Head of Research and Analysis Unit at the BRC Private Sector Federation (PSF): (Deadline 30 March 2023)

JOB DESCRIPTION

FOR THE HEAD OF RESEARCH AND ANALYSIS, THE BUSINESS RESEARCH CENTRE (BRC)

OF THE PRIVATE SECTOR FEDERATION OF RWANDA (PSF)

TITLE:  Head of Research and Analysis Unit at the BRC

Date: Kigali on: 16/03/2023

Duty station/Location: Kigali, Gikondo Magerwa-Rwanda/BRC office

About BRC of the PSF

The Rwanda PSF is a professional organization, dedicated to promoting and representing the interests of the Rwandan business community. It was established in December 1999, replacing the former Rwanda Chamber of Commerce and Industry. PSF has 30 branches across the country. PSF is purely a private entity, governed by a Board of Directors elected from the business community at the grassroots level to represent and advocate for members’ interests. The Secretariat drives the operations of the Federation through the coordination of 5 professional clusters (trade, industry, agriculture, services, and specialized) and 76 professional associations.

The Rwanda 2050 Vision and its National Strategy for Transformation 2017-2024 (NST1) mandated the private sector of Rwanda to drive the national economic growth. In order to perform that role and be really on the cornerstone of the economic development of the country based on the key drivers identified in the NST1, the RPSF found it imperative to revise accordingly its strategic plan in 2020. The five-year strategic plan of PSF (2019-2024) emphasizes three strategic pillars, that are namely Advocacy and Research, Governance and Membership, and Capability development. For the sake of fulfilling its obligations in that development journey, RPSF managed before to put in place the Imanzi Business Institute (IBI) to promote capabilities in its organs and members. At this stage, RPSF is establishing a BRC that will fulfil its Business Research Agenda (BRA) to facilitate evidence-based advocacy and promote the public-private dialogue for policy reforms and elaboration.

Objectives and scope of the work

In line with the BRA Strategic Plan and under the guidance of the Executive Director of the BRC, the Head of Research and Analysis Unit will be responsible for leading the research, research planning, and implementation, overseeing the development of the research grant/project proposals, and the coordination of unit-related activities.

The Head of Research and Analysis will be accompanied by a team of fellows and research assistants. The Head of Research and Analysis will be primarily responsible for planning, conducting, and disseminating various research activities of the BRC, such as quarterly and annual publications, regular updates, specific studies, and policy briefs, amongst others. The Head of Research and Analysis will be responsible for developing strategies and efficient resource allocation to carry out research assignments and projects by leading an expert research team. This should be his forte. The Head of Research and Analysis will collaborate with the PSF (M&E team) and advisers to ensure BRC’s interventions and research activities are well monitored and included in the comprehensive achievements of the Rwanda Private Sector Federation.

The Head of Research and Analysis will collaborate closely with the other BRC units and report directly to the Executive Director of the BRC regularly.

A.     Objectives of the Research and Analysis Unit

To conduct high-quality research and policy analysis in strategic areas such as macro and microeconomic issues, trade and industry, environment and circular economy, agriculture, finance, taxation, investment, tourism, logistics, private sector development, and any other priority area determined by BRC management and PSF.

B.      Research Analyst Requirements:

a.      A bachelor’s degree in economics, statistics, data science, or a related field; with at least five years of experience in applied/business research and data management; or A master’s degree with at least three years of experience would be an added advantage.

b.      Strong quantitative, analytical, and data modeling skills.

c.       The ability to manipulate large, complex data sets into manageable, understandable reports.

d.      Excellent problem-solving, communication, and team-working skills.

e.      Familiarity with data modeling software (at least one of these: Stata, R, MatLab) and Excel software.

f.        Attention to detail and organizational skills.

C.      Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

In Summary, The Head of Research and Analysis will apply his expertise in research, analysis, and leadership to help the Executive Director drive BRC’s objectives through BRC’s research agenda or strategic plan. The Head of Research and Analysis will also support the centre in gaining domestic and international recognition for its achievements. The Head of Research and Analysis will transfer his valuable and diverse skillset to the growth of the BRC research team. As a strong professional role-model for the team, the Head of Research and Analysis will lead by example, delivering and coordinating high-impact, international-standard research projects and offering training, coaching, and mentoring to the research unit.

More specifically, The Head of Research and Analysis shall:

• Define what BRC should be known for: success measurement tools and processes, strategies and plans together with other BRC’s units;
• Develop strategies and efficient resource allocation to carry out assignments and projects;
• Plan, coordinate, execute, and publish the assigned research projects to ensure that BRC’s research output is quality, timely, relevant, and high-impact;
• On a daily basis, supervise team members to ensure that research projects are completed on time;
• Lead data management and analysis;
• Track project progress on a regular basis and report it to the Executive Director;
• Identify areas for improvement and develop new methods to meet deadlines;
• Present research findings to management in an understandable manner;
• Work with management in the preparation of the project budget and schedule;
• Monitor and control expenses within the allocated budget;
• Analyze and resolve research issues in a timely and accurate manner;
• Determine research priorities and develop a research roadmap in collaboration with management.
• Identify key issues and devise appropriate solutions.
• Lead and deliver research programs, consultancy assignments, projects, and policy briefs that contribute to meeting BRC’s core functions and services;
• Provide leadership in research project management; develop sustainable means to ensure that BRC’s research is quality assured, submitted to rigorous deadlines, and the budgets are properly designed and managed;
• Design, develop, and coordinate the implementation of a training programme in research methods and management for BRC fellows and research assistants that demonstrates long-term results;
• Develop funding proposals and drive the research centre’s ability to access new and diverse funding sources;
• Contribute to building the public profile of the BRC by creating opportunities to participate in various forms of dialogue with public, private, and donor stakeholders;
• Maintain and build the BRC’s reputation for high-quality, high-impact, and innovative research;
• Through the BRC, the Head of Research and Analysis will generate capacity-building interventions to increase the quality of evidence-based policy making in Rwanda through the BRC and PSF as well;
• Represent the interests of the BRC and PSF as and when required.

D.     Deliverables

The Head of Research and Analysis will be responsible for the delivery of the following:

• Timely and quality research reports and briefs that inform policy and facilitate decision making;
• A detailed strategy to advise and disseminate timely, research reports that inform policy in the business environment in Rwanda;
• An annual action/work plan and budget in relation to research programs, consultancy assignments, and policy briefs;
• A capacity-building strategy for the research team;
• An annual resource mobilisation strategy based on research project proposals to keep the BRC functioning;
• Quarterly departmental reports on the status of research undertakings and dissemination;
• Any other task that may be assigned by the Executive Director of the BRC and PSF management.

N.B: Please submit your application document in a single PDF (cover letter addressed to the Chief Executive Officer of PSF, CV, and certificates) to humanresources@psf.org.rw

and BRC@psf.org.rw in copy; no later than March 30, 2023, at 5:00 p.m. with the subject line: The Head of Research and Analysis-PSF/BRC