Senior Livelihoods and Economic Inclusion Officer-Dadaab

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.
  

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.