ACDI / VOCA Community Investment Interns Jobs in Marsabit and Isiolo, Kenya

REGAL-AG
 

Position: Community Investment Intern
 

Department:  Market Active
 

Location:  Marsabit and Isiolo, Kenya                
 

Reports To: Chief of Party, Kenya REGAL - Accelerated Growth
 

Start Date: June 1, 2014   

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.