Applications Now Open For A Program Coordinator For SAFE-MIT: A Shared Foundation To Protect Against Risks Of Irregular Migration And Trafficking

Position Title: Program Coordinator
Project Title: SAFE-MIT: A Shared Foundation to Protect Against Risks of Irregular Migration and Trafficking
Location: Nairobi, Kenya
Contract Type: Full-Time (Fixed-Term)
Duration: 15 Months (May 2025 – July 2026)
Reports to: Project Lead, The Youth Café
Supervises: Provide operational guidance & coordination to the project team under the Project Lead  

1. Background

Migration dynamics are deeply influenced by access to information, societal expectations, and personal aspirations. The Multi-country MMD III Safe-MIT Project, funded by ICMPD, aims to enhance the shared knowledge and decision-making capabilities of African youth concerning migration. It seeks to equip young people in Nigeria, Kenya, Morocco, and Senegal with the necessary tools to make informed decisions. This is achieved through targeted, age-appropriate, and culturally sensitive school engagement and social media campaigns, all underpinned by robust child protection and safeguarding standards to ensure content integrity.

Implemented by a consortium of African and European civil society organizations, SAFE-MIT not only strengthens South-North partnerships but also empowers African consortium partners, including The Youth Café, to cascade their skills. They will replicate their experience by training selected NGOs in Ethiopia, Uganda, Tunisia, and The Gambia to develop and run migration information campaigns, thereby fostering South–South cooperation and peer-to-peer learning across the continent.

The Youth Café, as a co-implementor, is specifically responsible for implementing project activities in Kenya and providing remote support for activities in Uganda, to address the risks of irregular migration and human trafficking, influencing knowledge, norms, and decision-making among young people across key migration routes.



2. Purpose of the Role

The Program Coordinator will serve as a key assistant to the Project Lead, ensuring the seamless operationalization and successful actualization of all project activities in Kenya and providing remote coordination support for Uganda. The role involves comprehensive support to the Project Lead across all project components (educational outreach, social media campaigns, and capacity building for neighbour partners), including leading curriculum localization and adaptation efforts, coordination, operational oversight, and specific responsibility for managing procurement processes in consultation with the Finance and Human Resource Consultant.

3. Key Responsibilities

A. Project Coordination and Operational Support

  • Support the Project Lead in the overall planning, execution, and monitoring of project activities in Kenya, ensuring alignment with the work plan and project objectives.

  • Assist in the development and review of detailed activity schedules, progress tracking tools, and operational plans across all project components.

  • Facilitate internal coordination meetings and information flow between the Project Lead, technical officers (e.g., Education Outreach Officer, Social Media Assistant), and other support staff.

  • Provide operational support to the Project Lead in managing relationships with consortium partners and external stakeholders, ensuring timely communication and follow-up.

  • Assist in identifying and proactively addressing operational challenges and risks to project delivery.

B. Education Program Coordination & Curriculum Development

  • Lead the localization and adaptation of lesson plans to align with Kenya’s curriculum and local education system requirements, ensuring cultural sensitivity and age-appropriateness (Activity 1.1.2: Adapt lesson plans to fit timing, teacher needs and local issues in each context).

  • Coordinate with the Education Outreach Officer to ensure the effective implementation of school-based outreach activities in Kenya, including curriculum delivery and teacher training sessions.

  • Facilitate necessary permissions and logistical arrangements for school activities in consultation with the Education Outreach Officer and relevant authorities (Activity 1.2.1: Engage with schools’ stakeholders for permissions and preparation).

  • Support the Education Outreach Officer in organizing and tracking teacher training workshops and ongoing support mechanisms (Activities 1.2.2: 54 training sessions for 1200 secondary school teachers & 1.2.3: 620 support visits to schools & 1.2.4: 1000 support calls for teachers).

  • Oversee the logistical aspects of data collection for baseline and endline surveys in schools, ensuring coordination with the M&E efforts (Activities 1.3.1: Baseline surveys with 7,000 students, including questions relevant to SO2 on social media & 1.3.4: Conduct endline surveys with 7,000 students).

C. Procurement and Logistics Management

  • Coordinate with the Finance office for all project-related procurement processes for Kenya, adhering to The Youth Café's policies and donor requirements.

  • Liaise closely with the Finance and Human Resource Consultant to prepare procurement plans, solicit quotations, manage vendor relationships, and ensure timely delivery of goods and services.

  • Manage logistics for project activities, including transportation, venue booking, and materials distribution for training and field visits.

  • Maintain accurate records of all procurement activities and assets acquired for the project.

D. Monitoring, Evaluation, and Reporting Support

  • Support the Project Lead and M&E efforts in data collection, verification, and quality assurance for all project activities.

  • Contribute to the compilation and drafting of accurate and timely monthly, quarterly, and annual narrative reports for submission to the Project Lead and consortium partners (refer to Section 7 - Reporting and Expenditure Verification of the Consortium Agreement).

  • Assist in documenting lessons learned, best practices, and success stories from project implementation.

E. Stakeholder Liaison and Communication Support

  • Support the Project Lead in maintaining effective working relationships with government education authorities, school administrations, local community leaders, and civil society organizations in Kenya.

  • Assist in preparing communication materials and presentations for various stakeholders.

  • Represent The Youth Café in relevant working groups or meetings as delegated by the Project Lead.

4. Deliverables

  • Developed and adapted localized lesson plans and curriculum materials.

  • Comprehensive operational plans and activity schedules.

  • Detailed procurement plans and records, ensuring compliance.

  • Timely and accurate contributions to monthly, quarterly, and annual project reports.

  • Logistical arrangements and documentation for project activities, including training and field visits.

  • Regular coordination updates and support documentation for the Project Lead.


5. Required Qualifications and Experience

  • Bachelor’s degree in Project Management, Education, Development Studies, Social Sciences, or a related field.

  • Minimum of 3-5 years of proven experience in project coordination or program support roles, preferably within the development sector.

  • Demonstrated experience in curriculum development, localization, or adaptation is essential.

  • Demonstrated experience in managing procurement processes and logistics is essential.

  • Experience in education programs or youth development, especially in a field-based context, is highly desirable.

  • Strong organizational, administrative, and problem-solving skills.

  • Excellent communication (written and verbal) and interpersonal skills.

  • Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).

  • Fluency in English and Kiswahili is required.

6. Duration and Compensation

  • Duration: 15 months, from May 2025 to July 2026.

  • Location: Based in Nairobi, with regular travel within implementing counties in Kenya.

  • Compensation: Fixed monthly salary of € 900 (inclusive of all statutory obligations and taxes) (refer to Section 6.11.2 - Payment Plan of the Consortium Agreement for The Youth Cafe's specific financial allocation and payment schedule)

7. Application Process

Interested candidates should send:

  • A cover letter outlining their suitability for the role

  • An updated CV

Send applications to: human.resource@theyouthcafe.com and cc: finance@theyouthcafe.com or drop them at The Youth Cafe Reception 

Subject Line: “Program Coordinator – MMD III SAFE-MIT Project Kenya”
Deadline for Applications: April 30, 2025

Equal Opportunity

The Youth Café is committed to diversity and inclusion and strongly encourages applications from women, youth, persons with disabilities, and other underrepresented groups.