Center Program Coordinator - Dakar, Senegal

Monthly salary range: CFA 985 000 – 1 350 000 (gross)

Anticipated Start Date: January 2027

Term of Employment: 1 year, full-time

Base of Designation: Dakar, Senegal

Applications close: Apply by November 30, 2026, however applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis

To Apply: Submit a letter of interest and CV, including three contactable references via by 30 November 2026 to https://worldlearning.applicantpro.com/jobs/4274961.

Conditional on enrollment

The program coordinator will assist with the development and delivery of all programs in Senegal including, but not limited to, semester, summer, EIL, Custom, and visiting programs. Supporting these and other programs is an integral part of the responsibilities of the Program Coordinator. The PC works closely with program leadership and other team members drive operational excellence and achieve program goals. The PC will support administrative functions, ensure that students have a successful academic and programmatic experience while in-country, and must adhere to the terms and responsibilities associated with these functions, all under the guidance of the center director. The role includes academic, administrative, student support and other functions that include, but are not limited to, the following:

Responsibilities

general responsibilities

• Collaborate with the center director and other staff in the planning of the semester program.
• Coordinate program documentation and reporting. Work with the center director in orienting students to the program, including conducting the initial briefing.
• Develop, compile and disseminate appropriate program materials and maintain the program library.
• In collaboration with the center director, with the delivery of a quality academic and experiential learning program.
• Coordinate program logistics, anticipate potential challenges, and propose solutions for any problems.
• Coordinate academic and programmatic components of the program in collaboration with the center director
• Assist the center director with the integration of all aspects of the learning experience, including educational excursions, into a coherent whole
• Build and manage relationships with in-country organisations, practitioners and academic contributors.
• Comply with the instructions received from the center director and execute them correctly, diligently, and effectively and in accordance with institutional policies and procedures.
• Participate in training as assigned.

Administration & Budget Management

• Organize and manage administrative tasks such as filing, data entry, document preparation, maintaining student and program files and preparing program materials.
• Negotiate cost-effective program services and ensure that program expenditures are within the approved budget;
• Assist the team with reservations and bookings for accommodation, homestays, and classroom workspace.
• Support the center director in monitoring and coordinating program expenses such as maintaining vendor accounts and processing payments.
• Collect all receipts to complete and submit expense reports according to institutional financial policies and standards.
• Timely submit financial and other required reports.
• Manage petty cash.
• Oversee host country collaborators involved with various aspects of program, e.g. drivers, vendors, etc.
• Respond to finance-related queries as required.
• Monitor and maintain office supplies inventory, placing orders when necessary.
• Coordinate office and equipment repairs and maintenance.

Student support

• When necessary, accompany students to medical appointments.
• Be available to students as a contact person for any health and social problems.
• Be accessible by mobile phone throughout the semester to assist students and staff in case of any emergency.
• Respond to emergencies as they arise; notify the center director and communicate with appropriate units as directed.
• Provide emotional and practical support for the students of the program as appropriate, individually or as a group, under guidance of the center director.
• Maintain open communication with students, via cell phone, email, and in person.
• Establish a connection with students by actively listening to and addressing their questions, needs, fears and expectations .
• Proactively monitor the wellbeing of students and recommend action to the center director and the rest of the team.

Other tasks

• Carry out other miscellaneous tasks as assigned.

Must be willing and able to travel on program excursions as determined by the center director. Excursions may range from one day up to several weeks in duration.

Programs are situated in urban as well as remote locations where accommodations may be rudimentary, and accessibility limited. Some aspects of the program may require physical exertion such as, but not limited to, occasionally driving, walking, as well as remaining stationary for long periods. Depending on the theme of the program there may be excursions in rugged terrain which may require, but are not limited to, activities such as hiking, climbing and/or water-based sports.

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Requirements

Required Experience/Education:

• Bachelor's degree from a four-year college or university required. Degree in education, project management, communications, business administration preferred. Equivalent experience considered.
• 2 - 5 years of experience working in an educational or non-profit setting, preferably in a position of responsibility for students' well-being and safety.
• Applicants must be authorized to work in the location where this position is offered.
• Experience working with youth.
• Familiarity with/understanding of age demographic and American youth/culture (where possible).
• Experience working with cross-cultural issues and cultural adaptation.

Required Skills:

• Strong project and program management skills
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English, French, as well as other relevant Senegalese language(s).
• Excellent administrative, planning, and financial management skills,
• Excellent social skills to easily establish connections with students and, other staff,
• Excellent organisational skills - must be able to manage multiple assignments simultaneously.
• Computer literacy and proficiency in Microsoft Office.
• Excellent interpersonal and team building skills.
• Strong analytic skills, strategic thinking, and problem-solving skills.

Required Competencies:

• Ability to maintain confidentiality and exercise sound judgment.
• Possesses cultural awareness and sensitivity.
• Flexible and demonstrates sound work ethics.
• Excellent social skills to easily establish connections with students and, other staff,
• Ability to provide emotional and practical support to students individually or in a group.
• Ability to work independently as well as with a team.
• Demonstrates a strong attention to detail and high level of accuracy.
• Demonstrates the capacity to manage changing priorities and ambiguity while remaining calm and controlled.
• Able to proactively monitor the wellbeing of students and recommend action to AD and the rest of the team.
• Ability to maintain and make new connections within host communities.
• Possess good judgement.

The World Learning Inc. Family

For more than 90 years, World Learning Inc. has been a thriving global organization made up of The Experiment in International Living, the nation's most experienced provider of international education through exchanges for high school students. School for International Training, offering accredited undergraduate study abroad programs through SIT Study Abroad and internationally focused master's degrees through SIT Graduate Institute. and World Learning, a global development and exchange nonprofit organization.

SIT | sit.edu

School for International Training (SIT) was founded in the early 1960s as a training center for the first Peace Corps volunteers. For nearly 60 years, SIT has prepared students to be effective changemakers and global citizens through experiential education focused on the world's most critical global issues. SIT Study Abroad offers accredited summer and semester undergraduate programs in Africa, Asia and the Pacific, Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East, as well as comparative programs on multiple continents. SIT Graduate Institute offers global and hybrid certificates, master's, and doctoral degrees.

World Learning | worldlearning.org

World Learning has worked to create a more sustainable, peaceful, and just world. World Learning's education, development, and exchange programs help people find their voices, connect with their communities, strengthen the institutions that form the backbone of a democratic society, and build relationships across cultures. With World Learning's support, these emerging leaders tackle critical global issues like poverty, conflict, and inequality.

The Experiment in International Living | experiment.org

The Experiment in International Living is the nation's most experienced provider of international education through exchanges for high school students. For more than 90 years, The Experiment has empowered young people to step off the beaten path, experience the world as a classroom, immerse themselves fully in another culture, and build the knowledge and skills needed to confront critical global issues.

We are a globally diverse community of staff, faculty, board members, alumni, students, and participants who believe that inclusive and equitable practices are at the heart of a peaceful and just world. Each of us strives to honor diverse voices and lived experiences, examine our own biases and privileges, actively work to address inequities in our structures, and foster a community of open dialogue. We are committed to acting with accountability, transparency, reciprocity, authenticity, and empathy.