Recruitment of Project Coordinator Africa Climate Collaborative

ASSOCIATION OF AFRICAN UNIVERSITIES

Terms of Reference

Recruitment of Project Coordinator

Africa Climate Collaborative

 

‘Only nationals of Southern and East African Regions are eligible to apply for this position’.

 

 

1. About the Project

Background

Africa is at a pivotal moment in the global climate and development agenda. Home to the world’s youngest population, most under the age of 25, the continent faces both a tremendous opportunity and a pressing challenge. Each year, millions of young people enter the workforce in search of meaningful employment, even as climate change reshapes economies and labor markets, creating rising demand for skills in renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, environmental management, and other green sectors.

Universities are uniquely positioned to respond to this need by equipping young people with relevant education, practical training, and research opportunities. However, many institutions have yet to fully integrate climate and sustainability into curricula or align their programs with labor market demands. A collaborative approach allows universities to bridge this gap by embedding climate resilience, sustainability, and entrepreneurship into higher education, ensuring graduates are ready for the jobs of the future.

Beyond education, Africa faces disproportionate climate risks, including droughts, floods, and food insecurity that threaten development gains. By working together, universities can pool expertise, share resources, and co-develop innovative, locally grounded solutions to strengthen resilience. Collaboration also enhances visibility, attracting investment and partnerships from governments, donors, and the private sector to scale successful initiatives across the continent.

Youth, particularly women and marginalized groups are both vulnerable to climate impacts and powerful drivers of change. A Climate Collaborative of African universities can empower them as leaders, innovators, and entrepreneurs in climate solutions, advancing social inclusion alongside sustainable development. In this way, the Collaborative becomes a vital mechanism for leveraging Africa’s youthful energy and intellectual potential to confront climate challenges and build a prosperous, climate-smart future.

1.2 Project Description

The Climate Collaborative of African Universities is designed to harness the role of higher education in equipping Africa’s youth especially women and marginalized groups with the skills, knowledge, and opportunities needed to thrive in a green and resilient economy. The initiative aligns with the Mastercard Foundation’s Young Africa Works strategy, which seeks to enable 30 million young Africans to access dignified and fulfilling work by 2030.

Through updated curricula, practical training, and interdisciplinary research, the Collaborative prepares students for careers in climate-resilient agriculture, renewable energy, environmental management, and other green sectors. It also fosters entrepreneurship and innovation through incubation hubs, research partnerships, and mentorship programs helping youth to not only access jobs but also create them. By linking universities with communities, industries, and policymakers, the Collaborative ensures that its solutions are locally relevant, market-driven, and inclusive.

The program directly strengthens the Foundation’s priorities in entrepreneurship and workforce development while bridging the gap between education and employment. Ultimately, it amplifies youth leadership, embeds climate resilience into higher education, and supports Africa’s transition toward a sustainable, climate-smart economy.

The Climate Change Collaborative program is supported by the Mastercard Foundation and coordinated by the Association of African Universities as a backbone institution, with founding partners including University of Cape Town (South Africa) the University of Ghana, Makerere University (Uganda), and the University of Cambridge (United Kingdom).

 

As part of the implementation of this Africa Climate Change Collaboration project, the Association of African Universities (AAU) is inviting applications for the following position to be based in Ghana (Accra). ‘Only nationals of Southern and Eastern African Regions are eligible to apply for this position’.

 

Title: Project Coordinator

Grade: P3/P4

 

 

2. Roles and Responsibilities

Reporting directly to the Director of Research and Programmes, the Coordinator will provide overall leadership, coordination, and management support for the Africa Climate Collaborative. This role will be central to ensuring the effective design, implementation, and scaling of collaborative programs across partner institutions.

2.1 Activities

Key responsibilities will include:

Strategic Planning and Coordination

• Lead the overall planning, coordination, and execution of the Collaborative’s activities across partner institutions.
• Facilitate alignment between the Collaborative and the Mastercard Foundation’s Young Africa Works strategy.
• Ensure that programme goals are achieved within agreed timelines and budgets.

 

Project Implementation and Monitoring

• Oversee the development and implementation of climate-focused curricula, training programs, and research initiatives.
• Support innovation hubs, incubation programmes, and partnerships that foster youth entrepreneurship in climate solutions.
• Monitor progress and ensure quality standards across all participating universities.

• Supervising service providers engaged in project implementation, including preparing terms of reference (ToRs) and overseeing service delivery.
• Providing guidance, coordination, and oversight for AAU and Collaborative members
• Ensuring high-quality reporting to meet the expectations of financial partners, including timely production of periodic implementation reports.

 

Stakeholder Engagement and Collaboration

• Facilitating consultation and collaboration among all project stakeholders, including Mastercard Foundation.

• Build and manage relationships with governments, industry, development partners, and civil society to strengthen collaboration and attract new partnerships.
• Represent the Collaborative in regional and international forums on climate change, higher education, and youth development.
• Facilitate knowledge-sharing, joint research, and collaborative projects among partner universities.

• Ensuring continuous archiving of project documents for transparency and accountability.
• Preparing documentation for Stewardship committees, Collaborative members, and other project-related meetings.
• Organizing and supporting the smooth execution of supervision, backstopping and field missions

 

Capacity Building and Institutional Strengthening

• Assessing project progress to identify strengths and weaknesses across participating universities and providing tailor-made capacity building initiatives.
• Participating in team meetings and convening sessions as delegated by AAU and the Mastercard Foundation.
• Overseeing the Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) system and supporting the AAU M&E expert in data collection and reporting on project results.
• Commissioning evaluation studies, third-party verifications, baseline studies, and beneficiary surveys.

 

Operational Management and Communication

• Collaborating with project stakeholders to identify capacity-building needs and organizing activities to address them.
• Ensuring continuous communication with the Mastercard Foundation, collaborative members and other education agencies.
• Facilitating effective management of the project website in collaboration with the IT officer and ensuring relevant project information is published and accessible.
• Promoting project dissemination through media outreach, leveraging AAU Communication Media, and IT teams.
• Handling ongoing operational activities necessary for effective project implementation.
• Undertaking additional project-related tasks as assigned by the Director of Research and Program and the AAU Secretary-General.

 

2.2 Reports and Deliverables

In terms of planning and reporting, the coordinator will be required to submit at least the following action plans;

• Project Operations Procedures/ Manual
• Quarterly monitoring-evaluation report to the Stewardship Members and Mastercard Foundation
• Half-year project progress reports
• Annual project work plans and budgets and any amendments thereto
• Annual external financial audit reports

 

3. Profile and CV Evaluation Criteria

This is not a typical project management role. We are looking for someone who thinks in systems, connects across boundaries, and can drive change at the intersection of education, policy, and climate action. The profile sought must meet the following criteria:

 

3.1 Qualifications

• Education: Master’s degree (or PhD) in Climate Science, Environmental Studies, Sustainable Development, Higher Education Management, or a related field.
• Proficiency in spoken and written knowledge of English
• Competence in Microsoft Office tools and other applications including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, MS Project, Teams and Zoom for documentation, data analysis, and virtual meetings.

 

3.2 Skills

3.2.1 Project Management:

• Prior experience managing multi-country or regional programmes is highly desirable.
• Strong management and leadership skills, including strategic planning, technical supervision, resource allocation, and project team guidance to optimize performance.
• Expertise in budget planning, expenditure monitoring, and donor compliance requirements.
• Proven ability to manage grant-funded projects, including experience with international donors and adherence to reporting standards.
• In-depth knowledge of multistakeholder development projects and monitoring evaluation strategies, including performance-based conditions (PBCs).
• Strong facilitation, communication, and stakeholder management skills.

 

3.2.2  Interpersonal Relations and Communication:

• Ability to work in a multicultural environment and good interpersonal skills, combined with experience of working with partners at all levels (ministries, donors, private sector, NGOs and community-based organizations);
• Analytical written presentation and reporting skills, as well as proven communication skills. Excellent written and verbal communication skills to engage with project team members, and sector ministries, etc. The ability to present information clearly and concisely is essential: particular attention will be paid to the ability to present clean, well-presented documents that comply with donor standards and submitted in a timely manner.

 

3.2.3  Sector Expertise

• Proven track record in climate change/adaptation, resilience, sustainability, or green economy initiatives in Africa.
• In-depth knowledge of educational resource management and adaptation/mitigation to climate change in Africa,
• Demonstrated ability to design and implement entrepreneurship and innovation programs.
• Strong experience working with higher education institutions, research networks, or regional collaborations.
• In-depth understanding of and proven knowledge of basic and technical education systems and institutions, and the broader African region, including their mandates, management rules, and procedures of key stakeholders involved in project implementation.
• Excellent understanding of higher education systems, curriculum development, and youth workforce development
• Experience using tools like causal loop diagrams, and system maps to visualize university climate initiatives and identify leverage points for collaboration or policy change

 

 

3.2 Travel

Extensive travel is to be expected within the sub-region, but particularly between the project countries, Ghana, South Africa, United Kingdom, and Uganda.

 

3.3 Experience

3.3.1 Relevant Professional Experience

• Have at least 5 years’ professional experience working in Africa, with extended period outside home country in the fields of education policy, education management, education reforms or basic and technical education

3.3.2  Experience in project coordination/management

• At least 10 years’ experience managing development projects in the fields of successful education policy, education management, education reforms or basic and technical education
• Experience in leading and managing projects that are implemented by local public and private stakeholders

 

3.3.3  Regional and Donor experience:

• At least five (5) years’ experience in coordinating projects of regional scope
• At least five (5) years’ experience working on a project financed by and managed Development Partners

 

4.  Service Conditions

 

4.1 Duration, Duty Station and Start of Assignment

The initial duration of the assignment is two years (with one year probation) from the date of commencement of service following the signature of the contract. It is renewable throughout the duration of the project, depending on the successful candidate’s performance, the needs of the AAU, and the availability of resources. The Coordinator will be based at the Association of African Universities, Ghana (Accra)

 

4.2 Working hours and public holidays

Working hours and public holidays are as in force in Ghana (Accra)

 

4.3 Application Dossier and Submission Instructions

The AAU is an equal opportunity employer. In line with the Association’s commitment to reflecting diversity and inclusion, female candidates and persons with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply.

 

The application dossier will comprise the following:

• A cover letter including a statement of interest and fitness for the position and an indication of the date when the candidate is available to assume duty
• A detailed curriculum vitae describing the applicant’s professional experience and qualification for the position
• Proof of qualifications indicated in the curriculum vitae (copies of diplomas/ certificates)
• Three (3) reference letters, one of which should be from outside the candidate’s home country

 

Submission instructions are as indicated below:

• The application letters and supporting documents of candidates should be submitted through the online application portal https://www.research.net/r/PCCCApp25 “AAU Collaborative Project Application Documents”, latest by Friday 31st January 2026; TIME (00:00 GMT)

 

• Each of the three reference letters should be sent directly from the referee to the online application portal https://www.research.net/r/PCCC25Ref.

 

NB: Applications not complying with the requirements above will not be considered

 

4.4 Selection Method

• The Coordinator will be selected based on qualifications and following the procurement directives for staff recruitment
• Candidates’ CVs will be marked using the evaluation criteria and points system set out in the matrix under Section 3 above.
• A shortlist of six (6) candidates will be drawn pooled to continue to the next phase of the evaluation process. In the event of a tie, the candidate with the highest score in terms of experience criteria (see matrix above) will be selected.
• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for the rest of the process.
• In the second stage, the six (6) candidates selected will undergo a one-hour written test and an interview by videoconference. The contract will be awarded to the candidate ranked first at the end of this process.
• The interview panel will be constituted by AAU

 

The AAU reserves the right not to proceed with this selection notice.