Position SPARK Office: Location: Application Deadline: Type/Duration of Appointment: SPARK Coordinator CDAIS Rwanda office Rwanda, Kigali 21 November 2017 Fulltime / 8 months SPARK is a growing, young, dynamic development NGO with 80 staff members in offices in Amsterdam, Belgrade, Bujumbura, Juba, Kigali, Monrovia, Mitrovica, Pristina and Ramallah. SPARK develops higher education and entrepreneurship, so that young ambitious people are empowered to lead their post-conflict society into prosperity. SPARK is achieving its mission by organizing business plan competitions, business skills training, SME coaching & mentoring, business incubation, SME financing, intensive higher vocational summer courses, curriculum development and quality assurance at universities and higher vocational education institutions. SPARK is currently looking for a: CDAIS Coordinator (Expert supervision, event planner and logistics) Background of the project: Capacity Development for Agricultural Innovation Systems (CDAIS) Introduction CDAIS is an EU funded 4 year project, implemented in 8 countries (4 in Africa, 2 in Asia and 2 in Latin America) by a collaboration between Agrinatura (a grouping of European universities and research organizations supporting agricultural development), FAO and national institutions.
Overall Objective Promoting agricultural innovation systems that are efficient and sustainable in meeting the demands of farmers, agri-business and consumers. CDAIS focus Strengthening the capacity of agricultural systems for innovating, at community and national level a move away from linear, top-down technology transfer Building capacity of National Innovation Facilitators (NIFs) to support innovation systems in the future Influencing national policy to promote systems for agricultural innovation Specifically, development of functional capacities to complement existing technical capacities or technical capacities being developed in partnership with other organisations Background of the Position: SPARK will provide services to CDAIS in the areas of coaching skills (building NIF capacities in coaching), logistics and event planning (organising CDAIS project implementation), financial management (of CDAIS funds) and coordination of national agribusiness consultants contracted by NRI (building niche stakeholders capacity on Advocacy, Entrepreneurship and Access to Markets). The Capacity Development support of SPARK applies to the following niches: - Niche 1: Cassava value chain development, Ruhango district - Niche 2: Matimba and Rwangingo Catchment areas: Priority food production under Crop Intensification Program, Gatsibo and Nyagatare districts - Niche 3: Community Processing Centres (CPCs): Dairy value chain development, Burera district
The objective of the SPARK Coordinator CDAIS is to Coordinate subcontracted experts to ensure quality and timely delivery of Capacity Development Modules and Actions, to Manage the project logistics and Organise the events of the project. Main tasks and Responsibilities: Coordination of sub-contractors Manage three consultants contracted by NRI to develop and deliver CD modules in collaboration with CDAIS National Innovation Facilitators on Advocacy, Entrepreneurship and Access to markets. Responsible for: Quality and timely delivery of experts Work planning and follow-up of experts Reviewing and advise on 2 weekly reports of experts Time sheets of experts Event organisation Organisation of several Reflection and Refinements (R&R) events at Niche level and one National Workshop. Responsible for: Overall organisation of the events, such as drafting the programme including R&R methodology, drafting and sending invitations, booking venues, maintaining registers of attendance, etc. Event reporting, including processing and dissemination of outcomes of events Project logistics Manage the logistics of implementation of the CDAIS project, to include: Hiring vehicles Purchasing equipment and consumables Booking venues/catering/accommodation for CD events and workshops Requirements and Skills:
3 years experience in coordination of experts, event planning and logistics in similar projects; Proven experience in agricultural sector in Rwanda Proven experience in agri capacity development modules and actions in Rwanda; Knowledge of and experience with project cycle management, Learning cycles and results-based management; Knowledge of and experience with HR & Procurement procedures are an asset; Fluent in English and Kinyarwanda; Good communication and social skills and ability to work in multicultural settings; Good team worker while able to work independently; Ability to work under pressure; High energy, pro-active and service minded; Hands-on attitude and willing to help out flexibly in SPARK Rwanda activities if required; Willing and able to travel frequently to the Niches (Ruhango, Gatsibo, Nyagatare and Burera disctricts) Residents of Rwanda are encouraged to apply. SPARK Offers: International and dynamic working experience; Training opportunities; A gross monthly salary between 1200 EUR and 1500 EUR (to be paid in RWF) including social security and applicable taxes, depending on professional experience and based on a fulltime appointment of 40 hours; How to apply? For more information, please visit the SPARK website: www.spark-online.org. If interested, please send your letter of motivation and your CV (in English) to vacancy@spark-online.org up and until 21 November 2017. Reference: CDAIS
Coordinator Spark Rwanda. All applications will be assessed on rolling basis; interviews can therefore take place before the application deadline. For questions about the vacancy, please contact vacancy@spark-online.org with reference; CDAIS Coordinator Spark Rwanda or call Marthe Paauwe at tel. +255 (0)789923718. Due to a large volume of applications, we cannot respond to every applicant. After the deadline for application we will screen all applications and will invite selected applicants for the first round of interviews. There may be a delay between the deadline and the moment we contact selected applicants.