Technical Assistance Team Leader: AFTER 2 Project in Rwanda Full Time

Mission description

Expertise France is recruiting a Technical Assistance Team Leader (M/F), who will be positioned at Rwanda Polytechnic offices in Kigali supervising, supporting and implementing the AFTER 2 Project in Rwanda. The project start is in the Inception Phase as of May 2023.

The Team Leader will have to support the project owners RP and RTB in the management of the project in all its aspects:
Facilitate the smooth running of the project by ensuring the effectiveness and quality of the actions to be implemented to meet the defined objectives of the various components of the project;
Supervise the capacity building program for project owners;
Supervise short-term expertise for direct activities implementation (identification of needs in expertise, planning of missions, writing of ToR, search for experts, organization of missions, capitalization);
Support the definition and operation of the programming and reporting documents: formulation of annual budgeted activity plans and technical and financial reports, organization and production of activity monitoring and reporting tools, etc.;
Support the two SPIUs (Single Project Implementation Units) in the proper implementation of the project in terms of financial management and procurement:
Develop the project’s Procedures Manual and ensure its proper implementation, in line with contractual obligations for the proper use of funds;
Support the design and supervision of monitoring/evaluation and learning (MEL) mechanisms of the project;
Promote coordination between RP, RTB, the Ministry of Education, other project stakeholders, the private sector (including the Federation), the Rwanda Development Board and the Districts;
Facilitate communication between all stakeholders (public and private) and ensure a good flow of information throughout the project;
Guarantee the correct use of AFD’s funds: control the proper implementation of the procedures manual;
Prepare the project steering committees and support RP and RTB in the reporting of the project.
The  Team Leader will also have an advisory role and will provide technical support to RP and RTB and will be responsible for:
Overseeing the design of a training plan for members of the SPIUs, RP and RTB management, and coordinate and participate in its implementation;
Advising on the operationalization of the TVET governance system at district level;
Facilitating the mobilization of the private sector, the formalization and animation of partnerships;
Providing technical support according to the requests of the project owner;
Providing support to RP and RTB for technical and financial reporting to AFD and Expertise France.
The Team Leader will supervise and coordinate the implementation of activities:
Manage the technical assistance resident team and the mobilized short-term experts/contractors;
Ensure good implementation of activities (review and validation of ToR, recruitment of consultants, supervision and piloting of activities, validation of deliverables, sharing of results), in close collaboration with the component managers;
Mobilize ad hoc expertise (identification of expertise needs, mission planning, writing of ToR, experts search, capitalization);
Coordinate the work with other TA partners (namely for infrastructure TA) to ensure advancement of works is in line with advancement of other project activities;
Provide regular technical and financial reporting.
The TA Team Leader will be supported by a financial/logistics manager, two component experts, two district-based project officers, and a gender and social inclusion expert. Additional expertise will be mobilized such as M&E and communication. The Team Leader will be in charge of supervising the work of all permanent experts as well as the short-term expertise missions.

Project or context description

In an effort to address youth unemployment, Rwanda has placed emphasis on skills and entrepreneurship development for youth in the past years but more needs to be done to create wage employment opportunities for young people. The government is committed to ensuring that the country’s infrastructure (IT, transport and energy), human resources and legal frameworks allow for the growth of private investment. The Rwandan government has set a target of creating 1.5 million jobs between 2017 and 2024. In order to reach this target, the country must quickly acquire the appropriate qualified workforce by adapting its vocational training offer to the expectations of the labour market.

Rwanda’s youth employment strategy is ambitious and comprehensive. By investing in skills development, fostering entrepreneurship, and creating jobs, Rwanda is taking steps to ensure that all young people can participate in its economic transformation. The development of the TVET sector in Rwanda, is one of the strategies to develop ways of teaching that focus on practical skills rather than traditional lectures, which are the foundation of the general education in the country. But many schools still produce a large number of graduates who cannot get jobs in their field due to a lack of resources or trained instructors with relevant knowledge about industry needs.

There is a need to build capacity of the institutions and the workforce to address the priority of the quality of education and training, to ensure that the courses offered are relevant to the needs of the economy. There is also a need to address the current issues of delivery of training, and lack of resources and qualified instructors. The focus has to be shifted on quality over quantity when it comes to TVET.

France, through financial support from the Agence Française de Développement, has proposed to support the development of vocational training by financing the second phase of its AFTER project (Appui à la Formation Technique et à l’Emploi au Rwanda). The project aims to support the project owners Rwanda Polytechnic (RP), in charge of post-secondary TVET programs and Rwanda TVET Board (RTB), in charge of secondary level TVET programs, in structuring a training, integration and entrepreneurship scheme for young people in the Karongi and Nyamagabe districts. The project will contribute to the strengthening of vocational training institutions and job creation in Rwanda. The activities implemented will address the needs of a diverse audience: IPRC students, TVET school pupils, untrained youth and company employees. The project will be implemented in Karongi and Kitabi IPRCs, Muhororo and Cyanika TVET schools and at RP and RTB in Kigali.

The project consists of 4 main technical components and 2 cross-cutting components:

Component 1: The IPRC Kitabi and Karongi and TVET schools of Cyanika and Muhororo campuses are expanded, modernised and environmentally friendly;
Component 2: The training offer in the IPRC Kitabi and Karongi and TVET schools of Cyanika and Muhororo is strengthened and more attractive;
Component 3: The link between TVET providers and the private sector is strengthened, and employment and entrepreneurship support mechanisms are more efficient;
Component 4: The quality and leadership of RP and RTB as institutions in the TVET sector are reinforced;
Component 5: TVET programs are more gender responsive and inclusive and specifically address dropouts of the general education (cross-cutting);
Component 6: TVET programs provide youth with green skills and competencies for sustainable economic growth (cross-cutting).
Note: Component 1 of the TA (Infrastructure rehabilitation and modernization) will be supported by separate TA partners under direct contract with AFD (not under Expertise France supervision).

In order to support RP and RTB in this process, AFD has entrusted Expertise France with a mission to provide project management assistance and institutional support to the different actors of the territorialized training and integration system, as well as implement project activities directly. The main areas of support are summarized as follows:

Support to the renewal and development of the training offer (update and design of training programs, training of trainers, support to the implementation of language and ICT laboratory, reinforce the management capacity of the schools etc.)
Support the reinforcement of the link between TVET institutions and the private sector and strengthen employment and entrepreneurship mechanisms
Reinforce the quality and leadership of Rwanda Polytechnic and Rwanda TVET Board as institutions in the TVET sector
Support the implementation of mechanisms for the orientation, career guidance integration of young people and the development of entrepreneurship;
Support RP and RTB for project management and implementation;
Support for project monitoring and evaluation as well as communication and visibility;
Support for the implementation of a gender and social inclusion action plan and specific monitoring of the employability and integration of women

Required profile

Qualifications required:

Holder of an engineering degree or a university degree in political/social sciences, education/TVET sciences, economics, management or law (Masters 2 or equivalent);

Experience Required:

Minimum 10 years of professional experience in the management (technical, administrative and financial) of development projects and/or technical assistance at the international level, preferably in the fields of local development, employment and/or vocational training;
Significant experience in similar positions (team leader, project manager, component manager, coordinator, etc.). At least 3 long-term assignments in similar positions;
Significant experience in the design and implementation of project monitoring and evaluation systems;
Significant experience in team management;
Previous work experience in the field of technical and/or vocational training;
Significant experience in procurement and contracting ;
Experience in the management of a technical education institution and/or vocational training center is an asset;
Experience in managing projects financing the construction/rehabilitation of infrastructure is an asset.

Required Skills:

Management of multicultural teams, project management and animation of public and/or private networks;
Deep knowledge of the project management methodologies and project cycle tools and processes;
Administrative and financial management: supervision of administrative services, contracting, accounting services, budget management, supervision of financial reporting, etc.;
Ability to conduct a dialogue with public and private partners;
Ability to develop and implement project management tools;
Ability to produce a diagnosis, to design and propose solutions adapted to the context;
Ability to mobilize and lead a network of short-term experts;
Fluent English and French (to conduct strategic dialogue with institutional representatives) and very good writing skills, including the ability to write technical and financial project implementation reports in English and French.

Additional information

Candidates must provide an updated CV (English) and letter of motivation (English) as well as relevant work certificates, if available.

Only shortlisted candidates will be selected for an interview.

Deadline for application : 2023/08/20.