Senior Program Officer - Higher Education Inclusion

About the role

The Senior Program Officer – Higher Education Inclusion will lead outreach and partnership activities that expand access to higher education for refugee and displaced youth across Africa. Reporting to senior management, the officer will work closely with internal teams and external stakeholders to design, implement and evaluate programs that remove barriers to post‑secondary study.

Key responsibilities

• Lead coordination, planning and implementation of in‑person and virtual outreach activities for RDP communities across Africa.
• Collaborate with the Senior Events Officer on event logistics, administration and communications.
• Provide programmatic oversight and support relationship‑building with partners, institutions and refugee‑led organisations.
• Work with the Partnerships Manager, internal University Now Team and RLOs to align activities with strategic goals.
• Coordinate with the DREEM Communication Manager to produce visibility products such as best‑practice guides and case studies.
• Develop outreach resources for partners and RDPs and support their dissemination.

Required profile

• Bachelor’s degree in International Development, Public Policy, International Relations, Refugee Studies, Education, Social Sciences or a related field.
• Three to five years of professional experience working on displacement, refugee, youth development, education or social inclusion initiatives in Africa.
• Lived experience of displacement or forced migration is an asset.
• Familiarity with higher‑education landscapes in Sub‑Saharan and North Africa.
• Demonstrated commitment to gender equality, diversity, equity and social inclusion.

Required skills

• Strong written and verbal communication in English and French.
• Excellent planning, organisational and coordination abilities.
• Problem‑solving skills and capacity to manage multiple priorities in a fast‑paced environment.
• Interpersonal skills to build and maintain positive relationships with diverse stakeholders.
• Ability to work independently while contributing to a collaborative, multicultural team.