Program Coordinator (university program)

Malengo currently supports low-income, high-ability students in Uganda in applying for and completing a Bachelor’s degree or refugees in Kenya seeking to do vocational training in Germany. By 2030, we aim to support students from most low-income and lower-middle income countries, and facilitate undergraduate studies in more than a dozen destination countries. Our program is sustainable by combining a strong network of volunteer mentors with a financial model in which students support future generations of scholars once they earn a high enough income (Income Share Agreements, ISAs).

Three complete cohorts of Malengo students, which comprise about 150 scholars, are already in Germany. The first of these students will soon be completing their studies. Around 100 more students have just arrived this fall and will continue to arrive until the spring of 2025. We are currently selecting cohort 5 (70+ scholars) who will move to Germany in 2025.

We are looking for a Program Coordinator to support in the day-to-day work we do for the Malengo undergraduate scholars during their migration and education journey.

Responsibilities include:

• Overseeing and ensuring the quality of the scholar experience in Germany. Core activities are:
  • Supporting scholars in going through each step of their migration experience; including matching scholars with individual mentors, supporting them with university and visa applications, helping them find accommodation, coordinating their travel to Germany, helping them handle bureaucracy in Germany, and helping them adapt to their new lives.
  • Supporting scholars in their daily challenges in consultation with:
    • Their volunteer mentor
    • Malengo’s legal support team
    • University and local government partners
    • Malengo’s mental health advisors and/or other stakeholders
  • Developing informational material for scholars.
  • Designing trainings, retreats, and events for our scholars to foster a sense of Malengo-community and facilitate their migration experience.
  • Running our mentorship program and training our mentors.
  • Overseeing a part-time working student in Germany.
  • Moving towards program milestones, tracking budgets, and supporting the Program Manager in setting up new strategies and processes as Malengo keeps growing.

About the candidate

We seek someone who is highly motivated, culturally sensitive and who takes a true interest in our scholars’ well-being and success. You might be the ideal candidate if you recognize yourself in these descriptions:

• You are inspired by Malengo’s mission and you would enjoy working closely with Malengo students to help them thrive personally and academically.
• You have emotional intelligence and are able to work with individuals of different cultural backgrounds. You can develop and maintain relationships with administrative partners, universities, and other stakeholders.
• You are very organized and good at overseeing many different stakeholders, processes, and timelines.
• You are experienced in working with migrants and/or university students. Experience in working with refugees and/or familiarity with Uganda and other East African countries is a plus.
• You have a Bachelor’s degree, preferably in social sciences or business.
• You speak very good English (C1) and good German (min. B1). The knowledge of other East African or European languages is a plus (e.g. Luganda, Swahili, French)
• You are based in Germany, preferably in Nordrhein-Westfalen.
• You are willing to engage in regular business trips (around once per month).

What we offer

• Competitive salary commensurate with background and experience (EUR 38,000 – 48,000 p.a.)
• Permanent employment contract
• 30 vacation days and regulated overtime compensation
• Flexible remote work with regular team meetings in Germany/Uganda/Kenya
• Collaboration with a highly motivated international team
• The opportunity to help shape a young start-up and have a positive impact on the lives of many young people and their families

Applications will be considered on a rolling basis until the position is filled.

Application documents: Curriculum Vitae, motivation letter

Anticipated start date: as soon as possible

Malengo is committed to diversity, and we believe that our work is strengthened by our differences in background, culture, experience, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, race, ethnicity, disability, and more.