Knowledge Management Specialist (KMS)

Rolling Plans Pvt. Ltd (RPPL) announces the vacancy for Rural Enterprises and Remittance Project (RERP) . SAMRIDDHI is a seven-year project funded by International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD) and executed by the Ministry of Industry (MOI). Government of Nepal (GON) that aims at providing sustainable sources of income to poor households, migrant families and returnees in the Eastern and Central Regions of Nepal, by supporting the creation and expansion of family, micro, small and medium rural enterprises, both in the farming and off farming sectors. The goal of the project is reducing poverty and achieving sustainable peace through employment-focused, equitable and inclusive economic development.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE:

Application should include a cover letter, updated Bio-data and self-verified copies of necessary documents that qualify the CV. The application through email and/or by post should mention the job position and vacancy code in the subject line or in the envelope respectively. 

Fill the Application Form online from the link: www.rollingplans.com.np/samriddhi

The TOR may be revised at the time of employment agreement.

The organization reserves the right to reject any/all applications without assigning any reason whatsoever. Canvassing at any stage of the process shall lead to automatic disqualification.

DEADLINE:

The application needs to be received latest by 17:00Hrs, October 30, 2016 (Kartik 14, 2073) 

Knowledge Management Specialist

Position’s Key Features

Job Title: Knowledge Management Specialist (KMS)

Duty Station: PMO Itahari, Sunsari, with frequent travel to Project Areas (about 40% of the time)

Mode of Contract: Annual, with six-month’ probation period, and extendable up to the project period based on satisfactory performance

Reporting to: Project Manager

PROJECT OVERVIEW

Rural Enterprises and Remittances (RER) - SAMRIDDHI is a seven years’ project signed between the Government of Nepal (GON) and International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) on 10 December 2015 covering 16 hills and Terai districts. It aims at providing sustainable sources of income to poor households, migrant families and returnees in the Eastern and Central Regions of Nepal, by supporting the creation and expansion of family, micro, small and medium rural enterprises, both in the farming and off-farming sectors. Ministry of Industry (MOI) is the Executing Agency. Agro Enterprise Center (AEC) under Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI), Helvetas Nepal, selected financial institutions and the business development service providers extending services to the rural areas are the key implanting partners. The Project comprises three inter-linked components encompassing the full set of interventions required to support RMSEs’ profitable and sustainable growth:

• Component 1: Promotion of RMSEs aims at (i) strengthening micro and small entrepreneurs, migrants and their families with sustainable access to adapted Business Development Services (BDS), i.e. non-financial services in support to enterprise creation and/or expansion; and (ii) vocational training and apprenticeship to poor households to build their skills and to secure gainful wage employment in RMSEs. Activities will be driven by an assessment of markets, business opportunities and available services and by an inventory and classification of existing RMSEs through a validation process.
• Component 2: Productive Investment builds on results of component 1 and aims at (i) facilitating RMSEs/migrants/remittance recipient households’ access to financial services at an affordable cost by sustainable financial institutions; and (ii) mobilizing migrants’ resources and skills for creating assets and promoting profitable rural enterprises. It will develop innovative financial instruments designed to offset major constraints faced by RMSEs in accessing investment loans at an affordable cost and to stimulate migrants’ savings and investment in profitable business development.
• Component 3: Institutional Support and Project Management aims at promoting a favorable policy and institutional environment supporting the development of RMSEs at a national scale and the contribution of migration to sustainable development.

Implementation Arrangements

The MOI is overall responsible for coordination and oversight. A Project Management Office(PMO), located at Itahari is responsible for day-to-day implementation of project activities with support from two Corridor Teams providing technical and management support to Enterprise Service Centers (ESCs) and migration-related activities at the district level. Technical partners - Helvetas Nepal and South Asia will support to implement of vocational training and knowledge management aspects. Besides, selected financial institutions and business development service providers’ are expected to support the implementation. A Project Steering Committee headed by MOI Secretary at the national level will provide oversight and guidance.

Expected Results

The development objective of the Project is that viable RMSEs, in both farming and off-farming sectors, provide sustainable sources of income to poor households, migrant families and returnees. Main indicators are: (i) 60,000 RER supported rural entrepreneurs expand their existing business or create a new one; (ii) 30,000 rural youth access job placement services; (iii) 30,000 RER-supported enterprises are still in business after 3 years, of which 33% owned by women/30% owned by migrant returnees; and (iv) 21,000 RER supported vocational trainees and apprentices, of which 33% of women, are in gainful employment over at least 6 months

Scope of Assignment

The Knowledge Management Specialistmaintains a good understanding of the modern knowledge sharing methods and uses them to develop knowledge products from the experience of RERP Samriddhi. The KM Specialist leads and manages all knowledge management and communication activities of the Project with guidance from the Project Manager. S/he ensures that knowledge generated within the Project is systematically identified, captured, analyzed, distilled, documented and shared at various levels. S/he also ensures that the generated knowledge is used to: (i) improve project performance and delivery; (ii) allow flexibility to changing circumstances; (iii) document and share innovations, best practices and stories of successes and failures to improve project implementation; (iv) provide information to support decision making in at mid-term review for scaling up of successful activities; and (v) identify important issues to be conveyed to policy makers. 

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES

The KMS uses a value-chain approach towards knowledge building, detects good practices on the area of interest toproject stakeholders through participatory method, and developing mechanism for exchange of knowledge. Specific responsibilities, but not limited to, include the following:

Project Planning:

• Prepare KM plan, communication strategy and action plan and submits the same to the PM
• Prepare M&E/KM manual together with PM&E Specialist.
• Help the corridor team in systematic palnning in identifying the learnings from the project
• Support development of appropriate indicators for inclusion in a Results Framework for implementation of the KM Plan;
• Develop an electronic knowledge sharing platform with the IT?data management Specialist

Project implementation:

• Assist with the monitoring and qualitative assessment of progress in implementation of the KM plan and manual;
• Provide guidance and advice to staff across the Project in following the plan and manuals as needed;
• Promote linkages among the Project’s various stakeholders, networks, peer groups to help ensure that they can learn from each other’s experiences, lessons, good practices;
• Identify potential beneficiaries of the knowledge derived from RERP Samriddhi Implementation
• Develop partnerships for broader knowledge sharing and networking; gather experiences from the other similar initiatives including IFAD funded operations in the country to develop guidelines for integrating KM and learning project design and implementation;
• Gather experiences from within the project and outside and share that experience  within the project and with other stakeholders, devise a KM procedure and guideline and integrate that with the PIM;
• Devise an effective knowledge management system and establish a knowledge sharing and learning infrastructure within the Project;
• Record innovations and best practices achieved in the project areasand multiply them through organization of Learning Route in other areas of the Project;
• Develop and disseminate key knowledge products (case studies, documentaries, file manuals, training guides, publication, newspaper articles discussion/issues papers etc);
• Ensure the use of knowledge in evidence-based advocacy and in the development and application of contextualized solutions;
• Ensure that TORs for consultants recruited by the Project incorporate mechanisms to capture and share lessons learned through their inputs to the Project, and to ensure that the results are reflected in the reporting system;
• Support and build capacity of project staff on knowledge management, documentation and dissemination of knowledge products. Facilitate internal communication and networking among project stakeholders;
• Act as communication focal point for the project. Communicate successes and breakthroughs through print and online media by researching and identifying news story. Maintain and update information on various communication channels;
• Facilitate the production and update of progress reports, annual report, key publications and knowledge product on regular basis;
• Regularly feed the knowledge from the project to IFAD Knowledge sharing platform

Training and Capacity development:

• Help other Team Members to develop knowledge products based on learning from the project execution
• Help develop capacity of the project partners in developing Knowledge products

Others:

• Any other tasks as assigned by the Project Manager.

QUALIFICATION, EXPERIENCES AND COMPETENCIES

• Post Graduate degree in field related to development, communication or journalism; 
• At least 5 years’ of working experiences in the field of Communication and/or Knowledge Management;
• Knowledge of Migration, Rural economy and Enterprise promotion
• Excellent written, spoken and presentation skills both in English and Nepali;
• Excellent understanding ofinformation and communication tools and technologies including in the use of GIS
• Experience inwritingand editing  articles, policy briefsand textfor professionalpublications, developmentof audio-visuals, web-based and other social media outreach. In the field of communication and public relations, presentation and documentation preferably in a multi-cultural environment;
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite - inclusive of MS Project, and MS PowerPoint; 

Desirabe

• Knowledge of the policy environment of Nepal
• Knowledge and experience of working in rural development project
• Multi Media skills including design and development of audio visual products

Salary and Benefits

• The salary will be paid for only twelve (12) months and is negotiable within the range between NPR. 100,000 to NPR 120,000 as decided by the Project Manager. 
• Tax on the salary will be applicable as per the prevailing GON rules and regulation. 
• Travel and the Daily Subsistence Allowance (DSA) will be as per the prevailing GON rule as applied for the gazetted class II officer while traveling out of the work station for official purpose. 

Other Entitlements

• Leave: The Specialist will be provided with 21 days of home leave and 6 days of casual leave annually, which will not be carried over to the next year. S/he will also be provided 12 days of sick leave per year, which if not consumed, will be carried over to the next year. The unspent sick leave will be compensated as per the existing salary scale at the time of termination of the contract or closing of the Project. In addition, s/he will also be provided with Mourning Leave – 15 days, Maternity Leave -2 months for women (15 days for men, for maternity care leave) and all public holidays.
• Insurance: The Specialist has to insure his/her life including accidental insurance. The Project will reimburse 50 % of the monthly premium for the period working with the Project, not exceeding Rs. 300 per month, upon submission of copy of insurance policy and receipts.

Performance Assessment

The performance assessment of the Admin/Finance Officer will be based on the quality and timely completion of the tasks assigned and contributions to the Project outputs and outcomes. Details on the indicators for performance assessment will be negotiated and agreed upon on a later stage once s/he signs contract with the Project. The Project reserves the right to terminate the contract if the performance of the MS is assessed as unsatisfactory.

These Terms of Reference are subject to revision/update annually per requirement of the Project based on planning trajectory, modification in project design, or as recommended by Joint Reviews/Supervision Missions and lessons learned during the course of implementation.