WUSC is Hiring: Pan-African Communications Manager Role for DREEM 2030 Refugee Inclusion Initiative @African Communications Manager Role for DREEM 2030 Refugee Inclusion Initiative

World University Service of Canada (WUSC) has announced a major recruitment opportunity for a Communications Manager to support the DREEM 2030 initiative, a large-scale Pan-African programme focused on refugee and displaced youth inclusion across education and employment systems.

The position, advertised through ReliefWeb, will support the second phase of the DREEM programme running from 2026 to 2031 in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation.

The role is open to candidates based in Nairobi, Abidjan, Accra, Kigali, or Addis Ababa, with applications reviewed on a rolling basis until the vacancy is filled.

DREEM 2030 Aims to Transform Opportunities for Refugee Youth

The DREEM initiative seeks to improve access to dignified work and education opportunities for refugee, displaced, and host community youth across Africa.

According to WUSC, the second phase of the programme aims to:

• Indirectly support one million refugee and displaced youth in securing dignified employment.
• Enable 35,000 young people to access education opportunities.
• Prioritise support for young women and youth with disabilities.
• Strengthen Refugee-Led Organizations (RLOs) across Africa.
• Promote sustainable, locally led development solutions.

The initiative focuses heavily on inclusion, systems change, and strengthening local ecosystems capable of supporting refugee and displaced populations long-term.

Communications Manager to Lead Pan-African Strategy

The Communications Manager will play a central role in designing and implementing a multi-country communications and visibility strategy for DREEM 2030.

The successful candidate will help position the programme as:

• A continental center of excellence for refugee inclusion.
• A network orchestrator connecting diverse partners.
• A platform promoting evidence-based advocacy and storytelling.

The role goes beyond traditional public relations and includes technical advisory responsibilities related to knowledge exchange, capacity building, and inclusive communications.

Focus on Refugee Inclusion and Narrative Change

One of the major objectives of the role is to reshape narratives surrounding refugee and displaced youth across Africa.

The Communications Manager will oversee storytelling initiatives that:

• Highlight resilience and economic contribution rather than vulnerability.
• Showcase the business case for refugee inclusion.
• Amplify the voices of refugee and displaced youth.
• Promote gender equality and disability inclusion.
• Support evidence-based policy engagement.

The programme specifically targets:

• 70% participation by young women.
• 10% participation by youth with disabilities.

WUSC says inclusive communications will be critical in influencing governments, institutions, and development partners to adopt more inclusive policies and programming approaches.

Key Responsibilities Include Digital Strategy and Capacity Building

The selected candidate will oversee communications across multiple countries and partner institutions throughout Africa.

Major responsibilities include:

• Developing a Pan-African communications strategy.
• Managing the DREEM project website and digital platforms.
• Producing high-quality communication materials and reports.
• Coordinating multilingual content in English and French.
• Supporting social media campaigns and digital engagement.
• Translating technical research into accessible public content.

The Communications Manager will also support training and mentorship for Refugee-Led Organizations and the Youth Advisory Board.

Capacity-building tasks include:

• Delivering communications training workshops.
• Supporting ethical storytelling practices.
• Advising on branding and visibility strategies.
• Strengthening digital communications capacity.
• Mentoring refugee-led communications teams.

Strong Focus on Refugee-Led Organizations

A key pillar of DREEM 2030 is increasing the role of Refugee-Led Organizations in programme implementation and communications.

WUSC says the Communications Manager will help:

• Empower refugee-led groups to control their own narratives.
• Support refugee-led media and communications services.
• Strengthen local storytelling and advocacy efforts.
• Promote refugee-led procurement for media-related activities.

The organisation believes locally led communications approaches are essential for sustainable development and authentic representation.

Qualifications and Experience Required

WUSC is seeking experienced communications professionals with strong international development backgrounds.

Minimum qualifications include:

• A Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Journalism, Public Relations, International Development, or a related field.
• Seven to ten years of progressive communications experience.
• Experience managing multi-country communication strategies.
• Excellent writing, editing, and storytelling skills.
• Strong digital communications expertise.
• Experience designing training and capacity-building initiatives.

Additional preferred qualifications include:

• Graphic design or multimedia experience.
• Knowledge of refugee and displacement issues.
• Commitment to gender equality and social inclusion.
• Ability to work in multicultural and fast-paced environments.

Fluency in English and French Required

Because the programme spans multiple African regions, full fluency in both English and French is considered essential for the role.

The successful candidate must also:

• Already possess legal work authorization in their preferred duty station.
• Be willing to travel frequently across Africa.
• Work flexibly across multiple countries and stakeholders.

WUSC clarified that relocation assistance will not be provided.

Growing Investment in Refugee Inclusion Across Africa

The DREEM 2030 initiative reflects broader continental and global efforts to improve opportunities for displaced populations through education, entrepreneurship, and workforce inclusion.

Development organisations increasingly view refugee inclusion as:

• A driver of economic growth.
• A pathway to social stability.
• An important human rights issue.
• A long-term investment in sustainable development.

Through DREEM 2030, WUSC and the Mastercard Foundation aim to strengthen collaboration among governments, NGOs, refugee-led groups, and private sector actors to create lasting opportunities for displaced youth throughout Africa.

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Disclaimer: Global South Opportunities (GSO) is not the organization offering this opportunity. For any inquiries, please contact the official organization directly. Please do not send your applications & CVs to GSO, as we are unable to process them. Due to the high volume of emails, we receive daily, we may not be able to respond to all inquiries. Thank you for your understanding

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