Terms of Reference / Job Description

Field Technical Assistant for Expertise France’s “Rwanda TVET Agri project”

Job title: Field Technical Assistant

Reports to: Project Manager

Location: Kisaro TSS, Rwanda

Type of contract: Full-time, fixed-term contract

Contract duration: 1 year, with possibility of renewal (local contract)

Job Level: Mid – Level

Overview

Expertise France is the French agency for international cooperation, under the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Finance. The agency develops and implements projects that sustainably strengthen public policies in low- and middle-income countries and focuses on four priority areas:

• Democratic, economic and financial governance;
• Stability of countries in crisis/post-crisis situations and security;
• Combating climate change and favoring sustainable urban development;
• Strengthening health systems, social protection and employment.

In these areas, Expertise France engineers and implements capacity-building projects, mobilizes technical expertise and acts as a project coordinator, bringing together public expertise and private know-how. With an annual business volume of 390 million euros and over 400 projects in 145 countries, Expertise France’s activities are part of France’s international cooperation policy and official development assistance.

Project description

The “Rwanda TVET Agri” project aims to contribute to the National Strategy for Transformation and Vision 2050 established by the Government of Rwanda to guide the socio-economic development of the country towards a prosperous and high-income economy by 2050. Representing 25% of GDP and 70% of Rwanda’s active population, agriculture is a key sector targeted in order to boost the country’s economy and create jobs. The development of agricultural skills is one of the priorities for the sector’s transformation, with the national objective of establishing Centres of Vocational Excellence for technical and vocational education and training in agriculture. These centres will help develop a new generation of qualified workforce, capable of stimulating sustainable agricultural development, contributing to food security, economic growth and improved livelihoods for rural communities in Rwanda.

The “Rwanda TVET Agri” project is implemented by Expertise France to support the national agency Rwanda TVET Board (RTB) in the establishment of Centres of Excellence in agriculture. In line with national priorities, the project aims to increase the sustainability, climate resilience and inclusion of agricultural practices by strengthening the skills of women and youth in Rwanda.

The project is structured around two specific objectives:

1. Improve access of women and youth to quality skills and formal certification in agricultural practices.
2. Improve the effectiveness of mechanisms for integrating women and young people into the agricultural labour market, with an emphasis on sustainable agriculture.

In Rwanda, 77% of farmers are women, mainly in subsistence agriculture, vulnerable to climate change. Gender is a key cross-cutting theme for the project which aims to implement transformative and sustainable actions for women, young girls and their communities.

The project will be implemented over a period of five years, with a budget of +16 million euros financed by the EU and the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs. It will include technical assistance at the national level in support of RTB, and two TVET schools will also be supported with technical assistance, infrastructure rehabilitation and procurement of agricultural equipment. The project will be implemented in collaboration with the beneficiary partner RTB, as well as with donors and project partners.

The project will be led by the Project Manager, with direct support from the Deputy Project Manager, and the team will consist of 4 Technical Experts, a MEAL Officer, and 2 Field Technical Assistants based in targeted TVET schools. The team will be supported by Expertise France’s Kigali-based USP (Project Support Unit) and Paris-based HQ, particularly for admin, finance, contracting and procurement.

The role

The Field Technical Assistant will be based at the designated TVET school and serve as the primary liaison between the central project team and the school-level implementation. They will coordinate day-to-day project activities, monitor progress, and ensure effective communication between all stakeholders.

He/she will be under the responsibility of the Team Leader.

The main responsibilities of the Field Technical Assistant will be:

1. Activity Implementation

• Support EF in establishing and operationalising the project within the designated schools/CoVEs: day-to-day monitoring of project activities at the centre, reception of equipment, liaising with school teams, monitoring schedules, coordinating project visits and technical committees, etc.
• Facilitate the coordination and communications between the Project Team based in Kigali, the District stakeholders (public and private) and the CoVE
• Supporting the coordination of various on-site activities (site visits, open days, demonstrations, etc.)
• Coordinate and collaborate on activities with other COVEs and TSS Agri and foster synergies and mutualisation. Contribute to project visibility and communication activities.
  2. Capacity Building & Transfer of Skills
• Assist school directors and administrative staff in strategy, planning, and decision-making related to project development.
• Support school staff (management, administration, technical, educational) to improve the school’s administrative and organisational management (project management tools, new equipment or management software, etc.).
• Facilitate knowledge exchange between the two supported TVET schools
• Assist in organizing study visits and peer learning activities.
• Support the CoVE & other TSS located in the area (knowledge exchange).
  3. Monitoring & Evaluation
• Support EF and the CoVE in collecting data / information and monitoring progress of the indicators – updating the logical framework and the M&E matrix of the project
• Lead on reporting and capitalisation on the CoVE (such as drafting of capitalisation documents).
  4. Information Management & Representation
• Coordinate TVET CoVE communication (informing beneficiaries, communicating efficiently for a greater visibility of the results, etc.)
• Support the in the relationship build & maintain relationships with local government officials, community leaders, and private sector partners
• Work in close collaboration with other execution agencies.

Profile

Qualifications

• Master’s degree or equivalent university degree in project management, international development, business administration or any field relevant to the position.

Professional experience

• A minimum of 5 years of successful professional experience in the management and administration of multi-year technical assistance projects, preferably in Rwanda.
• Experience in education, TVET and/or agriculture would be an asset,
• Experience working in rural or district-level settings in Rwanda
• Proven track record of managing budgets, procurement processes, and compliance.
• Experience in coordinating infrastructure works,
• Demonstrated experience in stakeholder coordination and community engagement
• Experience of managing EU-funding for international cooperation would be an asset,

Skills

• Mastery of project management (project cycle, financial and legal rules, technical, administrative and financial follow-up),
• Strong organizational skills, attention to detail and sense of responsibility,
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills,
• Good understanding of the challenges in TVET and/or agriculture sectors, especially for women and youth,
• Strong interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to work effectively in teams and networks, with diverse stakeholders,
• Ability to adapt and react to unforeseen situations,
• Excellent communication and synthesis skills (orally and written),
• Proficiency in office tools (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.),
• Perfect command of English and Kinyarwanda; fluency in French is an asset.

Additional information

Position requires regular travel within the district and occasional travel to Kigali.

Desired start date: August 2025

Application deadline: July 06^th 2025