JOB DESCRIPTION

Position Title: Junior Programme Manager

Location: Nairobi

Reports to: Regional Head of Programmes

Expected start date: ASAP

Salary: Negotiable, dependent on experience

About Energy 4 Impact

Energy 4 Impact (E4I) is a non-profit company which seeks to alleviate poverty in Sub Saharan Africa through accelerated access to sustainable, renewable energy, particularly in off-grid areas. Supported by a small head office in the UK, most of our staff of 70 are based in Kenya (our regional HQ), Rwanda, Tanzania, Senegal and Benin.

We support the development and growth of privately owned micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (mSMEs) which deliver renewable energy products and services to the poor, mainly in rural and peri-urban areas. We do this by advising mSMEs on business, financial and engineering matters, helping them to secure the resources they require, and running pilots on new products, business models and expansion into new markets. We also help implement renewable energy schemes in informal settlements and on schools, clinics and other public institutions in off-grid areas.

Since we were created in 2006, we have supported over 5500 businesses and those businesses have created 12,000 jobs, raised $154 million and enabled 18 million people to get access to energy. Most of our income comes from major development agencies, development financing institutions and trusts and foundations. Our funders include DFID, SIDA, KFW, Norad, EU, USAid, World Bank, African Development Bank, IFC, OFID, Energia and various foundations such as Ovo Energy and Vitol. For more information, please see our website https://www.energy4impact.org/.

Roles and Responsibilities

You will be part of our African Programmes team, which includes professionals from a range of private sector backgrounds, including engineering, project development, entrepreneurship, banking and investment, micro-finance, and management consulting.

You will implement different energy access programmes, work with our donors and sub-contractors, advise mSMEs, and support E4I team members in programme implementation.

We are particularly interested in candidates that have:

• An electrical engineering, agricultural or financial background (both professional and academic);
• Experience working with EPC contractors and installing and operating solar home system companies
• Experience with mini-grid developers
• Experience with stand-alone solar appliance suppliers and other service providers;
• Experience in a humanitarian energy setting in East Africa;
• Experience in the clean cooking sector;
• Experience working with agricultural programmes for the benefit of smallholder farmers which depend on access to electricity; and
• Experience working with county governments and other local stakeholders in Kenya.

Responsibilities for the role

• Work closely with Programme Managers and support them by doing data analysis, market research, reporting, as well as client engagements and communication.
• Help to develop E4I’s internal processes and knowledge of technologies, business models, regulatory issues, financing process, etc.
• Deliver high quality work, with attention to detail and a focus on results.
• Support the E4I team to deliver on programme objectives and grow skills and experience.

Advisory responsibilities (will vary according to experience of candidate)

• Support in providing engineering, business or financial advice to early and later stage SME companies, including solar home system distributors, mini-grid developers, stand-alone solar appliance suppliers and other service providers.
• Provide support to SME clients on their business models, partnership facilitation, project development, investment readiness, financial modelling and capital raising.
• Work closely with the Monitoring and Evaluation team to ensure expected results for advisory activities are measured and evaluated.
• Help E4I to develop our internal processes and institutional knowledge of energy access financing, business models, regulatory issues etc.
• Be engaged in data management, analysis and presentation for external and internal knowledge management.
• Conduct market studies and research for SME clients, donors and internal knowledge generation, including desk research, primary and secondary research.
• Stay up-to-date on market news, regulations, and trends in the field of energy access and productive use of electricity in Africa.

Business Development

• Support organizational efforts to identify and secure new funding from potential donors in East Africa and other parts of Africa.
• Support the Programmes and the Business Development team in preparing bids, concept notes and proposals for donors consistent with the objectives and requirements of the potential donor.

Requirements

Work Experience

• 3-6 years’ experience in at least one of the following areas:

1. Energy project implementation, operations, or financing; O Financial advisory, management or strategic consulting;
2. Marketing or technical support for agricultural and other electric appliances used for income generating purposes;
3. Renewable energy development in a humanitarian setting; or
4. Early-stage business building as an entrepreneur, investor or incubator O Research and data analysis in the development sector

• Experience in managing a project or directly assisting a project manager in their activities
• Experience working with rural and off-grid business models and an understanding of the unique challenges faced by businesses operating in Africa

Academic and Professional Qualifications

• Undergraduate degree in Engineering, Business Management, Economics, Finance, International Development, Energy, Environment, Climate Change or other relevant subjects

Skills and Knowledge

• Strong analytical and problem solving skills
• Good understanding of the off-grid market, preferably in an African context
• Good understanding of the entrepreneurial space and impact investing sector
• Strong written and oral communication skills. Ability to write high quality written documents.
• Ability to critique and develop financial models highly desirable
• Fluent English a must
• Fluent French an advantage

Attributes

• Team player
• Attention to detail and a focus on results
• Ability to think outside the box
• Ability to organize work independently
• Ability to see the big picture and connect the dots
• Ability to work calmly under pressure
• A can-do and collaborative mindset – comfortable with the ambiguities and demands of a rapidly evolving and entrepreneurial environment with a team from diverse backgrounds
• Willingness to travel in country, regionally and internationally sometimes on short notice
• Passion for working in the impact space
• Close alignment with E4I’s mission and values

Energy 4 Impact Values

E4I exists because of our concerns for global inequality and climate change – this is the core of what drives us. We aim to be a caring, compassionate organization respectful of difference, and to treat our staff fairly and to help them develop as professionals and as people.

• Client-focused - We serve the needs of our clients in a professional and client focused way.
• Caring - We care about people and contribute to their wellbeing, and minimize the effects of inequality, poverty and climate change.
• Learning - We continuously learn from our own experiences and those of others in order to improve our practices.
• Ethical - We are ethical and transparent in all our dealings, always maintaining a high level of personal integrity.
• Appropriate - We promote the use of appropriate solutions consistent with the circumstances of our clients and their markets.
• Respectful - We respect and value our stakeholders and act with fairness to all.

The successful candidate will be expected to demonstrate commitment and loyalty and perform all duties in accordance with the organization’s office routines and procedures, keeping in mind the overall business objectives.

Contact

To apply, please send your CV, along with a covering letter to recruitment@energy4impact.org. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Energy 4 Impact is an Equal Opportunity Employer and encourages applications from qualified individuals regardless of race, religion, national origin, sexual orientation or disability.

Job Email id: recruitment(at)energy4impact.org