Terms of Reference:

Human Resources firm to manage talent sourcing on behalf of the District SACCOs

1. Background

German Sparkassenstiftung Eastern Africa (DSIK) is a German-based non-profit organization that is active in partnership projects in more than 50 countries worldwide. Among its key principles is the combination of local and international expertise to provide excellent technical advisory to its partner organizations. Among others, German Sparkassenstiftung works with the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning (MINECOFIN). The partnership focusses mainly on the professionalization of the UMURENGE SACCOs, a sub-sector of the microfinance sector in Rwanda. In this aspect, German Sparkassenstiftung’s project activities are refinanced by the German Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).

2. Context 

As part of Rwanda’s long-term development plan, the aim of the Government of Rwanda is to transform the country into a high-income country and an economic trade, communication and financial hub by the year 2050. Towards achieving this, in 2008, a Saving and Credit Cooperative (SACCO) was established in each administrative sector (Umurenge), which means today there are 416 UMURENGE SACCOs (U-SACCOs) nationwide. The Umurenge (U-) SACCOs form a part of the National Savings Mobilization Strategy adopted for creating inclusive financial systems in Rwanda. All U-SACCOs are licensed as financial institutions and regulated by the National Bank of Rwanda (BNR). Each U-SACCO is an independent legal entity, with an average of six (6) employees. Currently, the U-SACCOs serve about 3.2 million members. However, the ability of U-SACCOs to meet their full potential is limited by several challenges including operations, management, capacity building, and accounting.

To tackle these issues, MINECOFIN is managing the USACCOs’ professionalization project that covers the automation, consolidation, and the establishment of a Cooperative Bank. Presently all 416 U-SACCOs have been fully automated under a shared Core Banking System. The automation of all U-SACCOs marks the completion of first phase of the project.

The second phase of the project is the consolidation of the U-SACCOs into District SACCOs. The expected results of the U-SACCOs’ consolidation will be the formation of District SACCOs (D-SACCOs) whereby all U-SACCOs of a district will be amalgamated into a D-SACCO. This nationwide merger of 416 U-SACCOs will result in 30 D-SACCOs, and each will have to apply for registration at Rwanda Cooperative Agency (RCA) and for a license from National Bank of Rwanda (BNR).

In this respect and within the partnership activities with MINECOFIN, DSIK intends to recruit a human resource (HR) firm to support in the sourcing and recommendation of (senior management) staff that will be recruited by the respective District SACCO boards.

3. Objective and scope of the mission

3.1 Objective of the mission

The firm shall provide technical support to the Umurenge SACCO automation and consolidation project activities in collaboration with DSIK and MINECOFIN, the firm is responsible for providing independent and external HR consultancy services to ensure well-planned and timely sourcing and recruitment of the following key positions including but not limited to:

• Managing Director
• Head of Finance & Administration
• Head of Operations
• Head of Credit

The contract is established as a framework agreement, valid for a period of six months from the date of signing. Under this framework contract, recruitment assignments can be issued when the need arises mainly for Districts SACCOs from the City of Kigali. Each assignment will be subject to specific terms and conditions as outlined in individual task orders, which will be governed by the provisions of the framework agreement.

The first three assignments of the framework agreement will be to conduct the talent sourcing and recruitment for the District SACCOs of the districts Nyarugenge, Gasabo and Kicukiro.

3.2 Scope of the mission

For the period of the contract, the firm will be responsible for the below deliverables:

• Review and refine the existing job descriptions for the positions to be advertised;
• Proactively screen for prospective candidates that are recommended from within the existing U-SACCO staff;
• Proactively reach out to additional candidates in line with the job description, leveraging multiple channels;
• Compile and tabulate all the applications received in response to the advertisement and duly screen each of them against the laid down criteria and short-list the eligible candidates for a further selection process:
• Manage multi-round interview processes end-to-end, including coordinating interview times, coordinating tests and work sample tests where applicable and conducting briefing and debriefings,
• Check references and genuineness of academic qualifications / degrees and or related certifications,
• Provide DSIK and MINECOFIN with final reports of recommended candidates,
• Present recommended eligible candidates in a report for the Board of Directors of the District SACCOs, to facilitate the recruitment decision-making conducted by the Directors.
• Coordinate the final interviews of eligible applicants with the D-SACCOs’ Board of Directors.
• Manage response handling for both successful and unsuccessful candidates.
• Support the negotiation process with the successful candidatesin coordination with the D-SACCOs’ Board of Directors
• Develop and submit progress reports and final reports for each assignment under the framework contract, including submission of all supporting documents.

4. Deliverables

The minimum deliverables per assignment are as follows:

• Inception report including a detailed work plan and staff assignment plan
• If applicable, update existing job descriptions and present them to DSIK and MINECOFIN for validation
• Provide a candidate longlist, including brief professional profiles of all applicants.
• Report presenting the candidate shortlist and interview results for the Board of Directors of the District SACCOs, including candidates’ resumes, detailed professional profiles and background, interview results, assessment of technical skillset and leadership fit, and reference checks.
• Coordination of the first round of interviews and assessment of shortlisted candidates and the final round of interviews for the recommended candidates with representatives of the District SACCO’s Board of Directors.
• Act as the liaison for offer negotiation and provide placement support.
• Final report

5. Profile

For this consultancy assignment, the DSIK is looking for a Human Resource firm that can fulfil the following requirements: 

• The assigned organization shall have key personnel who possess advanced degrees in the field of business and/or psychology, in particular human resources management or related subject.
• The assigned firm and team leads must demonstrate experience in providing executive and professional HR services from talent identification to recruitment, to screening, to negotiations with experience in Rwanda, with a minimum of 5 years’ proven experience specifically in recruitment.
• The assigned firm must demonstrate experience in sourcing junior, mid-manager and senior positions in Rwanda, with a minimum of 5 years’ experience.
• Have proven experience recruiting and / or sourcing for talent within the Financial Services Sector to include fields such as Banking, Insurance, Finance and Accounting, and Microfinance to be justified by 3 references
• Have extensive knowledge of the local labor laws, acts, regulations, and procedures,
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills,
• Flexible, creative, detail-oriented, and well organized,
• Ability to maintain highest standards of confidentiality and professionalism.
• Sound judgment, able to interact with board of directors and be seen as a credible source of advice.

6. Duration of the consultancy assignment

The contract is established as a framework agreement, valid for a period of six months from the date of signing. The HR firm is expected to respond promptly to recruitment requests and deliver services in line with the timelines and requirements specified for each assignment. DSIK and MINECOFIN reserves the right to fix the start and end date of the assignment.

7. 7. Remuneration and payment terms

The amount of remuneration and the terms of payment will be specified in the contract for the provision of services.

Payments will be made based on the completion of specific recruitment assignments issued under the framework agreement. The HR firm will be compensated for each assignment according to agreed-upon rates and deliverables outlined in individual task orders.

8. How to apply

8.1 Submission of technical and financial offer

HR firms that meet the above mentioned requirements, should submit their technical and financial offers as two (2) separate PDFs :

The 1st PDF will contain the technical offer consisting of the following elements:

• A signed letter of submission for the technical offer
• A note on understanding the mission max 3 A4-pages;
• The methodological approach, including a draft workplan for a district including how and when to reach the required deliverables;
• Indication of the tools to be used in the recruitment process including talent sourcing and short-listing of eligible candidates;
• Detailed curricula vitae of all involved team members including experiences conducting similar assignments; (max. 3 pages each);
• 5 References (certificates of good completion) justifying their experience of conducting talent souring and recruitment for large institutions, thereof 3 from the financial sector.

The 2nd PDF will contain the financial offer composed of the following elements:

• A signed letter of submission for the financial offer per district per positions indicated;
• The financial offer clearly indicating the firm’s fee structure including details such as relevant logistic costs and the duration of placement guarantees.
• Any other costs (to be detailed by the firm).

The interested and qualified firms are requested to submit the two soft copies (pdf) to the German Sparkassenstiftung by email through the following email address: procurement.rwanda@dsik.org by 18^th October, latest 10 am local time. Any offer received after the deadline will not be reviewed.

8.2 Evaluation criteria

The selection will be based on the quality of the technical offer and on the financial offer presented.

The technical offer will be evaluated based the following criteria:

Evaluation of financial offer:

• Only firms with technical qualification above 70% reach evaluation of financial offers.
• The financial offers from all firms with a qualified technical offer will be ranked. Where the lowest offer will be ranked the highest.
• The analysis of the financial offer will be conducted on the cost per position (including miscellaneous costs) submitted.