Market Systems Director at Marketshares Associates

Position Name:    

Rwanda-based Market Systems Director

Who we are: 

MSA is a socially driven global consulting firm. We provide innovative solutions for the private sector, government, and civil society to improve, measure, and communicate the economic and social impacts of their investments. We believe market dynamics have a strong impact on how people live their lives. Our vision is to improve economic systems in order to reduce poverty. We recognize complexity and, as such, use a systems approach to design solutions that work within dynamic environments. We work collaboratively with our clients, serving as brokers of creativity to help catalyze systemic change.

We take a bespoke approach to every engagement, developing tailored services for clients around action research, monitoring, strategic advisory, evaluation, and thought leadership across five topic areas: market systems development, jobs and trade, economic empowerment,        financial          inclusion,        and      impact investing.

Since 2009, we have worked with a wide variety of clients and partners in dozens of countries across six continents.

Our work:                                   

At MSA, our staff builds results measurement systems for development programs, social enterprises, and impact investors; research power dynamics and their influence on market behaviors; train client staff to think more systemically about the problems they seek to address; pitch MSA’s services to new potential clients; write thought pieces; and brainstorm new approaches to old problems. Regardless of the task, our focus on disrupting the status quo demands critical engagement.

Who we want:                                  

MSA seeks a talented professional with exceptional experience in implementing and monitoring market systems development programs to join the team as Market

Systems Director based in Kigali, Rwanda. This professional is expected to have exceptional experience in market systems development in the context of Rwanda, agribusiness and value chain development interventions, and capacity building of activity staff to facilitate the project’s MSD approach. As a Key Personnel role, the position will report directly to and work alongside the Chief of Party (COP), as well as be supported by MSA’s Engagement Lead for Hinga Wunguke.

The project profile:

The Hinga Wunguke Activity aims to increase incomes and improve nutritional outcomes by sustainably increasing agricultural productivity and strengthening domestic consumption and markets for high-value and nutritious agricultural products. MSA’s involvement in Hinga Wunguke will focus on developing proven tools and methodologies that support the design of the project’s interventions according to proper market systems design, and to use rapid cycle learning to adapt interventions throughout implementation.

Key Areas of Responsibility:

Technical Leadership:

• Facilitate muti-stakeholder engagement and system-level strategies
• Develop tools and processes that empower local entities to lead interventions, share learning across the Hinga Wunguke interventions, and oversee analyses and assessments to ensure the integration of inclusion and other core MSD principles
• Provide technical leadership and ensure the Hinga Wunguke team has adequate training to apply the MSD approach and facilitate strategic partnerships among public and private market actors, mentoring them to effect systemic change
• Advise the team to co-create, adapt, and scale partnerships that introduce innovations into the market systems aimed at shifting norms and networks for increased inclusion, sustainability, and resilience
• Ensure the Hinga Wunguke team stays abreast of market trends and risks, including climate-associated risks, and the technical team adapts interventions according to learning from market mapping, analyses, studies, and Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) activities.
• Ensure the quality of business-to-business meetings among buyers, sellers, banks, and local service providers.

Project Management and Leadership 

• Manage the implementation, planning, and execution of all MSD activities for the Activity; including but not limited to supporting technical leads in designing and developing interventions and related activities, contributing to budget management, progress reporting, and capacity-building efforts for team members
• Oversee a team of Technical Advisors, to comprehensively integrate the MSD approach across the Activity

Market Systems-Oriented Collaboration, Learning and Adaptation

• Work with the Learning Advisor and other technical leads to co-create, introduce, and pilot innovations with partners
• Provide technical leadership over systems change measurement initiatives throughout the life of the project
• Provide technical guidance to the Learning Advisor in processes that enable the team to monitor innovations, benefit to partners, and system changes
• Oversee, recommend, and facilitate adaptive management and proactively stimulate changes in the networks and norms that shape the systems the Activity aims to intervene in
• Provide guidance on the design, implementation, and monitoring of innovative market development approaches adapted to the various business-to-business and consumer (urban and rural) market segments for the commodities targeted by the program
• Collect data and develop the business models that demonstrate the potential scale and financial benefits to farmers and commercial entities for adopting specific water conversation technologies
• Serve as the chief liaison to MarketShare Associates headquarters and STTA teams
• Contribute relevant sections to all project deliverables and documents as required by project leadership
• Other relevant deliverables to be determined by work planning

Requirements:  

• Master’s degree or equivalent professional experience in business, economics, agriculture, international development or related field
• At least 5 years of relevant professional experience in Market Systems Development (MSD)
• Experience working in similar contexts. East Africa experience is preferable
• Experience in conducting capacity building of Activity staff in facilitation and the MSD approach
• Relevant experience in agricultural/agribusiness/value chain development interventions
• Excellent interpersonal and leadership skills and experience in managing teams
• Demonstrated strong writing and oral presentation skills in English
• Familiar with private sector development, market systems facilitation and/or other economic development approaches (e.g., economic strengthening, inclusive business)
• Capacity to take initiative and be a self-starter
• Fluent in Kinyarwanda and English
• Willingness to travel to all project zones

Other desired characteristics:   

• Advanced computer literacy, including strong Excel and PowerPoint skills
• Experience working on the empowerment of youth and marginalized populations
• Excellent quantitative skills with a very good grasp of statistical methods and small sample designs
• Experience applying the DCED Standard and /or systems-informed monitoring and evaluation

Application Details:

Deadline to apply is September 2, 2024. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis. To apply, please click on the job link –

https://marketshareassociates.bamboohr.com/careers/46 If you have not heard back within 2 weeks after the application deadline, please send a follow-up email to recruitment@marketshareassociates.com. We want to make sure no emails get lost in cyberspace!

Please also include a cover letter (maximum one page) explaining your interest in this role and answering the following questions:

• What do you see as the most important innovation in market system development approaches?
• List the three things, in order of impact, that you would bring to MSA to take us to the next level.
• Which of our values most resonates with you, and why?
• Where did you learn about this role?
• Have you applied for a role previously at MSA? If so, which one?
• What are your rate expectations? And if selected, how soon would you be able to start?

If you don’t meet every requirement, we still encourage you to apply. Research has found that marginalized groups, including women, LGBTQ+ and people of color, often feel they need to meet every qualification before applying. MSA is committed to fostering an inclusive, diverse, equitable, and welcoming environment, so if you’re interested in this role, please apply—you might be the ideal candidate for this or another position with us.