About CHANCEN International

Application Deadline: 26th August 2026

Chancen International is a non-profit financial institution providing ethical, fair, and responsible financing to help young Africans access quality tertiary education. Using an innovative Income Share Agreement (ISA) model, we cover students' tuition fees, allowing them to study without financial barriers. Graduates repay a portion of their income once employed, creating a sustainable funding cycle that supports future generations. By empowering young people with education, we enable their transition to meaningful employment, fostering economic mobility and strengthening communities.

Headquartered in Kigali, Rwanda, and operating in Rwanda, Kenya, South Africa, and Ghana, Chancen International has helped over 5,000 young people access education leading to dignified work. Our focus on marginalized populations ensures these youth gain the skills needed to thrive and contribute to building strong economies and peaceful nations.

We are committed to creating an inclusive and positive working environment where each individual can flourish and achieve their full potential. Our actions are guided by our company values: Authenticity, Curiosity, Courage, Stewardship and Fairness.

Terms of Reference (ToR) for Career Guidance Expert

1. Background
   

The Higher Education Council (HEC) of Rwanda is mandated to enhance the quality of education provided by Higher Learning Institutions (HLIs) and ensure graduates are knowledgeable and skilled for national development. This mandate aligns with the National Strategy for Transformation (NST) and Rwanda's Vision 2050, which emphasise the development of a knowledge-based economy and the creation of 1.25 million productive jobs.

A persistent challenge in the Rwandan higher education sector is the skills mismatch between graduates and labour market needs. Tracer studies and employer feedback indicate that many graduates are underemployed, and employers are often dissatisfied with their readiness for the workplace. This issue is partly attributed to a historical disconnect between academia and industry, often described as an ivory-tower mindset, and to a lack of structured, data-driven career guidance services within HLIs.

To address this, the HEC collaborates with Chancen to strengthen collaboration on student support & welfare, career guidance, and employability. A key objective of this partnership is to reform career guidance services across Rwanda's HLIs. Under the guidance of the HEC & Chancen, a comprehensive needs assessment is the critical first step in informing a new strategic approach to career guidance.

1. Purpose of the Assignment
   

The primary purpose of this assignment is to conduct a comprehensive needs assessment for career guidance services across all HLIs in Rwanda and benchmark internationally. The findings from this assessment will serve as the evidence base for developing a 5-year National Career Guidance Strategy for Higher Education, aligning with the HEC's strategic goals, the NST, and the new Higher Education Sector Strategic Plan (HESSP).

1. Key Responsibilities
   

The Career Guidance Expert will be responsible for the following:

1. Needs Assessment and Analysis
   

1. Design the Assessment Framework:
   

• Develop a comprehensive methodological framework and data collection tools (e.g., surveys, interview guides, focus group protocols) for the career guidance needs assessment.
  

• Ensure the framework is aligned with international best practices and the Rwandan context, including the national skills frameworks.
  

• Map existing career guidance resources, structures, and initiatives across HLIs.
  

• Benchmarking on international best practices.
  

2. Conduct Field Research:
   

• Conduct stakeholder engagement, including university leadership, students (undergraduate and postgraduate), faculty, career counsellors, employers, professional bodies, government ministries and agencies (e.g., MINEDUC, HEC, MIFOTRA, etc.) and international students.
  

• Identify current practices, gaps, challenges, and opportunities in the provision of career guidance. This includes assessing HLIs' capacity to establish and manage career counselling centres.
  

• Investigate student needs, including access to information, career awareness, work-integrated learning (WIL) opportunities, and mentorship.
  

• Gather employer feedback on graduates' desired skills and competencies to inform skills gap analysis.
  

3. Analyze Findings and Synthesize Report:
   

• Analyze data collected to produce a clear, evidence-based diagnostic report.
  

• The report should detail the current state of career guidance, identify key gaps (in capacity, resources, policy, and practice), and provide a prioritisation of needs and international best practices.
  

• Present initial findings and recommendations to the HEC, Chancen, and key stakeholders for validation.
  

• Submit a final, comprehensive Career Guidance Needs Assessment Report.
  

• Prepare a Policy Brief.
  

2. Development of the 5-Year Career Guidance Strategy
   

1. Strategic Formulation:
   

• Based on the Needs Assessment Report findings, lead the development of a 5-year National Career Guidance Strategy for Higher Education.
  

• The strategy must align with Rwanda's national priorities, including the NST, Vision 2050, and HESSP.
  

• Define a clear vision, mission, and strategic pillars, along with specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) objectives to enhance career guidance services.
  

2. Develop Implementation Roadmap:
   

• Draft a comprehensive implementation roadmap for the 5-year strategy.
  

• This should include a phased action plan, a Gantt-style schedule, responsibilities (e.g., HEC, HLIs, partners), and key performance indicators.
  

• Define the resource requirements and propose a high-level budget for the costing of the strategy’s implementation.
  

• Advise HEC on establishing a governance structure to implement the strategy and monitor its progress.
  

3. Stakeholder Engagement and Communication
   

1. Facilitate Engagement:
   

• Organise and facilitate a stakeholder workshop to validate the Needs Assessment findings.
  

• Organise and facilitate a stakeholder workshop to validate the 5-year Career Guidance Strategy.
  

• Ensure meaningful engagement from all relevant actors: HEC, MINEDUC, MIFOTRA, HLI leadership, private-sector representatives (e.g., PSF), and international development partners.
  

2. Develop Policy Briefs:
   

• Prepare policy briefs on the findings and recommendations for dissemination among policymakers and key stakeholders.