The Strengthen Skills Training Ecosystems & Pathways (STEP) project in Kenya is a seven-year WUSC-led initiative to improve the economic well-being of displaced and host-community youth. It will strengthen pathways to technical, vocational and digital employment for refugees and host-community youth in the Kakuma, Kalobeyei and Dadaab settings (Turkana and Garissa counties), supporting over 10,000 young people to access TVET, in-demand skills and business incubation services.
Role purpose: The STEP Project Manager is the Field Implementation Lead, providing operational, technical and managerial oversight across all field-based economic pathways and project outputs. Based in Nairobi and reporting to the STEP Project Director, the Project Manager supervises Economic Inclusion and Livelihood Officers in Kakuma and Dadaab and Operations Officers in Nairobi, and guides local partners (Refugee-Led Organizations, Women's Rights Organizations, Organizations of Persons with Disabilities and Host Community Organizations) to deliver project activities in line with GAC Results-Based Management standards, fiduciary rules and GESI/safeguarding frameworks.
Key responsibilities:
- Field implementation leadership and Market Systems Development (MSD) facilitation (35%): translate the Annual Work Plan into quarterly execution plans, build commercial relationships with private firms, aggregators, off-takers and financial service providers, ensure market demand precedes training or capital disbursement, and oversee the Traction-Based Capital Sequencing Model.
- Staff supervision and capacity building (20%): supervise, mentor and evaluate field officers, support the monthly Project Coordination Committee, and coach teams on systemic market facilitation.
- Partner management and local empowerment (20%): provide technical oversight to local implementing partners and strengthen RLO, HCO and private sector capacity.
- GESI, ECC and safeguarding integration (5%): ensure a minimum of 60% young women participants, inclusion enablers, environmental and OHS compliance, and grievance mechanisms for GBV/PSEA.
- Governance, financial compliance and MERL (10%): support steering and advisory committees, enforce GAC eligible-cost rules, and track PMF indicators disaggregated by sex, age, disability and displacement status.
- Policy advocacy and administrative unblocking (10%): support the Department of Refugee Services on IDs, KRA PINs and work permits, and promote fair hiring and inclusive apprenticeships.
Requirements: Master's degree in MBA, Economics, International Development, Commerce, Agribusiness or a related field (or a Bachelor's with 12+ years of relevant experience); 7-10 years in corporate management, private enterprise development, supply-chain logistics, business incubation or commercial financial services; at least 5 years designing and executing MSD/AIMS programs; proven experience managing economic inclusion, TVET or enterprise projects in refugee camps or ASAL regions in Kenya; experience supervising multi-disciplinary teams and managing subcontracts with grassroots entities; strong knowledge of Kenya's refugee policy (Refugees Act 2021, Shirika Plan), GAC policies and RBM; proficiency in KoboToolbox, Mural and financial tracking software; full professional fluency in English and Kiswahili (Somali or Turkana an advantage).
Contract: 2 years, full-time, expected start November 2026. Based at the WUSC Kenya Country Office in Nairobi, with frequent travel (40-50%) to Kakuma, Kalobeyei and Dadaab.
HOW TO APPLY:
Apply online via the WUSC BambooHR careers page: https://wusc.bamboohr.com/careers/405. Only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.