Market Systems Development (MSD) Specialist at BRAC: (Deadline 12 November 2023)

Market Systems Development (MSD) Specialist at BRAC: (Deadline 12 November 2023)

JOB OPPORTUNITY

Introduction

BRAC International is a leading nonprofit organization with a mission to empower people and communities in situations of poverty, illiteracy, disease, and social injustice. Our approach is grounded in the conviction that people living in vulnerable situations can be agents of change if they are empowered with the tools, skills, and hope they need to change their lives. We design proven, scalable solutions that equip people with the support and confidence they need to achieve their potential. BRAC’s institutional expertise on successfully implemented programmes is applied across 10 countries, touching the lives of over 130 million people, where our models are adapted according to the country’s context.

In 2022, the Mastercard Foundation in partnership with BRAC International (BI) announcing an initiative that will create positive and measurable impact for 1.2 million adolescent girls and young women and 9.5 million people across seven countries in East and West Africa, including Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, and Uganda.

There is mounting urgency to support adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) living in poverty, which has been further amplified by the global pandemic. Through this partnership, scalable economic development approaches will be delivered in communities to foster the agency and voice of AGYW. They will have the opportunity to fulfill their aspirations, achieve sustainable livelihoods, and engage in advocacy issues.

BRAC International will implement an integrated and holistic model to address the various life cycles of a young woman living in poverty, ensuring she is able to transition safely from adolescence to adulthood. She will be equipped with the appropriate skills, tools, and access to finance to effectively exercise her agency and build a fulfilling and productive livelihood.

In preparation for the launch of the program, BRAC International is seeking applications from competent, dynamic and self-motivated individuals to fill the following position in Rwanda 

Position: Market Systems Development (MSD) Specialist 

Job Location: BRAC Field Office (Huye, Nyanza, Rusizi)

Number of positions: 1

Contract nature: Two years renewable depending on the performance

Job Summary

The MSD Technical Specialist will be responsible for planning and coordinating the implementation of the systemic interventions in the selected regions countrywide. He/she seeks strategic partners and designs and implements systemic interventions aligned with the program’s approach and principles. The role involves providing technical and strategic oversight, identifying gaps, applying innovative systemic solutions, advocating for curriculum change within vocational training curricula, building youth capacities, and supporting youth in access to finance through developing partnerships with financial institutions. The goal is to increase the quality of life for adolescents and youth and increase their engagement in income generating activities in addition to increasing investments in youth-led social enterprises, contributing to improved health outcomes.

The MSD Technical Specialist coordinates with market actors, business communities, local government, line Ministries, and the wider private sector. He/she will facilitate enterprise development, enhance the capacity of service providers and value chain actors, explore enterprise opportunities and solutions, and provide technical support for business plan development. The position addresses barriers to access, full participation, and benefits for target groups regarding market systems and economic opportunities. He/she will engage key market players in designing and implementing strategic interventions to overcome these identified bottlenecks. 

Key Duties/Responsibilities: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily.

• Organize and coordinate inception meetings in the regions where the projects will be implemented.
• Organize and facilitate consultative workshops with FIs.
• Organize and facilitate consultative meetings within each district.
• Create partnerships with financial institutions and create linkages between youth groups and FIs.
• Structure strategic partnerships with FIs to lend to selected youth businesses.
• Establish strategic partnerships to support scale up targeting key social entrepreneurship entities, and support linking youth to these entities.
• Work with youth groups to build capacity on work readiness including financial literacy and SRHR modules.
• Train mentors on financial literacy, savings, business planning, investments and livelihoods diversification.
• Advocate for integration of SRHR/CSE into vocational training curriculum.
• Assist with determining appropriate asset transfers for participants.
• Ensure strong collaboration with other partner activities and other implementing partners.
• Ensure interventions reflect high technical quality and international best practices.
• Collaborate with program stakeholders to conduct assessments across selected sectors/market systems.
• Ensure the programmes adaptively respond to changes in the operating environment to meet the desired objectives.
• Contribute to monitoring, evaluation, and learning; project communications; and project reporting.
• Build and maintain strong working relations with key internal and external stakeholders, beneficiaries, prime and subcontractors, suppliers, and partners. Provide effective and timely responses to inquiries and concerns.
• Other duties, as assigned.
• Frequent field visits will be required to Huye, Nyanza and Rusizi.

• Safeguarding Responsibilities
  • Ensure the safety of team members from any harm, abuse, neglect, harassment and exploitation to achieve the programme’s goals on safeguarding implementation
  • Act as a key source of support, guidance and expertise on safeguarding for establishing a safe working environment
  • Practice, promote and endorse the issues of safeguarding policy among team members and ensure the implementation of safeguarding standards in every course of action
  • Follow the safeguarding reporting procedure in case any reportable incident takes place and encourage others to do the same

Education and Experience:

• At least 4 years of experience in market systems-based programming, ideally in Rwanda.
• Experience working and building partnerships with businesses, financial institutions, VSLAs, and sector associations in Rwanda.
• Experience in working with the existing and emerging small and medium business sector.
• Strong leadership and communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to be flexible and respond to emerging opportunities and overcome barriers.
• Attention to detail and ability to perform multiple tasks and balance competing priorities within a required timeframe.
• Excellent skills in stakeholder mapping, outreach, engagement, and partnership development in support of program activities.
• Demonstrated track record of working in teams.
• Experience working on large-scale government-funded projects (preferably UN agencies) strongly preferred.
• Fluency in written and spoken English and Kinyarwanda.

Safeguarding Policy:

BRAC is committed to safeguarding children, young people and vulnerable adults, and expects all employees and volunteers to share the same commitment. We believe every stakeholder and every member of the communities we work with has the right to be protected from all forms of harm, abuse, neglect, harassment, and exploitation – regardless of age, race, religion, and gender, status as an individual with a disability or ethnic origin. BRAC holds a zero-tolerance policy against sexual exploitation, discrimination, exploitation, abuse and harassment. Violations to stated policies will be subject to corrective action up to and including termination of contract.

If you feel you are the right match for the above-mentioned position, please follow the application instructions accordingly: Female are encouraged to Apply.

Candidates need to send a signed Cover letter in PDF format indicating the title of the position applied for, an updated CV mentioning educational grades, years of experience, and notarized copies of academic qualifications. All those documents should be sent through email: [email protected], Application deadline is 12^th  November 2023

Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be called for interview.