Background
1. Organizational Context
The Great Lakes region has historically suffered from cyclical violence that finds its roots in poverty and political conflict. “Intensifying hostility among states in the Great Lakes threatens a return to the regional wars that tore that region apart in previous decades” – the International Crisis Group warned in January 2020, calling for greater and more robust UN engagement in support of Peacebuilding in the region. It is against this background that FAO, UNDP and WFP in both DRC and Rwanda have developed the project “Creating peace dividends for women and youth through increased cross-border trade and strengthened food security Cross Border” in collaboration with national counterparts in both countries and with the support from the Peace Building Fund.
The project “Creating peace dividends for women and youth through increased cross-border trade and strengthened food security Cross Border” focuses on one of Africa’s most critical trading posts linking Western and Eastern Central Africa and the Goma – Rubavu border between DRC and Rwanda, a historical hot-spot of conflict but also key source of resilience in the Great Lakes region. The project contributes to peacebuilding and social cohesion in the DRC-Rwanda border areas around Goma and Rubavu by deepening economic integration through increased cross-border trade, fostering mutual understanding and dialogue between border communities and strengthening food security, livelihood and income opportunities, particularly for women and youth.
The project is built on the assumption that if essential impediments to local cross-border trade of agricultural products are reduced, if the capacities of young entrepreneurs in cross-border trade development are enhanced and if capacities for agricultural production are strengthened and expanded on both sides of the border, with a focus on the capacities and opportunities of women and young people then, conditions for cross-border trade will improve and cross-border community interaction will foster mutual understanding and trust by providing opportunities for dialogue among social groups around common and mutual economic interests and the increased availability of income and livelihood opportunities will reduce incentives to engage in violence as a means of improving economic circumstances, thus strengthening Peacebuilding.
To achieve this, the project focuses on resolving underlying issues and grievances linked to unequal agricultural production and trade competition on the two sides of the border. Any promotion of agricultural production and cross-border trade needs to be sensitive to the perceived and real concerns over competition between the two border communities. The project also aims at addressing key impediments to cross-border trade by reducing barriers to access to income-generating activities and food supplies for communities on both sides of the border. Harassment and the prevalence of bribes and unofficial payments at the border are among the most serious hindrances to access to markets by small-scale traders.
Economic inclusion of women and youth is at the center of this project. The proposed strengthening of cross-border trade is a key means of economic integration of vulnerable groups, especially women and youth. The focus on supporting small scale traders, primarily young and female, is a way to empower women and youth at the local level, which has been shown to strengthen the resilience of communities and help mitigate risks of conflict.
Furthermore, there is significant untapped potential to increase profitability, and thus further consolidate livelihoods, by improving the value-chain of agricultural production. This could have an expanded peacebuilding impact by reducing the gap in growth rate of horticulture production and trade between the DRC and Rwanda sides of the border, and by providing opportunities for collaboration around common economic interests between small-holder farmers and traders on both sides of the border
Under the overall guidance and supervision of of the Team leader of the Transformational Governance Unit based in Kigali, the National Project Coordinator is to work with WFP, FAO and UNDP project teams, government counterparts (including the Ministry of Trade and Industry, the Ministry of Agriculture, the gender Monitoring Office, the Rwanda Bar Association, the Rwanda national Police, the Ministry of Youth, UN partners (including Resident Coordinator’s Office), the Private Sector Federation, trade cooperatives and Civil Society Organizations.
The project Coordinator will coordinate the activities under the Outcome and two outputs of the projects and ensure timely and quality delivery of the Peacebuilding Fund project in Rwanda by participating UN agencies and Implementing partners. The National Project Coordinator will promote a client-focused, quality and results- oriented approach in the project and will work in close collaboration with WFP, FAO and UNDP project focal points and in close collaboration with the Ministry of Trade and Industry and Implementing partners for resolving complex programme management issues.
In addition, the National Project Coordinator will also collaborate on a regular basis with the Project Manager based in Goma, for quality and timely implementation of project outputs but also ensure synergy between the activities implemented in DRC and Rwanda within the framework of this project.
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Duties and Responsibilities
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II. Duties and Responsibilities
Under the overall guidance of the UNDP Deputy Resident Representative and the direct supervision of the Team Leader of the UNDP Transformational Governance Unit in close collaboration with FAO and WFP project focal points, government stakeholders, CSOs, private companies and communities, the National Project Coordinator will implement the agreed activities as per the approved project proposal and ensure that targets are reached as set out in the approved Integrated Results Framework.
The National Project Coordinator will be responsible for the overall management and administration of the project in close collaboration with the Ministry of Trade and Industry as lead Ministry, Implementing partners including the Ministry of Youth and Culture, the Ministry of Agriculture, the Gender Monitoring Office, the Rwanda Bar Association, and CSO as well as with WFP, FAO and UNDP technical teams under the broader guidance of the Project Steering Committee. The National Project Coordinator will be responsible for project.implementation, coordination of monitoring and evaluation (M&E), project communication and project reporting.
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Specific Duties/Deliverables
Project implementation
- Ensure adequate project, planning, monitoring and evaluation for the project outcome: Social cohesion and peace dividends in the Goma- Rubavu border area strengthened through increased cross-border trade, enhanced food security and increased livelihood and income opportunities, particularly for women and youth.
- Provide technical support to UN agencies and implementing partners throughout the implementation of the project
- Directly oversee implementation of the project and regularly update the direct stakeholders..
- Provide quality assurance oversight to the implementation of the outcome activities, including enhancing the promotion of peace throughout the income generating activities, food security and dialogue between border communities with a focus on women and youth entrepreneurs and expanding agricultural production and productivity for smallholder farmers, particularly women and young people, to strengthen food security and livelihoods.
- Oversee the targeting of project beneficiaries to ensure alignment with do not harm principles and leave no one behind.
- Liaise with FAO, WFP and UNDP project focal points to ensure the effective and efficient project delivery
- Oversee the collection and maintenance of records on project for statistical purpose in consultation with FAO, WFP and UNDP project focal points.
- Work in collaboration with UNDP, WFP and FAO gender focal persons to ensure that implemented activities are gender responsive to ensure the full participation of targeted women.
- Ensure the project results are adequately communicated in collaboration with communication teams from UNDP, WFP, FAO and national counterparts.
- Ensure that all projects activities remain on track while delivering on the set technical and financial targets.
Project coordination
- Ensure timely and quality implementation of activities outlined in the approved project proposal, including closely coordinating with WFP, FAO and their respective government and CSO counterparts to ensure timely and quality delivery of outcome activities.
- Work in close collaboration with targeted beneficiaries including farmers and traders’ cooperatives to ensure their full participation in the project for long-term impact.
- Overall coordination of planning, implementation, management and monitoring aspects of the project operations.
- Ensure organization and continuity of the monthly technical meetings
- Ensure the overall relevance, and performance of the project, the effective realization and quality of outputs, and compliance with applicable UN and SIG standards, rules and regulations.
- Ensure strong partnerships and coordination between the project, the Government lead Ministry in particular the Single project Implementation Unit (SPIU), and other project Implementing partners and stakeholders, by facilitating communication and exchange of lessons learned and good practices.
- Support organizing bi-annual Project Board Meetings to provide comprehensive update on project implementation, identifying challenges faced to find way forward.
- Follow-up on the implementation of Project Board decisions and recommendation;
- Ensure synergy between the activities implemented in Rwanda and the activities implemented in DRC within the context of this project and maintain good collaboration with the project team based in DRC.
Policy advice and support to UNDP, FAO and WFP and national counterparts on conflict prevention and peacebuilding in the long-term beyond the PBF project
- Ensure the integration of the UN programming principles (Leave no one behind, human rights-based approach, gender equality, sustainability and resilience as well as accountability), environmental protection, inclusion and other relevant cross-cutting themes in the design and implementation of conflict prevention and peacebuilding projects.
- Provide support in drafting policy notes, speeches, statements, communication products, etc. on peace building and conflict prevention
- Lead resource mobilization initiatives for conflict prevention and peacebuilding within the framework of this project
Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting
- Provide technical advice to the project in developing baselines and indicators for project monitoring and evaluation, as well as in preparing project reports focused on capturing results, lessons learned and good practices for possible wider application.
- Ensure timely compilation and submission of quality progress reports to UN PBF together with WFP and FAO project focal points as per the contractual agreement for PBF project.
- Organize and document quarterly project review meetings with government and partners to track project progress and prepare Quarterly progress reports.
- Ensure compliance to the PBF and UNDP monitoring, evaluation and reporting requirements.
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Competencies
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III. Competencies
Corporate Competencies:
- Demonstrates high moral integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards, sound political judgment, as diplomacy, impartially and discretion and proved capacity of initiative, leadership and autonomy.
- Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic, goals of UNDP.
- Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitively and adaptability.
- Treats all people fairly without favoritism.
- Treats all people fairly without favoritism.
Functional Competencies:
Strategic Policy Direction
- Be able to lead the strategic planning, formulation and monitoring of programmatic issues
- Ability to identify programme/project development challenges and highlights key peacebuilding issues and provides policy advice based on best global experiences and practices.
- Demonstrates capacity to provide substantial advice in formulating policy options for Rwanda Government on cross-border trade and peace consolidation
- Excellent ability to identify significant capacity building opportunities, ability to get capacity built, excellent ability to demonstrate national capacities built (mastery of the tools and their application);
- Actively works towards continuing personal learning and development in one or more Practice Areas, acts on learning plan and applies newly acquired skills;
- Display understanding of the relevant contemporary ICT tools and continuously act towards personal capacity building;
- Excellent communication skills (written and oral): Sensitivity to and responsiveness to all partners, Respectful and helpful relations with all UN staff.
Programme Support
- To be able to provide advice and recommendations to the UN team on how UN can further strengthen and support the government after the end of PBF project.
- To be able to guide and advise, in close consultation with the Project Board in preparation of the project activities and budgets of the project.
Management
- Demonstrates proven team-working skills, specific experience of mentoring colleagues and of other aspects of capacity development.
- Builds strong relationships with clients, focuses on impact and result for the client and responds positively to feedback.
- Effective communication skills and ability to establish good working relationships with national and local authorities, and donor partners.
- Demonstrates openness to change and ability to manage complexities.
- Remains calm, in control and good humored even under pressure.
- Ability to work and act under pressure and with discretion in a politically sensitive environment, with a minimum of comfort.
- Proven negotiation, analytical, networking and organizational skills.
Development and Operational Effectiveness
- Demonstrates capacity to plan, prioritize and deliver tasks on time to meet goals in a highly pressured environment and to support other colleagues in achieving similar goals.
- Demonstrates capacity to respond flexible and positively to change through active involvement and generation of innovative, practical solutions to challenging situations.
- Ability to facilitate strategic planning, results-based management and reporting.
- Ability to facilitate implementation, monitoring and evaluation of project interventions as well as resource mobilization in close consultation with local counterparts and transferring knowledge.
Knowledge Management and Learning
- Promotes knowledge management and a learning environment in the office through leadership and personal example: Excellent knowledge of capacity building theory and the application of methodology: good understanding of capacity assessment methodologies;
- Excellent ability to identify significant capacity building opportunities, ability to get capacity built, excellent ability to demonstrate national capacities built (mastery of the tools and their application);
- Actively works towards continuing personal learning and development in one or more Practice Areas, acts on learning plan and applies newly acquired skills;
- Display understanding of the relevant contemporary ICT tools and continuously act towards personal capacity building;
- Excellent communication skills (written and oral): Sensitivity to and responsiveness to all partners, Respectful and helpful relations with all UN staff.
Communications and Networking
- Has excellent oral communication skills in English and competency to manage inter-group dynamics and mediate conflicting interests of varied actors.
- Has excellent written communication skills in English, with analytic capacity and ability to synthesize project outputs and relevant findings for the preparation of quality project reports.
- Maturity and confidence in dealing with senior and high-ranking members of national and international institutions, government and non-government.
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Required Skills and Experience
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VI. Recruitment Qualifications
Education:
Advanced University Degree (Masters or equivalent) in Development Studies, Law, International Business and trade, Agricultural business, Economics, Project Management or a related field. Post graduations, specific study and publications in peace building, food security, cross border trade and governance matters are an asset.
Experience:
- 7 years of proven experience in peacebuilding and cross border trade programme implementation with Government Institution, CSOs, local, regional or International Organizations.
- Past experience in working with the UN in particular – would be an asset.
- Knowledge of UN assistance procedures and best practice and regional experience in East and Central Africa would also be an asset.
- Knowledge or experience in applying peace building or PBF modalities, guidance, approachesand projects is an asset.
- Proven experience in mainstreaming UN programming principles and project management principles.
- Experience in working, liaising and collaborating with officials, governments’ representatives, civil society organizations, and international organizations.
- Experience in coordinating on peacebuilding or similar projects would be an added value.
- Computer proficiency, including working knowledge of MS Office products (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), Adobe In-Design; web-based management systems; Fluency in the use of social media.
Language requirements:
- Demonstrated analytical skills and fluency in both English and French with excellent verbal and drafting skills.
NB: Female candidates and candidates with disability are encouraged to apply.
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