Renewable Energy Business Advisor Based in Arusha, Tanzania

Are you interested in joining an international organisation with a long term commitment to fighting poverty? Would you like to work in a challenging environment and develop a career focused on demonstrating shared core values that achieve results?

SNV Tanzania is looking for a:

Renewable Energy Business Advisor

Based in Arusha, Tanzania

(Local contract)

SNV is a Netherlands based international development organisation, with local presence in 36 countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America. SNV delivers capacity development services to local public and private organisations increasing access to basic services, income and employment. SNV works in 3 sectors: Agriculture, Renewable Energy (RE) and Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH). SNV is present in Tanzania since 1971.

The overall goal of SNV Tanzania Renewable Energy sector is to contribute to improve the livelihoods of rural and peri-urban people in Tanzania by accelerating the dissemination and use of renewable energy products and services. SNV Tanzania is involved in four renewable energy programmes: Domestic Biogas; Biomass Cooking Energy; Solar; and Integrated Renewable Energy Services (IRES).

The biogas programme is implemented through the Tanzania Domestic Biogas Programme

TDBP – one of the 5 country programmes under the DGIS (Netherlands government) funded Africa Biogas Partnership Programme (ABPP). TDBP main goal is to develop a private sector led biogas sector in which domestic biogas technology will be disseminated through the construction of 12,000 digesters during the first phase of the programme (from 2009 – 2014). Until 2012, TDBP achieved the installation of more than 5,000 digesters country wide. More than 50 Biogas Construction Enterprises (BCEs) are operational, accounting for 78% of total digester construction in 2012. An implementation structure with local partners has been instrumental in achieving the targets through the years. Currently, the program is moving towards increased private sector engagement and facilitating access to credit for further scaling. Main challenges include further strengthening of the private sector, assuring efficient business operations, quality management and adequate after sales services, product diversification, access to financing, and resource mobilization for up-scaling.

The Integrated Renewable Energy Services (IRES) programme is entering the end of its piloted phase in the Lake Zone area. This pilot is implemented through an energy hub consortium of public and private organisations working jointly to develop common RE activities and marketing. The pilot outcomes will support the RE consortium to leverage private and public sectors resources, develop and distribute energy services and products which provides sustainable renewable energy solutions to informed (demand) rural and peri-urban consumers who are linked to suppliers of technically sound RE technologies. In the same setting, SNV is currently setting-up a new project on marketing of micro solar systems.

The RE advisory team of SNV in Tanzania comprises 6 staff: a Sector Leader, and 5 advisors, spread over three locations: Arusha, Mwanza and Dar es Salaam. Recently, one of the advisory positions in Arusha became vacant. Therefore, we are looking for an experienced, innovative, committed, well-connected and enthusiastic advisor to further develop the RE sector in Tanzania. The main activities of the advisor will be within the context of the Tanzania Domestic Biogas Programme (TDBP), though he/she will be expected to contribute to the other programmes as well.

 Responsibilities

A: Strategic Positioning and Resources Mobilisation

• Contribute to strategic renewable energy sector direction, improving relevance, efficiency and effectiveness of current and new SNV interventions (biogas; biomass; solar; others).
• Identify opportunities for market-based, scaled and innovative initiatives.
• Contribute to increased funding of SNV interventions in the RE sector in general. Actively supports proposal development beyond the current projects in implementation.
• Actively support mainstreaming of accountability, gender equity and social inclusion in RE interventions.

 B. Advisory Services

• Provide advisory services to the Tanzania Domestic Biogas Programme (TDBP) office staff and Implementing Partners, on strategies to increase access to biogas credit at household level and to achieve the consolidation of a commercially viable biogas sector.
• Provide active support to local capacity builders (LCBs) in specific tasks related to the TDBP, in Private Sector Development towards the Biogas Construction Enterprises (BCEs) and in the design and implementation of biogas credit with SACCOs and MFIs connected to the program. This includes the identification of new LCB assignments, develop ToRs, provide oversight and make performance assessments of LCBs.
• Further expand our base of SACCOs and MFIs involved in the TDBP, and following up on these assignments to assure proper implementation of biogas credit schemes, and sustainable growth of the biogas credit portfolio.
• Advise partners and local capacity builders (LCBs) in the TDBP program as well as other RE programmes especially in the area of market based approaches for scaling up technologies, entrepreneurship development and SME strengthening, vocational training of youth, business development, access to finance, management for results and outcome mapping.
• Provide on-the-job technical support and coaching to advisors, partners and LCBs, for effective delivery of advisory services to clients and partners, particularly in financial mechanisms to achieve further scale in the TDBP and other RE programmes, including Results Based Financing (RBF) strategies, amongst others.

C. Knowledge development/networking

• Develop, expand and maintain effective and efficient networks with relevant sector stakeholders at local and national levels and identify potential partners in the sector.
• Ensure up to date contextual analysis within the biogas and renewable energy sector in Tanzania and beyond, identifying and interpreting emerging opportunities, barriers and threats to the

SNV strategy and services.

• Provide leadership in product development (codification of proven approaches; assessment of new technologies/devices).

• Knowledge brokering and sharing with clients, partners and SNV team of (inter)national best practices in biogas/RE, private sector development and access to credit.

• Documents results and best practices in the form of case studies, advisory practice experiences, training materials, and presents findings at relevant forums.

Candidate profile

• Master’s degree in relevant area (Renewable Energy, Business Administration, Economics of Sustainable Development, Agro-economy, Rural development, etc.)
• Minimum of 3 years of relevant working experience in private sector development with SMEs and access to credit in (renewable) energy sector or other relevant programme in Tanzania.
• Work experience in private sector business and entrepreneurship development, value chain development, and financial mechanisms (for renewable energy), including access to credit at household level in rural areas.
• Proven track record in programme development, project design and implementation, business development and resource mobilisation.
• Proven track record in capacity development, process facilitation, coaching, change processes, product development and team building.
• Proven track record in pro-poor growth approaches taking into consideration social inclusion, accountability, gender and sustainability.
• Strong network in the financial sector (MFIs, SACCOs), private sector, RE sector and other relevant networks within Tanzania (and beyond).

Desired Skills and attitude

• Innovative, entrepreneurial, business oriented.
• Leadership, coaching and self-reflection skills.
• Very good analytical skills combined with a practical and pragmatic approach oriented towards lasting results.
• Good team player, pragmatic, negotiator with solution orientated approach.
• Readiness to work and travel in rural districts with minimal amenities.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills (in Kiswahili and English).

Contract Duration: 1 year with possibility of extension

Desired start date: June 1st, 2013

How to apply?

Please send your application letter and CV to happy@shugulika.com by close of day May 3rd, 2013.

More information about SNV

SNV is a non-profit international development organisation established in the Netherlands in 1965. For over 40 years, SNV has been at the forefront of development, helping to build local capacity and empower local families and communities to break the cycle of poverty. We are present on the ground in 36 developing countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Balkans and operate in Agriculture, Renewable Energy, and Water, Sanitation & Hygiene. Our 900 advisors in the field come from a variety of cultural and technical backgrounds, and over 60 per cent are nationals of the countries where we work.

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