Practical Action
ABOUT US
We are an international development organisation 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 collaborate 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 are committed to advancing gender equality and women’s empowerment through all our work. This includes programmes, knowledge sharing, advocacy, external communications, and our own organisational development. At a minimum, we ensure that all our work is gender sensitive, seeking gender transformative approaches as our overall ambition and in accordance with context.
We are 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 AIMS
We 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 minimizing their impact on lives and livelihoods.
PRACTICAL ACTION KENYA
In Kenya, Practical Action has a long history of addressing systemic barriers that prevent people from accessing energy that transforms their lives, helping communities and government make cities healthier and safer, making agriculture and markets work better for small holder farmers and supporting communities and government to become more resilient.
We use a mix of programming with communities and consultancy services with shapers of policy and practice to achieve our aims.
ABOUT THE ROLE
Practical Action is implementing a 3-year project funded by GIZ to implement activities in Nakuru, Nyandarua Counties and some parts of Baringo and Kericho Counties. Recently the donor added two more counties to this project including Bomet and Narok. The project’s focus is to promote affordable improved charcoal and firewood biomass stoves that are locally produced and fulfil the following criteria:
Firewood stoves – Fuel savings of at least 40% over and above, compared to the fuel consumption of the baseline stove (three-stone fire). Charcoal stoves – Fuel savings of at least 30% over and above baseline stove (Kenya ceramic Jiko).
The primary activity of KILMEAP is to support the supply chain by recruiting and developing the capacity of Last Mile Entrepreneurs (LMEs) to engage as ICS installers and distributors-Expansion of distribution and retail chains. The secondary activity is to unlock the demand for ICS technologies by engaging in culturally appropriate awareness activities raising consumers and enhancing a conducive market environment for the growth of the ICS sector by engaging with county governments and relevant sector stakeholders-Creation of an enabling market environment.
Practical Action is looking for a Project Officer- Enterprise Development with the primary responsibility for the design, implementation, follow-up, and evaluation of clean cooking activities in Bomet and Narok Counties. In addition, s/he will provide necessary support and supervision of business mentors to implement all activities of enterprise development under KILMEAP projects.
ACCOUNTABILITIES
Delivering Performance – 80%
Planning, monitoring, and reporting of the project field activities.
• Lead activities to achieve the clean cooking objective by promoting clean cooking technologies.
• Coordinate with clean cookstove suppliers, distributors, and MFIs to demonstrate demand for ICS.
• Support the Project Manager in achieving targets set for the project.
• Support to prepare annual, quarterly, and monthly plans (physical as well as financial for effective execution of the project activities). Execute work plans, budget plans, monitoring, evaluation and learning plans, procurement plans, communication plans, documentation plans, etc.
• Implement project risk register and mitigate activities and review every quarter.
• Take part in project monitoring and verification of sales data for ICS sold through the project.
• Implement behavior change communications (mainly demonstrations) activities to ensure households make informed decisions for ICS and entrepreneurs for enterprises.
Coordination and communication
• Coordinate with County governments, and partner’s teams to deliver agreed knowledge outputs for project learning and sharing. Organize meetings, workshops, and other information dissemination events with different stakeholders as appropriate.
• Coordinate and collaborate with other relevant actors for mutual sharing and learning as agreed.
• Ensure that project progress monthly reports are prepared and shared as per requirement.
Managing Relationships – 10%
• Develop and strengthen community networks of peers and professional contacts outside the organization for project.
• Maintain relationships with County and National level stakeholders ensuring that transparency at all levels is maintained and project information communicated to relevant stakeholders in a timely fashion.
Lead People – 10%
• Supervise and manage business mentors to achieve their maximum productivity to ensure the project -outcomes are met.
Strengthen Organizational Profile – 5%
• Ensure Safeguarding Policy, Diversity and Dignity in the Workplace Policy, Code of Conduct, Financial Crime Policy and Global Complaints.
• Ensure beneficiaries whom we work with are aware of the safeguarding policy including the reporting lines when appropriate.
• Ensure our ethics and values, as set out in our Code of Conduct and related policies, including safeguarding, are embedded in team culture, and well modeled by others.
• Responsible for gender-responsive behavior in all actions and decisions. Ensure non-discriminative behavior based on gender, age, sex, race, ethnic background, culture, disability, nationality, religion and marital status. Be sensitive and adaptable to gender and social inclusion.
PERSON PROFILE
To be successful in the role, the ideal candidate will be able to demonstrate:
Experience & Knowledge
• Bachelor’s degree in business related studies, Development Studies, Social Sciences, Economics, or a relevant subject. Master’s degree preferred. MFI background is added value.
• Five years of work experience in private sector engagement and market development.
• Experience of working in renewable energy and setting up or operating businesses is preferred.
• Experience in capacity building, financial inclusion and behavior change communications (BCC) is preferred.
• Willingness and enthusiasm to work in challenging and difficult situations, and with vulnerable communities living in remote areas of the country.
• Good communication skills with fluency in English and Kiswahili.
• Good report writing and analysis skills.
• Demonstrated skills in prioritizing tasks and meeting deadlines.
• Excellent networking and communication skills.
• Good presentation and reporting skills.
• Knowledge and skills in computer.
Essential
• Familiarity with enterprise development.
• Ability to conduct knowledge transfer, effective communication, and people management abilities.
• Possess coping skills and the ability to function under pressure.
• Facilitate community programs to raise awareness of clean cooking and gender mainstreaming.
• Assist to plan and lead training sessions for communities.
• Program management skills with supporting skills in finance management, contract management, communication, negotiation, and representation.
• Leadership skills and an ability to make decisions and participate in setting strategic direction.
• Commitment to development principles and Practical Action’s vision, mission and ambition
Desirable
• Excellent report writing, analytical, networking, presentation, and communication skills.
• High levels of demonstrated skills in prioritizing tasks and meeting deadlines.
• Demonstrate good work experience with local and national governments, INGO and local NGO partners and the Private Sector.
• Experience working in clean cooking programs
A detailed job description can be accessed here- https://practicalaction.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/JD-Project-Officer-Enterprise-Development-clean-cooking-Advert-May-2024.pdf
How to apply
If you are ready for an exciting challenge with an organisation whose mission and values are particularly relevant in these rapidly changing times, please forward your application, curriculum vitae and cover letter to: Practical Action, Kenya Office by email: [email protected] no later than 23rd May, 2024 indicating ‘Practical Action: Job Title Position in the subject line of the email. Your cover letter should outline why you feel this is the position for you and you are the right candidate. Please include the names of 3 referees in your CV.
Additional Information
Practical Action is an equal opportunities employer and we encourage applications from under-represented groups. We stay committed to cultivating an inclusive and diverse working environment and believe that people from different backgrounds or cultures give us different perspectives, and the more perspectives we have, the more successful we will be. By building a culture where everyone feels heard, respected and valued we give everyone working with us the opportunity to achieve their full potential.
Practical Action is committed to safeguarding and protecting children and vulnerable adults and as such candidates will be subject to pre-employment checks.
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
deadline: 23 May 2024