JOB ADVERTISEMENT:
Impanuro Girls Initiative (IGI) is seeking to recruit a “Leathercraft and Crafting Teacher”.
Introduction
IMPANURO is a Kinyarwanda word that translates as "good advice" or "guidance." Impanuro Girls’ Initiative (IGI) is a young women-led national non-governmental organization legally registered and authorized to operate in Rwanda. As a nonprofit organization, IGI fosters women's empowerment and builds girls' agency under registration number N° 763/RGB/NGO/LP/11/2021 issued by the Rwanda Governance Board (RGB). The founder of the organization was determined to address teenage pregnancy issues resulting from poor or no access to Sexual Reproductive Health (SRH) information and services, among other systemic challenges.
- Our Values: PASSION, HUMANITY, ACCOUNTABILITY, and INTEGRITY.
- Our Mission: We are a young women-led Rwandan non-governmental organization, striving to improve women and girls’ lives through education, capacity building, counselling, socio-economic empowerment, and advocacy to ensure a healthy and dignified lifestyle.
- Our Vision: A Rwandan society where women and girls have healthy and dignified lives, are meaningfully engaged in communities and are economically empowered.
About the Role
The Leathercraft and Crafting Teacher will deliver 6 months of comprehensive, highly practical instruction to students at the IGI Ruhango Tekena Hub using dedicated inventory assets. Your objective is to train students in the integrated processes of leather footwear production, artisanal design, and contemporary handcrafting, equipping young women to launch self-reliant micro-enterprises, footwear workshops, or creative craft brands, while supporting each trainee's confidence, voice, and economic empowerment. Training follows the RTB-accredited 6-month curriculum, including competency-based assessment, trainee portfolios, and supervision of the 2-month Industrial Attachment Program. This position works closely with both the Field Lead and Center Coordinator.
Who we are looking for:
Education Qualifications
- Education: Diploma or Certificate in Leather Technology, Footwear Production, Fine Arts, Industrial Art and Design, or a related composite TVET qualification.
- Certification: TVET teacher certification or formal pedagogical training endorsement.
Experiences:
- 2–3 years of verifiable experience operating an active footwear manufacturing workshop, custom leather goods company, or commercial craft collective.
- Expert proficiency across shoe lasting methodologies, mechanical operation of heavy leather machines, hand tools, precise fabric/leather nesting, and diverse traditional African weaving patterns (such as Agaseke).
- RTB-registered Trainer/Assessor status or Trainer of Trainers (ToT) certificate is an added advantage; valid Police Clearance/Criminal Record Certificate required prior to appointment.
LANGUAGES
- Candidates must be Complete fluency in Kinyarwanda.
- Professional working proficiency in English and/or French is a strong advantage.
- Key Responsibilities:
- Train students in full-cycle shoe production, demonstrating step-by-step layout using pairs of assorted shoe lasts, cutting PU/synthetic leather sheets, and assembling shoes using specialized footwear machinery.
- Guide students on the precise utilization and care of manual cutting and measuring tools, managing an inventory of leather-cutting scissors, craft knives, cutting mats, rulers, compasses, and set squares.
- Instruct students in advanced material bonding, demonstrating the safe application of strong shoe glue, white glue, fabric glue, and hot glue guns with associated glue sticks.
- Direct the practical usage of hand tools like hammers for lasting, and teach the configuration of nylon thread rolls, eyelets, fasteners, laces, and structural reinforcements.
- Conduct design laboratories focusing on sketching and color theory, utilizing sketchbooks, colored pencils, watercolors, acrylic paints, and palettes, and training students to decorate wood shapes, fabric surfaces, and canvas via glitter, feathers, and custom stickers.
- Cultivate mastery in jewelry-making and basketry, teaching complex patterns using sets of assorted glass/plastic beads, seed beads, jewelry wires, clasps, earring hooks, pliers, wire cutters, sisal fibers, raffia, yarn, and cotton ropes.
- Teach students how to transition artistic work into retail-ready merchandise, training them in high-end final presentation using curated gift boxes, custom packaging bags, and professional branding stickers.
- Maintain complete records of physical training supplies stored across local containers, track student competency profiles, organize practical design exhibitions, and compile monthly progress reports.
- Conduct RTB-aligned formative and summative competency assessments, maintain trainee portfolios, and support the 2-month Industrial Attachment Program (IAP) placement and supervision after training.
- Maintain a safe, gender-responsive learning environment in line with IGI's Safeguarding Policy, and actively encourage trainees' confidence, voice, and leadership.
HOW TO APPLY
Interested and qualified technical educators are requested to submit their application profiles no later than September 20th, 2026.5:00 PM Kigali Time
Required Application Documents:
- Updated Curriculum Vitae (CV) containing at least 3 professional references. 2. Signed Cover Letter addressing your suitability for the specific Position 3. Relevant Technical Degrees, Diplomas, or TVET Certificates.
- Tangible Proof of Experience (Certificates of work, letters of recommendation, or business registration logs).
- Police Clearance/Criminal Record Certificate (or a signed commitment to provide one prior to appointment).
- An optional but highly appreciated professional visual portfolio showing samples of your work or your students' items.
Submission Guidelines:
- All applications must be addressed to the Acting Executive Director of Impanuro Girls Initiative (IGI).
- Submissions must be sent exclusively via email to: recruitment@impanuro.org Ensure you copy (CC): info@impanuro.org
- Application for Leathercraft and Crafting Teacher – IGI in subject line
Impanuro Girls Initiative (IGI) is an equal opportunity employer. We strongly encourage women and persons with disabilities to apply.
Please Note: Only short-listed candidates will be contacted for interviews and practical teaching evaluations. “Early applications are highly encouraged, as selection will be conducted on a rolling basis."