Technical Liaison Officer at GCS Tanzania Limited

About Us:

Global Cycle Solutions is a social enterprise that brings quality affordable technology to the rural communities in Africa. We currently operate in Tanzania and East Africa. We currently market bicycle, hand, and solar powered devices designed to increase villagers’ productivity and access to technology. For more information, visit our website . 

GCS is currently undertaking a project dedicated to conceptualizing, designing, and producing a human-powered multi-crop threshing machine that is suitable for the Tanzanian and East African context. This project will involve an interactive assessment of the assets and needs of the Tanzanian rural communities. It will also bring a multi-disciplinary design team together to achieve an effective, reliable, and commercially viable product.

The Multi-Crop Thresher (MCT) is an easy-to-use machine that allows smallholder farmers to thresh the variety of crops produced locally in a fast, modular and affordable way. Compared to traditional methods of threshing, the outcome MCT should be significantly more productive (in output per unit of time), less arduous (i.e., less labor quantity and less physical energy exerted), and ergonomically superior (more comfortable to work with, especially for women).

Responsibilities:

This position is required to perform the important role of being the liaison between the rural communities’ women and the MCT design team, to ensure that the communities are genuinely involved in the design and dissemination process, and that the end product responses to their feedback. Responsibilities include:

• To be the main liaison between the targeted rural communities and the project team
• Communicating with communities to facilitate field testing and introduction of product
• Communicating back to project team the concerns of the communities regarding the product
• Surveying and documenting marketability challenges and opportunities for the product
• Participating in writing and presenting project experience and findings to donor and interested partners

Requirements:

The ideal candidate is Tanzanian, fluent in English, and experienced in rural community development. He possesses the skills to thrive in a working environment that requires both office and field work, with the ability to communicate very well with a project team of professionals (including foreigners) and with the local communities. This position requires:

• University-level education, or equivalent experience, in the field of engineering or technology
• Strong knowledge of working with machines and being a "fundi" when needed
• Considerable experience in carrying out qualitative research and social surveys.
• Report writing, and ability to translate technology design ideas to local communities (critical).
• Positive team-work attitude.
• Lingual: fluent in English and native Kiswahili speaker.

Desired Skills:

• Strong familiarity with rural Tanzanian communities
• Office Administration experience
• Microsoft Office Applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Project)
• Driving License

Application Instructions:

To Apply

1. your reasons for applying for this position,
2. why you think you are the best person for the job, and 
3. discuss one past experience that has shaped who you are today

In your CV, please make sure you include the most up-to-date contact information, as only top candidates will be contacted for first round interviews.  For additional questions, please feel free to contact us at info@globalcyclesolutions.com.