Senior Project Officer at Spark Rwanda: (Deadline 21 September 2023)

Senior Project Officer at Spark Rwanda: (Deadline 21 September 2023)

Senior Project Officer – Rwanda

SPARK is looking for a Senior Project officer for the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME) Support Project named the Gwiza Project, focused on the Western Province of Rwanda.

The project aims at supporting MSME’s to grow and thrive through capacity building and access to finance and markets. The focus of the project will be MSME’s in key sectors of the Western Province, especially Cross Border Trade (CBT).

Working with key actors in the Province the project aims at unlocking systemic constraints that hinder the growth of MSME’s and the participation of youth and women in business. Capacity building will be provided to the business and key actors including financial institutions. A key constraint cited by many for MSME’s is access to finance, thus the project has a clear focus on supporting increased financing for businesses.

We are looking for someone who feels confident in their ability to think on their feet, utilize deductive reasoning and is not afraid to be creative when it comes to finding solutions.

Main Tasks and Responsibilities

The responsibilities and tasks include, but are not limited to:

• The implementation of the project’s activities in
• Expanding SPARK’s private sector network for job placements and entrepreneurship development to deliver on the project targets to create jobs
• Leading partner selection, due diligence, contract signature, report submission and project closure processes of the Programme;
• Maintaining good relationships with partners;
• Following the preparatory work for the planning and implementation of the partners’ activities;
• Supporting the partners for the update and forecast of project budgets, target and activities;
• Ensuring that the partners conduct the activities in line with their activity plans;
• Ensuring that partners’ budgets are used according to the proposed financial plan;
• Compiling and submitting progress reports with supervision from the Country Manager and the Regional Programme Manager;
• Working closely with other SPARK departments (such as MEAL and Finance, Logistics, etc.) to ensure the timely implementation of the project within the limitations of the project budget;
• Sharing the activity plans particularly the events with the Regional Comms team and ensuring that SPARK and back donors are visible;
• Ensuring that all project documentation (paper and electronic) is up to date and stored in an effective and confidential way.

Requirements and Skills

• BA or MA in a relevant discipline related to international development,
• Proven experience with the private sector and jobs creation. Experience with job placements (matching), skill up or start up considered a strong asset
• At least 5 years of experience with project management related to jobs creation
• Experience with especially in TVET, considered an asset
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively in multi-cultural settings with a wide variety of stakeholders,
• Excellent interpersonal, communication, networking and representation skills,
• Ability to present complex information in a succinct and compelling manner, and to use innovative forms of communication,
• Fluency in written and spoken English, Kinyarwanda and French/Turkish,
• Rwandan nationality only,
• Ability and willingness to travel domestically and internationally.

SPARK Offers

• A challenging and exciting position in an international environment;
• Remuneration based on experience according to the SPARK salary grid
• Full-time contract 40h/per week;
• Training opportunities.

How to apply?

If you are interested, please apply with your motivation letter and your CV (both in English) on https://vacancy.spark-online.org/ until 21 September 2023. Please, with application send to us three references (phone number and email) which we can contact in the selection process.

For questions please reach at rwanda@spark-online.org.

All applications will be assessed on rolling basis; interviews can, therefore, take place before the application deadline. However, due to the large volume of applications we receive, we cannot respond to every applicant. There may be a delay between the deadline and the moment we contact selected applicants.

If you have not received a reply, we regret to inform that we have continued with other candidates.