REGAL-AG
Position: Community
Investment Intern
Department: Market Active
Location: Marsabit and Isiolo, Kenya
Reports To: Chief of Party, Kenya
REGAL - Accelerated Growth
Duration: 2-6 months (negotiable)
Since 1963
and in 146 countries, ACDI/VOCA has empowered people in developing and
transitional nations to succeed in the global economy.
Based in
Washington, D.C., ACDI/VOCA is a nonprofit international development
organization that delivers technical and management assistance in agribusiness,
financial services, enterprise development, community development and food
security in order to promote broad-based economic growth and vibrant civil
society.
ACDI/VOCA
currently has 60 projects in 33 countries and revenues of approximately $173
million.
Summary: The Resilience and Economic Growth
in the Arid Lands-Accelerated Growth (REGAL-Accelerated Growth) project, is a
five-year project funded by the U.S.
Agency for
International Development (USAID) and implemented by ACDI/VOCA that aims to
increase economic growth in rural communities in Kenya by building a more
inclusive and competitive livestock sector.
Through
project activities, REGAL-Accelerated Growth will foster vibrant livestock
value chains that generate opportunities for those all along it, particularly
pastoralist livestock keepers.
The project
will encourage economic growth by improving market access, increasing the
availability and affordability of inputs and services needed to benefit from
market participation, and implementing other strategies that help reduce vulnerability
among livestock keepers.
A central
component of the project is the implementation of the Community Contracting
Fund (CCF), which will finance infrastructural construction and rehabilitation
of physical markets in and around Marsabit and Isiolo.
The project
works with Livestock Marketing Associations (LMA), representative groups drawn
from the communities that, among other tasks, manage the markets for their
communities.
To access
funding, LMA’s are required to formulate and design plans in the form of
concept notes for construction and rehabilitation of their markets.
The concept
notes require alignment with various criteria related to USAID regulations and
local law.
The concept
notes must also encourage an increase pastoralists’ access to end markets,
promote investment, and strengthen horizontal relationships among value
chain/market actors to increase competitiveness and expand business and market
opportunities in the following value chains:
- Red Meat and Live Animals
- Camel Milk/Dairy
- Hides and Skins
Overview: ACDI/VOCA seeks a Community
Investment Interns to assist the REGAL-Accelerated Growth for Marsabit and
Isiolo technical teams by providing hands-on, culturally-sensitive, support to
livestock marketing associations to identify, develop, and communicate concept
notes that encourage the development of markets into “commercial hubs” of
livestock.
The intern
will be responsible for quantitative and qualitative research and analysis that
supports LMA’s, as well as ensuring overall soundness of plans for
infrastructure upgrading.
Serving as
a bridge between the grants management staff and technical teams, and using
tools, such as a profit planner that the intern will develop or customize,
concept notes will include strong evidence of the overall profitability
associated with the planned works.
Responsibilities:
The intern will:
- Interview key members of communities and LMA’s to understand specific needs and requirements of market infrastructure
- Conduct quantitative and qualitative research into the profitability of the rehabilitated markets and/or other CCF initiatives. Research should include cost-benefit analysis of proposed investments.
- In collaboration with field facilitators and LMAs, help to draft plans to be inserted as part of concept notes for application to the CCF
- Provide research into various private sector actors that are currently engaged in related business in the target areas, and/or support those interested in future investment
- Provide research into and draft strategies that encourages commercialization of services, increases livestock markets efficiencies and volumes of transactions
Qualifications:
- A Master’s degree in public policy, urban planning, or economics
- Strong quantitative analysis skills
- Strong communications and interpersonal skills with evidence of ability to productively interact with a wide range and levels of organizations (government, private sector, NGOs, research institutions)
- Demonstrated ability to collaborate across projects, to be flexible and creative and to independently take initiative
- Knowledge of livestock or agricultural development programs in the Horn of Africa, especially in harsh climatic conditions like these pastoral areas
- Two years’ experience in urban planning, public policy, small business management, or enterprise operations preferred
The
estimated level of effort for this assignment is 2-6 months with 5-day work
weeks.
The
supervisor for this assignment will be the Chief of Party or his designate.
The
employee will coordinate closely with Cary Farley (COP), Bonface Kaberia
(Deputy Chief of Party) and Arero Halkano (Regional Manager, Marsabit).
Intern will
be provided with secure housing and stipend.
To be
considered for this recruitment, please e-mail your resume to regalag@joinav.org
Please
include the position title and location of duty in the subject line.
No phone
calls please.
Only
finalists contacted.
Women and
minorities encouraged to apply.
EOE.
Please
apply by close of business April 21, 2014.