Value chain/private sector development specialist

Organizational Settings

The main aim of the FAO country office which is headed by the FAO Representative is to assist the government of Rwanda to develop policies, programs and projects to achieve food security, to reduce hunger and malnutrition, to help to develop the agricultural, fisheries and forestry sectors, and to use their environmental and natural resources in a sustainable way.

Project background

The Sustainable Agricultural Intensification and Food Security Project (SAIP) is a new project, coordinated and implemented by the Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resource Development Board (RAB) through a designated Single Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) and supervised by the World Bank. SAIP will consolidate and expand on results from previous World Bank funded projects namely Land Husbandry, Water Harvesting and Hillside Project (LWH) and the Third Rural Sector Support (RSSP3). Specifically, the SAIP will continue capacity-building activities of the farmers’ organizations; increase access to irrigated water and enhance agricultural productivity; promote market access and improve post-harvest infrastructure, and scale up nutrition sensitive and climate resilient agriculture. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is involved in the SAIP project implementation by offering Technical Assistance (TA). The FAO (TA-SAIP) main objective is to increase agricultural productivity, market access and food security of the targeted beneficiaries in the project areas through strengthened national capacities. Those interventions will be aligned with the SAIP-Project Development Objectives (PDO). Specifically, TA will be provided to SAIP in the areas of: (i) support to strengthening farmer organizations and the further development of extension services; (ii) enhancing nutrition initiatives and impact and (iii) implementation of farmer led small-scale irrigation technologies.

Reporting Lines

The Value chain/Private sector development specialist will work under the general supervision of the FAO Representative in Rwanda, and direct supervision of the Assistant FAO Representative in charge of Programme. Working closely with the Technical Assistance (TA) team leader, under the technical guidance from the FAO Lead Technical Officer and supporting FAO, decentralized offices and close collaboration with the World Bank Single Project Implementation Unit for SAIP project in Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board (RAB).

Technical Focus

The Value chain/Private sector development specialist will support agri-food value chain studies to be undertaken under the SAIP and will support the revision of the business plan formats to be prepared using RuralInvest to match the local context.

Tasks and responsibilities

• Ensure the business plans to be developed using Ruralinvest software respond to the Rwandese context • Specifically, it will need to consider the requirements and priorities of the perspective financiers • The consultant will closely work with the SAIP in liaising with rural finance institutions to develop the formats for the business plans • Organise a consultation meeting with rural finance institutions to assess their business plan requirements • Work with the SAIP SPIU in understanding which value chains are prioritized for value chain analysis, • Undertake the value chain analysis studies, • Review any draft value chain analysis material produced and provide technical inputs and suggestions for refinement, • Part take in any relevant meetings organized as part of the SAIP value chain analysis, • Provide coaching and mentoring support to RuralInvest formulators in developing business plans, • Lead the organization and delivery of workshops in which participants who have created business plans in RuralInvest can be coached in investment project formulation, • Provide support to the liaison and organization of discussions with rural finance institutions in close collaboration with the SAIP SPIU, • Support the business plan competition and appraisal/ranking as part of the business plan competition, • Provide any other technical support as requested by stakeholders pertaining to the use of RuralInvest, • Perform other related duties as required by supervisors

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• University degree in Project development, business development, Rural economics, Agri-business and Agriculture economics; • Minimum five years of experience with value chain analysis, private sector development in agriculture and other related subjects; • Working knowledge of English and limited knowledge of one of the other FAO languages.

FAO Core Competencies

• Results Focus • Teamwork • Communication • Building Effective Relationships • Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement

Technical/Functional Skills

• Strong knowledge and proven experience in RuralInvest, • Analytical skills: Data analysis and scientific interpretation • Flexibility and tact to work with multidisciplinary teams • Ability to work under pressure and meet agreed deadlines with limited supervision, • Ability to manage time, • Strong facilitation and leadership skills, • Experience of projects involving multiple and diverse stakeholders including; Governments, private • sector, civil society and end users, • Excellent interpersonal, analytical and communication skills both written and verbal, • Familiarity with the functioning of UN agencies especially with FAO is an asset • Demonstrate integrity by modelling the UN’s values and ethical standards, • Ability to establish and maintain good working relations with colleagues in multi-cultural environment, • Fulfils obligations to gender sensitivity and zero tolerance for sexual harassment. • Strong background in and direct experience with business plan development, • Understanding of and good network among rural finance institutions in Rwanda, • Ability to write clear and concise reports in English • Proven ability to work with government institutions and various stakeholders, also at decentralized Willingness to spend significant proportion of working time in the field.