Advertisement for Recruitment of a Senior Program Manager, “Terimbere” SME Support Facility |
About AFR:
Access to Finance Rwanda (AFR) is a Rwandan not for profit company established in 2010 to promote financial inclusion and financial sector development. AFR is currently funded by Sweden, Jersey Overseas Aid, and the MasterCard Foundation.
Access to Finance Rwanda is part of the broader Financial Sector Deepening (FSD) in Africa that seeks to create a transformative impact on the ending of poverty by supporting efforts to improve financial inclusion and financial sector development by helping financial institutions and markets drive a more inclusive and sustainable economic growth.
AFR supports the removal of systemic barriers that hinder access to financial services by low-income people, particularly the rural poor, women, youth and MSMEs. AFR supports the development and provision of financial services including savings, credit, insurance, investment, payments, and remittances.
AFR is guided by the Market System Development (MSD) approach recognizing that efforts to increase financial inclusion and financial sector development must be market-led, profitable and sustainable.
About Terimbere SME Support Facility
Although SMEs play a critical role in driving inclusive growth, they continue to face multiple challenges including low business management capabilities, limited tailored and sustainable business development services, limited access to appropriate financial solutions and gaps in regulations and policies promoting SMEs access to finance. Such constraints hinder the potential for economic growth and job creation including for youth and women-led SMEs.
In line with its Phase III strategy and in collaboration with key stakeholders, AFR will continue its journey towards addressing the roots causes to access to finance constraints for SMEs in Rwanda through “Terimbere” SME Support Facility. The Facility seeks to support the financial market system to better serve SMEs in productive sectors leading to business growth, improved profitability, and decent jobs creation, with a strong emphasis on jobs for women and youth.
The Facility has the following two interconnected projects:
SME Financing Readiness Support. The project seeks to strengthen SMEs’ capabilities to overcome gaps in financial management practices, sound business management procedures and practices, business growth skills and information asymmetry by enhancing technical, managerial, market knowledge, financial and non-financial capacity to prepare them for appropriate financing and growth opportunities.
Enhancing SME Finance through innovation, capacity building and risk mitigation. The project comprises several interventions including the provision technical assistance to Financial Services Providers (FSPs) to deliver innovative SME-centric solutions, evidence-based advocacy for improved policy, legal and regulatory environment and enabling infrastructure to unlock SME Finance and managing a credit guarantee scheme to spur SME Financing.
The Role
The Senior Program Manager, “Terimbere” SME Financing Facility bears the prime responsibility for the impactful implementation of two components/interventions under the Facility:
SME Financing Readiness Support; and
Credit guarantee scheme
In addition, s/he is responsible for strategic networking and relationship-building with implementing partners and other key stakeholders within the SME support space and acts as AFR’s primary representative; providing thought leadership and utilising influencing strategies to support the achievement of the Facility’s objectives.
The role requires a dynamic SME finance specialist and seasoned project manager who can build relationships with different actors in SME finance and SME Finance readiness support spaces, understand their challenges, identify opportunities, and support the implementation of innovative solutions for enhanced access to appropriate finance, growth, jobs creation and resilience of SMEs in Rwanda.
Reporting line: The position reports to the Chief Programs Officer at AFR and works closely with the Head of Finance for Growth and Jobs.
Supervises: Project support officers and Intervention Managers
Location: Kigali, Rwanda
Duration of the contract: Two years renewable based on performance.
Expected starting date: April 2023
Scope of Responsibilities
The Senior Program Manager will be responsible for the following key tasks in relation to the SME Finance Readiness support and the credit guarantee scheme projects (“the program”) under the Facility:
Educational Qualifications
Essential
Desirable
Attitude/ competences
How to Apply
All qualified applicants should submit their applications using this link https://bit.ly/3DEMb3P by Friday, 24th February 2023 at 5pm.
The application should contain a Resume with an e-mail address, daytime telephone contact, qualifications, achievements, experience, and names & addresses of three professional referees together with a cover letter (maximum 2 pages) summarizing why you consider yourself particularly well suited for the position. Do not attach any other documents at this point.
All applications will be selected on merit and only shortlisted candidates will be invited for interviews. For any questions regarding the application process please contact Pauline Kariuki at recruitment@cedarafricagroup.com
Note:
This position is open to nationals, non-nationals residing in Rwanda and East African Community candidates.
Qualified Women candidates are encouraged to apply.