Company Profile

WUSC (World University Service of Canada) is a Canadian non-profit organization working to create a better world for all young people. We bring together a diverse network of students, volunteers, schools, governments, and businesses who share this vision. Together, we develop solutions in education, economic opportunities, and empowerment to overcome inequality and exclusion for youth around the world, particularly young women and young refugees.

WUSC currently works in 25 countries across Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America, with an annual budget of approximately CAD $40 million. We have over 90 staff in our Ottawa office, and over 200 people overseas implementing 16 development projects in collaboration with donors such as Global Affairs Canada, the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) , the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, the Mastercard Foundation and the African Development Bank. 

Job Description

The ACTIVATE Project

The Accelerating Change Through InnoVation in Agricultural TVET (ACTIVATE) project is a 5-year collaborative initiative that will contribute to a stronger, gender-responsive, socially inclusive, and market-driven Agriculture Technical, Vocational Education and Training (ATVET) System that facilitates sustainable employment pathways, well-being and resilience of young women and men in Ghana. The ACTIVATE Project encourages innovation with a focus on agriculture TVET, agri-business skills development and transition to employment & economic opportunities for young people.

The project will reduce gender-specific barriers, elevate the voice and aspirations of youth and integrate a strong inclusivity lens, with respect to gender and disability while building collaboration and linkages among key stakeholders such as public and private actors, academia, and agriculture value chain actors to create decent work for young people.

ACTIVATE will respond to key challenges facing the agriculture and adjacent sectors including insufficient management capacity of ATVET sector facilitation bodies, non-alignment of new TVET policies and reforms across sector ministries, low quality of ATVET instruction, curriculum, and equipment, lack of ATVET engagement with industry, poor business skills among others.

Our network in Canada also works with WUSC to raise awareness among Canadians to inspire greater action on global development issues. 

NATURE AND SCOPE

The Project Director oversees the strategic and operational implementation of the ACTIVATE Project. The Project Director manages relationships with key stakeholders, including national and local Governments, project partners, local partners, the private sector, and the funder.  

Reporting to the Ghana Country Director, the Project Director will be responsible for the following:

Partner Relations and Communications

• Develop and manage a sound working relationship between WUSC and the donor.
• Establish and maintain effective relationships between key project partners, including those based in Ghana and overseas;
• Develop robust relationships with project stakeholders, including relevant local and national governments, regional bodies, private sector companies, universities, investors, and consultants.
• Develop scopes of work for key project partners and establish appropriate contracts to ensure that project objectives are met, in line with WUSC partnership principles.
• Ensure effective and inclusive communication between project partners and stakeholders to support planning and problem-solving;
• Represent WUSC among stakeholders, ensuring that the project can provide value to local actors and make a positive impact within the ATVET ecosystem.

Technical Direction & Project Management 

• Provide technical and managerial direction and guidance to the initiative, in line with the project’s expected outcomes; 
• Develop key project planning and reporting deliverables (i.e. Initiative Inception Plan, Annual Work Plan, annual reports) using results-based management approaches and tools;  
• Develop specific strategies for cross-cutting themes (capacity building, gender equality, private sector engagement, environmental sustainability) for the initiative; 
• Maintain open and effective communication amongst strategic partners and project team members in Canada and Ghana;
• Oversee day-to-day coordination and delivery of project activities in conjunction with staff, technical advisors, volunteers, and partners; 

Monitoring & Evaluation 

• Establish and oversee a results monitoring system for the project;
• Stay apprised of developments in key markets of interest to the project and develop systems for monitoring changes and adaptations in these markets over time;
• In close coordination with key project partners, regularly monitor progress towards results, ensuring appropriate course correction and iterative management;  
• Work with team members to produce regular reports to key stakeholders, including the donor agency;
• Maintain regular communication with WUSC colleagues in Canada and with key partners; 

Human Resources Management 

• Manage the project team in Ghana;
• Supervise, guide, and evaluate the work of project staff and consultants;
• Oversee human resources management issues such as employment policies and practices, in line with local law;  
• Work with colleagues and partners to ensure the effective mobilization, orientation, and coaching of volunteers and technical advisors; 

Financial & Office Management 

• Establish and oversee a financial management system for the project;
• Ensure that the project complies with relevant local taxation, banking controls, and labor laws; 
• In conjunction with the finance team, develop and monitor the project budget and ensure regular reporting to the donor; 
• Recruit, maintain, and direct the required administrative and project infrastructure of staff, field offices, and equipment as well as make decisions on administrative policy, planning, and procedural matters;

Risk Management & Security Preparedness

• Actively assess the risk profile of the initiative; identify specific risks and appropriate mitigation strategies;
• Ensure the application and relevancy of WUSC security policies, procedures, and preparedness to the operational context of the project;

Donor Liaison & Coordination

• Establish a strong working relationship with the Donor, including planning, capacity building, and information sharing; 
• Convene Project Steering and Advisory Committees at regular intervals;   
• Coordinate regularly with other development actors to ensure harmonization and synergy with similar initiatives; 
• Represent the Project in official communication and fora. 

Required Skills or Experience

Education

• A graduate degree in international development, business administration, gender, or other relevant areas.
• Specialized training in ATVET/TVET or gender equality would be an advantage.

Experience and Competencies

• A minimum of fifteen years of progressively more responsible assignments related to the management of development initiatives;
• Proven knowledge of and commitment to Gender Equality;
• Knowledge and experience in ATVET/TVET.
• Proven experience engaging the private sector in development programming; 
• Demonstrated capacity to work in cross-sectoral collaboration;  
• Experience managing technical advisors is considered an asset;
• Experience working with international development donor agencies;
• Knowledge of  Results Based Management (RBM) and environmental and gender policies and reporting requirements;
• Proven technical, financial, administrative, and organizational skills;
• Knowledge of donor financial and narrative reporting procedures and requirements;
• Proven experience managing a large, multi-disciplinary team of staff;
• Diplomatic skills and the knowledge of cross-cultural, inter-personal communication;
• Proven experience of adaptability to a challenging and constantly changing environment requiring iterative planning on a regular basis;
• Experience in capacity building with local partner organizations and a commitment to a participatory partnership approach to development.