The Senior Livelihoods and Economic Inclusion Officer is responsible for leading the design and implementation of market-oriented livelihoods and economic inclusion strategies that strengthen pathways to technical, vocational, and digital employment in the Kakuma, Kalobeyei, and Dadaab regions. This includes providing strategic oversight to the project's dual-pathway approach: driving the growth of youth-led entrepreneurship ventures, specifically through supporting Refugee-Led Organizations (RLOs) and digital outsourcing agencies, while simultaneously enhancing access to fair, safe, and formal wage employment. The Senior Livelihoods and Economic Inclusion Officer ensures that all livelihood interventions are gender-responsive, inclusive of marginalized groups, and aligned with both the Kenyan policy framework and Canadian market linkages to create sustainable and dignified work opportunities.
Key Areas of Responsibility
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 Kakuma, Kalobeyei, and Dadaab.
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 (including green and digital skills).
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)
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 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.
Qualifications
A Master's degree in International Development, Economics, Business Administration, Social Sciences, 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 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;