Technical Advisor
Spark works with local partners to catalyze sustainable collective action and improve livelihoods in communities through a community activation process accompanied by a microgrant.

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We are hiring a Technical Advisor (Full Time Consultant)
About Spark Microgrants
Spark Microgrants believes in a world where everyone lives with dignity and determines their own positive future. Decades of prescriptive aid have side-lined the poor from the very programs meant to uplift them. We believe in local solutions grounded in inclusive and community-based decisions and actions. At the heart of Spark’s model, the Facilitated Collective Action Process (FCAP), are ‘town-hall’ style weekly meetings, in which women, men, young, old, plan together for their community’s future. Each village elects a leadership committee, establishes a village savings account, and launches a project of their choice. Members receive training on financial management, transparency, leadership, village planning, and advocacy. Each village then receives a village block grant and additional management support to operationalize their project ideas.
Spark trains partner organizations and works with governments to scale the FCAP to advance social and economic development, and secure lasting change. Spark is now active in 500+ villages in 6 countries, improving the lives of over 500,000 people.
As a team, we share a set of common values that shape how we work. These are:
1. Facilitators. We don’t impose; we enable others to generate impact.
2. Community-driven. We are motivated by what is best for the community.
3. Process-centred. The how of what we do is just as important as the what.
4. Authentic. Our vision and values live in everything we do.
5. Dynamic. We seek opportunities and are willing to take risks to serve our community partners better.

About The Role
Based in Kigali, Rwanda, the Adviser on Village Level Planning for socio economic transformation will provide technical assistance support to MINALOC. The Adviser will work closely with the office of the Minister of State in Charge of Social Affairs and support MINALOC’s work on Village Level Planning. In this full-time role for a period of 1 year (renewable based on need and performance) the Adviser will work with all stakeholders including LODA, MINECOFIN and Spark Microgrants to design a village level national framework that can be utilized by the Government of Rwanda in strengthening village level planning across the country. The Adviser will also support the Ministry’s work on social protection and community development and report to the Minister of State in Charge of Social Affairs.

Background
Project Objective is to improve livelihoods for 17,750 households/76,000 people and the capacity of national, and local government including villages, to enhance citizen engagement in 249 villages in Rwanda. This will be achieved through a set of activities combining sustainable livelihood grants for poor, rural villages and capacity building for district, sector, cell and village officials on inclusive, participatory planning. The project will be implemented in four districts, seven sectors and 249 villages, which constitutes 10-12 percent of the villages in the project districts. The total population in the target villages, according to official data, is 152,645. This entire number is expected to benefit from improved village planning and engagement with local government, including enhanced understanding of and access to government social protection program. On average, approximately 70 households in each target village will attend meetings and benefit from a range of activities, including capacity-building for planning and savings groups. This equates to 17,750 HH, for a total of approximately 76,000 direct beneficiaries.
The project has two sets of beneficiaries. The first group is the rural poor at the village level in the targeted areas, who will benefit from: (a) technical support to engage in participatory village planning and prepare a Village Development Plan (VDP); and (b) a small grant to implement priority livelihood sub-projects identified in the VDP. Experience also suggests that the project approach enhances participation in Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs). By strengthening communication between government and village members, it also generates welfare benefits through increased uptake of government social protection programmes by the rural poor.

The second group of beneficiaries will be government officials and institutions at the national and sub-national levels who will benefit from technical support on: (a) citizen engagement and participatory planning and; (b) how to translate this practical experience into a national framework on participatory village planning. At the village level, the project will directly benefit approximately 85,000 people (50 percent gender split) across 249 villages. The direct beneficiaries are the members of the estimated 80 households in each village who will attend regular weekly meetings to be facilitated by the project. They are also expected to benefit from increased capacity for planning, improved uptake of government social protection programs and from the micro-grant under component two. There will be 152,645 indirect beneficiaries, which is the total population in the target villages, who are expected to benefit from improved village planning and engagement with local government.
Villages will benefit in two ways: (a) participation in village planning and attendance at weekly meetings, which will increase their capacity to engage with local government; and (b) livelihood improvements from increased uptake of government social protection program, the Micro-grant project and savings groups. Those in the lowest income brackets (Ubudehe 3 and 4 categories) and families will be included through mobilization strategies, including having zone representatives who encourage all households in their village zone to attend meetings, having someone alert households to the village meeting beforehand, and asking villagers to encourage their immediate neighbours to come and walk with them to the meeting. Participation by all village members is encouraged by emphasizing that everyone’s voice is important, appreciating those who provide input and a common understanding that contributions from all households are critical to successful collective action.

The project will benefit national and sub-national government officials to connect the demand and supply-sides. Local Government officials are responsible for citizen engagement but do not always have enough skills to lead participatory processes. The project will support the district, sector, and cell-level officials to prepare participatory village plans. The project will also benefit national-level officials in the ministries in charge of finance and local government by providing technical assistance to prepare a national framework for participatory village planning.
The project is currently being implemented in 7 sectors in Gakenke, Gicumbi, Burera, and Huye districts in two of Rwanda’s four provinces (Northern and Southern province). Within these provinces, a list of target districts was prepared, based on official household profiling and livelihood data provided by LODA and MINALOC, and considering the socio-economic impacts of COVID-19. Sectors were selected based on an assessment of poverty levels, the numbers of people in Ubudehe categories 1 and 2 and malnutrition rates, using data submitted by the District. After shortlisting 4-5 sectors per district, the final decision on project sites was made based on readiness to implement the project (e.g., full complement of SEDOs in place) and limited presence of other NGO or development partner programs. This resulted in the final list of four districts and seven sectors, which has been approved by the respective District.

Table of target districts, sector, cells and villages
District Sector Cell Villages Population
Burera Rwerere  4  28  20 ,759
Burera Kinyababa 4  32  23,242
Gakenke Busengo  7  38  23 ,044
Gicumbi Mutete 5 38 26,457
Gicumbi Cyumba 6  28 17 ,488
Huye Gishamvu 4  25 15, 346
Huye Kigoma 8  60  26, 309
Total          7  38  249  152, 645
Within the target sectors, all villages will be covered (a ‘sector saturation’ model), in order to capitalize on the investments in capacity development of local government officials. All households/people in each village are eligible to participate in meetings and decisions, run for local leadership, and benefit from activities in the VDPs, including microgrant-funded through sub-projects. The project will pay particular attention to improving the voice and representation of women and people in low-income categories as well as youth and persons with disabilities. The participation of people in these groups will be tracked throughout the project.

Implementation
National Level: Spark MicroGrants and LODA.
LODA’s Social protection department will collaborate with Spark on the project, governed by an MoU signed in Feb 2020, and the Project Steering Committee Terms of Reference.
Provincial Level: Spark MicroGrants has one Provincial Manager in each of the two target Provinces, who are the focal point of contact for the Director of District Development and Planning, who will be the contact person to engage province officials and support in coordinating task force meetings at the provincial level.
District level: Spark MicroGrants and the District will work together under the direction of an MoU. District Task Forces in each District will oversee the implementation of project activities.

The Taskforce is led by the District Executive Committee and Social Protection Directorate. Task Force meetings are conducted every quarter. Spark allocates one District Coordinator to each District office to lead capacity building and coordination activities.
Sector Level: Sector Executive Secretaries in each sector lead a team of Social affairs, Vet and Business and Cooperative Affairs, who will work in cooperation with Spark Trainers (based in District/Sector offices).
Cell level: Social and Economic Development Officers (SEDO) will be trained by Spark MicroGrants to train Community-based Facilitators (CBFs), and to lead stronger citizen engagement processes.
Village Level: two CBFs will be trained to facilitate the FCAP through weekly village meetings. Within villages, a Village Leadership Committee (also called Executive Committee, aligned with the more direct translation from Kinyarwanda) (President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer) will be elected by the entire village to represent them and support them in decision making.

Roles & Responsibilities
• Provide high-level policy advice to the Minister of State in Charge of Social Affairs on village-level planning and social protection.
• Serve as a focal point for the ACE Project in MINALOC
• Act as strategic advisor to the Minister of State
• Build capacity within the MINALOC in areas of village level planning and citizen participation
• Organize and facilitate cross-cutting discussions with stakeholders especially during the design of the national framework.
• Support Spark Microgrants to organize the Policy Working groups on various elements of villages level planning process
• Support with organizing and participating in study visits to countries that have implemented village level planning at national scale and document best practice to share with government counterparts.
• Work in collaboration with MINALOC, LODA, MINECOFIN, Spark Microgrants and other TA to design the national framework for village level planning.
• Work with all key stakeholders to identify policy entry points for the national framework on village-level planning.
• Support MINALOC to produce the necessary documentation including policy briefs and notes in the process of designing the policy on village level planning.
• Support MINALOC in designing monitoring, evaluation and reporting framework on social protection and community development programmes implemented in local government.
• Serve as a link between the implementation work at the local level and MINALOC and ensure lessons from the local level inform policy dialogue at the Ministry level.
• And any other duties assigned from time to time

Why Work With Us:
• You will be joining a dynamic team that hails from ten countries around the world and is committed to our vision
• You will have the freedom and autonomy to make your role your own. We want to hear your innovative ideas, your vision for the future, and your critical questions.
• We respect and value work-life balance and your need for downtime, vacation, and reflection.
• You will join a dynamic and growing organization with a clear pathway to learning and career advancement.

Other Information:
Position:Technical Advisor (1)
Project: Advancing Citizen Engagement (ACE)
Donor: World Bank, Japanese Social Development Fund & Comic Relief
Location: Kigali, Rwanda with travels required by the project, based in the MINALOC unless working remotely due to COVID-19 related restrictions.
Application end date:12th May 2022

Submission Procedure
To apply, please submit an application with the required information by following this link: https://sparkmicrogrants.bamboohr.com/jobs/view.php?id=39&source=aWQ9NA%3D%3D
• Attach your resume and cover letter
• Your cover letter should explain why your experience and background make you the ideal candidate for this position, and should be no more than one page.
• Upload copies of your academic certificates
• No calls, emails, visits, or recruiters associated with this position, please.
• Please do not contact Spark Microgrants to inquire as to the status of your application. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Equal Opportunity
Spark Microgrants provides equal employment and advancement opportunities to all individuals. Employment decisions at Spark are based on merit, qualifications, and abilities. Spark does not discriminate in employment opportunities or practices on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, gender identity, age, disability, marital status, or any other characteristic protected by the law. Spark will make reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with known disabilities unless doing so would result in undue hardship to daily operations.