Project/Program Assistant

Project/Program Assistant

Job Category: Grade2 (Cordaid Rwanda Job Scale)

Duty Station: Field Position: Mahama Refugee Camp, Kirehe District; Nyabiheke Refugee Camp, Gatsibo District; and Mugombwa Refugee Camp, Gisagara District

Employment Type: Contractual

Salary Scale: Cordaid Rwanda’s applicable salary scale

Deadline: 7th August 2026

Number of Positions: 3

Background

Cordaid is an international humanitarian and development organisation that operates in the world’s most fragile and conflict-affected regions. In these places, millions of people strive for what everyone deserves: safety, peace, healthcare when needed, a livelihood, and food for tomorrow. Their quest is universal: to live in dignity. We drive lasting change by strengthening essential basic services and systems, with a focus on healthcare, agri-food, and justice & peace. Where disaster strikes, we join our partners in humanitarian action.

Our approach is demand-driven, supporting local communities, civil society organisations, and the local private sector to take the lead in shaping their own future. Rooted in the Netherlands and backed by 250,000 private donors, Cordaid is globally connected through numerous thematic and faith-based networks, among others Caritas Internationalis, CIDSE, and the ACT Alliance.

Cordaid is a consortium partner in the Refugee Socio-Economic Graduation and Livelihood Opportunities Project, implemented in collaboration with RWARRI, Inkomoko and Pro-femmes Twese Hamwe. The project seeks to strengthen the socioeconomic resilience and self-reliance of refugees and vulnerable host-community members through integrated livelihood, financial inclusion and graduation interventions. Within the consortium, Cordaid leads the financial inclusion component, including the establishment and strengthening of Village Savings and Loan Associations, financial literacy, digitalization of savings groups and linkages to formal financial institutions.

About the Role

The Project/Program Assistant supports the implementation of Cordaid’s financial inclusion interventions under the Refugee Socio-Economic Graduation and Livelihood Opportunities Project. The position is responsible for supporting the establishment, strengthening, and monitoring of Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs), facilitating financial literacy and livelihood-related activities, collecting quality project data, strengthening linkages between communities and financial institutions, and contributing to timely reporting and achievement of project results in collaboration with consortium partners.

Key Duties & Responsibilities

• Support the planning, coordination, and implementation of project activities in line with approved work plans and project objectives.
• Coordinate logistics for trainings, workshops, meetings, field visits, and stakeholder engagements.
• Support community mobilization, beneficiary sensitization, establishment, strengthening, and routine follow-up of Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs), ensuring effective group governance, participation, and adherence to the approved VSLA methodology.
• Support the delivery of Financial Inclusion and Village Savings and Loan Association (VSLA) activities by maintaining beneficiary and VSLA records, preparing training materials, coordinating logistics, and supporting the quality assurance of VSLA data.
• Support the delivery of financial literacy and capacity-building activities for project participants and VSLA members, including savings, household financial management, responsible borrowing, entrepreneurship, and access to financial services.
• Facilitate linkages between eligible VSLAs and project participants and formal financial institutions, supporting access to appropriate financial products and services while monitoring uptake and utilization.
• Support the digital registration, monitoring, and reporting of beneficiaries and Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs), ensuring accurate, complete, and timely data collection, verification, and submission in accordance with approved project data management procedures.
• Assist in monitoring project implementation, collecting and compiling project data, preparing activity reports, meeting minutes, progress updates, and supporting donor and management reporting.
• Support communication and coordination with consortium partners, government institutions, financial institutions, community structures, and other stakeholders.
• Maintain accurate project documentation and support compliance with organizational policies, donor requirements, safeguarding standards, accountability frameworks, and data protection requirements.
• Document good practices, lessons learned, implementation challenges, beneficiary feedback, and significant changes observed during project implementation. Support the preparation and dissemination of project learning products, success stories, and other communication materials in accordance with organizational communication, safeguarding, and confidentiality requirements.
• Perform any other related duties assigned by the Project Coordinator.

Qualifications and Experience

The ideal candidate should possess:

• Bachelor’s degree in project management, Development Studies, Community Development, Economics, Agriculture, Social Sciences, Finance, Business Administration, Microfinance, Cooperative Management, or another relevant field
• At least three years of experience in international non-government organizations.
• At least two years of relevant experience in field-level implementation of development or humanitarian programmes, preferably involving financial inclusion, VSLAs or savings groups, livelihoods, community mobilization, financial literacy or refugee and host-community programs
• Knowledge of project cycle management, donor-funded projects, monitoring and reporting, and project documentation.
• Knowledge of financial inclusion, livelihoods, Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs), and community development approaches.
• Good understanding of project planning, implementation, monitoring, reporting, and documentation.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications and demonstrated ability to use smartphones, tablets or digital data-collection tools for beneficiary registration, monitoring and reporting. Experience with project management information systems or digital VSLA platforms is an added advantage.
• Demonstrated community mobilization, group facilitation, coaching and adult-learning skills, with the ability to communicate technical financial concepts in a simple and practical manner.
• Excellent organizational, coordination, communication, and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and work effectively with diverse stakeholders.
• Good report writing and documentation skills.
• Fluency in spoken and written Kinyarwanda and English is required. Knowledge of French or other languages commonly used by the target refugee communities is an added advantage.
• Good understanding of the Rwandan refugee response context, refugee and host-community dynamics, community-based structures, and the socioeconomic challenges affecting vulnerable households in the assigned duty station.

Competencies

The successful candidate should demonstrate integrity, accountability, collaboration, problem-solving, flexibility, cultural sensitivity, empathy, diplomacy and a strong results orientation. The candidate should be able to work respectfully with refugees, vulnerable households and people from diverse backgrounds while upholding Cordaid’s values and Code of Conduct.

Integrity: The position holder must comply with Cordaid’s Code of Conduct, integrity, safeguarding and related policies; complete all required integrity training; and promptly report any suspected misconduct or concern through the appropriate channels. This is classified as a medium-risk position because it involves direct contact with vulnerable communities and regular field travel.

Work Conditions

• The position is field based, with one Project/Program Assistant assigned to each of the following locations: Mahama Refugee Camp in Kirehe District, Nyabiheke Refugee Camp in Gatsibo District, and Mugombwa Refugee Camp in Gisagara District.
• Regular travel within the assigned refugee camp, surrounding host communities and other project locations will be required, including visits to participating households, VSLAs, community structures, financial institutions and partner organizations.
• The Project/Program Assistant will work closely with Cordaid, and other project partners and stakeholders.

N.B:

• Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, and we encourage interested candidates to apply as soon as possible. Cordaid reserves the right to close this vacancy early if a suitable candidate is identified. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

• Preference will be given to qualified candidates residing in the respective refugee camps and surrounding host communities, in line with the project’s commitment to promoting local participation and community ownership.

Others/Extra Details

Cordaid is fully committed to providing a safe and welcoming workplace to its employees, and to maintain the respect and dignity of everyone that comes into contact with Cordaid. Therefore, Cordaid participates in the Inter-Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. 

For more information about Cordaid’s work on integrity https://www.cordaid.org/en/who-we-are/integrity-and-code-of-conduct/. 

Applications including a motivation letter and extensive CV in English will be submitted online through (Program/Project Assistant | QEDHRMIS) by 7th August 2026.

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