Senior Administrative Officer, DREEM Project Management Office

Position Title: Senior Administrative Officer, DREEM Project Management Office

Position Location: Nairobi

Reports To: DREEM Project Director

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: May 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.

RESPONSIBILITIES

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 Senior Administrative Officer provides high-level executive support to the Project Director and Deputy Director, ensuring the efficient operation of the project’s management office. Additionally, this role serves as the primary Secretariat for the Youth Advisory Board (YAB), facilitating their meaningful engagement in the project’s governance and decision-making processes

Responsibilities:

1. Executive Support to Project Management

• Manage the calendars and schedules of the Project Director and Deputy Project Director, prioritizing high-level meetings and deadlines.
• Organize and coordinate management meetings, including preparing agendas, taking minutes, and tracking the status of action items.
• Draft, proofread, and format official project correspondence, reports, and presentations for the Mastercard Foundation and other high-level stakeholders.
• Oversee travel arrangements, logistics, and expense reporting for the senior management team.
• Other tasks as required by the project management.

2. Youth Advisory Board (YAB) Coordination

• Serve as the primary point of contact for the 15 members of the Youth Advisory Board, ensuring they are informed of project developments.
• Coordinate the recruitment and orientation of YAB members, ensuring gender, geographic, and disability diversity as outlined in the DREEM 2030 strategy.
• Organize YAB meetings (virtual and in-person), including logistical support for travel, per diems, and accessibility requirements.
• Facilitate the flow of information between the YAB and the Project Director and Deputy Director, ensuring that youth voices are integrated into program annual work plans and reflection meetings

3. General Project Administration

• Serve, as the primary administrative lead for the project’s Salesforce usage, ensuring all contact information for partners, RLOs, and YAB members is up-to-date.
• Build and maintain customized dashboards and reports within Salesforce for the Project Director to track administrative KPIs and workflow bottlenecks.
• Coordinate with the WUSC headquarters and regional offices on administrative policies and office management.
• Serve as the central curator for the project’s shared drive, ensuring that all project documentation remains up to date and stored appropriately.
• Collaborate closely with the Events team in the organization of large-scale project events, such as the annual reflection meetings and planning workshops.

4. Financial & Procurement Liaison

• Support the management team in tracking administrative budgets and processing procurement requests.
• Liaise with the Senior Finance Manager to ensure that all administrative spending complies with WUSC and Mastercard Foundation guidelines.

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.

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.

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