Position
Title:
Market Development Specialist, Rwanda Youth Entrepreneurship Project (YEP)
Location:
Kigali, Rwanda
Band:
D
FLSA:
Exempt
Reports To:
Rwanda Youth Entrepr
eneurship Project’s Chief of Party
Length of
Assignment: 5 years
Note: This position is contingent
upon grant and candidate approvals by the donor
**CRS offers
competitive salaries and benefits, commensurate with other INGOs and private
sector development organizations priming highly technical development programs**
About CRS:
Catholic Relief
Services (CRS) carries out the commitment of the Bishops of the United States
to assist the poor and vulnerable overseas. Our Catholic identity is at the
heart of our mission and operations. We welcome as a part of our staff and as
partners people of all faiths and secular traditions who share our values and
our commitment to serving those in need.
Background:
Catholic Relief
Services (CRS)/Rwanda and partners will be submitting a proposal in response to
an anticipated USAID Request for Applications (RFA) Youth Employment Project
(YEP). YEP’s objectives is to increase stable employment opportunities,
including self-employment, for male and female vulnerable youth, and to improve
youth training and employment systems and increase investment in skills for
vulnerable youth. The estimated timeframe for this program is five years.
Qualified
Rwanda nationals, and other nationalities, particularly those residing in East
Africa are strongly encouraged to apply.
Job Summary:
CRS/Rwanda seeks a
qualified candidate for the Market Development Specialist position to lead
implementation of the activities focusing on the development of employment and
self-employment opportunities for youth in rural areas through the use of
market development principles. The Market Development Specialist will be
responsible for ensuring high quality, result-oriented program implementation
and timely achievement of project milestones and objectives related to Results 2: Increased viable
self-employment among vulnerable youth. The result focuses on
helping rural Rwandan male and female youth to be able to become self-employed,
largely in value-added activities in agro-processing and other rural
micro-enterprises.
Specific Job
Responsibilities:
- Leads
and supports all programmatic activities related to employment and
livelihoods for youth, income generation, and youth entrepreneurship;
oversee the implementation of entrepreneurship support programs and market
facilitation support services for vulnerable male and female youth,
especially in rural areas. - Promote
alignment of program’s strategies and activities with the priorities
outlined in relevant national and local strategies and policies related to
youth, employment, and agriculture. - Link
male and female youth entrepreneurs to private sector opportunities,
including to relevant USAID Feed the Future projects, private sector firms
working in relevant value chains, and youth networks. - Support
male and female youths’ access to finance, including through partnerships
with financial institutions, mobilizations of savings and loans groups,
expansion of financial literacy, and identification of policy impediments
that are limiting access to credit by male and female youth. - In
collaboration with program staff, provide guidance and technical oversight
to partners and other collaborating agencies to ensure that lessons of
sound practice for youth livelihoods and market development are documented
and disseminated. - In collaboration
with program staff, coordinate closely on data collection to measure
impacts for all programmatic activities related to market development for
youth.
Agency-wide
Competencies (for all CRS staff):
These are rooted in
the mission, values, and guiding principles of CRS and used by each staff
member to fulfill his or her responsibilities and achieve the desired results.
- Serves
with Integrity - Models
Stewardship - Cultivates
Constructive Relationships - Promotes
Learning
Direct
Supervisory Responsibilities:
To be determined
Key Working
Relationships:
Internal-
CRS/Rwanda:
Country Representative – Rwanda & Burundi, Rwanda Head of Programs,
Operations Manager, Team Leaders, Program Staff
CRS/HQ/Region: Central Africa Regional
Office Staff (RTAs/ DRDs) and CRS/HQ departments.
External: Consortium Member and
Implementing Partner Staff, Government Officials, USAID, UN Agencies.
Qualifications
and Skills:
- Master’s
Degree in economics, business, international development, public policy,
education, or other relevant field; A Bachelor’s degree in a relevant
field with 8 years of experience may be substituted for a Master’s degree. - At
least 5 years of relevant experience in the development of markets, value
chains, and enterprises in rural contexts, including experience working
with and targeting youth populations. - At
least 4 years management experience on projects that boost the performance
of rural micro and small enterprises through the use of market development
principles. - Experience
working successfully with national and local government ministries and
private sector to promote improved livelihoods for youth. - Excellent
track record of achieving results in similar rural market development
activities, demonstrated high level leadership, interpersonal, technical,
and analytical skills. - Proven
leadership and inter-personal skills and ability to build and motivate
diverse and talented teams. - Flexibility
to work both in a team and independently. - Cultural
sensitivity, patience and flexibility. - Demonstrated
personal accountability and driven to serve others. - Ability
to travel nationally and internationally as required. - Excellent
English and French language oral and written communication skills
required; Kinyarwanda language skills a plus. - Experience
working in a variety of developing environments required; knowledge of the
Rwandan context desired, particularly knowledge of youth employment issues
and challenges/opportunities for youth entry. - Experience
managing integrated US Government programs and budget preferred.
Major
Responsibilities of Position:
Project Management
and implementation; Staff Supervision; Monitoring/Evaluation;
Mentoring/Training
Disclaimer
Clause:
This job description
is not an exhaustive list of the skills, effort, duties, and responsibilities
associated with the position.
EOE
Apply online: https://www5.apply2jobs.com/CRS/ProfExt/index.cfm?fuseaction=mExternal.s…
