Us:
Indego
Africa
is a 501(c)(3) non-profit social enterprise that advances woman-owned
cooperatives of African artisans toward sustainable, economic independence
through market access and education. Indego Africa first partners with
for-profit cooperatives of women artisans in Rwanda and markets and sells their
handmade accessories and home décor products on its e-commerce site (shop.indegoafrica.org)
and to U.S. brands and retail chains, including Anthropologie, DANNIJO, J.Crew,
Madewell, and Nicole Miller. Indego Africa then pools 100% of its profits from
sales, with donations, to fund training programs for its partners in financial
management, entrepreneurship, literacy, and computers – all of which are taught
by Rwanda’s top university students. Through their partnership with Indego
Africa, artisan women entrepreneurs generate income through product sales to
meet their families’ critical needs while also acquiring the necessary skills
to run their own profitable businesses over the long-term. Indego Africa is the
subject of a Harvard Business School case study and a recipient of the Fair
Trade Federation’s Most Positive Change in a Producer Community Award and the
Templeton Freedom Award in Social Entrepreneurship.
Position
Description:
Indego
Africa seeks a resourceful and results-driven professional to lead its strategy
and operations in Rwanda, including: (a) managing Indego Africa’s in-country
personnel, office, and budget; (b) overseeing effective administration and
expansion of Indego Africa’s training programs; (c) overseeing efficient
functioning and growth of Indego Africa’s market access program; (d) managing
all relationships and interactions with government entities in Rwanda; and (e)
fostering a collaborative, engaged, and productive global team culture. The
Rwanda Country Director will report to the CEO, who is based in New York.
Candidate
Profile:
- At least three to five
years of work experience in a professional environment involving both
staff and project management - Bachelor’s degree
(required); advanced degree (preferred) - Highly-organized and
dynamic leader with an ability to anticipate bottlenecks and problem-solve
on short timelines and with the resources available - Strong finance and
communications skills - Adept consensus-builder
and relationship manager - Consummate team player
- Flexible, resourceful,
patient, and diligent, including an enthusiastic willingness to adapt to
the lifestyle and work environment in Rwanda - Excellent computer
skills, including usage of the Microsoft Office suite (required) and other
relevant publishing and productivity tools (preferred) - Hands-on small business
operations experience (preferred) - Time spent living in
Africa, or extensive travel in Africa (preferred) - Strong core values with
an even stronger resolve to live them
Responsibilities:
- Personnel Management:
Oversee all personnel in Rwanda. Lead recruitment and hiring of
Rwanda-based employees and interns. Conduct bi-annual performance reviews
and handle all human resource matters. Build a highly functional team,
maintain positive morale, promote a culture of learning, and provide
professional development opportunities for staff and interns. - Operational Management:
Game plan, and take ultimate responsibility, for all administrative
logistics, including Rwanda office space, team scheduling, and staff
transportation and travel. - Financial Management:
Draft annual Rwanda budget and monitor all Rwanda-based expenditures.
Oversee expense reporting, including transaction tracking systems. Manage
in-country bank accounts. Draft and submit monthly payment authorizations
and tax deposits.
- Communication: Foster a
collaborative spirit between Rwanda- and U.S.-based staff members and
reinforce a truly global organizational culture. Work closely with the CEO
and the Creative Director to ensure effective communication between the
production team in Rwanda and the sales team in the U.S. - Government Relations:
Spearhead drafting and submission of all government filings, including
registration renewals, visa procurement, and other on-going reporting to
local and national government agencies. Lead tax and legal compliance
efforts in Rwanda. Manage relationships with governing regulatory bodies
in Rwanda. - Cooperative Partner
Development: Steward Indego Africa’s relationships with its partner
artisan cooperatives. Work with cooperative leadership to identify and
resolve issues arising between Indego Africa and its partner cooperatives.
Supervise, audit, and recommend improvements to partner cooperatives’
expense reporting, record-keeping, invoicing, and financial reporting. - Market Access Programs:
Work closely with the Production Manager to oversee Indego Africa’s market
access program, including material sourcing, production capacity,
prototyping, sampling, quality control, inventory management, customs,
taxes, transportation, and shipping. - Training Programs: Work
closely with the Program Manager to administer and expand Indego Africa’s
training programs, including recruitment and hiring of trainers, periodic
curriculum upgrades, gathering artisan feedback, and assisting in the
intern professional development program. - Impact Assessment:
Oversee collection and analysis of social impact assessment data. - Other Partnership
Development: Develop strategic relationships and partnerships with other
NGOs and resources locally.
Expectations:
- Full-time employment
- Compensation will be
competitive and based upon experience - Health insurance will be
included - Position will be located
in Kigali, Rwanda
How
to apply
To
Apply:
Please e-mail resume and cover letter to jobs@indegoafrica.org.
In your cover letter, please explain (a) why you are applying for this
position, (b) any relevant experience you have had, and (c) any other relevant
information to your qualifications for this position. Your name, the date, and
the position MUST be in the titles of your attached documents. No phone calls
please.
Deadline: November 1,
2012
