International Finance Corporation (IFC) Clean Cooking Program Associate / Operations Officer Job in Nairobi Kenya

February 15, 2013

Job #: 130275

Title: Associate / Operations Officer - Clean Cooking Program

Job Stream:Technical Assistance & Advisory Services

Location: Nairobi, Kenya

Closing Date:02/11/2013

Background / General description:

The International Finance Corporation (IFC), the private sector investment arm of the World Bank Group, pursues its mission of creating opportunities for people to escape poverty by promoting private sector development through investment and advisory services.

IFC's Sustainable Business Advisory (SBA) Business Line works with firms in manufacturing, agribusiness, services, and infrastructure to contribute to the creation of inclusive, environmentally sustainable, and efficient markets in developing countries.

Across six regional teams, Clean Energy Specialists within the Business Line work to increase investment flows into clean energy by demonstrating the commercial viability of and removing specific barriers to the scale-up of renewable energy technologies that reduce green house gas (GHG) emissions and increase access to modern energy services for the poor.

In support of IFC’s growing commitment in this area, Africa SBA is seeking an Associate/Operations Officer to manage the Clean Cooking Program in Kenya.

The Clean Cooking Program
Currently 85% of the population in Kenya does not use Gas for cooking. The alternative sources are predominantly Kerosene (65%) and Charcoal (17%) with the rest using biofuels like wood.

This has led to many environmental, health and societal problems requiring IFC advisory intervention.

The IFC Clean Cooking program seeks to support the displacement of fossil fuels for cooking by increasing access of 100,000 Kenyans to liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).

The project seeks to accelerate the development of the market for clean, safe cooking fuels by demonstrating the commercial viability of an innovative business model.

This business model will initially make LPG available and affordable for Base of the Pyramid (BOP) customers in urban centers and peri-urban areas in Kenya using small-size cylinders and Unique Filling Stations (UFS) that allow partial-filling equivalent to current patterns of spending on kerosene and charcoal.

The model will subsequently be scaled up in the rural areas and other countries in Africa.

The specific objectives are to:

Work with sector players to develop and refine a strategy and business model for scaling up access to LPG for the BOP in Kenya. The model developed will have the potential for significant replication in other African countries.
Develop a Health, Safety, and Environment framework and best practice guide for LPG Unique Filling Stations business models.
Develop and implement a Consumer Education and Awareness Campaign to address demand gaps and health and safety issues in switching to LPG across the supply chain.

The program will work with oil companies, distributors, consumers, financial institutions, development partners, and governments to help build a market for LPG.

Duties and Accountabilities:

The Associate/Operations Officer will be in charge of leading the implementation of Clean Cooking in Kenya, all the way from designing the specific services provided by the program to managing its implementation with clients at the company, sector and policy level.

Specifically, the responsibilities will include:

Business Development and Advisory to LPG sector players

Provide advisory services aimed at developing the market for LPG targeted at BOP to firms operating at the firm, sector and policy levels.

S/he will oversee a small team of third party consultants to work with oil companies, distribution partners, retail outlets, financial institutions etc. to enhance the business models for LPG for BOP consumers.

In particular, s/he with develop a comprehensive health and safety best practice guidelines to mitigate the safety risks resulting from the wrong handling of LPG across the entire supply chain. The ability to mitigate these risks is essential to increase uptake and the success of the project.

Engagement with stakeholders

Continuously update and keep the industry stakeholders in the country abreast of the activities of program.

The key stakeholders include:

Ministry of Energy
National Environment Management Authority (NEMA)
Kenya Bureau of Standards
Relevant sector players
Distribution and supply chain partners
Financial institutions
Associations representing the renewable sector in general and relevant standard bureaus
Other IFC internal divisions, World Bank Group and other stakeholders as required.

Reporting

Responsible for reporting on project progress, budgets and M&E to IFC management and donors, e.g. through IFC’s project supervision reporting system, donor reports etc. as required.

Measurement & Evaluation

Set up tools to monitor and track the program performance in line with the log-frame. Manage individual projects as the Task Team Leader ensuring timely execution and completion of Management Information System reporting requirements. The successful candidate will have volume and development impact targets defined by the Clean Energy Team Leader.

Other Responsibilities

Draft TORs, hire and manage third party consultants to execute projects. Depending on the development of the project, additional tasks will be discussed with the candidate and added or deleted to the scope of responsibilities.

Coordination

Report to the Lighting Africa Program Manager based in Nairobi. In addition, s/he will also coordinate with the Global Clean Energy Specialists who oversee IFC’s global clean energy program portfolio and with the Lighting Africa team in Nairobi, as well as the infrastructure investment cluster team leader

Selection Criteria:

Minimum of a Masters degree in business, engineering, finance, economics, or related subject, and technical skills that allow demonstrating knowledge of a broad range of social/commercial issues and preferably also to clean energy.
At least 6 years of hands-on commercial sales/marketing or business development, or managing complex programs and delivering results.
Experience with supporting new technology ventures, SMEs or Base of the Pyramid business and marketing, ideally in Kenya.
Experience with projects in or that interface with the private sector a must.
Successful experience managing relationships, resolving differences, and achieving successful outcomes among multiple and diverse set of stakeholders.
Dynamic individual, committed to and motivated by promoting economic and social development by supporting the growth of private sector companies and new markets in the clean energy space
Strong communication and negotiation skills and ability to represent the program at senior levels for an audience of companies and government representatives.
Determined and perseverant “go-getter”, with a positive attitude, dedication to excellence, patience for detail and the ability to translate detailed information into broad strategy and back into individual work-plans or actions.
Ability to work independently and take initiative.
A strong team player with the ability to take leadership as well as supporting roles.
Ability to handle a variety of activities concurrently in a high-pressure environment and deliver consistently. Must be open-minded with the ability to work in a fast-paced and multicultural environment.
Experience with clean energy technologies and markets is an advantage.
Excellent written and spoken English a must, other languages a plus.
Ability to synthesize multiple/complex messages and to identify appropriate key points for different audiences.