DREEM Senior Grants and Compliance Officer

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and we encourage interested candidates to apply early, as the vacancy may close once the right candidate has been identified.

BACKGROUND

World University Service of Canada (WUSC) is a leading Canadian international development organization driving positive education and economic change for young people around the world. Our vision is a world where every young person thrives and belongs. We believe all young people should have the opportunity to fulfill their aspirations and create their own futures. To help achieve this goal, we develop initiatives that: deliver lasting, measurable impact; are powered by partnerships across the globe; stay true to our core programming principles; and respond to the priorities and aspirations of the people with whom we work.

WUSC is headquartered in Ottawa, Canada, and has offices across Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Latin America, and the Middle East. Our global team of development professionals bring deep expertise and open minds to identify new solutions to old problems and create a better world together. 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. Employees at WUSC work hard to create lasting change in the communities they serve.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:

WUSC has launched the second phase (2026-2031) of DREEM, an exciting initiative which aims to significantly expand efforts to help refugee, displaced, and host community (RDP) youth, particularly young women, secure dignified and fulfilling work and access education opportunities across Africa. Building on prior successes, this Phase II will deepen engagement in new geographies, strengthen local ecosystems, and equip partners with necessary knowledge and tools for lasting change. A core strategy is emphasizing the engagement and strengthening of Refugee-Led Organizations (RLOs) to provide sustainable, locally-led technical assistance.

Over the next five years, Phase II’s ambitious goals include indirectly enabling one million RDP youth to secure dignified work and 35,000 to access education through the provision of expert technical assistance to a broad ecosystem of actors. Key implementation strategies involve working closely with RLOs through three pathways: providing financial access via an RLO Opportunity Fund, strengthening their capacity to provide technical assistance to partners, and embedding them across Phase II’s functional areas. WUSC will serve as a network orchestrator, facilitating connections for scale and training partners and other stakeholders on RDP inclusion. The initiative will achieve its targets by increasing knowledge among partners, enhancing capacity to develop innovative programming, improving collaboration and inclusive policies, and strengthening the institutional ability of RLOs to design, implement, and sustain RDP solutions

ROLE DESCRIPTION:

The DREEM Senior Grants and Compliance Officer will support the effective administration and monitoring of both the DREEM Grant and Sub-grants, an initiative funded by the Mastercard Foundation. This role provides operational and technical support to the DREEM Senior Manager, Pan Africa in overseeing the full cycle of the DREEM Award ensuring adherence to contractual, legal, donor and financial regulations. This includes grant reporting, budget monitoring, subgrantee oversight and lead audit preparation to ensure accountability

CORE RESPONSIBILITIES

1. RLO Sub-Award Management & Administration :

Lead and facilitate the full sub-grant cycle, from Request for Applications (RFAs) and pre/post-award assessments to agreement drafting and final close-out.

Process sub-grantee cash disbursements and ensure financial requests align with the approved sub-agreements and budgets

2. Donor Compliance & Risk Management:

• Ensure all sub-award documentation and activity implementation strictly adhere to donor rules
• Identify, document, and assess compliance risks, working with stakeholders to develop and implement mitigation plans.
• Review sub-grantees' financial and narrative reports for accuracy and adherence to compliance frameworks.
• Integrate lessons learned, audit recommendations, compliance reviews, and best practices into ongoing and future grants management processes, and share key insights to support institutional learning.

3. Capacity Building & RLO Support:

• Design and facilitate customized training programs for partners on financial management, reporting, and compliance.
• Conduct regular site visits and spot checks to evaluate sub-grantee performance and internal control procedures
• Conduct organizational capacity assessments (OCAs) for potential sub-grantees prior to funding

4. Audit Readiness and Record Keeping:

• Maintain comprehensive grant management information systems and ensure accurate filing of all contractual documents, reports, and correspondence.
• Strengthen internal controls to ensure continuous audit readiness. Coordinate and support internal and external audit processes for sub-grantees

5. Reporting and Tracking:

• Establish and manage a centralised reporting system for donor deliverables and program milestones.
• Monitor progress toward grant and subgrant deliverables, identifying potential delays or risks, and coordinating corrective actions.

6. Team Leadership & Cross Functional Support:

• Supervise, mentor, and build the capacity of junior grants staff while training program teams on grants management and compliance policies and procedures
• Work with finance teams to revise proposed grant budgets, ensure accurate expense tracking, and monitor spending against approved budgets to prevent overspends.

This job description is intended to outline the general scope and level of responsibilities for the role. Duties and priorities may be adjusted in line with programme needs, donor requirements, and team structure, provided they remain consistent with the role’s purpose and level.

QUALIFICATIONS & COMPETENCIES

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or Business Administration; a Master’s degree is preferred.

• Professional Qualification: Professional accounting qualification such as CPA(K) or ACCA is required; membership in good standing with ICPAK is preferred.

• Experience : A minimum of 5–7 years of progressive experience in grant management or compliance, often within an international NGO setting.

• Donor Knowledge: Experience with major institutional donors is essential

• Sub-grant Management: Proven experience in the full cycle of sub-granting, including Request for Applications (RFAs), due diligence, risk assessment, and sub-recipient monitoring.

• Financial Expertise: Proficiency in budget development, monitoring, and financial reporting, including staff salary allocation and cost-sharing

• Risk Mitigation: Ability to identify compliance risks, conduct audits, and ensure adherence to internal policies and donor requirements.

• Communication & Training: Strong written skills for reporting and interpersonal skills for training staff on compliance requirements.

• Technical Proficiencies: High-level skill in Microsoft Office Suite (especially Excel) and specialized accounting or grant management software

• Experience preparing for and coordinating external/internal audits.

• Fluent in English, French Language skills preferred

• Strong organizational skills, with attention to detail and accuracy.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

• Ability to work collaboratively with diverse stakeholders.

WHY WORK WITH WUSC?

Join Us. Our work is important, cutting-edge, and rewarding. We encourage curiosity, innovation, and flexibility.

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 in the lives of youth around the world. Employees at WUSC work hard to create lasting change in education, economic opportunities and empowerment.

WUSC’s office in Kenya is located in Westlands, off Waiyaki Way. Here’s some of what you can expect working with us:

• 40-hour workweek, some ability to work flexible hours and a hybrid work arrangement
• 21 days annual leave
• Health insurance coverage
• Free access to an e-learning platform with 350+ courses on various topics
• Get to know and exchange with people from all over the world
• Being part of a friendly, caring and enthusiastic team!

APPLICATIONS

WUSC’s activities seek to balance inequities and create sustainable development around the globe; the work ethic of our staff, volunteers, representatives and partners shall correspond to the values and mission of the organization.

WUSC promotes responsibility, respect, honesty, and professional excellence and we will not tolerate harassment, coercion, sexual exploitation or abuse of any form.

Persons with disabilities who need accommodation in the application process, or those needing job postings in an alternative format, may e-mail a request to hr-rh@wusc.ca

WUSC is an equal opportunity employer. We welcome and encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds and abilities. Accommodations are available upon request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process. Please note that only the candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.