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Advisor, Made in Rwanda Policy

Job Reference tbigc/TP/53380/938 #LI-NM1

The job has expired.

Number of Positions:
1
Contract Type:
Fixed Term/Full Time
Contract Details:
2 years
Salary:
Competitive
Working Hours:
35
Location:
Kigali
Closing Date:
05/06/2023
Seniority level:
Mid-Senior level
Company Industry:
International Trade and Development, Management Consulting, Public Policy
Job Function:
Project Management, Strategy

Focus of the Role

We don’t just talk, we do. Lead the change with us.

At the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, we work with political leaders around the world to drive change. We help governments turn bold ideas into reality so they can deliver for their people. We do it by advising on strategy, policy and delivery, unlocking the power of technology across all three. And by sharing what we learn on the ground, so everyone can benefit. We do it to build more open, inclusive and prosperous countries for people everywhere. 

We are a global team of nearly 800 changemakers, operating in more than 30 countries, across five continents. We are political strategists, policy experts, delivery practitioners, technology specialists and more. We speak more than 45 languages. We are working on over 100 projects, tackling some of the world’s biggest challenges. We’re all here at TBI to make a difference. 

In a world of ever more complex challenges, we believe diversity of background and perspective is a strength. We pride ourselves on a culture that values and nurtures difference. We are dedicated to unlocking potential, not only for the countries we work in but also for each of our team members. No matter where you’re from or who you are, if you’re passionate about the transformative power of progressive politics, we invite you to build a better future with us.

Job Introduction

The Tony Blair Institute for Global Change (TBI) is a not-for-profit organisation which supports governments on strategy, policy and delivery through its advisory practice and policy work. As part of TBI’s support to Rwanda, industrial and export development is one of the key priorities, with promotion of Made in Rwanda as a key flagship initiative for accelerating Rwanda’s economic development and securing lasting change for countries. 

The position is full-time, with a minimum duration of 2 years and based in Kigali, Rwanda and starts as soon as possible on the identification of a suitable candidate. 

Rwanda has developed and implemented several policies and strategies related to the promotion and facilitation of the country’s external and internal trade as well as industrialization of its economy. Some of these are (1) Rwanda Trade Policy, 2010; (ii) Domestic Market Recapturing Strategy, in 2015; (iii) Made-In-Rwanda (MiR) Policy, 2017; (iv) Industrial Development Policy for Rwanda, 2022 and; (v) E-Commerce Policy, 2021.

All these policies and strategies are components of the broader economic policy of Rwanda, with the long-term goals of promoting the country's social and economic development and structural transformation. These are defined in the “Rwanda Vision 2050” strategy document aimed at raising Rwanda to middle-income status over a period of 15 years, and to higher income status by 2050.  In addition to structural transformation, the objectives include sound political and economic governance, transformation of the rural economy, development of services (primarily tourism, finance), industry and human resources, development and promotion of the private sector, and regional and international economic integration. Generally speaking, the policies and strategies were planned and implemented based on available practical and scientific evidence and data. Still there are areas where evidence-based planning and implementation activities can further be strengthened to inform policy decision. 

More specifically, the structural transformation will consider the industrial development which requires to restructure key value chains and backward integration to at least valorize locally produced raw materials while positioning Rwanda’s trade on regional and continental markets. Mobilization of resources, coordination and partnering with Development Partners for implementation of policy actions remain crucial on other hand and require building capacities of the Ministry in evidence-based analyses.

In line with the above policies and strategies, the Ministry of Trade and Industry is currently undertaking a wide range of initiatives that provide a number of opportunities, negotiations and threats for trade policy outcomes. These trade-related negotiations are taking place at different levels, with major ongoing negotiations including:

  • Negotiations at the Continental level within the framework of establishing the African Continental Free Trade Area (Trade in Goods, Trade in Services, IPR, Investment, Competition and consumer protection among others regional negotiations)
  • Negotiations at the East African Community (EAC) level on various trade issues
  • Negotiations at the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) specifically on trade in services
  • Multilateral discussions at the World Trade Organization

In order to support the on-going trade negotiations and bridge the evidence gap for planning, implementation, and evaluation of agreed policies and agreements, it is crucial to build the data and analytics capacity of the Ministry and related stakeholders through a specific and dedicated delivery unit to be able to generate, access and communicate credible, comparable, and consistent data and analyses.

We would consider supporting applicants not currently based in or with a right to work in Rwanda to relocate for this role.

Key Responsibilities

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­Reporting to the Permanent Secretary, the Strategic Advisor will support delivery on key interventions of the Ministry aimed at accelerating the Made in Rwanda agenda and will contribute in enhancing technical and analytical capacities of MINICOM’s staff to generate, access and communicate credible, and consistent analytical results that would improve the formulation, implementation, and evaluation of different policies and strategies, towards enhancing the country’s competitiveness at  domestic, regional, continental and global levels.

Core Responsibilities:

  • Undertaking trade and market analysis and research to explore the structure, performance, and outlooks of Rwandan trade in domestic, regional, continental, and global markets
  • Examining the Rwandan global trade participation and competitiveness in selected priority commodities
  • Understanding the performance of the local industries and the strategic options to enhance their competitiveness in domestic, regional, and global markets through joint data collection, analysis, and communication
  • Supporting the Ministry on evidence-based planning, negotiation, monitoring and implementation of trade and industrial policies and agreements
  • Undertaking analytical activities on coherent trade policy formulation, negotiation, and implementation in order to facilitate informed decisions by the Ministry and the Government
  • Liaising with officials in national governments as well as with the Directorates, international organisations and business and academic circles on issues of agricultural food trade policy
  • Critically reviewing and assessing the existing trade policy framework in the contest of national, regional and international development
  • Producing briefs and reports required for/from the Ministry from evidence-based analyses
  • Supporting delivery by the Ministry on development and implementation of the different policies and strategies and advise on the proper reviews
  • Supporting resource mobilization from development partners through developing projects
  • Providing as needed briefings and summary documents to the Ministry’s senior officials in advance of key meetings
  • Other duties as assigned by the Minister and Permanent Secretary

Person Specification

This is a role requiring an exceptional candidate who is looking to expand his/her experience across TBI’s growing portfolio: 

  • Significant experience required experience in policies/strategies development and evaluation, specifically in the sectors of industry, trade and Agri value chains
  • PhD/Master's degree in the fields of Economics, Development Economics, International trade, International Economics, Agricultural Economics
  • Experience working or engaging with private sector players and development partners; ideally with some exposure to public sector organisations in developing and implementing business support and policy advocacy actions
  • Preference for individuals with work experience in Africa and/or other similar contexts like Rwanda
  • Excellent writing, presentation skills and verbal communication skills in English. Knowledge of French would be an added advantage
  • Effective inter-personal and leadership skills. Team player with an ability to develop and foster relationships with counterparts across a large organisation
  • Drive, motivation and ability to consistently achieve results in a fast-paced environment
  • Proven ability to mentor, coach, and build capacity of national counterparts

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