Terms of Reference: Provident Funds Management Services and Group Life Insurance

Practical Action
ABOUT US

We are an International Development Organization putting ingenious ideas to work so people in poverty can change their world. We help people find solutions to some of the world’s toughest problems. Challenges are made worse by catastrophic climate change and persistent gender inequality. We work with communities to develop ingenious, lasting and locally owned solutions for agriculture, water and waste management, climate resilience and clean energy. And we share what works with others, so answers that start small can grow big.

We are a global change-making group. The group consists of a UK registered charity with community projects in Africa, Asia and Latin America, an independent development publishing company and a technical consulting service. We combine these specialisms to multiply our impact and help shape a world that works better for everyone.

OUR AIMS

We help people find solutions to some of the world’s toughest problems, made worse by

catastrophic climate change and persistent gender inequality. Our aims are to:

• Make agriculture work better for smallholder farmers, many of them women, so they can adapt to climate change and achieve a good standard of living
• Help more people harness the transformational effects of clean affordable energy and reduce avoidable deaths caused by smoke from indoor stoves and fires.
• Make cities in poorer countries cleaner, healthier places to live and work.
• Build disaster resilience into the lives of people threatened by hazards, reducing the risk of hazards and minimizing their impact on lives and livelihoods.

PRACTICAL ACTION RWANDA

In Rwanda, we are recognized leaders in clean cooking and sustainable energy solutions. This includes ground-breaking work in solar, wind and water powered electricity generation, often delivered through independent mini grids. We bring rural communities, people in refugee camps, energy providers and decision makers together to put sustainable, clean energy solutions to work for the people who need them most.

In our strategic business plan 2021-2025, we propose to extend our current reach and scope in Rwanda by deepening our energy work and stretching our portfolio to work with small holder farmers to make agriculture work better for them.

Objective

The objective of this assignment is to secure a service provider to manage a comprehensive employee benefits package consisting of two primary components: a Savings (Provident Fund) Component and a Risk (Group Life) Component. The provider will ensure financial security for staff and their families in the event of death, disability, or critical illness, while managing a long-term savings scheme.

Scope of Services

Component A: Pension/Savings Scheme (Provident Fund)

The provider shall manage individual savings accounts for each staff member under the following conditions:

• Annual Interest Rate: A guaranteed minimum of 7.0% per annum 
• Management Fee: Not to exceed 1%.
• Withdrawal/Surrender Terms:
  • Staff are eligible to withdraw funds after 3 years of participation.
  • Withdrawals are permitted once per year, upon Practical Action management written approval
  • Full withdrawal of the amount saved is mandatory upon staff resignation.
  • Partial withdrawals are capped at 70% of the current fund value interest included.
• Administration Fees: No withdrawal fees when a staff wants/needs a withdrawa/surrender
• Approval: All withdrawal requests must be approved by the Employer.

Component B: Risk (Group Life Insurance) Component

The provider must offer the following minimum coverage levels:

Criteria

To identify the right supplier, proposals should be evaluated based on their ability to meet the specific financial and administrative requirements outlined in the ToR.

1. Financial Terms & Performance (Critical)

• Ability to provide a guaranteed minimum interest rate of 7.0% per annum on individual savings accounts.
• Management fees must not exceed 1%.
• Confirmation that no administration or surrender fees will be charged when staff withdraw or surrender funds.

2. Technical Coverage & Compliance

• Capability to meet or exceed the specific benefit levels for Death Cover (24-48x salary), PTD, Critical Illness, and Funeral Fees as specified in the ToR.
• System capability to manage partial withdrawals (capped at 70%) and ensure full payouts upon resignation, subject to employer approval.
• Ability to adjust Group Life premiums annually based on fluctuating staff ages and salary changes.

3. Administrative & Operational Capability

• Provision of individual staff statements and regular reporting to Practical Action management.
• Speed of processing claims for Group Life (especially funeral fees) and processing withdrawal requests within the 30-day notice period context.
• Proven track record of managing similar combined schemes for International Development Organizations or NGOs in Rwanda

HOW TO APPLY

A detailed Job Profile can be accessed from Practical Action website

If you believe that you are the right candidate for the role and have the experience, skills and the ability we are looking for, please submit your application proposal to this email: recruitment.rwanda@practicalaction.org

Clearly indicate in the subject line the position you are applying for.

The application deadline is February 15th, 2026, at 5:00 PM Rwanda time However, the shortlisting process will be done on the rolling basis until we find the right potential candidates for further selection steps.

We treat all applications for employment on their merits and do not take into consideration any factors that are not relevant to the job such as disability, race, age, religion, gender, gender reassignment or sexual orientation.

Practical Action is committed to safeguarding and protecting children and vulnerable adults and as such candidates will be subject to pre-employment checks.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for further process