Why Join CLASP’s Market Development & Innovation (MD&I) Team
CLASP’s MD&I team works in partnership with stakeholders across Africa and South Asia to improve markets for energy efficient, high-quality appliances, both on and off the grid.
Our team provides world-class technical and advisory services aimed at developing global off-grid appliance markets. We conduct cutting-edge research and share information widely; we develop test methods and evaluate products to identify top performers and ensure quality; we engage with leading product manufacturers and downstream market stakeholders to identify and address market barriers; we run competitions to identify best-in-class products and reward innovation; and we provide financial incentives to buyers of those products to drive scale.
As our global portfolio continues to grow, we are expanding our team to ensure we can deliver the best possible outcomes. We are looking for motivated professionals who are excited to join a dynamic and diverse international organization that is deeply committed to its mission and values of collaboration, transparency, and service.
Coordinator, Clean Energy Access
CLASP is seeking an experienced and motivated professional with an interest and/or background in energy access, international development, policy, and/or engineering to help us execute our portfolio of clean energy access initiatives. This new position will work across and provide support for CLASP’s broad and expanding portfolio of work. The candidate could be asked to work on any on the following market development programs:
Low-Energy Inclusive Appliances (LEIA): This program focuses on accelerating off- and weak-grid markets for highly efficient appliances. LEIA supports a suite of high-impact market development, technical, policy, research, and innovation interventions.
Lighting Global Quality Assurance Framework: This program provides effective third-party certification and market development programing for off-grid lighting products, including solar lanterns and solar home system kits.
The Global LEAP Off-Grid Appliance Data Platform: This program is a straightforward high-impact effort to test off-grid appliances according to international laboratory best practices, aggregate and share the data, and work with global stakeholders, including investors, policymakers, manufacturers, and purchasers, to interpret and use the data.
The Global LEAP Awards & Off-Grid Appliance Procurement Incentives Program: This program couples the Global LEAP Outstanding Off-Grid Appliance Awards with results-based financing procurement incentives to drive best-in-class appliances into emerging off-grid markets. The program also features a variety of other market development activities, such as policy technical assistance and market research, and a robust monitoring and evaluation framework. The Global LEAP Awards programs cover a variety of solar powered appliances: TVs, refrigerators, water pumps, cold storage, electric pressure cookers, and solar e-waste.
The Coordinator will work as part of a dynamic international team to contribute to the success of LEIA, LGQA, Global LEAP and related initiatives. They will work collaboratively with CLASP team members in the United States, Bangladesh, East Africa, India, and Europe, as well as a wide network of international partners and program stakeholders. They will help to create, measure, and report LEIA/E4A programmatic impacts, and will be responsible for a wide and diverse range of activities related to the development and execution of programmatic, organizational, and energy access goals.
The ideal candidate will be able to demonstrate skill and success in some of the following areas: knowledge about appliance energy efficiency, enabling technologies, and product markets and supply chains as related to energy access; excellent people skills; effective project management, execution, and/or administration; coordination of productive and collegial institutional partnerships; experience contributing to effective published resources and materials; effective verbal and written communications about technical topics to both subject matter experts and laypeople; extraordinary commitment to impacts, results, and world-class work product; and a sense of humor.
Box checkers need not apply. Creative, open-minded, innovative self-starters welcome.
Primary Duties and Responsibilities
Help maintain and improve program infrastructure: Collaborate with global team members on the scoping, design, and execution of a complex, fast-moving project portfolio.
Coordinate! Collaborate! Repeat! Work with CLASP colleagues, partners, stakeholders, sub-contractors, and grantees around the world to develop and implement programs, projects, and research efforts.
Support program outreach, communications, and reporting: Help CLASP build support among key constituents – including industry leaders, academic institutions, trade associations, government decision makers, and donor organizations – by conducting a variety of outreach and stakeholder engagement activities.
Turn ideas into impact: Take LEIA-, E4A-, and partner-generated knowledge products, resources, and tools, and inspire and facilitate impact-oriented follow-on activity and market/program/policy action.
Execute critical program administrative tasks: Manage day-to-day activities that ensure program impacts (e.g., develop and maintain contact databases, respond to or escalate inquiries from external stakeholders, organize video and teleconferences).
Liaise with CLASP’s operations team: Ensure timely completion of tasks that require input or approval by the operations team (e.g., contracting, payment of invoices).
Stay nimble and collaborative, and keep the big picture in mind: Contribute to and conduct programmatic work within the larger context of partner, sectoral, and CLASP efforts.
Qualifications
Two to five years of professional experience in business development and/or program administration; experience in the off-grid clean energy sector or analogous sectors preferred
Familiarity with off-grid, rural, or emerging market product distribution and/or supply chains is ideal
Time management and outstanding organizational skills with ability to manage multiple tasks at once
A strong work ethic is a must
Experience working within and collaborating across international, matrixed teams
Entrepreneurial approach to designing and executing long-term initiatives, and proactive, nimble, and strategic approach to problem-solving
Experience communicating for a climate, energy, or technology sector audience preferred
Ability to translate complex technical information to industry, policy, and investor audience required
Persuasive and effective communication skills, both verbal and written; exceptional written and spoken English a must
An ability to help CLASP establish, build, and continually reinforce confidence in a variety of internal and external stakeholder groups will be essential to success
Ability to work from the big picture to the small details
Experience working with energy-consuming products, test methods, government standards, and procurement programs preferred
Experience overseeing the work of subcontractors strongly preferred
Ability to maintain composure, flexibility, and a sense of humor under tight deadlines
Strong interpersonal, listening, and critical thinking skills
Proficiency with Microsoft Office suite, especially Word and Excel
Bachelor’s degree required; Graduate degree in a relevant field (e.g., engineering, international relations, development, economics, environmental science) preferred
Compensation and Location
The compensation package at CLASP is highly-competitive with international NGOs based in Kenya. In addition to salary, the package includes health insurance, unlimited leave, holidays, and a retirement plan. Additionally, CLASP is committed to team members having a work-life balance through its flexible work policy. This position is full-time and based in the organization’s Nairobi, Kenya office.
