The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is seeking to recruit an Education Inclusion Coordinator under the UNOPS Local Individual Contractor Agreement (LICA8), based in Nairobi, Kenya. This role is critical in advancing the progressive inclusion of refugee learners into Kenya’s national education system, a shift championed by the Government of Kenya and supported by UNHCR, development actors, and multiple education stakeholders.
As of the last quarter of 2025, Kenya hosts over 800,000 refugees, primarily in Kakuma and Dadaab. More than half of this refugee population is under the age of 18, which creates a consistently high demand for education services. UNHCR manages 107 educational institutions in these settlements, in partnership with implementing agencies, operational partners, and donors. With the Shirika Plan launched by the Government of Kenya in 2025, the education landscape for refugees is moving away from a purely humanitarian approach towards a development-oriented model. This model emphasizes integration of services, harmonization with the national education framework, and ensuring refugees and host communities alike benefit from inclusive, equitable education opportunities.
The Education Inclusion Coordinator will play a pivotal role in strengthening collaboration between UNHCR and the Ministry of Education (MOE), supporting policy dialogue, monitoring progress, and ensuring alignment of refugee education with Kenya’s broader education strategies and systems.
Purpose and Scope of Assignment
The main purpose of this role is to act as a liaison and coordination point between UNHCR and the Ministry of Education. The incumbent will identify and support key areas of collaboration that foster the alignment and inclusion of refugees into the national education system. The assignment is designed to ensure continuity, build momentum in implementing the Shirika Plan, and leverage existing national and regional commitments to refugee education.
The scope of this assignment encompasses strategic coordination, technical support, and monitoring of education-related initiatives that directly affect refugee learners. This includes but is not limited to supporting refugee schools, aligning curricula, integrating learners into national systems such as NEMIS and KUCCPS, and facilitating collaboration across various directorates, agencies, and implementing partners.
Detailed Job Description
The Education Inclusion Coordinator will undertake the following key activities:
1. Consolidating and Tracking Progress on Refugee Inclusion
- Consolidate, track, and document progress made toward the inclusion of refugees in Kenya’s national education system.
- Provide evidence-based updates that highlight achievements, challenges, and recommendations for strengthening inclusion.
- Develop comprehensive reports that can be shared with the Ministry of Education, UNHCR leadership, and other stakeholders.
2. Liaison with Development Actors and Authorities
- Act as the primary point of contact for engagement with development actors, government counterparts, and relevant authorities.
- Ensure linkages are strengthened between county-level and national-level education coordination mechanisms.
- Maximize opportunities for refugee inclusion in education services during the transition phase of the Shirika Plan.
3. Supporting the Education and Training Strategy
- Contribute to the finalization, planning, coordination, and monitoring of the Costed Education and Training Strategy for Refugee and Host Communities in Kenya.
- Assist in aligning the strategy with ongoing Ministry of Education initiatives, ensuring refugee needs are adequately addressed.
- Track implementation progress and support integration of refugee-focused education programmes into national plans.
4. Technical Support to National Programmes
- Provide technical support to refugee inclusion components of Global Partnership for Education (GPE) programmes, including the Kenya Primary Education Equity in Learning programme (KPEEL).
- Contribute to the Window for Refugee and Host programmes, such as the Secondary Education Expansion and Quality Improvement Programme (SEEQIP).
- Strengthen collaboration with Ministry-led initiatives to ensure refugees are not excluded from critical reforms and programmes.
5. Data Management and Integration
- Collaborate with the Directorate of Refugee Services (DRS) and Data Information Management Unit (DIMA) to mainstream refugee data into the Kenya Education Management Information System (KEMIS).
- Ensure field-level refugee education data is collected, standardized, and harmonized with national reporting structures.
- Provide inputs that enhance the reliability and visibility of refugee education data for policy and planning purposes.
6. Academic Progression and Higher Education Access
- Support coordination with the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Services (KUCCPS) to guide refugee learners on academic progression pathways.
- Facilitate the registration of refugee learners into the KUCCPS platform to ensure equitable access to higher education opportunities.
- Provide technical inputs to support secondary schools in refugee camps on academic planning and progression.
7. Engagement with Key Education Authorities
- Coordinate with the Kenya National Examination Council (KNEC) on refugee participation in competency-based assessment and examination management.
- Support collaboration with the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) on the procurement of textbooks and the integration of digital competency-based education content in schools hosting refugees and host communities.
- Work closely with these institutions to overcome administrative, logistical, and technical barriers that hinder refugee participation.
8. Government Education Support Missions
- Coordinate government education support missions to refugee settlements, ensuring these missions provide valuable oversight and technical guidance.
- Facilitate stakeholder engagement during these missions to enhance coordination and strengthen the visibility of refugee education needs.
- Provide logistical and technical support to ensure successful implementation of these visits.
9. Emerging Engagements with MOE Directorates and Agencies
- Support ongoing and emerging engagements with Ministry of Education Directorates, State Agencies, and Semi-Autonomous Government Agencies (SAGAs).
- Ensure refugee education priorities are integrated into discussions, decisions, and new programme designs.
- Provide advocacy and technical guidance during these engagements to align refugee education with national priorities.
10. Policy Dialogue and Strategic Support
- Support the Senior Education Officer in policy dialogue, strategic meetings, and related activities focusing on the inclusion of refugees in the national education system.
- Prepare briefing notes, technical papers, and background documents to inform policy discussions.
- Represent refugee education interests in multi-stakeholder forums, advocating for sustainable solutions that align with Kenya’s education sector reforms.
Monitoring and Progress Controls
Performance in this role will be measured through:
- Quarterly reports on progress towards achieving the priorities and outcomes outlined in the Ministry of Education Strategy.
- Evidence of strengthened coordination between UNHCR, the Ministry of Education, and other stakeholders.
- Measurable progress in refugee inclusion in national systems, such as NEMIS, KUCCPS, KNEC, and KICD.
- Documented outputs from technical support provided to programmes like KPEEL and SEEQIP.
- Successful facilitation of government missions, engagements, and coordination mechanisms.
Contract Details
- Position Title: Education Inclusion Coordinator
- Staff Member / Affiliate Type: UNOPS LICA8
- Location: Nairobi, Kenya
- Contract Type: Local Individual Contractor Agreement
- Target Start Date: August 1, 2025
- Deadline for Applications: September 16, 2025
- Family Type: Family
- Hardship Level: B
- Remote Work: Not applicable (this role requires presence in Nairobi and periodic field missions)
Additional Information
- This role requires mandatory participation in interviews.
- A written test may be conducted if deemed necessary.
- No functional clearance is required for this position.
- The assignment involves coordination with multiple stakeholders and may require periodic travel to refugee settlements in Kakuma and Dadaab.
Application Process
Interested candidates are invited to submit their applications before the deadline of September 16, 2025.
