Senior Specialist to the Management

Position: Senior Specialist to the Management

Cluster: GIZ Country Office 

Place of assignment: GIZ Office in Kigali

Number of position: 1

Initial contract period: 01.01.2026 -31.12.2026

Salary band: 5

Application deadline: 23.11.2025

About GIZ

The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH is a federally owned international cooperation enterprise for sustainable development with worldwide operations. The GIZ Office in Kigali covers GIZ’s portfolio in Rwanda and Burundi. GIZ Rwanda/Burundi implements projects on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, the European Union and other commissioning authorities in the following priority areas: Sustainable Economic Development; Good Governance; Climate, Energy and Sustainable Urban Development; Digital Transformation and Digital Economy; and regional projects in the Great Lakes Region. 

The Senior Specialist performs the following responsibilities and tasks:

Responsibilities

The Senior Specialist ensures effective and efficient functioning of the Country Director’s office and provides support to Portfolio Management. All tasks are carried out in full confidentiality in all aspects of assignment, maintenance of protocol procedures, management of information flow and follow-up on deadlines and commitments made.

The Senior Specialist works in close collaboration with the GIZ clusters and projects, relevant finance, admin and communication units of the GIZ Country Office, the Service Unit, GIZ Head Office, international agencies, stakeholders and national authorities to ensure efficient flow of information, actions on instructions, agendas and commitments. The Specialist serves as the central coordination and follow-up hub for Country Office leadership priorities and ensures timely implementation of agreed actions across Clusters and Service Units.

Tasks 

Strategic Coordination & Leadership Support Tasks

• Preparation of internal and appointments of the GIZ Country Director (providing background information and research, preparation of speeches and related correspondences, decision templates etc.) 
• Communication with the GIZ staff on the Management’s behalf ensuring the follow-up of decisions taken.
• Participation in and coordination of the Extended Management Team (including agenda preparation, coordination of inputs, accurate minute-taking and follow-up tracking).
• Contributes analytical inputs on portfolio trends, economic context and private-sector developments to inform management decisions.
• Drafts concise strategic briefs and talking points for the Country Director on sector-specific topics (e.g., green economy, SME competitiveness, digital transformation etc.)
• Coordinates high-level missions, visits and country-level events in collaboration with the Communication Team, Logistics and other Units, ensuring strategic framing and protocol compliance.
• Acts as liaison with national authorities for organizational and administrative matters, where required (e.g., protocol, visas, accreditation).
• Summarizes key reports and prepares briefings, analyses, meeting notes and official correspondence as requested by the Country Director.
• Prepare and coordinate oral and written communication with all stakeholders as requested by the CD and SPFM.

Other Tasks

• Overall supervision and coordination of office support staff to ensure the efficient and effective delivery of logistical services. This includes planning, assigning, and reviewing the work of staff engaged in operational support functions ensuring that support functions operate in a coherent and service-oriented manner.
• Performs other ad hoc duties for CD and SPFM as assigned
• Ensures smooth administrative support around CD-level missions and meetings if required, supports logistical coordination for CD Office visits and missions, 
• Provide relationship and visitor management for the CD as needed 
• If needed support the travel management of the Management (including hotel bookings, compiling of travel claims) and manage bookings and reservations for the Management and visitors as needed.
• Sound contributions to knowledge management, networks and organizational learning and communities of practice.

Required Qualifications, Competences and Experience

Qualifications and professional experience

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent from a reputable university in the field of e.g. Social Science, Business Administration, Development Management
• At least 10 years of progressively responsible experience in development cooperation, private-sector engagement, or organizational leadership, including several years in a managerial or coordination role.
• Excellent understanding of GIZ systems, partners, and governance structures.

Other knowledge and additional competences

• Ability to work in a structured manner, as well as very good self-organization and time management skills that reflect ability to perform and prioritize multiple tasks seamlessly with excellent attention to detail.
• Ability to work independently and with professional discretion
• Strong analytical capacity and ability to translate complex programme or sector information into executive summaries and briefings.
  Proven facilitation skills across public and private stakeholders.
• Highly personable, service-oriented and responsive to the needs of colleagues and partners (service orientation)
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build relationships with stakeholders, including staff, external stakeholders and partners
• A sound technical and creative writing ability coupled with excellent verbal communication skills
• Very good working knowledge of ICT technologies (Microsoft 365)
• Excellent spoken and written English required; proficiency in French and Kinyarwanda is a strong advantage. German language skills are considered a plus but are not mandatory.

How to apply

Interested candidates should submit their application (motivation letter, updated CV, certificates and references), via our electronic job portal by using the button “apply”; until 23rd November 2025 at 4:00 PM. All attachments should be put together in one PDF file not larger than 2 MB.

GIZ is a signatory of the Diversity Charter. Recognition, appreciation and inclusion of diversity in the company are important to us. All employees shall be valued - regardless of gender and gender identity, nationality, ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability, social background, age or sexual orientation. We support equal opportunities and welcome applications from people with disabilities.

This includes the provision of reasonable accommodation, if needed, in order to participate in the job application and interview process and to perform essential job functions. Please let us know, if you have any particular requirements should you be invited for assessment/interview or that you wish us to consider, when considering your application. 

Women and persons with disabilities are particularly encouraged to apply.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for test and interview.

GIZ Office Rwanda

KN 41 St. / Nr.17, Kiyovu 

P.O. Box 59, Kigali, Rwanda

GIZ reserves all rights!