Rwanda AFM Field

Role: AFM Field

Overview: The Associate Field Manager (AFM) will play a central role in ensuring that GiveDirectly delivers a gold-standard product to donors and recipients. The AFM will provide support to manage the Field Officers (FOs) and will own day-to-day management of the teams, including: daily work planning and team management, tracking team and individual performance; achieving targets; coaching Field Officers; and identifying opportunities for risk mitigation and process improvement. The AFM will serve as the key “eyes and ears” resource on the ground for the Field Manager and will be responsible for regularly synthesizing updates on team performance as well as field successes and challenges. The AFM will support the FM and PM in compiling analytical reports as requested. From time to time, the AFM will stand in for other AFMs when needed. The role will reward exceptional personnel management, organizational and analytical skills, excellent written skills, high-quality judgment on operational challenges, and a strong commitment towards driving both team and individual productivity and quality.                                            

Responsibilities:

Field management and Quality control

• Coordinate team approach for village surveys to maximize efficiency and productivity. 
• Track FO productivity & quality of service, including reviewing operational reports; discussing team and individual performance on a regular basis with other AFMs and FM; owning course correction if metrics are slipping.
• Keep senior management informed of key risks to work plan (e.g. village-specific challenges, political instability, rumors about GiveDirectly, recipient refusals, terrain challenges during rainy seasons, etc.)
• Meet with FM at least once per month to discuss any adjustments to work plans
• Over time, reduce dependence on senior management and create more leverage for the FM through capacity-building and delegation.

Vision and Critical Thinking

• Anticipate areas of risk and create mitigation plans (e.g. coordination on complex research partnership, slow-downs from pilots, etc.).
• Raise ideas for continuous improvement of the enrollment process/recipient experience; execute process improvements and ideas raised by the FM/PM

Field Officer management and development 

• Coach FOs on challenges that come up in the field. Provide additional case-specific input as requested by FOs (e.g. ambiguity around potential impostor)
• Exercise judgment and escalate recurring issues or questions to the FM.
• Coach FOs who are underperforming and provide disciplinary measures when necessary
• Encourage teamwork and improve morale through mentorship, affirmations, and various management initiatives
• Spend 1-2 days per week shadowing staff in order to identify areas for improvement and professional development, particularly during staff training
• Conduct regular performance check-ins with direct reports and quarterly performance reviews

Data and Analysis: 

The AFM will be expected to be comfortable using data to track performance, and inform decision-making, and to quickly build expertise within GD’s standard beneficiary data management and survey tools.

• Support survey creation and updates for new and existing projects
• Guide and support reports on data inquiries, skill development, and data analysis
• Work effectively with GD’s global data team (framing needs and expectations, and holding self and others accountable to agreed timelines)

Support to FM and PM 

• Assist with response to “crisis” events (e.g. refusal spikes, government shut-down, coordinated fraud, etc.)
• Promote effective team culture by encouraging recognition of positive achievements, planning team events periodically, and other team-building initiatives

Administration

• Ensure all allowance requests and spent allowance requests are submitted correctly and promptly
• Ensure timesheets are accurately submitted in a timely fashion
• Process leave requests so as not to conflict with work planning and operations
• Resolve miscellaneous equipment requests

Communication: 

• Meet the GD “bar” for online communication responsiveness (slack, email, phone)
• Present effectively to the management team (focusing on key insights, etc.)
• Communicate concisely and clearly as needed across a variety of forms (written, presenting, verbal)

Other

• Provide initial training to newly hired FOs and on-going professional development to staff.
• Assist with response to crisis events (e.g. refusal spikes, government shut-down, coordinated fraud, etc.)
• Promote effective team culture by encouraging recognition of positive achievements, planning team events periodically, and other team-building initiatives.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant professional field
• Previous experience in a management position is an asset
• Working proficiency in English and Kinyarwanda with excellent communication skills
• Ability to solve complex operational challenges in the field
• Positive attitude, strong work ethic, and team-player mentality
• Strong interest in being the engine of the day-to-day field work
• Demonstrated ability to work in a highly independent and self-directed manner, while effectively communicating about gaps and risks
• Strong relationship building skills and the ability to represent the organization effectively to external parties
• Analytical and technical skills, including intermediate proficiency with Microsoft Excel
• Alignment with GiveDirectly core values and commitment to advancing GD’s mission