Closing
date: 24 Jun 2016
date: 24 Jun 2016
Position: Agriculture
Project Manager
Project Manager
Location: Rwanda
Reports
to:
Programme Manager
to:
Programme Manager
BACKGROUND
GVEP
International (Global Village Energy Partnership) is a UK charity seeking to
reduce poverty in Africa through ac
International (Global Village Energy Partnership) is a UK charity seeking to
reduce poverty in Africa through ac
celerated access to modern energy products
and services. To do this we support the development of a broad range of micro
and small businesses and project companies in the energy economy, by providing
them with high-quality financial, technical and business management support
services so that they can growth and deliver access to energy in of grid areas.
In
Rwanda, GVEP has developed a new programme which goal is to support the growth
of a sustained market for off-grid renewable energy by helping the private
sector to deliver access to energy to 120,000 people in rural areas, in a way
that is inclusive of people living in poverty.
Rwanda, GVEP has developed a new programme which goal is to support the growth
of a sustained market for off-grid renewable energy by helping the private
sector to deliver access to energy to 120,000 people in rural areas, in a way
that is inclusive of people living in poverty.
This
programme will comprise three project components, designed and developed to
respond to the country’s challenges and the government’s priorities with
regards to poverty reduction and energy access in rural areas:
programme will comprise three project components, designed and developed to
respond to the country’s challenges and the government’s priorities with
regards to poverty reduction and energy access in rural areas:
- Component
1: Renewable Energy Small Projects (RESP) Development Facility: to
accelerate the development of small grid-connected or isolated mini-grid
RESP projects, - Component
2: Pico-hydro project development: to support the development of
pico-hydro micro-utilities - Component
3: Energy and Farming: to increase productivity for
small farmers through access to appropriate solar powered irrigation
systems.
The
programme implementation is expected to start in 2016 and in this context GVEP
is seeking an agriculture specialist to lead on the Energy & Farming
component of the programme. The Energy and farming components will be
implemented in two stages: A design phase and an implementation phase. The
project will consist in providing of a holistic package of interventions
addressing all the barriers that may exist to smallholders’ access to
appropriate solar irrigation technology and growth prospects. This includes
mentoring, help in accessing finance, participating in value chains and other
technical assistance expertise. As well as encouraging demand from farmers, the
project will also simultaneously help the private sector establish supply
chains for successful market introduction of the technology.
programme implementation is expected to start in 2016 and in this context GVEP
is seeking an agriculture specialist to lead on the Energy & Farming
component of the programme. The Energy and farming components will be
implemented in two stages: A design phase and an implementation phase. The
project will consist in providing of a holistic package of interventions
addressing all the barriers that may exist to smallholders’ access to
appropriate solar irrigation technology and growth prospects. This includes
mentoring, help in accessing finance, participating in value chains and other
technical assistance expertise. As well as encouraging demand from farmers, the
project will also simultaneously help the private sector establish supply
chains for successful market introduction of the technology.
The
Role
Role
The
Agriculture Project Manager will lead on the design and implementation phase of
the Energy & Farming component, providing technical advisory on irrigation,
farming and financing model/mechanism that are appropriate to the
beneficiaries.
Agriculture Project Manager will lead on the design and implementation phase of
the Energy & Farming component, providing technical advisory on irrigation,
farming and financing model/mechanism that are appropriate to the
beneficiaries.
He/she
will establish partnership with local NGOs, farmer cooperatives and government
stakeholders, and will work closely with relevant actors in the agriculture
value chain to ensure successful introduction of solar irrigation systems to
the market and adoption by farmers in the selected parts of the country. He/
She will work in close collaboration with the Programme Technical Manager (PTM)
who will lead and guide the project with regard to its energy component.
will establish partnership with local NGOs, farmer cooperatives and government
stakeholders, and will work closely with relevant actors in the agriculture
value chain to ensure successful introduction of solar irrigation systems to
the market and adoption by farmers in the selected parts of the country. He/
She will work in close collaboration with the Programme Technical Manager (PTM)
who will lead and guide the project with regard to its energy component.
Key responsibilities
1) In collaboration
with the Programme Technical Manager (PTM), lead on the delivery of the project
design phase that is tailored to the local farming activities’ methods, crop
seasonality, needs and challenges, including:
with the Programme Technical Manager (PTM), lead on the delivery of the project
design phase that is tailored to the local farming activities’ methods, crop
seasonality, needs and challenges, including:
- Lead
on the identification of project target regions with high irrigation
potential and need for irrigation improvement. - Work
with the relevant government agencies (RAB and REMA) to ensure alignment
with their priorities , as well as to reach out to small farmers
communities - Build
alliance and coordinate partnership with local agri-focused organisations
with significant extension network to help with farmer mobilisation and
buy-in during implementation phase - Conduct
baseline assessment/farmer needs assessment to inform project design. - Supplier
survey assessment: Support the PTM in identifying appropriate solar
irrigation suppliers, assessing their needs and initiating engagement with
them - In
collaboration with the project Capital Access Officer support the design
of a financial mechanism that is appropriate to the needs of farmers and
start engagement with financial institutions - Establish
partnership with other relevant stakeholders as appropriate such as farmer
cooperatives - In
collaboration with the programme manager and the PTM produce an action
plan and procurement process for the implementation phase based on the
findings and recommendations provided in the design phase
2) Lead on the
delivery of the project implementation phase and provide technical inputs in
close collaboration with other team members , including:
delivery of the project implementation phase and provide technical inputs in
close collaboration with other team members , including:
- Lead
on project mobilization and outreach to farmers. Organize, promote and
manage outreach events. - Support
in final selection and engagement with solar irrigation suppliers
(including preparation of tender documents specifying product requirements
and evaluation criteria) - Support
in providing technical and finance assistance to solar suppliers in
particular on market development activities to reach out to farmers - Support
in establishing and setting up a financing facility to provide access to
finance to both suppliers and farmers - Lead
on setting up with solar irrigation suppliers and distribution agents a
process to provide support to farmers before, during and after the
purchasing cycle.
3)
Participate in mainstreaming gender in activities to ensure women among the
target beneficiaries of the project
Participate in mainstreaming gender in activities to ensure women among the
target beneficiaries of the project
4)
Strengthening and maintaining relations with relevant government line
ministries and private sector/research institutions to coordinate the adoption
of new products and/or approaches in agriculture development and marketing
Strengthening and maintaining relations with relevant government line
ministries and private sector/research institutions to coordinate the adoption
of new products and/or approaches in agriculture development and marketing
5)
Design a strategy to strengthen linkages with any other NGO’s, private sector
and service providers or government agencies in supporting and addressing
various farmer’s needs
Design a strategy to strengthen linkages with any other NGO’s, private sector
and service providers or government agencies in supporting and addressing
various farmer’s needs
6)
Develop project work plans and ensure timely implementation of the project
activities in line with work plans and activity schedules
Develop project work plans and ensure timely implementation of the project
activities in line with work plans and activity schedules
7)
Provide support and guidance to the programmer manager to develop, review,
oversee and review project strategy and activities related to the
implementation of the project according to the project design, risk and
challenges encountered during implementation;
Provide support and guidance to the programmer manager to develop, review,
oversee and review project strategy and activities related to the
implementation of the project according to the project design, risk and
challenges encountered during implementation;
8)
Provide technical assistance for the design of the project’s monitoring and
evaluation strategy. Support in developing M&E system to measure
profitability and relevant business indicators of targeted farmers.
Provide technical assistance for the design of the project’s monitoring and
evaluation strategy. Support in developing M&E system to measure
profitability and relevant business indicators of targeted farmers.
9)
Monitor, identify and advice on challenges and risks facing the implementation
of the project
Monitor, identify and advice on challenges and risks facing the implementation
of the project
10)
Ensuring the provision of quality data on a timely basis for internal project
management and external reporting purposes;
Ensuring the provision of quality data on a timely basis for internal project
management and external reporting purposes;
11)
Contribute to dissemination of good practice and lessons from the
organization’s work and promote experience sharing and learning in the
organization and among partners
Contribute to dissemination of good practice and lessons from the
organization’s work and promote experience sharing and learning in the
organization and among partners
12)
Supporting project reporting and assisting programme management in other
activities as and when necessary.
Supporting project reporting and assisting programme management in other
activities as and when necessary.
13)
Organize and assist with management of project budgets.
Organize and assist with management of project budgets.
14)
Team management
Team management
Required
skills and experience
skills and experience
·
Master’s degree in agricultural economics, agribusiness management or Agronomy,
Master’s degree in agricultural economics, agribusiness management or Agronomy,
·
3-5 years’ experience in agro-business development and management of
agriculture focused projects in Rwanda.
3-5 years’ experience in agro-business development and management of
agriculture focused projects in Rwanda.
·
Demonstrated capacity to work with private sector players (financial
institutions, buyers, traders, transporters, input suppliers, processors in
agriculture value chain)
Demonstrated capacity to work with private sector players (financial
institutions, buyers, traders, transporters, input suppliers, processors in
agriculture value chain)
·
Experience with commonly used tools for market analysis and program design such
as sub-sector analysis, gross margin analysis and business planning.
Experience with commonly used tools for market analysis and program design such
as sub-sector analysis, gross margin analysis and business planning.
·
Knowledge of agronomic principles and practices, including crops, soils and
nutrients.
Knowledge of agronomic principles and practices, including crops, soils and
nutrients.
·
Experience in the practices, principles and operations associated with modern
production agriculture and irrigation. Expertise in small scale irrigation
management;
Experience in the practices, principles and operations associated with modern
production agriculture and irrigation. Expertise in small scale irrigation
management;
·
Experience with irrigation technologies ; Experience with solar irrigation
technology a real advantage
Experience with irrigation technologies ; Experience with solar irrigation
technology a real advantage
·
Proven experience delivering agriculture focussed programme to improve
livelihood and reduce poverty of smallholder farmers in Rwanda
Proven experience delivering agriculture focussed programme to improve
livelihood and reduce poverty of smallholder farmers in Rwanda
·
Knowledge of the agriculture sector in Rwanda and its regulation and
stakeholders
Knowledge of the agriculture sector in Rwanda and its regulation and
stakeholders
- High
level of computer literacy (primarily in Microsoft Office packages). - Excellent
planning and time management skills and ability to meet deadlines - Ability
to work calmly under pressure to deliver as part of a team - A
high level of attention to detail and accuracy in working with numbers; - Strong
analytical ability, able to evaluate and to appraise critically
quantitative and qualitative information.
·
Fluent in Local languages and English.
Fluent in Local languages and English.
·
Knowledge of the energy sector and its challenges preferred The position will
require regular travel within remote rural areas Rwanda
Knowledge of the energy sector and its challenges preferred The position will
require regular travel within remote rural areas Rwanda
Interested
candidates should forward their cover letters and CVS and indicate their
minimum salary requirement to recruitment@gvepinternational.org
on or before 24th June, 2016. Only shortlisted candidates
will be contacted.
candidates should forward their cover letters and CVS and indicate their
minimum salary requirement to recruitment@gvepinternational.org
on or before 24th June, 2016. Only shortlisted candidates
will be contacted.
GVEP
is an Equal Opportunity Employer and encourages applications from qualified
individuals regardless of race, religion, national origin or disability.
is an Equal Opportunity Employer and encourages applications from qualified
individuals regardless of race, religion, national origin or disability.
