CDAT Project Manager Under Contract at CommercializationmDe-Risking for Agricultural Transformation Project: Deadline: Oct 25, 2022

Job Description

Overall Functions of the Position

Reporting to SPIU Coordinator, the CDAT Project Manager is in charge of the overall management of Project activities. S/he will respect all financing agreements signed between the Government of Rwanda, SPIU RAB and the External International Donors and any subsequent official documented agreements related to the management of the Project (Aide memoires of missions, back-to-office reports, evaluation reports, mid-term reviews, etc.). S/he will report to the authorities mentioned in the above agreements and will issue the financial statements and physical progress reports timely and in the recommended formats.

Specific Duties

Project development, including:

 Providing orientations for the development of the Project strategy and methodology;
 Guiding the development of the most appropriate implementation tools and management methods to ensure Project performance, in accordance with national policies and with the financing agreements;
 Ensuring coordination and team working of Project staff, local actors and programme partners within RAB and outside;
 Ensuring appropriate synergies between Project components to maximise their impact.

Project implementation, including:

 Supervising the implementation of Project activities in accordance with the financing agreements, with the decisions of the National Steering Committee and with the agreements with World Bank;
 Supervising the preparation, negotiation and oversight of memoranda of understanding, agreements and other contracts with project partners and service providers;
 Ensuring and overseeing the implementation of the gender action plan;
 Preparing annual work plans and budgets, and progress and thematic reports;
 Executing the approved budget, and ensure payments;
 Identifying areas which require support from external consultants, and recruiting them;
 Guiding the efforts of consultants, experts and contractors towards the realization of planned Project outputs and evaluating their performance;
 Providing overall leadership for the District Coordinators/ focal points located at the field level, procurement officer and M&E officer to ensure that objectives and outputs for the two four components are met and that inputs are timely available;
 Coordinating and managing the inputs of the District Coordination staff into preparation of the AWPB, monitoring activities and supporting supervision and follow-up missions and the mid-term review.
 Conducting additional duties as assigned by the SPIU Coordinaton

Project monitoring roles, including:

 Overseeing the setting up process and effective operation of the M&E system;
 Ensuring the solid internal use of the M&E system;
 Ensuring the timely preparation of progress and financial reports
 Project external relations, including the coordination of activities with other projects pursuing similar objectives, within and outside Rwanda;
 Project administrative management, including:
 Reviewing and approving pre-selection of project partners, bidding documents, job descriptions and terms of reference for Project staff and external services providers;
 Supervising and managing Project staff;
 Maintaining internal transparency for the most important technical and project management decisions through regular meetings with Project staff;
 Ensuring proper use and conservation of Project assets, in line with the national legislation and financial agreements.

Outputs (expected results):

 Project general objective, specific objectives and project activities timely and progressively reached within the frame of the financial agreements;
 Planning and budgeting process implemented timely on a participatory approach;
 Disbursement procedures respected and adequate and appropriate percentage of disbursement of funds per year, per component or sub-component compared to the AWPBs and to the indicative final design report;
 Project impact information regularly updated and available to all project partners for measuring the results of the project for all components;
 Good communications with all project partners, including the project staff;
 Excellent relations with the parent institution, donors and other ministries sector.

Qualifications:

 Master’s Degree, in Agriculture Sciences, Agricultural Economics, Agribusiness and Rural Development, Project Management, Business Administration, Social Sciences, Rural Development Studies with 5 years of experience or Bachelor’s Degree in Agriculture Sciences, Agricultural Economics, Agribusiness and Rural Development, Rural Development Studies, Project Management, Business Administration with 7 years of experience.
 Working experience in project management and planning, in or with internationally financed multi rural sectorial projects.
 Managerial skills (leadership skills, communication skills, problem solving skills, monitoring and evaluation skills, planning and organizing skills)
 Proven skills in commercial negotiations, communications and management of financial and human resources.
 Fluent in English or French (reading, writing, listening and speaking) with a very good knowledge of the second language (French or English) and should be Fluent in Kinyarwanda.
 Sound computer skills in major software (MS Office, Word, Power point, and use of internet).
 Working under pressure and meet deadlines.
 Familiar with IDA projects implementation procedures and guidelines.