Advisor or Sr. Advisor, Durable Solutions for Refugees

Position title:  Advisor or Sr. Advisor, Durable Solutions for Refugees

Position location: Ottawa

Level:  E or F, depending on experience

Reports to:  Sr. Manager, Durable Solutions for Refugees

Application deadline:  September 30,  2018

Anticipated start date:  November 2018

WUSC

World University Service of Canada (WUSC) is a leading Canadian international development organization focusing in three programmatic areas: Economic Opportunities, Education, and Empowerment.   Our vision is a better world for all young people. It is a more inclusive, equitable, and sustainable world in which all young people, especially women and refugees, are empowered to secure a good quality of life for themselves, their families, and their communities.

WUSC currently works in over 25 countries across Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America, with an annual budget of approximately CAD $45 million. We have 90 people in our Ottawa office, and over 200 people overseas implementing 16 development projects in collaboration with donors such as Global Affairs Canada (GAC), the UK Department for International Development (DFID). Globally, we partner with a network of higher education institutions, civil society organizations, private sector partners, professionals, students, volunteers, faculty and community leaders that work with us to achieve our mission.

Nature and Scope

Since 1978, WUSC’s Student Refugee Program has resettled over 1900 young refugees from 39 countries and enabled them to continue their education in safe and supportive environments on Canadian campuses across the country.   Each year, this one of a kind initiative engages WUSC’s network of campus-based student groups to provide durable solutions and integration support for approximately 130 - 150 young refugees.  

Despite these successes, the scale of global displacement continues to grow, and resettlement and higher education are options for less than 1% of refugees. This challenge requires innovative approaches to durable solutions   (i.e. resettlement, voluntary repatriation and local integration), and to connecting refugees with opportunities for education and economic growth. Examples of this include: (1) tertiary educational opportunities the leverage partnerships and technology (2) the development of more community sponsorship initiatives and complementary pathways for young refugees, such as academic scholarships, internships and employment opportunities.   Building from the Student Refugee Program, WUSC’s Innovative Durable Solutions for Refugees programming framework seeks to expand the organization’s offerings and increase the pathways to protection available to young refugees. This includes more opportunities for refugees to gain skills and knowledge, as well as increasing the number of opportunities and possible pathways to legal status and self-sufficiency.

Key responsibilities

The Advisor (or Sr. Advisor), Durable Solutions for Refugees, will play a central role in the delivery of WUSC’s strategic goal to increase the durable solutions available to young refugees. The Advisor will work alongside colleagues to design and deliver innovative initiatives that create complimentary pathways and address the education, employment and empowerment needs of young refugees, and enhance refugee protection opportunities and increase choice.  

Under the direction of the Sr. Manager, SRP & Campus Engagement and in collaboration with the rest of the team, the Advisor will be responsible for the following:  

1. Program Advice

• Provide best practice on the intersection of durable solutions and the education livelihoods continuum for young refugees;
• Contribute to ongoing program learning through Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning (MERL) initiatives, highlighting lessons learned and best practices;
• Share learnings and knowledge from WUSC’s programs to relevant audiences through various media (ie. conferences, case studies, reports, articles);
• Conduct research on emerging refugee policy and programming trends and issues related to WUSC’s work;

2. Program Design

• Identify new programming opportunities aligned with WUSC’s strategic framework and durable solutions programming framework;
• Coordinate across teams at WUSC, leveraging and mobilizing the whole of the organization to identify, build and scale durable solutions for young refugees’;
• Conceptualize programming approaches, methodologies and business models;
• Identify and build relationships with relevant international, Canadian and local collaborators across program government, civil society, academic and the private sector;
• Ensure WUSC’s Age, Gender & Diversity policy is reflected into program design and delivery;
• Seek opportunities to increase the awareness, commitment and involvement of WUSC’s university and college members and the Canadian post-secondary community.

3. Resource Mobilization

• Identify funding opportunities, including from foundations, government, private sector and individuals that will advance WUSC’s programming goals;
• Build innovative financing and business models to support sustainable program delivery;
• Identify and access funding from non-traditional sources;
• Prepare funding proposals;
• Collaborate with WUSC’s fundraising and program development departments to coordinate and execute resource mobilization efforts.

4. Representation

• Represent WUSC at relevant Canadian networks and fora, including in liaison with Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and Global Affairs Canada (GAC);
• Share Canadian models and best practices for refugee protection as it intersects with education and livelihoods with global partners;
• Participate actively in relevant networks such as Connected Learning Consortium and Global Refugee Sponsorship Initiative;
• Support WUSC’s participation in global policy discussions, for example Global Compact for Refugees and Migration, Annual UN Consultations on Refugee Protection;

5. Thought Leadership

• Seek opportunities for WUSC to convene and collaborate with peers and thought leaders in relevant policy discussions;
• Support the development and delivery of high impact communication materials.

Any other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

• A minimum of 7 years of experience working for international development, refugee serving organizations, preferably in developing countries and in Canada;
• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field, Master’s degree an asset;
• Knowledge of Canadian and global immigration and refugee policy and practices;
• Familiarity with refugee resettlement, including complementary and innovative pathways, exposure to WUSC’s work in this area, an asset
• Knowledge of education sector, including tertiary education in fragile and conflict-affected contexts;
• Excellent working knowledge of Results Based Management approaches including Logic Models and monitoring and evaluation tools;
• Experience with a range of stakeholders, including academia, multi-lateral, government agencies, including IRCC, GAC, ESDC.

Competencies:

• Preference for working in teams;
• Excellent oral and written communication skills;
• Proven ability to work productively with a variety of stakeholders to run participatory processes and meet tight deadlines with an emphasis on producing quality products;
• Effective interpersonal and influencing skills, including the ability to build relationships, network, communicate and represent at a senior level are essential;
• Flexibility, with a strong work ethic and an entrepreneurial spirit to accommodate high levels of responsibility and multiple priorities;
• Excellent capacity building skills, with demonstrated experience in effective training, coaching and facilitation;
• Passion and commitment to gender equality and youth empowerment.

Languages and Other:

• Complete fluency, oral and written in English essential, French and/ or Spanish an asset;
• Ability to travel in Canada and globally (approx. 25%);
• Ability to work a flexible schedule.

Applications:

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.

WUSC is an equal opportunity employer. We welcome and encourage applications from people with disabilities. Accommodations are available on request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process. Only those candidates selected for an interview will be contacted. No telephone calls please.

 Please follow this link to apply.