Job vacancies – TechnoServe ( Rwanda Ikawa Nziza Cyane project)

TechnoServe is a leader in harnessing the power of the private sector to help people lift themselves out of poverty. A nonprofit organization operating in 29 countries, we work with enterprising men and women in the developing world to build competitive farms, businesses and industries. By linking people to information, capital and markets, we have helped millions to create lasting prosperity for their families and communities.

Founded over 50 years ago, TechnoServe has been named the #1 nonprofit for fighting poverty by the ImpactMatters charity ratings agency.

1.Business Advisor Digital Farm and CWS Support

Job Details

Description

TechnoServe is a leader in harnessing the power of the private sector to help people lift themselves out of poverty. A nonprofit organization operating in 29 countries, we work with enterprising men and women in the developing world to build competitive farms, businesses and industries. By linking people to information, capital and markets, we have helped millions to create lasting prosperity for their families and communities.

Founded over 50 years ago, TechnoServe has been named the #1 nonprofit for fighting poverty by the ImpactMatters charity ratings agency.

Program Description

The Rwanda Ikawa Nziza Cyane (INC) project seeks to equip coffee washing stations (CWS), exporters, and government agencies with new tools, strategies, and policies to drive greater efficiencies and unlock new market opportunities in specialty coffee.  Funded by the European Union in conjunction with Rwanda’s MINECOFIN, the Rwanda INC project will run for 4 years beginning in November, 2020. Some of the primary project components include (1) digital tools for CWS business management and farm extension monitoring; (2) new mechanisms for input financing and distribution (e.g., fertilizer, lime, new varieties); and (3) a strengthened coffee value chain through industry briefs, strategies, and proposed quality standards for uptake by government and exporters.

Job Summary:

TechnoServe seeks two (2) Business Advisors: Digital Farm and CWS Support to support the successful implementation of Rwanda INC’s ambitious impact agenda.  This role will provide technical and advisory support to extension agents, CWS managers, exporters, and allies throughout the value chain to create value for farmers and coffee businesses, alike.

Primary Functions & Responsibilities:

• Engage CWS and cooperative leadership in identifying challenges associated with farm records, farmer extension services, CWS operations, business planning and strategy, and general management.
• Work with the TechnoServe Digital Specialist to identify and assess relevant tools and technologies delivering value to farmers, cooperative leadership, CWS managers, exporters, and government agencies.
• Co-design and support the roll out of relevant digital tools to enable (1) enhanced extension services monitoring and management; and (2) improved business analytics for management and reporting.
• Lead training sessions for all interested players (e.g., exporters, CWS, youth sustainability interns) for a menu of digital tools.
• Manage subsequent follow-up, trouble-shooting support, and ongoing enhancements of the digital offerings.
• Support development, buy-in and roll-out of minimum quality and sustainability standards for Rwandan coffee. Work with CWS, exporters, training partners, and relevant regulatory bodies to enable a system of audits.
• Support the development and roll-out of new input sales and distribution models.

Basic Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Agriculture, business, or a related field.
• At least three years’ professional experience in one or more of the following areas: agriculture, small and medium enterprise development, project management, community development
• Strong project management and financial analysis skills.
• Experience providing technical training and support in related field.
• Track record of building strong client and stakeholder relationships
• Technical skills required to do this job.
• Strong planning abilities; prior experience working to tight and strict deadlines

Preferred Qualifications:

• Familiarity with coffee value chain actors (especially coffee washing stations)
• Comfortable translating data analysis into business insights
• Familiarity with ICT tools
• Ability to generate innovative solutions in work situations that require minimal supervision.
• Strong networking skills

Required Languages

• Fluency in Kinyarwanda and English preferred

Travel

• Ability to travel to remote rural locations.
• 100% Domestic

Knowledge Skills and Abilities: 

• High integrity and honesty
• Flexible and able to maintain effective relationships and networks
• Proactively takes advantage of opportunities to learn
• Demonstrates an understanding and appreciation for diversity and supports diversity efforts
• Expresses ideas effectively in individual and group situations, both verbally and in written communication
• Strong decision making and problem solving skills
• Results oriented
• Effective time management and planning
• Strong business acumen

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2.Business Advisor Operations and Sustainability

Job Details

Description

TechnoServe is a leader in harnessing the power of the private sector to help people lift themselves out of poverty. A nonprofit organization operating in 29 countries, we work with enterprising men and women in the developing world to build competitive farms, businesses and industries. By linking people to information, capital and markets, we have helped millions to create lasting prosperity for their families and communities.

Founded over 50 years ago, TechnoServe has been named the #1 nonprofit for fighting poverty by the ImpactMatters charity ratings agency.

Program Description

The Rwanda Ikawa Nziza Cyane (INC) project seeks to equip coffee washing stations (CWS), exporters, and government agencies with new tools, strategies, and policies to drive greater efficiencies and unlock new market opportunities in specialty coffee.  Funded by the European Union in conjunction with Rwanda’s MINECOFIN, the Rwanda INC project will run for 4 years beginning in November, 2020. Some of the primary project components include (1) digital tools for CWS business management and farm extension monitoring; (2) new mechanisms for input financing and distribution (e.g., fertilizer, lime, new varieties); and (3) a strengthened coffee value chain through industry briefs, strategies, and proposed quality standards for uptake by government and exporters.

Job Summary:

TechnoServe seeks a Business Advisor Operations and Sustainability to support the successful implementation of Rwanda INC’s ambitious impact agenda.  This role will provide technical and advisory support to extension agents, CWS managers, exporters, and allies throughout the value chain to create value for farmers and coffee businesses, alike.

Primary Functions & Responsibilities:

• Engage farmers, CWS managers, and cooperative leadership in identifying challenges associated with farm inputs – particularly fertilizer, lime, and improved cultivars.
• Co-design and support the roll out of new input sales, financing, and distribution models.
• Work with financial institutions to help address challenges facing farmer credit for inputs.
• Work with coffee nursery partner to support production and commercialization of improved varieties.
• Lead needs assessments at CWS to determine environmental compliance gaps.
• Work with a wetlands engineering partner to design and lead the construction of vetiver grass wetlands at coffee washing stations to improve compliance with environmental standards.
• Support roll-out of digital tools for CWS seeking (1) enhanced extension services monitoring and management; and (2) improved business analytics for management and reporting.
• Support development, buy-in and roll-out of minimum quality and sustainability standards for Rwandan coffee. Work with CWS, exporters, training partners and relevant regulatory bodies to enable a system of audits.

Basic Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Agriculture or a related field with strong business acumen.
• Minimum of 3 years field and technical experience with agribusiness development, ideally in training capacity.
• Experience in the coffee sector with expertise in coffee washing station operations.
• Strong project management and financial analysis skills.
• Track record of building strong client and stakeholder relationships.
• Technical skills required to do this job.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Familiarity with coffee value chain actors (especially coffee washing stations)
• Comfortable translating data analysis into business insights
• Familiarity with ICT tools a plus
• Familiarity with plant nutritional needs
• Familiarity with environmental impacts of CWS and mitigation efforts
• Ability to generate innovative solutions in work situations that require minimal supervision.
• Strong networking skills

Required Languages

• Fluency in Kinyarwanda and English

Travel

• Ability to travel to remote rural locations.
• 100% Domestic

Knowledge Skills and Abilities: 

• High integrity and honesty
• Flexible and able to maintain effective relationships and networks
• Proactively takes advantage of opportunities to learn
• Demonstrates an understanding and appreciation for diversity and supports diversity efforts
• Expresses ideas effectively in individual and group situations, both verbally and in written communication
• Strong decision making and problem solving skills
• Results oriented
• Effective time management and planning
• Strong business acumen

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3.Monitoring and Evaluation Officer

Job Details

Description

TechnoServe is a leader in harnessing the power of the private sector to help people lift themselves out of poverty. A nonprofit organization operating in 29 countries, we work with enterprising men and women in the developing world to build competitive farms, businesses and industries. By linking people to information, capital and markets, we have helped millions to create lasting prosperity for their families and communities.

Founded over 50 years ago, TechnoServe has been named the #1 nonprofit for fighting poverty by the ImpactMatters charity ratings agency.

Program Description

The Rwanda Ikawa Nziza Cyane (INC) project seeks to equip coffee washing stations (CWS), exporters, and government agencies with new tools, strategies, and policies to drive greater efficiencies and unlock new market opportunities in specialty coffee.  Funded by the European Union in conjunction with Rwanda’s MINECOFIN, the Rwanda INC project will run for 4 years beginning in November, 2020. Some of the primary project components include (1) digital tools for CWS business management and farm extension monitoring; (2) new mechanisms for input financing and distribution (e.g., fertilizer, lime, new varieties); and (3) a strengthened coffee value chain through industry briefs, strategies, and proposed quality standards for uptake by government and exporters.

Job Summary:

TechnoServe seeks a Monitoring and Evaluation Officer to manage all aspects of monitoring and evaluation (M&E). The M&E Officer shall implement strategies designed to assure the quality of data collection, collation, entry, analysis and reporting through consistent application of the existing monitoring and evaluation Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and other guidelines.

Primary Functions & Responsibilities:

• Responsible for monitoring and evaluation program performance in accordance with the logical framework and reporting requirements.
• Receive, review, analyze, validate, enter/code and store various program data streams as submitted by field operations staff. Prepare and collate these into relevant formats for preparing reports and feedback for decision support.
• Share analyses and trends with program team members to help synchronize program decision-making processes with M&E results.
• Ensure M&E information is shared and flows transparently within the program team and to other organizational levels as appropriate.
• Work closely with the Program Manager and Regional MEL Advisor to help ensure that program work plans are on target to meet deliverables in a timely and effective manner.
• Contribute to TechnoServe’s understanding of the effectiveness of technical training packages.

Basic Qualifications:

• Qualifications at degree level in business management, economics, statistics, development studies or other relevant area of study.
• At least 3 years of experience with M&E methods and approaches, including designing, planning and implementing M&E systems, analyzing and reporting using a logical framework and other strategic planning approaches.
• Proven ability to work with various M&E methods and approaches.
• Experience working with agricultural programs.
• Excellent interpersonal, oral and written communication skills is a must.
• Ability to generate innovative solutions in work situations.
• Ability to manipulate data using quantitative software such as SPSS and STATA preferred.

Required Languages

• Fluency in both Kinyarwanda and English is required.

Travel

• Undertake visits to the field as necessary to enforce and validate data collection techniques and to identify where adaptations might be needed so as to ensure continuous quality of program data.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Strong planning skills and ability to work independently within agreed workplans and timelines and generate solutions to changing situations.
• Good communication skills that allow regular interface with a diverse team both in the field and in back room operations.
• Willingness to spend time working and travelling in project sites located in rural areas.

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