Senior Energy Access Advisor
Description
Project/Consultancy Title: Senior Energy Access Advisor
Project Location(s): Nigeria, Remote working
BACKGROUND
Mercy Corps is a leading global development and humanitarian organization which operates in more than 40 countries around the world. Our vision for energy is a world where people can leverage the power of clean, sustainable and renewable energy to build resilient, inclusive and equitable communities while adapting to and mitigating the impact of climate change. Clean energy improves people’s quality of life and accelerates economic opportunities. Integrating clean energy into food security systems increases productivity across food production, processing, storage and transportation.
Energy 4 Impact (E4I), the energy innovation platform of Mercy Corps, manages programs that increase access to energy and productive use of energy (PUE) for poor and vulnerable communities in Sub Saharan Africa (SSA), Asia and other developing markets. We do a lot of work with small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and end users to help them grow their business, trial new business models and technologies, and raise capital.
The consultant will provide business development support (BDS) and capital raising advisory services to SMEs on various E4I programs in Nigeria and the rest of SSA, including Get.invest FRS and PREO. The consultant may also occasionally be asked to support on the preparation of reports and publications, and on the technical design of concept notes and business development proposals.
GET.invest is a European program that mobilises investment in clean energy in developing countries. It supports project developers and companies with investment readiness and links them with financiers. Managed by GIZ, it is funded by the European Union, Germany, Sweden, the Netherlands, and Austria. GET.invest Finance Readiness Support (FRS) enables locally owned and managed clean energy businesses to access finance. The service provides early-stage energy SMEs in SSA and other developing regions with hands-on, in-depth business model and capital raising advice. Nigeria is one of the top priority countries for Get.invest. E4I is one of 8 advisory organizations chosen to deliver FRS.
PREO
Powering Renewable Energy Opportunities (PREO) catalyzes the growth of PUE enterprises in SSA and Asia. The program, which is funded by FCDO and IKEA Foundation, has been running since 2018 and runs until September 2027. PREO provides grant capital and technical assistance (TA) for early-stage PUE innovations and shares the learnings through a knowledge management platform. It helps SMEs and other organizations to test and demonstrate PUE business models, thereby enabling them to gather critical business data, attract private capital and scale up further. PREO has funded over 30 PUE organizations in SSA across sectors such as electric mobility, solar irrigation, cold storage, and the circular economy. PREO is jointly implemented by the Carbon Trust and E4I.
OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES
The consultant will offer advisory services to SMEs:
Business Development Support (BDS)
- Support companies on their business strategy, including business model development, customer value proposition, unit economic analysis, sales growth, and market positioning and expansion.
- Provide engineering advice on technical system design and possibly procurement of equipment.
- Build the capacity of companies in supply chain management.
- Support the development of internal tools and processes to increase operational efficiency, including on budgeting and forecasting.
- Assist companies in developing Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and other business analytics to support fundraising.
Capital Raising Advisory
- Help companies develop their funding strategy and identify the type and amount of capital required.
- Help companies develop investor-facing materials, including pitch decks, teasers and financial models.
- Identify potential funders and investors.
- Coach companies on pitching to investors and partners.
- Introduce companies to potential investors and support them in negotiations on contracts and term sheets.
- Assist companies in going through investor due diligence.
DELIVERABLES
We will agree deliverables with the consultant as below:
- BDS deliverables for the companies e.g critiqued business model, progress report for donor. Ultimately the goal of the BDS is to help the companies create sustainable business models and, in the case of Get.invest, directly support in capital raising.
- Capital Raising Advisory deliverables for the companies e.g financial model and investor materials, introductions to # investors, progress report for donor. Ultimately the goal is to help 1-2 companies get accepted for financial intake by potential financiers and then reach financial close.
- Other deliverables related to energy access reports and publications, and designing business development concepts and proposals.
REQUIRED EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS
Experience
- At least 8 years’ experience in at least one and preferably several of the following areas:
- Energy project development, operations, financing or appliances
- Advisory, management or strategic consulting
- Early-stage business building and capital raising
- Experience working with rural and off-grid business models in Africa and other developing markets.
- Experience working in a fast-moving entrepreneurial environment and an understanding of the unique challenges faced by local businesses.
Qualifications
- Graduate or Postgraduate Degree in Business Management, Economics, Finance, International Development, Energy, Environment, Climate Change, Engineering or other relevant subject.
Skills and Knowledge
- Ability to mentor early-stage energy companies and help them develop commercial, financial and technical solutions.
- Ability to manage multiple company engagements and meet deadlines.
- Strong network in energy access space, including SMEs, investors and donors.
- Strong understanding of the off-grid market, entrepreneurial space, and impact investing sectors, preferably in an African context.
- Ability to critique and develop financial models.
- Strong written and oral communication skills.
- Fluent English.
Personal qualities
- Team player.
- Problem solver.
- Attention to detail and a focus on results.
- Ability to think outside the box, to see the big picture and connect the dots.
- Ability to prioritize and multi-task.
- Willingness to occasionally travel internationally.
- Passion for working in the development and impact sector.
TIMEFRAME / SCHEDULE
The Senior Energy Access Advisor will be contracted for a period of up to 12 months, during which time a variable level of effort will be agreed based on certain deliverables. The contract may be extended after 12 months based on performance and available budgets.
COMPENSATION / DAY RATE
We offer competitive day rates that are commensurate with experience. Consultants are required to fill in timesheets for invoicing purposes.
WORKING ARRANGEMENTS
The Consultant will report to:
Peter Weston, Managing Director of E4I
The Consultant will work closely with:
Get.invest Program Manager
PREO Program Manager
E4I Advisory Team
E4I BD Team
Other GET.invest and PREO Team Members
Mercy Corps Country Teams (mainly for operational or travel matters)
DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION
Achieving our mission begins with how we build our team and work together. Through our commitment to enriching our organization with people of different origins, beliefs, backgrounds, and ways of thinking, we are better able to leverage the collective power of our teams and solve the world’s most complex challenges. We strive for a culture of trust and respect, where everyone contributes their perspectives and authentic selves, reaches their potential as individuals and teams, and collaborates to do the best work of their lives.
We recognize that diversity and inclusion is a journey, and we are committed to learning, listening and evolving to become more diverse, equitable and inclusive than we are today.
Equal Employment Opportunity
We are committed to providing an environment of respect and psychological safety where equal employment opportunities are available to all. We do not engage in or tolerate discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, disability (including HIV/AIDS status), marital status, military veteran status or any other protected group in the locations where we work.
We are committed to providing an environment of respect and psychological safety where equal employment opportunities are available to all. We do not engage in or tolerate discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, disability (including HIV/AIDS status), marital status, military veteran status or any other protected group in the locations where we work.
Safeguarding & Ethics
Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our stakeholders and to international standards guiding international relief and development work, while actively engaging communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects. Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and MC's policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues.
Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our stakeholders and to international standards guiding international relief and development work, while actively engaging communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects. Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and MC's policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues.