CLOSE:
24/06/2016
24/06/2016
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 accelerated 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.
International (Global Village Energy Partnership) is a UK charity seeking to
reduce poverty in Africa through accelerated 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,
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
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.
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.
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
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
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.
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
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
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
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
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.
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)
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
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
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.
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,
- 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)
- 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.
- 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
- 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
- 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.
- Knowledge
of the energy sector and its challenges preferred The position will
require regular travel within remote rural areas Rwanda
How to apply:
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.