Project Leader- Renewable Energy Advisor , Tanzania

SNV Netherlands Development Organization is looking for:

Project Leader / Renewable Energy Advisor

Based in Mwanza/Dar es Salaam/ Arusha Tanzania

Organisation's profile

SNV is an international not for profit development organisation, funded from public and private sources, working in 38 countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. SNV specializes in supporting the resourcefulness of development actors by developing local capacities, improve performance and services, strengthen governance systems, help create access for excluded groups and make markets work for the poor. Our global team of advisors uses their specialist sector and change expertise in Agriculture, Renewable Energy and WASH to facilitate sustainable change in the livelihoods of millions of people living in poverty.

The overall goal of SNV Tanzania Renewable Energy sector is to contribute to improve the livelihoods of the rural and peri-urban people in Tanzania by accelerating the dissemination and use of renewable energy products and services. SNV Tanzania is involved in three renewable energy sub-sectors: Domestic Biogas, Biomass Cooking Energy, and Solar with a variety of projects, including a cross-cutting program focused on creating Opportunities for Youth Employment (OYE).

Project background

The Project Leader / Renewable Energy Advisor will form part of the Renewable Energy team of SNV Tanzania, with colleagues based in Mwanza, Arusha and Dar es Salaam. S/he will be the project leader of the Renewable Energy component of the OYE program, with cross-cutting activities in biogas, ICS (Improved Cooking Solutions) and solar sub-sectors.

The OYE program focuses on creating Opportunities for Youth Employment (OYE) in Agribusiness and Sustainable Energy in Mozambique, Rwanda, and Tanzania and is funded by the MasterCard Foundation. It aims to sustainably improve youth income and livelihoods by skills and capacity development and subsequently link these youth to market opportunities for employment and enterprise development in growth sectors that have concrete potential for youth.

Overall outreach of the project is 20,500 disadvantaged rural young people. The project aims to achieve access to direct employment and business opportunities in agriculture (AG) and renewable energy (RE) sectors. In the Renewable Energy sector, the project will directly benefit youth in Rwanda and Tanzania, who will gain employment in existing enterprises and in 170 new youth led renewable energy enterprises (biogas appliances and construction, production of improved cookstoves, solar retail, amongst others). Improved youth income will have a potential benefit for 39,000 people in their households and extended families.

The project structure is as follows: the overall programme manager, based in Dar es Salaam, is the end-responsible for the achievements of the project, and reports to the MasterCard Foundation. Each country component has a project leader i.e. Tanzania AG, Tanzania RE, Mozambique AG and Rwanda RE. Project leaders work closely with country finance officers, who are guided by the overall project financial manager. Additonal guidance is provided by the overall Communications Officer, and the Tanzania Monitoring and Evaluation Advisor.

Overview of the Position

The Project Leader / Renewable Energy Advisor will provide guidance and manage the implementation of the Tanzania Renewable Energy project component of the Opportunities for Youth Employment (OYE) program, ensuring that the proposed objectives and targets are achieved. S/he will manage programmatic, financial and HR resources dedicated to the project, oversee performance and expenditures (in close collaboration with the project finance officer and the logistics officer), while being responsible for overall operational management of the project. S/he will take part in advisory, knowledge development and advocacy related activities in other RE programs of SNV Tanzania, while contributing to resource mobilization and profiling of SNV. S/he will report to and manage relations with the overall OYE programme manager for any OYE-related operational matter, maintaining effective relations with the OYE team, project stakeholders and RE staff, while keeping close coordination with the RE Sector Leader to assure solid linkage of OYE to the broader context of RE programs in the country.

The project leader OYE for the Renewable Energy sector will be based in Mwanza, Lake Zone, where an important part of Renewable Energy activity of SNV Tanzania takes place. As the OYE project has national coverage, frequent travel to other parts of the country is foreseen, particularly to Arusha and Dar es Salaam where other members of the OYE and Renewable Energy team are based.

Key responsibilities:

• Project management: effectively manage the human resources (three staff), physical and financial resources allocated to the project in relation to the OYE Renewable Energy component;
• Guide the project planning and implementation of the OYE Renewable Energy project in Tanzania, including engagement with local stakeholders and subcontractors; develop operational work plans and budgets on the basis of the existing project activity plan and budget;
• Liaise with the OYE Tanzania Agriculture project leader on cross-cutting matters, both programmatic as well as financial;
• Contribute to synergy between the OYE project and SNV renewable energy programmes in Tanzania by providing strategic guidance to guarantee a balance between contextual opportunities and overall coherence of the project approach;
• Monitor performance of the project team to ensure that all milestones set in the annual work plans are met, and develop mitigation plans to reduce setbacks plus take corrective actions to fix any deviation from work plans;
• Guide knowledge development, documentation and communication & branding – in close collaboration with the RE Sector Leader, the overall OYE Programme Manager and Communications officer;
• Provide advisory services and advocacy related activities in other RE programs (biogas, ICS, solar) of SNV Tanzania;
• Develops, expands and maintains effective and efficient networks with relevant sector stakeholders at national level and identifies potential partners in the sector;
• Ensures up to date contextual analysis within the renewable energy sector in Tanzania and beyond, identifying and interpreting emerging opportunities, barriers and threats to the SNV strategy and services (biogas, biomass, solar and others);
• Contribute to further expansion of RE programs of SNV in Tanzania, through resource mobilization, business development and profiling of SNV.

Requirements

• Master's degree in relevant area (Renewable Energy, Business Administration, Rural development, Youth skills development, etc).
• Proven track record with at least 3 years of experience in project management in development organizations; including project design, resource mobilization and budgeting, program implementation and team management, finance, operational planning, monitoring and evaluation, reporting.
• Minimum of 3 years of relevant working experience in the renewable energy sector and/or relevant programme in or outside Tanzania.
• Work experience in private sector business and entrepreneurship development, youth skills development towards employability, value chain development, inclusive business, public – private partnerships.
• Demonstrated experience in implementing capacity building programs with preferably a background in training, process facilitation, coaching, change processes, product development and team building;
• Proven track record in pro-poor growth approaches taking into consideration social inclusion, youth development, gender and sustainability.
• Strong external network in RE and youth skills development in Tanzania.

Desired Skills and attitude

• A proactive and entrepreneurial individual who will explore and develop innovative approaches that appeal to rural youth in Tanzania;
• Visionary and able to strategically inspire and energize the project team;
• Excellent social / networking skills, ability to engage with government, private sector and civil society;
• Analytical skills combined with a practical and pragmatic approach oriented towards lasting results;
• Strong interpersonal and influence skills and experience of working in a matrix organization;
• Excellent communication (writing and oral) skills, reporting and presentation skills;
• Good team player, pragmatic, negotiator with solution orientated approach, with leadership, coaching and self-reflection skills;
• Readiness to work and travel in rural districts with minimal amenities;
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, in English and Kiswahili.

Contract Duration: 1 year renewable

Desired start date: 1st April , 2014

How to apply?

Please send your application letter and CV to TanzaniaHR@snvworld.org OR Submit hardcopies at our Offices to the attention;

Job title

Country Human Resources Manager

P.O.Box 3941

Dar es Salaam,

Tanzania

Application deadline

8th March 2014

For more information, please refer to our website: www.snvworld.org

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted

Closing date: 

Saturday, March 8, 2014