Vacancy title:
Senior Value Chain Specialist

Jobs at:
Company Here

Deadline of this Job:
July 8, 2018

Duty Station:
Kigali, Rwanda

JOB DETAILS:
Sr. Technical Advisor (Senior Value Chain Specialist)
Reports to: Deputy Chief of Party
Job Summary:
The Private Sector Driven Agricultural Growth (PSDAG) project is a five-year (August 2014- August 2019) USAID- funded initiative implemented by RTI International, with the aim of increasing smallholder incomes by promoting private sector investment. The Senior Value Chai Specialist works under the supervision of the Deputy Chief of Party (DCOP) and supports the implementation of PSDAG Component 2 Activities related to facilitating private sector investment in agriculture in Rwanda. The Senior Value Chain specialist is responsible for technical leadership of PSDAG’s portfolio of private sector partnerships, ensuring that PSDAG is providing quality technical assistance to, and effective co- investment in, partners who are investing in catalytic agricultural value chain upgrades. The Senior value chain specialist is also responsible for ensuring that PDSAG’s investments are leveraging private sector resources and are sustainable and scalable in the long term.
The position will lead activities relates to increase private sector investment and coordinate the provision of technical assistance on business development services (BDS) to PSDAG partners. The Senior Value Chain Specialist will be the lead BDS activities for private sector partners with the goal of maximizing sustainability and scale of these PSDAG investments. The Senior Value Chain Specialist is also responsible for coordinating technical procurements for all C2 activities in collaboration with grants and procurement teams. S/he must be familiar with USAID rules and regulations related to procurement and sub-awards.
Essential Duties:

• Monitor component 2 private partnerships funded under a VCCF grant or Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to ensure partners are on track to achieve results and are meeting the requirements, including performance reporting, as needed.
• Provide quality control and ensure timeliness of all value chain deliverables.
• Ensure effective coordination and collaboration with component II team members.
• Work with project team and value chain networks to identify§ upgrading opportunities, public-private partnerships and other opportunities that support growth in the agricultural sector
• Mentor project staff in market facilitation and value chain development concepts and approaches and assist them in implementing value chain upgrading strategies.
• Provide guidance and supervision to the technical project staff working within component II, assess the effectiveness of field activities and provide guidance for revision as needed.
• Contribute to the annual work plan, quarterly reports and any other deliverables, as required.
• Support implementation and close-down of the Value Chain Competitiveness Fund (VCCF);
• Provide coordination and technical support for local and international STTA hired by PSDAG to work with partners on BDS; support preparation, scheduling, and logistics; and review technical deliverables;
• Meet project partners regularly to access progress and recommend adjustments as needed.
• In collaboration with the DCOP, Report on Component 2 technical activities and results to the Communications Team to promote project visibility though success stories, press releases, social media, USAID site visits and videos.
• Carry out any other duties within the position responsibilities assigned by the COP or DCOP.

Minimum Required Education & Experience

• A Master degree in agricultural economics, agribusiness, or a related field and minimum and 9 years of experience or Bachelor’s Degree and 12 years of experience in competitiveness/agriculture development/economic growth/trade/value chain development
• Demonstrated success in implementing programs aimed at increasing the competitiveness of value chains using facilitation approaches
• Experience in programs aimed at increasing investment for agricultural value chains;
• Demonstrated creativity, willingness to innovate, think systemically and work in a team environment;
• Experience working with or in Rwandan agribusiness;
• Experience in monitoring and evaluation of value chain activities;
• This position requires spoken and written fluency in English and Kinyarwanda;
• Demonstrated experience in collaborating within a team and/across projects;
• Past experience on a USAID funded project preferred.

Additional Skills & Abilities

• Excellent knowledge of MS Word, Outlook, Excel; ability to do advanced work in Excel preferred
• Experiencing managing teams;
• Ability to multi-task;
• Ability to listen and communicate well both verbally and in writing;
• Ability to work independently;
• Attention to detail and accuracy.

Physical/Mental Demands
Physical and mental demands of this role include those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job, as outlined above. Examples include: remaining in a stationary position for long periods of time; operating a computer and other office machinery; ability to handle the stress associated in meeting frequent, multiple and tight deadlines, ability to work in excess of 40 hours per week as workload and deadlines may require, ability to have regular, reliable and predictable attendance.

Job application procedure
Interested and qualified applicants should submit their CV and cover letter on or before July 8, 2018, to psdagrecruitment@psdag.org  with copy to Nadine.umuhoza@psdag.org  and indicate on the subject line: Application for Senior Value Chain Specialist.