Successful applicants will be required to undertake an enhanced criminal record check where appropriate.

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 hr-rh@wusc.ca.

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.

If you are interested in this position, please follow this link to apply through our website.