Rwanda: Project Manager in Rwanda

The International Potato Center (CIP) is seeking a highly skilled, results-oriented Project Manager to provide overall leadership and management for the implementation of an integrated agriculture-nutrition project in Rwanda. CIP seeks diversity and gender balance in its staff. Women and citizens of developing countries are particularly urged to apply.

****The Center:**** CIP is a not-for-profit international agricultural research for development with a focus on potatoes, sweet potatoes, and Andean roots and tubers. Its vision is to emphasize the use of roots and tubers to improve the lives of the poor. CIP is dedicated to achieving food security, improved well-being, and gender equality for poor people in root and tuber farming and food systems of the developing world. CIP is headquartered in Lima, Peru with staff and activities over 30 locations across Africa, Asia, and Latin America. CIP is a member of the CGIAR Consortium, a network of 15 research centers that are mostly located in the developing world and supported by more than 50 donor members.

****The Project:**** CIP is implementing the Orange Fleshed Sweetpotato for Income and Nutrition project to scale up the production and utilization of biofortified, nutritious sweetpotato in Rwanda. With support from USAID/Rwanda (contingent upon award), the project aims to improve incomes and nutrition among 200,000 smallholder households in ten districts in Rwanda through integrated agriculture-nutrition interventions. The project is specifically targeted at households with children under 5 years of age that are vulnerable to undernutrition. The project is implemented in partnership with the Government of Rwanda, NGOs and private sector partners and emphasizes capacity strengthening and monitoring and learning across these partnerships. The project is closely aligned to the objectives and monitoring processes of the Feed the Future program in Rwanda.

****The Position****: The Project Manager will report to the CIP Country Manager Rwanda and to the CIP Sweetpotato Program Leader and will be based in Kigali.

****Duties and Responsibilities:****

• Project Implementation:

Provide management, leadership and strategic vision in all aspects of project implementation. Ensure that project implementation is responsive to communities and partners and aligned with CIP principles, values and strategic plan. Monitor adherence to grant agreement, CIP policies and procedures and relevant external rules and regulations. Select, oversee and advise performance of partners and sub-grantees. Lead the reporting requirement of technical and financial progress and annual reports.

• Coordination and Representation:

Represent the project vis-à-vis USAID, Government of Rwanda, NGOs, and private sector partners. Build and manage strong and productive partnerships with GoR and implementing partners and facilitate learning and knowledge exchange across the entire project partnership. Participate in regular planning and review meetings with USAID and ensure that the project is well understood and highly regarded by the donor and all project partners.

• Reporting and Communications:

As responsible manager for all technical and financial reporting to the donor, ensure timeliness, quality, and responsiveness to donor requests in all areas of reporting. Work with relevant units at CIP Rwanda and in regional and global CIP offices to obtain technical and administrative support as required. In particular, ensure that monitoring of project indicators is timely and of excellent quality to support reporting and adaptive management. Promote the project with stakeholders, the donor community, and the general public in Rwanda through sound and innovative communications.

• Staff Management, Professional Development and Team Building:

Create a work atmosphere conducive to professional growth and development of excellent personnel at all levels. Promote accountability by conducting staff annual performance reviews with direct supervisees, and ensuring that all staff members are effectively using the performance planning and management system. Contribute to project team-building efforts, and ensure the integration of all team members into relevant decision-making processes.

• Project Support Operations:

Coordinate with M&E, finance and administration staff to ensure operational systems are in place to support field activities including logistics, procurement, security, administration and human resources. In coordination with the CIP Country Manager, propose and design new local operational policies as needed and in accordance with donor and CIP regulations.

• Gender:

The Project Leader is expected to take a leadership role in the mainstreaming of gender sensitive project interventions, through support and promotion of gender throughout all areas of the project.

Selection Criteria:

• Masters level degree in relevant discipline such as agriculture, economics, social sciences, nutrition, or marketing. PhD degree in relevant field is an advantage. Specific formal training related to sweetpotato, nutrition, or gender is an added advantage.
• Strong experience of at least 10 years as a field-based project manager, with at least 5 years working as a Project Leader on large-scale agricultural development projects, preferably in sub-Saharan Africa.
• Direct experience working on large USAID funded interventions, preferably focused in agriculture. Specific experience of Feed the Future is an advantage.
• Experience in developing agricultural markets and value chains.
• Demonstrated ability to manage and motivate international and local staff into a cohesive team.
• Demonstrated awareness and responsiveness to gender and social issues in cross-cultural and gender integration programming.
• Strong experience with communication technologies as research and development tools.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English are required.
• Working proficiency of French is an advantage.
• Record of publications and citations.
• Willingness to travel frequently and work under field conditions.

Conditions:Employment contract will be for an initial three-year term (with a three month probation period) with possibility of renewal, subject to availability of funding. Salary will be internationally competitive, paid in US dollars, and commensurate with experience. CIP prides itself on its collegial and supportive working environment, which allows space for personal and professional growth.

Applications:Applicants should apply online through our CIP’s Job Opportunities website (http://cipotato.org/open-vacancies/), including a cover letter, a full C.V with the names and contact information of three references that are knowledgeable of the candidate’s professional qualifications and work experience. Screening of applications will begin on October 22, 2015 and will continue until the post is filled. All applications will be acknowledged, however only short listed candidates will be contacted.

Learn more about CIP by accessing our web site athttp://www.cipotato.org*****.*****