Terms of Reference

Title: Agricultural entrepreneurship coordinator – Swisscontact Rwanda

Project: AgroInnovation – Fostering resilient food systems and smallholder livelihoods

Location: Kigali, Rwanda, with regular travels upcountry

Expected Assignment Period: March 2025 – December 2025, with option of renewal until 2028 if funding is secured (Full Time)

Persons Responsible: Country Director Swisscontact Rwanda

Overview

Swisscontact – the Swiss Foundation for Technical Cooperation, is an independent non-profit foundation based in Zürich, founded in 1959 by leading figures from the Swiss private sector and Swiss universities. It is exclusively involved in international development, active in 41 countries with 133 programs and more than 1,300 staff members. At the heart of all Swisscontact’s work stands the private sector and its crucial role in achieving more inclusive economic growth.

Our development work focuses on unleashing the potential of private initiatives in developing and emerging countries. We foster sustainable and inclusive economic development with the objective of improving living standards, creating jobs, and bettering the quality of life for all people. Our involvement is based on three foundational pillars: We strengthen the competitiveness of individuals so they can improve their opportunities for employment; we enhance the competitiveness of companies to help them grow; and we promote socio-economic systems that favour comprehensive development in the affected regions.

Swisscontact has been operating in Rwanda since 2012. Building on the organization’s regional and global experience and contributing to Rwanda’s transformation agenda, Swisscontact in Rwanda focuses on skills development, sustainable agriculture, and entrepreneurship for the green transition. Swisscontact is currently recruiting for key positions in anticipated projects within our Development Programme, financed by a large number of foundations and corporates and co-financed by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC).

We are looking for a motivated candidate to fill the role of Agricultural entrepreneurship coordinator for the project “AgroInnovation – Fostering resilient food systems and smallholder livelihoods”. The project's ambition is to support Start-ups and Agribusinesses in the development and scaling of innovative, climate-friendly products or services to improve the productivity of Rwandan smallholder farmers, the nutritional value of their produce and their market access. 

Purpose

The Agricultural entrepreneurship coordinator supports and deputizes the Country Director in the implementation of the “AgroInnovation – Fostering resilient food systems and smallholder livelihoods” project. S/he leads the technical project implementation team, based at the Kigali office and coordinates the work with all project stakeholders, including the supported Agripreneurs, Agribusinesses and financial service providers.

Tasks:

• Liaise with key stakeholders of the entrepreneurship ecosystem to support ideation, incubation, acceleration and mentorship of start-ups (Agripreneurs), providing new tech-driven solutions to agricultural challenges.
• Business development and implementation through identifying and engaging the private sector (Agribusinesses) and supporting interventions to trigger market linkages and strengthen the Rwandan food system.
• Support the ideation-creation and facilitating partnerships for the scaling of agri-tech innovations in key sector, including the provision of capacity-building for farmers, processors, and traders to effectively use agri-tech tools.
• Linking agribusinesses to existing financial service providers and facilitating the co-creation of new financial products tailored to the needs of agribusinesses, including impact-linked development finance instruments.
• Build relationships with other implementing partners to ensure the project deliverables are met and coordinated.
• Prepare monthly and quarterly project implementation plans and reports
• Manage, control and coordinate project schedule & implementation to make sure the quantitative and qualitative targets are met.
• Actively participate in the regional knowledge management activities.

Requirements

• Understanding of the Inclusive System Development (ISD) / Market Systems Development (MSD) approach and prior experience of its application.
• Demonstrated knowledge of the Rwandan entrepreneurship ecosystem and of climate change mitigation/adaptation are crucial for this position.
• Proven leadership in designing, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating donor-supported projects, including high-level strategic visioning.
• Effective communication, interpersonal, and analytical skills.
• An advanced degree (master’s degree or equivalent) in economics, agricultural economics, international development, or another relevant field
• A minimum of 8 years’ professional experience.
• Fluency in Kinyarwanda and English. French is a plus.
• Responsible and ethical decision-making, in line with Swisscontact’s Code of Conduct.

Application Instructions

Swisscontact is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply by submitting their curriculum vitae along with a cover letter explaining why you are a suitable candidate for this position, diplomas, and references by 16 February 2025.

All applications should be submitted to : rw_info@swisscontact.org with the “ Agricultural entrepreneurship coordinator ” YOUR NAME” in the subject email. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for test and interview. Female candidates with a private sector background are strongly encouraged to apply.