Learning Advisor, Rwanda at Cultivating New Frontiers in Agriculture Feed the Future Modernizing Agriculture Activity: (Deadline 24 May 2023)

Learning Advisor, Rwanda at Cultivating New Frontiers in Agriculture Feed the Future Modernizing Agriculture Activity: (Deadline 24 May 2023)

Position Name:         

Learning Advisor, Rwanda

Who we are: 

Market Share Associates (MSA) is a socially-driven global consulting firm. We provide innovative solutions for the private sector, government and civil society to improve, measure, and communicate the economic and social impacts of their investments.  We believe market dynamics have a strong impact on how people live their lives.  Our vision is to improve economic systems in order to reduce poverty. We recognize complexity and as such, use a systems approach to design solutions that work within dynamic environments.

We take a bespoke approach to every engagement, developing tailored and contextually rooted services for clients across our core service areas:

RESEARCH – Market and Applied Research

PERFORM – Strategic and Adaptive Management

MEASURE – Results Measurement and Evaluation

EMPOWER – Inclusive Business and Economic Empowerment.  

Since 2009 we have worked with a wide variety of clients and partners in dozens of countries across six continents.              

Our work:

At MSA, our staff build results measurement systems for development programs, social enterprises and impact investors; research power dynamics and their influence on market behaviors; train client staff to

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think more systemically about the problems they seek to address; pitch MSA’s services to new potential clients; write thought pieces; and brainstorm new approaches to old problems. Regardless of task, our focus on disrupting the status quo demands critical engagement.

Who we want:

MSA seeks a talented professional with exceptional experience implementing and monitoring market systems development programs to join the team in the position of Learning Advisor, based in Kigali, Rwanda. This position is for a USAID project and confirmation of the successful candidate requires approval by USAID. The successful applicant will lead on fast cycle partner and systems-level measurement and learning to drive program improvement and systems-level change.

The Feed the Future Rwanda Hinga Wunguke Activity (Hinga Wunguke) is a five-year (2023-2028) USAIDfunded $29.75M initiative to increase incomes and improve nutritional outcomes by sustainably increasing agricultural productivity and strengthening domestic consumption and markets for high-value and nutritious agricultural products. Hinga Wunguke is designed with four complementary objectives: (1) agriculture productivity sustainably increased, (2) farmer and agribusiness access to finance increased, (3) producer market outcomes improved, and (4) the enabling environment to foster market driven agriculture strengthened.

Reporting to the Market Systems Director and working closely with the MSA Engagement Lead and MSA MERL Lead, the Learning Advisor will play a critical role in the project’s success. The position will be responsible for supporting the Component teams and MEL team in designing, implementing, and monitoring innovations and partnerships in line with Market Systems Development principles. This includes but is not limited to supporting the implementation of MERL-related activities and the process of programmatic adjustment in light of evidence. This position will be responsible for setting a culture for adaptive management within the team and implementing the systems that support it.

Specific responsibilities include:

• Lead on the development of a learning strategy for Hinga Wunguke
• Champion the development and refinement of an adaptive and learning orientation culture for the project
• Work closely with the project’s MEL team to understand the intervention theory of chains/results chains, monitor and collect qualitative learnings
• Facilitate pause and reflect sessions in collaboration with the technical teams for all partnerships/activities to refine/develop improvement and/or scaling agendas, potential actionoriented research needs, and decisions on adapting or scaling the activity
• Support MSA headquarters to implement systems change measurement tools and processes, including but not limited to baseline, mid-term and final evaluations
• Lead the design and data collection from project partners and market actors through tools such as Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) and Fast Cycle Learning (FCL)
• Initiate and/or contribute to the development of knowledge products such as case studies, learning briefs, and intervention stories on various learning topics
• Organize learning dissemination events for internal staff and external audiences with the support of the communications team
• Contribute to relevant sections of project deliverables and reports as required by project leadership
• Collaboration with the GESI Advisor to make sure learning on GESI is emphasized and integrated into approaches and work plan 

Required qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in business, economics, agriculture, international development or related field; Master’s degree is preferred
• Willingness and excitement to learn and apply new approaches and methodologies.
• At least 3 years of relevant professional experience in either one of the following:
  • Experience in management/strategy consulting, startups, business innovation, or impact investing; OR
  • Demonstrated familiarity with market development approaches in building market opportunities for emerging enterprises.
• Demonstrated experience leading or managing qualitative and quantitative technical studies, and providing feedback to consultants/field teams during all stages of assessments
• Excellent English oral and written communications skills
• Strong collaboration skills (an enthusiastic team player)
• Self-motivated and responsible
• Results-oriented and innovative
• Willingness to travel to all project zones

Desired Qualifications:

• Experience working on USAID-funded and DFID-funded projects or other bilateral or multi-lateral funded projects
• Deep understanding of the Rwandan private sector landscape, and of drivers of enterprise growth
• Experience engaging with, and influencing private sector stakeholders
• Excellent quantitative skills with a very good grasp of statistical methods and small-N designs
• Experience in Rwandan agriculture space
• Graduate degree
• Experience applying the DCED Standard
• Experience implementing market systems development (MSD) approach is preferred
• Advanced computer literacy, including strong Excel and PowerPoint skills

Application Details:

Please apply as soon as possible if interested. Applications will be accepted until May 24^th, 2023.  To apply, please send    a CV and         maximum 1 page cover         letter to recruitment@marketshareassociates.com.  Please indicate the position title, “ Learning Advisor, Rwanda” in the subject line of your application email.