Project Manager Consultant – County Energy Planning, 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
In recent years, Kenya has emerged as a prominent player in the global effort to address energy challenges and promote sustainable development. These includes development the Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL) Action Agenda and Investment Prospectus, the bioenergy strategy and the Energy Efficiency and conservation Strategy among other initiatives. As the country experiences economic growth and a rapidly expanding population, the demand for energy continues to surge. To meet these growing needs, it has become imperative for Kenya to develop comprehensive and well-structured energy planning strategies at both the national and county levels. Strengthening energy planning is not only crucial for securing a stable energy supply but also for fostering socio-economic progress, environmental sustainability, and energy security in the nation.
The Energy Act 2019 consolidates the laws relating to energy, to provide for National and County Government functions in relation to energy. The Act has further provided the legal framework for integrated energy planning as defined in the INEP (Integrated national energy planning) Framework that provides the guidance for development of national and county energy plans.
Devolution, which grants substantial powers and responsibilities to county governments, presents a unique opportunity for localized energy planning tailored to specific regional needs. Each county possesses distinct energy resources and challenges, and an individualized approach will enable a more efficient and inclusive energy sector. Through enhanced county energy planning, there is potential for increased community involvement, localized job creation, and improved energy service delivery. Additionally, engaging local communities and stakeholders in the planning process can lead to better acceptance and support for energy projects, thus contributing to sustainable development across the entire nation.
The county energy planning process also provides a good opportunity to prioritize clean cooking which has not been at the center of energy policy, strategy and planning in Kenya. Prioritizing clean cooking in energy planning is crucial for Kenya’s sustainable development. It not only improves public health, mitigates climate change, and empowers women but also contributes to economic growth and aligns with global sustainability goals. By transitioning to cleaner and more efficient cooking methods, Kenya can create a healthier, cleaner, and more equitable future for its citizens while making a positive impact on the global fight against climate change.
In an effort to strengthen County level energy plans, strategy and policies on clean cooking, Practical Action in partnership with other stakeholders will be providing technical assistance to support the development of inclusive and integrated energy plans for the three counties.
In this regard, Practical Action is therefore seeking the services of a consultant to provide support in the development of three County Energy Plans (CEPs).

Delivering Performance – 60%
Planning, monitoring, and reporting of the project field activities.
• Overseeing the effective implementation and delivery of project activities; ensuring quality delivery and performance in line with project objectives and the broader organizational strategies and in close coordination with project partners and other project staff.
• Serve as the budget holder for the project, manage and support delegated sub-budget holders for grants and individual contracts where applicable.
• Contribute to development of tools and methodologies for integrated energy planning.
• Work with the support team to ensure that the project activities are implemented in line with the grant agreement and work schedules in a timely manner and within the budget.
• Lead in the execution of work plans, budget plans, monitoring, evaluation and learning plans, communication plans, and documentation plans.
• Work closely with Impact and Influence team to ensure systematic and gender sensitive monitoring and evaluation and ensure findings are recorded and escalated to guide the continued successful implementation of the project and inform the development of new initiatives.
• Identify project risks, monitor, and update the risk register, as well as execute mitigation plans to minimize the effects of the identified risks.
• Take the lead role in project reporting, ensuring that timely project reports are prepared and shared as per donor requirements.
Coordination and communication-15%
• Coordinate with the national and county governments, partner’s team to deliver agreed technical outputs towards the preparation of the county energy plans, Organize meetings, workshops, and other information dissemination events with different stakeholders as appropriate.
• Coordinate the engagement between energy and nexus sectors for the achievement of integrated planning with energy as an enabler of other sectors.
• Contribute to awareness raising and influencing the public and private sector on the role of energy as an enabler and the need for effective community and private sector engagement during the energy planning process,
• Coordinate and collaborate with other relevant actors for mutual sharing and learning.
Managing Relationships – 10%
• Establish and strengthen key relationships with the donor, national and county governments, private sector, other implementing partners, community networks and other professional contacts outside the organization and explore opportunities for the development of synergies with other ongoing initiatives around a just and inclusive energy transition.
• Maintain relationship with County and National level stakeholders ensuring that transparency at all levels is maintained and project information is communicated to relevant stakeholders in a timely manner.
• Collaborate and contribute to networking with other PA programme partners for learning and adoption of innovative interventions to improve project delivery.
Lead People – 10%
• Supervise, manage and build a motivated project team of Project Officers and consultants to achieve their maximum productivity to ensure the project -outcomes are met.
• Proactively ensure the well-being of team members and ensure they are aware of policies to help manage insecure environments.
Strengthen Organizational Profile – 5%
• Contribute to the visibility/positioning of the project, including representing Practical Action to share project outcomes during national, regional, and international forums.
• Ensure compliance to 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 modelled by others.
• Responsible for overseeing gender responsive behavior in all actions and decisions related to the project.

PERSON PROFILE
To be successful in the role, the ideal candidate should possess the following:

Experience & Knowledge

• Minimum of a Masters degree in a field related to renewable energy, environmental planning, environmental studies, natural resources, social sciences/ development studies
• At least seven (7) years demonstrated experience and expertise in gender-responsive project design and implementation, particularly in the energy sector.
• Proven track record in energy planning, policy, strategy development and building networks with relevant stakeholders including County and National Governments, private sector, CSOs and development partners.
• Excellent analytical, report writing, and communication skills.
• Excellent networking and communication skills
• Good presentation and adult training skills
• Excellent advocacy and influencing skills, demonstrated through prior work experience.
• Leadership capacity and an ability to make decisions and participate in setting strategic direction.

Essential

• Willingness and enthusiasm to sometimes work in challenging situations with vulnerable communities living in remote parts of the country.
• Project management skills with supporting skills in finance management, contract management, communication, negotiation and representation.
• Leadership capacity and an ability to make decisions and participate in setting strategic direction.
• Working experience in mainstreaming gender in project interventions.
• Ability to prioritize tasks and meet strict deadlines.

Desirable

• Demonstrated experience working effectively with local and national governments, INGO and local NGO partners and the Private Sector
• Experience working in gender and energy programs.
• Experience with energy delivery models

A detailed TOR can be accessed here- https://practicalaction.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/TOR-Project-Manager-Consultant-CEP-Project.pdf