Rwanda: Rwanda Country Representative

Background:

The East Africa Trade and Investment Hub (the Hub) is the U.S. government’s flagship project under the presidential Trade Africa initiative, launched in 2013 to boost trade and investment with and within Africa. The Hub partners with East African and U.S. businesses to attract investment needed to transform the East African private sector into vibrant global trading partners. Improving the region’s trade competitiveness, encouraging the diversification of exports beyond natural resources, and promoting broader, more-inclusive economic growth will lead to more food secure and resilient East African communities.

The goal of the Hub is to deepen regional integration, increase the competitiveness of select regional agricultural value chains, promote two-way trade with the U.S. under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) and facilitate investment and technology to drive trade growth intra-regionally and to global markets.

OBJECTIVES AND DUTIES:

The Rwanda Country Representative (CR) will function as a key counterpart with the Trade Africa points of contact (POC) at the USAID Mission to Rwanda, coordinating all of the Hub’s country-level assistance. He/she will be embedded in the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MINICOM), serving as its resident expert to support activities under the Hub’s four components:

Component 1. Investment and Technology;

Component 2. Agriculture and Agribusiness;

Component 3. Trade Promotion and African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA); and

Component 4. Trade Policy and Regulatory Reform.

The Rwanda CR will devote greater attention and support to facilitate trade under AGOA. All work will be done under the supervision of the Hub’s Nairobi-based Chief of Party (COP) or his/her designee. S/he will work in close collaboration with the USAID/Rwanda’s Trade Advisor and keep her/him up to date on relevant developments in the Rwandan trade and industry sector. Through this collaboration, s/he will prevent duplication of interventions being implemented under other USAID/Rwanda-funded projects.

The CR will be responsible for, but not limited to the following tasks:

· Provide input for the conceptualization, development, planning and implementation of Hub activities to support trade, investment and EAC regional cooperation/integration;

· Represent the Hub before the USAID Rwanda Mission, the Rwandan government and the private sector;

· Assist his/her MINICOM counterpart to structure and facilitate three, sector-specific clusters including support for cluster formation, priority setting, and implementation of activities to support AGOA exports in the specialty foods, home décor and accessories, and textiles and apparel sectors;

· Provide technical assistance to MINICOM and private sector representatives to transform the priorities identified by the three key sectors into policy proposals.

· Attend regional trade and investment events and represent the Hub when required. S/he will also represent MINICOM upon explicit request from the Ministry.

· Work closely with the MINICOM, other relevant government ministries, agencies and major trading partners in Rwanda and the region to promote trade under the African Growth Opportunity Act (AGOA), as well as global trade.

· Identify export ready enterprises for technical support and facilitate buyer mission’s firm level technical support and export promotion activities with enterprises in the target sectors;

· Support in the development of linkages with private sector partners in Rwanda and the region (e.g. producers, traders and associations) that will act as investment catalysts;

· Identify and reach out to trade support institutions, associations and bilateral projects to develop synergies with the Hub’s trade promotion and AGOA initiatives;

· Assist in the provision of direct assistance to key stakeholders at the country level and especially representative business associations, institutional investors, and sector specific trade associations;

· Identify Rwandan businesses looking for investment capital in the key sectors that meet the Hub's investment criteria and maintain an updated database of potential investors and track investments facilitated by the Hub to ensure the impact is measured and captured in a timely manner;

· Support the establishment of Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) to help drive trade investment in markets supported by the Hub;

· Manage and direct overall assistance related to the EAC Common Market Scorecard in Rwanda

· Convene and manage the private-public working groups tasked with shepherding remedies and solutions to the EAC Common Market Scorecard National Committees based on benefit-cost analysis and preliminary regulatory impact assessments.

· Monitor and report on the status of all donor and government activities related to trade in country, the EAC, and major trading partners;

· Identify best practices, disseminate knowledge and establish a forum for exchange of ideas on EAC regional cooperation, integration and trade if one does not already exist.

QUALIFICATIONS:

· MBA or Master’s degree in economics, public policy, international trade, trade law/policy, political economy, or related area, with international experience preferred

· At least 10 years of demonstrated working experience with the private sector and/or government institutions and at least 5 years analyzing, implementing, and working to improve trade and global competitiveness in developing countries, preferably in Rwanda or East Africa

· Highly networked individual in the local and international trade sector at both private sector and government level

· Strongly preferred experience serving in an advisory capacity to government officials on trade policy, foreign direct investment and global competitiveness issues

· Strongly preferred extensive and demonstrable technical and practical industrial textile and garment e.g. supply chain management, quality assurance, market development, research and development.

· Demonstrated understanding of the trade and investment environment in Rwanda

· Ability to use the latest ICT technology and computer software programs

· Must have excellent English writing and verbal communication skills

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:

· None

BASE OF OPERATIONS:

· Ministry of Trade and Industry. Kigali, Rwanda

REPORTING:

The Rwanda Country Representative will report to the Chief of Party or his/her designee.

Interested applicants should apply via the link https://daieatradehub.formstack.com/forms/rwanda_country_representative by June 22, 2016, 11.59pm East Africa Local time. Only candidates who send their information via the link and by the deadline will be eligible.

Visit http://www.eatradehub.org/rwanda_country_representative to view the scope of work and learn more about The Trade hub.