Project Manager- Higher Education

Toplum İçin Yenilik ve Yardım Derneği (TIYYD) is seeking a new Project Manager-Higher Education to lead the development and implementation of our Higher Education program. This position is an opportunity for those who welcome challenges and are motivated to impact future change by inspiring today’s youth to be leaders of tomorrow.

Toplum İçin Yenilik ve Yardım Derneği (TIYYD) is a nonprofit organization offering support to refugee communities all across Turkey. In partnership with Karam Foundation, TIYYD runs two Karam Houses in Turkey – in Istanbul and Reyhanli.

ABOUT YOU

You are organized. You know how to manage projects to make sure they are done on time and with the right people involved. You can manage multiple projects and workstreams by staying organized.

You are a coach. You believe in the power of mentorship. You know how to lift your team’s spirits, encourage them and do so first and foremost by leading by example.

You are detail-oriented. You know that the small things matter and you focus on the details in your work**.**

You are a builder. You believe in building a team, program, and systems around core values in a sustainable way. You know that building systems takes time but you have an understanding of how to do so and how to continue to work while doing so.

ABOUT KARAM HOUSE

Karam House is an innovative workspace for Syrian refugee teens, in Istanbul and Reyhanli, Turkey, which defy traditional approaches to refugee education. At Karam Houses, hundreds of Syrian refugee teens learn through access to technology (maker spaces, internet, computers), expert mentorship (Syrian refugee architects and engineers), and a sophisticated design-based curriculum (developed by MIT grads) that teaches youth how to build their ideas and their community.

We think about refugees and humanitarian aid differently and so we do things differently. We believe in investing deeply in communities affected by conflict.

What We’re Looking For: The Essentials

• University degree in a relevant field such as education, social justice, international development, or business administration
• Strong understanding of the Turkish Higher Education system, including knowledge of Turkish educational requirements and regulations for foreigners and refugees
• Minimum of two years’ experience managing projects
• Proven experience in managing and coaching staff in-person and remotely
• Good command in at least two of the following languages: Arabic, Turkish, and English (English is preferred)
• Robust writing skills
• Competence in Google Drive applications (including Google Docs, Google Sheets, etc.)
• Ability to travel regularly between Istanbul and Reyhanli
• Turkish Citizen or Istanbul-issued Residency Permit

What We’re Looking For: Strongly Preferred

• Master’s Degree in a relevant field from a Turkish university
• Experience working in a similar position or working with universities
• Experience working on Syria or with refugees

RESPONSIBILITIES

In this role, you will manage our higher education program which focuses on scholarship and student support. You’ll support our Higher Education team through managing staff and activities of the program to ensure the achievement of program objectives and impact.

Specifically, in collaboration with the Higher Education team .your responsibilities will include:

• Scholarship Management:
  • Lead the annual scholarship application cycle, including the application process, selection criteria and methodology, orientation process, and follow-up with scholars
  • Conduct effective student evaluations each academic semester
  • Ensure effective promotion of the Higher Education program in collaboration with Karam House’s Communications team
  • Plan and conduct scholarship continuous support activities including coaching sessions, community service activities, workshops, etc. Develop and conduct effective workshops for high school students preparing to embark on their higher education journey.
  • Act as liaison between the organization, universities, and the Higher Education team
  • Keep up a current understanding of regulations and announcements to ensure compliance and relevance to the Turkish higher education system
  • Ensure scholarship financial aid is provided in compliance with policies in a timely and accurate manner.
• Impact Monitoring and Reporting:
  • Supervise the monitoring and evaluation process, including ensuring the accuracy of data collection and processing and suggesting system improvements to promote data integrity.
  • Oversee the reporting on program key performance indicators and develop internal programmatic reports in a timely and accurate manner
  • Supervise the management of the program archive (physical and on-cloud)
  • Review monitoring data to recommend changes in program activities and processes
• Administrative and Team Management:
  • Promote capacity building and development of the team including mentoring and coaching for higher performance
  • Implement TIYYD’s performance management system by setting realistic and tailored objectives for each team member and provide periodic feedback on their progress
  • Manage administrative tasks of the program such as staff recruitment, leaves management, team travel, etc.
• Collaboration and Representation:
  • Establish and maintain positive relationships with different local and global educational institutions
  • Foster effective agreements and collaboration on different projects with academic institutions to maximize program impact and offer growth opportunities to scholars.

REPORTS TO: Turkey Programs Manager

MANAGES: Team of 4 consisting of program specialists and program associates in Istanbul and Reyhanli

LOCATION: Eyüpsultan, Istanbul, Turkey, with travel to Reyhanli.

HOURS: Full-time, 40 hours per week. Saturday – Wednesday.

COMPENSATION: Based on the candidate’s level of experience, qualifications, and the organization’s salary scale in Turkish Lira.