Assignment Title – Project Officer, SheTrades Rwanda
Category/Grade UNOPS – LICA-9
Requesting Division / Section Division of Enterprises and Institutions/Sustainable and
Inclusive Value Chains (DEI/SIVC)
Duty station – Rwanda
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Duration – until 31 May 2021
Application period 08 October – 15 October 2020
The International Trade Centre launched the SheTrades initiative to create an ecosystem of integrated solutions that empower women economically through greater integration in trade and investment.
• The Goal: Connect 3 million women to market by 2021.
• The Plan: To work with partners including governments, private sector, international organizations, and others to expand opportunities for women entrepreneurs by acting on 7 pillars to catalyse trade.
Through country-based activities, SheTrades enables women entrepreneurs to improve the quality of their products and services. One of the greatest challenges that remain is creating quality deal flow for investors committed to investing in women owned SMEs in support of the SDGs.
• An App: Women entrepreneurs can find trade partners through facilitated business/investment linkages and on a free-to-use web and mobile app.
There have been more than 10 SheTrades country launches where governments have embraced the initiative and adapted it to local context to ensure that women have a greater role in their economies. More than 120 corporations and institutions have signed up to support the initiative.
Objective of The SheTrades Commonwealth Project
The SheTrades Rwanda project aims to increase the competitiveness of women owned businesses in Rwanda and connect them to markets. The SheTrades Rwanda project is a component of the EIF funded “Project to Enhance the Effectiveness and Efficiency of Export Growth Initiatives” which will be implemented by the Ministry of Trade and Industry of Rwanda (MINICOM) from September 2020 – February 2022.
Women are underrepresented in business in Rwanda. According to the latest Establishment Census (2017), only 33 per cent of companies in Rwanda are women owned. Among these, approximately 98 per cent of women owned/led businesses are small or micro enterprises. Women are underrepresented in business. Female entrepreneurs have limited access to skilled labour compared to their male counterparts, which results in lower production at the SME level and under-utilized talent among individual employees.
The SheTrades Rwanda project will:
• improve the business support ecosystem to support the growth of women’s economic
empowerment initiatives and activities;
• increase competitiveness of women owned businesses in the coffee and horticulture sectors;
• increase business-linkage opportunities in local and regional markets for women owned
businesses in the coffee and horticulture sectors.
The project targets women owned businesses (at least 30% women owned, managed and controlled) and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) benefiting women in Rwanda, with a focus on the coffee and horticulture sectors, for regional exports and the domestic market. Technical trainings offered to these two sectors will benefit both women owned businesses as well as women that are employed further upstream in farming households.
In implementing activities, the project will collaborate with relevant government representatives, trade and investment support institutions, value chain intermediaries and service providers, including multinational companies. The project will work closely with MINICOM and the selected institution that will host SheTrades Hub in Rwanda in order to improve their support to female entrepreneurs. SheTrades Hub in Rwanda is central to the project’s sustainability strategy.
FUNCTIONS
Under the direct supervision of the ITC SheTrades’ Associate Programme Officer the Project Officer will be responsible for the following duties:
• Works with key clients to facilitate the development, implementation and evaluation of assigned programmes/projects, etc.; monitors and analyzes specific aspects of programme/project development and implementation; reviews relevant documents and reports; identifies problems and issues to be addressed and recommends corrective actions; liaises with relevant parties; identifies and tracks follow-up actions.
• Carries out basic research on selected aspects of programmes, operations and other activities, etc., to include collecting, analyzing and presenting statistical data and other information gathered from diverse sources.
• Provides substantive support for policy coordination and evaluation functions, including the review and analysis of emerging issues and trends, participation in evaluations or research activities and studies.
• Assists in performing consulting assignments, in collaboration with the client, by planning
facilitating workshops, through other interactive sessions and assisting in developing the action plan the client will use to manage the change.
• Participates in survey initiatives; assists with design of data collection tools; issues data
collection tools, reviews, analyzes and interprets responses, identifies problems/issues and
prepares preliminary conclusions.
• Contributes to the preparation of various written outputs, e.g. draft background papers, analytical notes, sections of reports and studies, inputs to publications, etc.
• Provides administrative and substantive support to consultative and other meetings,
conferences, etc., to include proposing agenda topics, identifying and proposed participants, preparation of background documents and presentations, handling logistics, etc.
• Undertakes outreach activities; participates in the development of training workshops, seminars, etc.; participates in and makes presentations on assigned topics/activities.
• Participates in field missions, including provision of substantive and administrative support, data collection, etc.
• Coordinates activities related to budget funding (programme/project preparation and submissions, progress reports, financial statements, etc.) and preparation of related documents/reports (pledging, work programme, programme budget, etc.).
• Performs other duties as required.
RECRUITMENT QUALIFICATIONS
Minimum education and qualifications (level and field of study)
Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in business administration, management, economics or a related field.
Note: A first-level university degree in business administration, management, economics or a related field in combination with an additional two years of qualifying relevant professional experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
Minimum experience (nature, length and field of experience)
A minimum of two (2) years of relevant professional experience in project or programme management, administration or related area. Experience in trade related technical assistance, preferably in the coffee and horticulture sectors.
Desirable experience
- Experience with women owned Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) would be desirable.
- Experience working with SMEs from developing countries and international buyers would be an asset.
- Experience in designing and facilitating training and capacity building activities would be an advantage.
Minimum language requirement
Advanced knowledge of English. Knowledge of French and local languages is an advantage.
Mandatory skills and knowledge
• Good understanding of market linkages and global value chains;
• Recognized industry experience and qualifications.
Critical job-specific competencies
• Respect for Diversity
• Planning & Organizing
• Client orientation
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
For information on how to apply please click here . Applicants will be contacted only if they are under serious consideration. Applications received after the deadline will not be accepted.