Senior Livelihoods and Economic Inclusion Officer

Number of Positions: Two (2) – One (1) based in Dadaab, One (1) based in Kakuma

Location: Dadaab or Kakuma, Kenya (Depending on the position applied for)

Reports To: STEP Project Director

Role Purpose

We are recruiting for two Senior Livelihoods and Economic Inclusion Officers: one to be based in Dadaab and one to be based in Kakuma. The successful candidates will be responsible for leading the design and implementation of market-oriented livelihoods and economic inclusion strategies that strengthen pathways to technical, vocational, and digital employment in their respective regions.

The ideal candidates will possess a unique intersection of skills in livelihoods, economic inclusion, gender equality, and digital skills/programming with a Market Systems Development lens. This includes providing strategic oversight to the project’s dual-pathway approach: driving the growth of youth-led entrepreneurship ventures (specifically through supporting Refugee-Led Organizations (RLOs), Private Sector Actors and digital outsourcing agencies), while simultaneously enhancing access to fair, safe, and formal wage employment. The Senior Livelihoods and Economic Inclusion Officer ensures that all livelihood interventions are gender-responsive, inclusive of marginalized groups, and aligned with both the Kenyan policy framework and Canadian market linkages to create sustainable and dignified work opportunities.

Key Areas of Responsibility

Technical Leadership & Strategy Implementation

• Design and execute market-oriented strategies that strengthen pathways to technical, vocational, and digital employment for displaced and host-community youth in the specific region of placement (Dadaab or Kakuma/Kalobeyei).
• Oversee the project’s dual-pathway strategy by accelerating youth-led entrepreneurship while expanding access to secure, equitable, and formal wage-earning opportunities.
• Lead labor and market analyses to identify high-potential sectors in Kenyan, Canadian, and global markets, ensuring training programs remain relevant to modern labor demands, with a strong emphasis on integrating digital skills and programming.

Entrepreneurship & Digital Ecosystem Development

• Strengthen local RLOs and Entrepreneurship Support Organizations (ESOs) to provide high-quality business incubation, acceleration, and financial linkage services.
• Support the establishment of self-sustaining digital outsourcing agencies to connect youth to global remote work, bypassing local administrative barriers to formal employment.
• Collaborate with international partners to test inclusive business models and link youth-led ventures to Canadian market needs.

Policy Advocacy & Administrative Unblocking

• Provide technical assistance to duty-bearers, specifically the Department of Refugee Services (DRS), to streamline the issuance of IDs, KRA PINs, and Class M work permits for refugees.
• Operationalize national inclusion frameworks, such as the Shirika Plan and the Refugees Act (2021), to transition youth from informal incentive work to formal, protected labor.
• Facilitate dialogue sessions with government and private sector actors to promote fair hiring practices and regulate inclusive apprenticeships.

Gender Responsiveness & Social Inclusion (GESI)

• Apply an intersectional lens to all programming, ensuring that livelihoods, economic inclusion, and digital skills initiatives actively dismantle barriers for women and girls.
• Ensure all interventions address time poverty and mobility restrictions for young women by integrating practical enablers like childcare support and safe transport.
• Mainstream disability and LGBTQ+ inclusion into all livelihoods programming, ensuring facilities are accessible and outreach is rights-based and confidential.
• Partner with Women’s Rights Organizations (WROs) to challenge harmful social norms and gendered occupational segregation that limit women’s access to high-yield technical and digital roles.

Coordination, Reporting & Quality Assurance

• Monitor the quality and impact of livelihood interventions, ensuring data is disaggregated by sex, age, and disability to allow for adaptive management.
• Represent the project in livelihoods-related working groups and maintain strong relationships with UNHCR, county governments, and private sector employers.
• Document and disseminate success stories and lessons learned related to refugee economic inclusion to inform broader policy and practice.

Qualifications

• A Master’s degree in International Development, Economics, Business Administration, Social Sciences, Gender Studies, Computer Science, or a related field (or an equivalent mix of education and professional experience).
• At least 5–7 years of progressive experience in designing and managing livelihoods, economic inclusion, or market-based development programs, preferably within an international NGO or development agency.
• Demonstrated intersectional expertise and a proven track record combining skills in livelihoods, economic inclusion, gender equality, and digital skills/programming.
• Demonstrated experience working in refugee, displacement-affected, or fragile contexts (specifically the Kakuma/Kalobeyei or Dadaab regions) and applying conflict-sensitive and context-responsive approaches.
• Proven experience in Results-Based Management (RBM), including the ability to design and monitor complex livelihoods interventions and conduct robust labor market analyses.
• In-depth knowledge of both entrepreneurship support (incubation, acceleration, and financial linkages) and wage employment pathways (TVET alignment, apprenticeships, and private sector engagement).
• Familiarity with the digital livelihoods landscape, including digital outsourcing agencies, remote work platforms, and the integration of digital/AI skills into training programs.
• Strong understanding of the Kenyan legal framework for refugees, including the Refugees Act (2021), the Shirika Plan, and the administrative processes for obtaining IDs, KRA PINs, and Class M work permits.
• Demonstrated experience in mainstreaming GESI, and the inclusion of persons with disabilities and LGBTQ+ youth.
• Language Requirements: Exceptional written and verbal communication skills in English and Kiswahili. Additionally, fluency in Somali is strictly required for the Dadaab-based position, and fluency in Turkana or Karamojong is strictly required for the Kakuma-based position.
• Gender Preference: In alignment with our organizational commitment to gender equality and women’s leadership, there is a strong preference for female candidates for these positions.

Core Competencies

• Ability to translate strategy into practical implementation guidance, field support, and accountable follow-through.
• Excellent facilitation, relationship management, and influencing skills, with the ability to work across teams, communities, institutions, and sectors.
• Strong judgment, discretion, and ability to handle sensitive issues ethically and professionally.
• High level of cultural humility, respect, adaptability, and commitment to inclusive and participatory ways of working.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities, work independently, and deliver high-quality outputs in a fast-paced environment.

Here’s 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.

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.