Senior Manager, Strategy & Systems Transformation

Location: Accra, Ghana
Employment Type: Full-Time, Fixed-Term Contract (2 Years)
Organization: WUSC (World University Service of Canada)

Company Profile

WUSC is a Canadian global development organization dedicated to advancing education and economic opportunities for young people. We work in partnership with students, volunteers, schools, governments, civil society organizations, and the private sector to drive inclusive, youth-centered systems change that enables young people to thrive, contribute, and belong.

With a strong focus on women and displaced populations, WUSC delivers transformative development programming across 28 countries in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as Canada. The organization manages an annual portfolio of approximately CAD $65 million and works with a diverse network of bilateral and multilateral donors, foundations, and strategic partners.

Position Purpose

The Senior Manager, Strategy & Systems Transformation will provide high-level strategic leadership to strengthen systems change, institutional capacity building, and multi-stakeholder coordination across WUSC’s country portfolio in Ghana and beyond.

The role will drive the design and execution of systems transformation strategies that improve education, skills development, and economic inclusion outcomes for young people. The Senior Manager will lead cross-functional technical teams, coordinate governance structures, and engage senior-level stakeholders to ensure effective delivery of complex development programs.

Working at the intersection of strategy, policy, and implementation, the role will translate evidence into actionable systems reforms and ensure alignment between program delivery, donor expectations, and national development priorities.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership and Systems Transformation

• Lead the design and implementation of strategy and systems transformation initiatives across education, skills, and economic development programming.
• Develop and execute organizational development and change management strategies that strengthen institutional systems and delivery capacity.
• Apply systems thinking to identify structural bottlenecks and design scalable, sustainable solutions.
• Translate strategic priorities into actionable frameworks, operational models, and implementation roadmaps.
• Ensure alignment between program strategies, national policies, and donor requirements.

Multi-Stakeholder Coordination and Governance

• Coordinate and facilitate high-level governance structures, advisory committees, and technical working groups.
• Build and sustain effective relationships with government ministries, regulatory bodies, donors, and development partners.
• Represent WUSC in senior-level policy dialogues, coordination platforms, and strategic forums.
• Drive consensus-building across complex stakeholder ecosystems to enable coordinated action and shared outcomes.
• Strengthen institutional collaboration mechanisms that support systems-level change.

Team Leadership and Technical Management

• Lead and manage multidisciplinary teams including MERL, gender, communications, policy, and technical specialists.
• Provide strategic direction, mentorship, and performance oversight to technical staff.
• Promote collaboration across functional teams to ensure integrated and high-quality program delivery.
• Build team capacity in adaptive management, systems thinking, and evidence-based decision-making.
• Foster a high-performance culture grounded in accountability, innovation, and continuous learning.

Monitoring, Evidence, and Adaptive Management

• Lead the use of Monitoring, Evaluation, Research, and Learning (MERL) evidence to inform strategic and operational decision-making.
• Identify systemic gaps through data analysis and translate findings into actionable program adjustments.
• Strengthen adaptive management systems to improve responsiveness and impact.
• Oversee the development of performance frameworks, dashboards, and learning products.
• Ensure evidence generated across programs informs policy influence and systems reform.

Policy Influence and Institutional Reform

• Engage with senior government officials, institutional leaders, and regulatory agencies to support policy and institutional reforms.
• Contribute to the design of workforce development, TVET/ATVET, education, and agricultural systems strengthening initiatives.
• Support the development of national and sub-national strategies that improve youth employment and economic participation.
• Provide technical input into policy dialogues, reform processes, and sector coordination mechanisms.

Strategic Communication and Knowledge Leadership

• Lead the development of high-quality strategic reports, policy briefs, and transformation frameworks.
• Facilitate high-level presentations and policy dialogues with donors, government, and partners.
• Translate complex systems concepts into clear, actionable strategic roadmaps.
• Ensure effective communication of program impact, learning, and outcomes across stakeholders.
• Strengthen internal and external knowledge-sharing platforms.

Qualifications and Experience

Education

• Master’s degree in Development Studies, Project Management, Public Administration, Education, Agriculture, Business Administration, Social Sciences, or a related field.

Professional Experience

• Minimum of 10 years of progressive professional experience in systems strengthening, policy-driven development programming, or multi-stakeholder coordination.
• At least 5 years of experience managing multidisciplinary technical teams (e.g., MERL, gender, advocacy, communications, or policy specialists).
• Proven experience engaging and influencing senior government ministries, boards, and regulatory institutions.
• Demonstrated experience coordinating governance structures such as advisory committees, technical working groups, or sector platforms.
• Strong background in organizational development, institutional capacity strengthening, or change management.
• Experience in TVET/ATVET, workforce development, agricultural development, or systems reform programming is an advantage.

Knowledge, Skills, and Competencies

Strategic and Technical Competencies

• Strong systems thinking and ability to design and implement complex institutional reforms.
• Expertise in adaptive management and evidence-based decision-making.
• Strong understanding of development programming, policy frameworks, and donor environments.
• Ability to translate MERL insights into strategic and operational improvements.

Leadership and Management Skills

• Proven ability to lead and inspire multidisciplinary technical teams.
• Strong matrix leadership skills with ability to manage diverse functional experts.
• Ability to drive accountability, performance, and collaboration across teams.
• Strong coaching, mentoring, and team development capabilities.

Stakeholder Engagement and Influence

• Exceptional relationship management and diplomacy skills.
• Ability to engage effectively with senior government officials, donors, and institutional leaders.
• Strong negotiation, facilitation, and consensus-building abilities.
• Experience leading high-level policy and strategic discussions.

Communication and Analytical Skills

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English.
• Strong ability to synthesize complex information into clear strategic outputs.
• High-impact presentation and facilitation skills.
• Ability to produce high-quality reports, briefs, and strategic frameworks.

Contract Duration

Two (2) Years Fixed-Term Contract

How to Apply

Apply online by clicking on the application button.