Introduction

Rwanda’s Vision 2050 formulates the ambition of fully developing the country’s economic and social potential. The blueprint recognizes the critical importance of the Rwandan “demographic dividend” as young people (16 to 30 years old) make up 27 per cent of the total population. However, young people face a severe lack of accessing decent and productive employment. Many youth in Rwanda are un- and under-employment, with young women being considerably overrepresented. At the same time, Rwanda has highly prioritized digitalization as means to transform Rwanda’s socio-economic development. The digitalization of the Rwandan economy is conceived as a cross-cutting enabler for the growth of other sectors of the economy but also and a source for the creation of decent and productive jobs within and beyond the ICT sector.

The project "Boosting Decent Jobs and Enhancing Skills for Youth in Rwanda's Digital Economy" (the Project) will contribute to Rwanda’s structural transformation and contribute to a just transition towards a digital economy. It is financially supported by the Government of Luxembourg with an implementation period of four years. Its main goal is to enable more young women and men in Rwanda to access decent jobs in Rwanda’s digital economy, focusing on the youth between the age brackets of 16 and 30 years from Secondary Cities as well as Kigali.

The three main components of the project are:

• Promoting job creation and entrepreneurship opportunities in the digital economy, including through supporting employment policy development and implementing interventions that stimulate enterprise growth.
• Improve digital skills of young women and men, including by supporting Technical and Vocational Education and Training institutions in developing and implementing digital skills trainings.
• Facilitate young people’s transition to decent work in the digital economy, including through digital internship and career guidance schemes as well as strengthening online job search platforms.

The project thus takes a systemic approach focussing on labour demand, labour supply and labour mediation. Implementation will be based on evidence and research and will emphasise public-private partnerships, collaboration with national and sectoral stakeholders and development partners and involvement of young people .

Reporting Lines:

The Senior Project Assistant (SPA) will work under the direct supervision of the Project Manager of the “Boosting Decent Jobs and Enhancing Skills for Youth in Rwanda’s Digital Economy” project, based in Kigali, Rwanda.

The ILO Country Office for the United Republic of Tanzania, Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda will provide programmatic and operational support to the project team. In close coordination with the Project Manager, the NSPA will also receive technical support from technical specialists based in the ILO Regional Office for Africa and in the Decent Work Team for Eastern and Southern Africa.

The incumbent will be working in a project team consisting of an International Project Manager, a National Project Coordinator, a Senior Finance and Administrative Assistant and a Driver.

Description of Duties

• Under the guidance of the Project Manager, support the effective administrative implementation of assigned activities in the areas of digital skills and enterprise development with criteria of timeliness, quality and effectiveness, gender-sensitivity, in accordance with the project’s requirements and the policies, values and procedures of the ILO.
• Participate in the organization of special meetings and coordinate all important administrative arrangements for conducting workshops/seminars and trainings, as required by the project/programme.
• Follow up on monitoring and evaluation activities, monitoring the progress of assigned activities in line with the M&E framework.
• Organize and participate in project meetings and events, including awareness raising, implementation and validation workshops with stakeholders.
• Closely administratively support implementation partners throughout the delivery of project activities and ensure timely and quality delivery of services to project beneficiaries, with a focus on ensuring a gender-sensitive approach and inclusion of young people with disabilities in the project’s activities;
• Undertake missions relating to project implementation.
• Prepare background information, detailed cost estimates, and periodic and ad hoc reports for use in project;
• Prepare inputs to communication material and project progress reports, including documentation of good practices and lessons learned.
• Perform other relevant duties as assigned.

Required qualifications

Education

Completion of secondary school education and formal training in relevant administrative area.

Experience

At least six years of progressively responsible administrative work at senior level with supervisory experience.

Languages

Excellent command of English. Working knowledge of another official language of the Organization or an official national language of the duty station.

Competencies

• Ability to prioritize work assignments, organize own schedule, perform routine work independently, meet deadlines and adapt to changing demands.
• Proficient in computer software (Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Adobe Reader) and ability to use other software packages required by the Office (e.g. IRIS),
• Ability to obtain services from other work units inside or outside the office for completion of tasks.
• Ability to work with external partners and manage a heavy workload under time pressure.
• Thorough knowledge and understanding of complex administrative guidelines and linkages to the technical activities that project delivers.
• Good knowledge of work of the project /programme and the work carried out in other work units.
• Knowledge of monitoring and evaluation approaches for capacity-building projects.
• Ability to respond to requests and to deal with visitors with tact and diplomacy.
• Ability to search and retrieve information from databases and compile reports.
• Ability to deal with confidential matters with discretion.
• Ability to work in a multicultural environment and gender-sensitive behaviour and attitudes are also required.