How to apply for Consultant Roster – Rural Access and Transport Infrastructure

About Fika

Fika is a nonprofit that partners with governments and communities to build pedestrian trail bridges in rural sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America. The work connects isolated populations to education, healthcare, and markets. It is a technical, evidence-based organisation that also maintains the infrastructure it builds.

About the role

This is not a single job but a place on a pre-qualified consultant roster for rural access and transport infrastructure work. Fika engages roster members on short-term or intermittent contracts when projects need specific expertise. Assignments depend on funding, client approvals, and qualifications, so roster inclusion does not guarantee work.

A typical day

A typical day depends on the assignment. It could involve remote design review, planning rural access routes, or supervising construction on a site visit. Roster members may go periods without assignments between contracts.

Who Fika is looking for

• Has direct experience in at least one listed area: rural access and mobility planning, bridge and rural transport infrastructure design, or construction supervision and quality control.
• Has worked on infrastructure projects in sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America, or similar rural contexts.
• Can work on short-term or intermittent contracts and is comfortable with remote coordination and possible site travel.
• Understands how rural transport access links to education, healthcare, and markets, not just engineering outputs.

Tips for this application

• State your specific discipline clearly in the first line of your application, such as rural access planning, bridge design, or construction supervision.
• List concrete projects with country, role, contract length, and whether you were on site or remote.
• Name the funders or clients you worked under, since Fika assignments are subject to client approvals and funding availability.
• Confirm your availability for short-term or intermittent contracts and your ability to travel to rural sites.
• Submit a CV that maps directly to one or more of Fika's listed expertise areas rather than a general engineering profile.

What to cover in your cover letter

State which roster discipline you are applying for and why. Give one or two examples of rural transport or bridge projects you delivered, with location and your exact role. Explain how you handle short-term, intermittent, or remote assignments. Show that you understand Fika's model of partnering with governments and communities, not just building structures.

Research before applying

• Read Fika's evidence base on how rural isolation affects access to education, healthcare, and markets.
• Review the former Bridges to Prosperity project portfolio to see the types of trail bridges and rural transport work Fika does.
• Check which countries and funders Fika currently works with, since assignments depend on client approvals and funding.
• Look at Fika's technical standards or published project reports to understand their design and construction approach.

Likely interview topics

Based on the job description, expect questions about:

• Which roster area do you fit, and what projects prove it?
• Describe a rural access or bridge project you worked on, including site conditions and constraints.
• How do you supervise construction quality in remote locations with limited oversight?
• How do you coordinate with governments, communities, and funders on a short-term assignment?
• What is your availability for intermittent contracts and travel to rural sites in sub-Saharan Africa or Latin America?

Common mistakes to avoid

• Applying as a generalist instead of naming one or more of Fika's specific expertise areas.
• Listing projects without country, role, contract length, or whether the work was on site or remote.
• Ignoring the intermittent, funding-dependent nature of roster contracts and implying you expect full-time work.