JOB DESCRIPTION

 Sustainable Growers Rwanda (SGR) is an NGO focused on innovative coffee cultivation techniques for smallholder women coffee farmers in Rwanda. Our dual commitment involves providing groundbreaking training and amplifying the visibility of women throughout the coffee supply chain. Underpinning our efforts, Question Coffee, our social enterprise, was created as a platform to spotlight women coffee growers and their coffee.

Q COFFEE Ltd operates retail cafés in Gishushu & Kiyovu, Kigali, Rwanda. We proudly offer coffee products, coffee tours, and coffee beverages directly to our valued customers. It also houses a training space for farmers, baristas, and coffee professionals to enhance coffee quality from seed to sip.

Head, New Markets

PURPOSE OF THE JOB

This role is responsible for driving strategic social enterprise development initiatives aimed at exploring potential market expansion opportunities and partnerships for the Vocational Training Hub.

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategic Development

• Lead initiatives for the development and implementation of new markets strategy for the Social Enterprise
• Develop a development framework for the Social Enterprise, which aligns with the regulations governing educational institutions in Rwanda
• Spearhead the market development initiatives for new social enterprise offerings, including the introduction of new curriculum, various modes of learning
• Develop strategies for introducing new products, services, or social enterprise models that reflect evolving customer needs and industry trends

Research and Development

• Analyze emerging market trends, customer needs, and competitor products to assess new opportunities and identify areas for product innovation for the social enterprise
• Lead feasibility studies for new products, including conducting market analysis, financial modeling, and determining resource requirements.
• Conduct thorough market research and analysis to identify new growth opportunities, assess market demand, competition, and economic viability.
• Engage with the supervisory authority for the approval regarding new opportunities for the expansion of the academy

Product Development and Market Innovation

• Continuously identify opportunities for new products or services aligned with market demand, the social enterprise’s values, and its mission
• Coordinate and oversee the product development process, from ideation and market research to product launch, ensuring new offerings meet the needs of target audiences
• Collaborate with the Product Development team (e.g., the Manager, Product Development and Quality Assurance) to ensure new products are high-quality, sustainable, and aligned with brand values
• Constantly drive innovation in both product offerings and market approaches while keeping the enterprise competitive and responsive to adapt to the changing market dynamics

Stakeholder Management

• Engage in strategic stakeholder engagement with students, prospective partners of the Vocational Academy, to increase opportunities for social enterprise expansion
• Build and maintain partnerships on behalf of the Social Enterprise, to implement successful development initiatives
• Work closely with internal teams (marketing, product development, and operations) and external stakeholders (partners, customers, and vendors) to drive new product offerings and ensure successful market entry

Performance Evaluation

• Lead feasibility studies to assess the potential for success in target markets, including competitive analysis, financial modeling, and resource requirements
• Analyze customer feedback, revenue data, and market trends to refine products and ensure long-term growth
• Establish performance metrics and KPIs for market expansion initiatives
• Stay updated on industry trends, to keep the Vocational Training Academy highly competitive
• Provide strategic guidance to the Executive Manager, Partnership and Franchise, and approving his/her recommendations for expansion opportunities for the social enterprise

Management Reporting

• Collaborate with the senior management in the review of periodic reports, to identify areas of risk for the social enterprise
• Periodically present progress update reports to the senior leadership of the Social Enterprise, to ensure data-driven decisions are made
• Assign tasks to staff under his/her supervision for the smooth running of the department
• Manage and evaluate the performance of staff under his/her supervision
• Perform any other related duties that may be assigned from time to time

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS, KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE

 Academic and Professional Qualifications

• Bachelors’ Degree in Business Administration, Marketing, or any other relevant field with at least 9 years’ experience, 5 of which should have been in a managerial role a similar organisation or busy function
• Master's Degree in Business Administration, Marketing, or any other relevant field is an added advantage
• Professional certification in Marketing, Business Administration or a related field is an added advantage
• Experience in managing cross-functional teams and overseeing market entry initiatives from strategy development through execution
• Strong understanding of international business dynamics, including market research, legal/regulatory environments, and cultural considerations.
• Proven success in building and nurturing relationships with key partners, clients, and stakeholders in new markets.

COMPETENCIES

Technical Competencies

• Strategic Thinking
• Strong Knowledge in Business development and vocational training
• Strong Marketing and Negotiation Skills
• Stakeholder Engagement and Management
• Planning and Budgeting

Behavioral Competencies

• Customer Focus
• Cultivate Innovation
• Drives Results
• Collaborates
• Action Oriented
• Technology Savvy
• Strategic Mindset
• Drive vision & purpose
• Business Insight
• Build networks
• Builds effective teams

KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS

• Digitalization of CRM system for customer tracking
• New market targets and successfully implemented customer segmentation reported annually
• Quarterly reports on successfully implemented product piloting programs in different markets
• Monthly and quarterly reports on product performance in different markets
• Turnaround time on implementation of product improvements
• Customer satisfaction ratings from all markets

Submission of Applications

Interested qualified candidates are invited to submit their motivation letter detailing how they meet the required qualifications and competencies, and detailed CV to recruitment@sustainablegrowers.org, not later than 23^rd December 2024 at 17:00 Kigali time.

Done at Kigali, on 9^th December 2024.

Christine Condo

Executive Director