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Role profile

ENERGY STRATEGY & DEVELOPMENT LEADERSHIP

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Feb, 2020

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Practical Action

ABOUT USWe are an international development organization putting ingenious ideas to work so people in poverty can change their world.

We help people find solutions to some of the world’s toughest problems. Challenges made worse by catastrophic climate change and persistent gender inequality. We work with communities to develop ingenious, lasting and locally owned solutions for agriculture, water and waste management, climate resilience and clean energy. And we share what works with others, so answers that start small can grow big.

We’re a global change-making group. The group consists of a UK registered charity with community projects in Africa, Asia and Latin America, an independent development publishing company and a technical consulting service. We combine these specialisms to multiply our impact and help shape a world that works better for everyone.

OUR AIMSWe help people find solutions to some of the world’s toughest problems, made worse by catastrophic climate change and persistent gender inequality. Our aims are to:

Make agriculture work better for smallholder farmers, many of them women, so they can adapt to climate change and achieve a good standard of living

Help more people harness the transformational effects of clean affordable energy and reduce avoidable deaths caused by smoke from indoor stoves and fires.

Make cities in poorer countries cleaner, healthier places to live and work.

Build disaster resilience into the lives of people threatened by hazards – reducing the risk of hazards and minimising their impact on lives and livelihoods.

HOW WE WORKWe work on holistic solutions that change systems and have a framework to help us achieve the aims:

Analyse the root causes of a poverty and vulnerability Define the change at scale we need to make

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Develop activities along three complementary paths: Demonstrate, Learn and Inspire.

- Demonstrate that our solutions are sustainable in the real world

- Learn by capturing evidence and adapting our approach

- Inspire wider support to multiply our impact.

OUR ORGANISATIONPractical Action is an unconventional, multi-disciplinary change-making organization

A highly innovative community development charity operating in Africa, Asia and Latin America. Practical Action community projects use ingenious ideas to design, test, refine and prove new ways to overcome poverty and disadvantage and then ‘open-source’ knowledge of what works so that it can be implemented at a greater scale by others.

A world-class consulting operation that helps socially responsible business, government policy makers and other development organizations. This draws on learnings from our own development work as well as the combined brainpower of a roster of over 2,000 expert consultants. Practical Action Consulting helps to extend the reach of our influence by providing the best advice to others, whose work can make a bigger difference.

A well respected specialist development publisher. Practical Action Publishing brings together development practitioners, researchers and thought leaders to create publications that stimulate discussion, strengthen peoples’ capabilities and inspire sustainable change.

“We treat all applications for employment on their merits and do not take into consideration any factors that are not relevant to the job such as gender, race, religion, ethnic or national origin, caste, tribe, belief, age, marital status, pregnancy, caring responsibilities, sexual orientation, or disability.

Practical Action is committed to safeguarding and protecting children and vulnerable adults and as such candidates will be subject to pre-employment checks.” The successful applicant must have the pre-existing right to live and work in Malawi.

In Southern Africa, Practical Action’s strategic energy ambition is to:

Work with HIVOs and other partners to accelerate achievement of Energy Access for All in Zimbabwe, Malawi, Zambia and Mozambique by working with communities and strategic partners in government, private sector and civil society to:

Demonstrate and generate evidence and options for renewable energy mini-grids.

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Support development of markets and businesses delivering off-grid electricity; clean cooking stoves and fuels; and energy-enabled productive uses and community services.

Support development and implementation of relevant and enabling national and regional renewable energy policies and strategies for private and public sector investment in renewable off-grid energy.

Develop sustainable energy business, ownership and partnership models that empower women and youths.

Practical Action

ABOUT THE ROLEOur Vision Practical Action’s vision is of a world that works better for everyone.

About the Role

The Energy Strategy & Development Leadership (Energy Systems and Innovation Leader) provides innovative and impactful thought leadership to guide Practical Action’s energy work across the Southern Africa region. The role leads, develops, shapes and supports initiatives and activities (which are ultimately implemented through programme delivery, consulting, and communications departments).

The Energy Strategy & Development Leadership (Energy Systems and Innovation Leader) will lead a team of professionals in energy and advocacy, who will coordinate specific thematic pillars of the energy programme, collaborate with energy specialists in the consulting team, and closely work with coordinators in Agriculture, Gender and Knowledge Management. The core purpose of this role is to understand the systemic barriers to access to energy in Southern Africa and identify opportunities for overcoming them; to articulate Practical Action’s energy strategy and change ambitions; to build strategic partnerships with others

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(governments, donors, NGOs and private sector); to originate, design and develop innovative energy programmes to achieve these ambitions; and to provide technical input and oversight for their delivery. As a member of the Practical Action in Southern Africa’s Senior Management Team, s/he will collaborate closely with senior colleagues to ensure integration of approaches.

The Energy Strategy & Development Leadership (Energy Systems and Innovation Leader) will provide leadership and management across all five core areas of our energy strategy: to achieve change and impact, to strengthen organizational profile, lead and manage people, generate funds and manage relationships, and deliver performance. Accountabilities are indicated below with approximate level of effort against each.

SCOPETitle Energy Systems and Innovation LeaderReporting to Regional DirectorDirect reports Energy Access experts (as required to develop and provide

technical support to programmes),Groups Member of Senior Management Team; member of Practical

Action’s Global Energy Thematic HubRelationships Strategic partners relevant to change ambition, ministries

of energy, donors, relevant organisations. Business Development Leader, other teams in the regional office, Practical Action Consulting (UK and Region), Head of Energy (UK), thematic leads in other countries, UK colleagues (International Programmes Support Team, Fundraising, Communications and Marketing, Policy and Practice, Gender Adviser, Systems Thinking Adviser)

Financial scope Direct management of allocated annual budgetLocation Zimbabwe or MalawiNature or contract

2- year fixed term contract, renewable by mutual agreement

Annual Gross salary

$44,000 to $66,000 all-inclusive, depending on experience

Travel Expected, approximately 1-3 weeks per quarter local and regional travel plus 4-5 weeks per year international travel

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ACCOUNTABILITIESAchieving Strategic Ambitions – 20% Understand Practical Action’s potential and scope for contributing to change in

the energy sector, using a systems thinking approach to analyse and integrate cultural, political and economic factors, formulate change ambitions based on this analysis and develop strategic plans for achieving these ambitions in Southern Africa.

Ensure that Practical Action Southern Africa’s energy strategy, change ambitions and programmes align with the wider organizations’ thinking, systems approach and framework for change.

Generating Funding and managing relationships – 35% Develop, nurture and manage strategic relationships and partnerships with

donors, governments, potential programme partners and other stakeholders to advance the energy change ambitions.

Work with UK and other RCO teams, through the Global Energy Change Ambition Hub, to build a strong understanding of changes and trends in the energy access sector and to identify and develop new energy work-streams and funding propositions based on these.

Originate, design and develop (with the support of the Business Development Manager) energy project pipeline and high quality, winning proposals to secure funding for innovative programmes through which energy change ambitions can be achieved.

Provide technical input and oversight to implementation of energy programmes to ensure the quality of our energy work.

Provide technical support to delivery of technical assistance projects by the consultancy team as requested.

Delivering Performance as One Practical Action - 15% Work with the M&E team (in Southern Africa and UK) to develop Southern

Africa’s energy learning agenda and ensure that Practical Action’s Southern Africa’s energy work draws on learning and innovation from work in our other regions, and that learning from our energy activities in Southern Africa is shared effectively with the wider internally and externally.

Work closely with programme delivery and consulting teams to ensure that project/programme/technical assistance activities are designed and executed to deliver change ambition evidence, learning and influencing targets.

Work closely with programme delivery and consulting teams to ensure that programme design and proposals reflect delivery requirements and that the transition from design to delivery is well managed.

Work with the Gender coordinator to ensure firm integration of a transformative gender approach in all our work.

Report on progress towards Southern Africa’s energy access change ambitions and our contribution / impact towards the Practical Action’s global energy change ambition.

Ensure quality internal and external reporting. Ensure quality content on the projects and awards management system and

SharePoint.

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Strengthening Organizational Profile - 20% Represent Practical Action and promote its vision and change ambitions,

particularly in relation to energy access, at relevant events and discussions with stakeholders.

Participate in and contribute to national and global advocacy partnerships on energy policy and practice.

Actively contribute to the development of our brand and positioning by building relationships and partnerships (as above) and ensuring that our energy work and its impacts are widely recognized, both internally and externally, and contribute to compelling storytelling that demonstrates impact in line with the energy access change ambitions.

Leadership, Management and People – 10% As a key member of the Senior Management Team contribute to organizational

direction and strategy and ensure flows of information between management and relevant staff members.

Promote an organizational culture of achieving change at scale, beyond our direct work, by influencing and sharing learning.

Manage, support and lead energy team members to achieve change ambitions, and foster a culture of collaboration, communication and common ambition as One Practical Action – especially with programme delivery, Practical Action Consulting, business development, People and Culture, and Finance teams.

Build team capacities related to energy, gender, systems thinking, and the Framework for Change (with support from the Systems Advisor).

Conduct quarterly People Management conversations with direct reports.

Person Profile To be successful in the role, the candidate should be able to demonstrate:____________________________________________________________Experience & Knowledge

At least 5 years relevant working experience in the energy access field in Southern Africa and/or other developing countries, with knowledge and understanding of decentralized energy technologies (minigrids, off-grid systems and cooking), their application in developing countries, and related policy issues.

Ability to understand the energy development priorities of the Southern Africa region and the energy policy environment in Southern African countries

Ability to engage externally and open doors to strategic partnerships and funding.

Understanding of the needs of businesses working to bring energy access to poor and remote communities and the ability to engage constructively with these businesses.

Ability to analyze systems and formulate strategies. Ability to design new and innovative energy and cross sectoral programs

and projects. Ability to effectively represent the regional office, the organization and

Practical Action’s work. Excellent report writing, oral presentation, analytical and communication

skills.

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Excellent ability to work with virtual cross-functional teams. Ability to work independently, manage multiple tasks and set priorities. Fluency in English. Commitment to development principles and Practical Action’s vision,

mission, values and energy ambition. A sound understanding of and commitment to gender equality.

Qualifications:First degree in Energy Technology, Engineering, or other field related to

the role and a Master’s degree in Energy or related field (or alternative qualifications

demonstratingappropriate level of expertise for the role).

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BEHAVIOURAL COMPETENCIES

Our people are expected to demonstrate the following behaviors:

We welcome applications from within and outside the Southern Africa region and candidates must have the right to work in Zimbabwe and/or Malawi.

www.practicalaction.org

APPLICATION

Email a 3 page CV along with names of at least three professional references to The People and Culture Leader for Southern Africa at: Human.Capital@practicalaction.org.zwInclude a supporting statement of not more than two pages outlining your experience and why you think you qualify.

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We treat all applications for employment on their merits and do not take into consideration any factors that are not relevant to the job such as gender, race, religion, ethnic or national origin, caste, tribe, belief, age, marital status, pregnancy, caring responsibilities, sexual orientation, or disability.

Practical Action is committed to safeguarding and protecting children and vulnerable adults and as such candidates will be subject to pre-employment checks.

Closing date: 1700hrs of 26th February, 2020

practicalaction.org

Feb, 2020