Summary
Date Posted: Wednesday, February 19, 2020 , Base Salary: Not Disclosed

JOB DETAILS:
AVSI, created in 1972, is a non-profit organization, which carries out development cooperation and humanitarian aid projects throughout the world. AVSI started intervening in Rwanda in 1994 after the genocide with emergency operations. In 25 years, AVSI Rwanda transitioned to long-term development interventions that contribute to the socio-economic transformation of the country.
In this context, AVSI is implementing the Village Grid Productive Uses of Energy (PUE) project, which is funded by GIZ/EnDev, with the primary objective to support villages that have been electrified by mini-grids in the development of productive uses of energy. This project is complementary to GIZ/EnDev’s Village Grid Results-Based-Financing (RBF) project, which provides financing for off-grid mini-grid developers. The proposed intervention will aim at increasing demand at mini-grid sites through the promotion of productive use of electricity by local businesses/entrepreneurs through a number of interventions. .

Job Responsibilities
• Identify existing businesses and potential opportunities in selected villages:
• Conduct surveys, gather information/data on existing local business opportunities, assess local value chains and opportunities for new businesses, identify challenges and relevant stakeholders.
• Work closely with the mini-grid developers to align businesses with the capacity of the plant.
• Develop business training materials, methodology, and strategies for potential entrepreneurs
• Identify, train, coach and support local businesses/entrepreneurs in the development of their productive use opportunity through:
• Awareness-raising on options for using electricity beyond basic needs such as light, phone charging, and TV/radio, and the economic and social benefit of productive uses, such as welding, milling and other income-generating activities.
• Training workshops and consultations to help and encourage new and existing businesses/entrepreneurs to identify, start or expand or diversify existing businesses (e.g.: providing services such as pumping, processing/refrigeration of locally grown agricultural crops, milling, small scale wood or metal workshops).
• Technical Assistance: Provide technical training workshops and coaching to help entrepreneurs make informed decisions on the selection and purchase of equipment, operation of the new equipment and machineries and basic maintenance. The project officers will also be informed and provide information on warranties, maintenance servicing, and provision of spare parts, safety precautions and energy-efficient use.
• Support entrepreneurs to access market activities: Connecting entrepreneurs across the value chain, helping them to access new raw materials, or facilitate linkage with dealers operating at the national level, organize study visits to market places or national trade fairs, etc.
• Promote the development and delivery of access to finance opportunities: Support entrepreneurs to access finance to invest in the electrical equipment and machineries required for productive uses i.e. identify financing options and work in close collaboration with the financing institution (i.e. bank, MFI, other). For those entrepreneurs that will access loans, the project officer will also support monitoring the loan repayment.
• Support the implementation of a matching grant Scheme.
• Monitoring, evaluation, and reporting on key indicators:
• Monitoring and evaluating the key project objectives, activities and results • Collection of data on a regular basis
• Feed into the reporting and M&E system of the project including lessons learned from the implementation
• Contribute to the preparation of regular progress reports and reviews

Job Skills: Not Specified

Job Qualifications
• Master’s degree in economics, management, commerce, entrepreneurship or related business studies from a recognized institution or Bachelor’s degree with a minimum of four years’ experience in a relevant field.
• Experience in community-based approaches in project implementation
• Strong organizational skills and able to coordinate and manage a diverse array of activities and stakeholders
• Excellent communication skills. Fluency in Kinyarwanda and English (both oral and written). French will be an added advantage
• Strong negotiation and mediation skills and ability to work independently
• Report writing and computer skills in word processing and spreadsheets
• Experience in conducting surveys, managing data and statistics is desirable
• Experience in working in rural economic development or business development is desirable
• Commercial and technical knowledge of productive use supply chains (in agriculture and/or non-agriculture sectors) is desirable
• Willingness to travel and work in rural areas for most of the times

Job Education Requirements: Not Specified

Job Experience Requirements: Not Specified

Work Hours: 8

{module 312}

Job application procedure
Interested candidates should submit their application all in 1 document (motivation letter, updated CV with details of 3 professional references, copies of academic qualifications and certificates of the last employer. To apply please click here  

All Jobs

QUICK ALERT SUBSCRIPTION

{module 317}