Job description

About the Organization

CLASP serves at the epicenter of collaborative, ambitious efforts to mitigate climate change and in the global movement for clean energy access, through appliance efficiency. Our mission is to improve the energy and environmental performance of the appliances & equipment we use every day, accelerating our transition to a more sustainable world. We work hand-in-hand with governments, experts, industry, consumers, donor organizations and others to propel policies and markets toward the highest-quality, lowest resource-intensive appliances possible.

CLASP has worked in more than 100 countries since our inception in 1999. CLASP has offices in Washington, DC (USA), Nairobi (Kenya), and New Delhi (India). We also have teams in Europe, China, and Indonesia. We are mission-driven and committed to a culture of diversity, transparency, collaboration, and impactful work. See our Team Page to learn more about us. 

CLASP’s Clean Energy Access Team

CLASP’s Clean Energy Access program supports ambitious efforts to increase global access to clean energy through appliance and equipment energy efficiency. We work in partnership with key stakeholders in South Asia, East and West Africa, China — with support from a diverse group of funders.   

Our team helps build healthy markets for off-grid solar products by driving innovation and sales in early-stage product markets, surfacing data and research on product performance, market trends, and consumer preferences, establishing technical foundations for consumer protection, and aligning sector stakeholders across the value-chain. 

From advancing the off-grid solar technologies, bringing power to energy-impoverished people, to building climate resilience of underserved communities, CLASP’s CEA programs increase uptake of affordable, low-impact, high-quality appliances. 

As our global portfolio continues to grow, we are expanding our team to help us execute our portfolio of clean energy access initiatives. CLASP’s energy access programs include the Efficiency for Access Coalition and its flagship Low-Energy Inclusive Appliances program, the Global LEAP Awards, and VeraSol Quality Assurance, among other initiatives in the pipeline, including a Productive Use Appliance Financing Facility. Learn more about our programs.

About the role: Senior Associate – Clean Energy Access

The Senior Associate will be a key member of the CLASP East Africa program team and will be responsible for supporting the design and implementation of CLASP’s strategy, plans, and deliverables for the Clean Energy Access program. The Senior Associate will work closely with colleagues as well as external partners and stakeholders to lead the development and execution of several program goals and objectives within the Efficiency for Access ecosystem, and will perform a wide range of activities including program and project management, stakeholder engagement and relationship development, program and policy planning, business development, and market and technology assessments. 

The Senior Associate will be based in CLASP’s Nairobi office, and will work collaboratively with CLASP’s Clean Energy Access team in Washington, D.C., India, Europe and Southeast Asia, as well as a wide network of international partners and program stakeholders in Africa, including government agencies, funding institutions, program partners, appliance manufacturers and distributors, and local and international NGOs and companies to support standards development and implementation in Africa and beyond, to help plan and execute our global portfolio of market development programs and projects.

Key Responsibilities

The Senior Associate will play key roles in several projects commensurate with their knowledge and experience. Specifically:

Efficiency for Access and the Low Energy Inclusive Appliances Program:

• Identify and explore barriers to skills development for Clean Energy Access (CEA) jobs in the productive use appliance supply chain, particularly in East Africa. Develop creative approaches for overcoming these barriers that fit into a Workforce and Skills Development workstream and leverages EforA program activities.
• Lead the design of Workforce and Skills Development programmatic work in East Africa with the goal of nurturing, increasing +/improving the labor market for CEA jobs. Suggested approaches should be both empowering and inclusive. 
• Identify and foster strategic partnerships related to the Workforce and Skills Development workstream (e.g. companies for graduate fellowships, certification programs for semi-skilled technicians). Oversee the contracting process and partnership outputs
• Develop and support execution of foundational program elements (e.g., training modules, monitoring and evaluation processes). Provide regular progress updates.

The Productive Use Appliance Financing Facility:

• Play a leading role in development relationships with industry players to help build a pipeline of companies to participate in the facility, including identification of and outreach to key individuals in leadership positions.  
• Represent the facility as needed in relevant sector forums such as webinars, conferences, etc. 
• Work with global team members in evaluating company applications for financing; support ongoing management of companies thereafter. 
• Regularly report on relationship building activities among key stakeholders including off-grid industry leaders, trade associations, government decision makers, and donor organizations.
• Support the organization of successful and high value workshops and networking events as needed, and other stakeholder consultations on key issues for the clean energy access program as necessary to maximize industry, government, and non-government participation in program activities.

Qualifications

• 5+years of experience, specifically in the off-grid clean energy sector or analogous sectors preferred.
• Bachelor's degree required; Graduate degree in a relevant field (e.g., engineering, international relations, development, economics, environmental science) preferred.
• Deep familiarity with off-grid, rural, or emerging market product distribution and/or supply chains is highly preferred.
• Deep knowledge of energy access and related issues required.
• Private sector experience and some familiarity with finance preferred. 
• Experience working within and collaborating across international, matrixed program teams – strong project management skills, demonstrated ability to manage teams and subcontractors, and ability to develop strong relationships with diverse project stakeholders; knows how to work through people to get results and can own processes across teams.
• Direct experience in partnership/coalition/network framework coordination strongly preferred. An ability to establish, build, and continually reinforce confidence in a variety of internal and external stakeholder groups and constituencies will be essential to success.
• Entrepreneurial approach to design and execution of long-term initiatives, and proactive, nimble, and strategic approach to problem-solving.
• Outstanding communication skills in both written and spoken English and proven ability to convey technical content in a clear and concise manner.
• Experience communicating for a climate, energy, or technology sector audience preferred.
• Ability to translate complex technical information to industry, policy, and investor audiences required
• Strong interpersonal skills and an orientation toward working in a collaborative environment, and a commitment to diversity and inclusion, with experience working with diverse teams and successfully navigating cross-cultural communication in both local and global contexts, and deeply valuing creating a workplace that is supportive of differences. 
• Strong time management and organizational skills with ability to manage multiple tasks and projects at a time under deadline while managing other colleagues with flexibility, composure and humor.
• Strong work ethic and an ability to take initiative; a drive to learn and grow on the job.
• Intellectual agility and a commitment to professional development.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office suite, especially Word and Excel.

Why this role is compelling

You will be exposed to an unusually wide range of people and issues in the climate and energy sectors, as well as the internal infrastructure and operations of a global NGO. You will be able to directly shape and have ownership of several new, high profile projects with long-term remits.

A successful candidate will develop and grow a broad set of professional skills, honing them to the level of excellence in a demanding and fast-paced environment. You will work with, learn from, and grow alongside a high-performing and diverse team in which everyone is committed to the development of themselves and others.

This role provides the opportunity for travel locally and internationally, about 30% of the time. 

Compensation and Location

CLASP provides its employees with a competitive salary that is benchmarked annually with other non-profit organizations. CLASP also provides a comprehensive benefits package, including fully paid health insurance for individuals and competitive rates for families/dependents, unlimited leave and all federal holidays, an impressive match of employee contributions to the retirement plan and a collegial office environment that supports professional development, wellness and flexible telecommuting options.

CLASP offers a competitive salary for the role based on the candidate’s level of experience.

This is will be based out of Nairobi, Kenya.

Application Process

CLASP is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. Our goal is to be a diverse workforce that is representative, at all job levels, of the citizens we serve. CLASP complies with all federal, state and local employment law in the countries we operate and is committed to providing equal opportunity for all employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, disability, political affiliation, personal appearance, family responsibilities, matriculation, genetic information, military or protected veteran status, credit information or any other characteristic protected under federal, state or local law. Each person is evaluated based on personal skill and merit. CLASP’s policy regarding equal employment opportunity applies to all aspects of employment, including recruitment, hiring, job assignments, promotions, working conditions, scheduling, benefits, wage and salary administration, disciplinary action, termination, and social, educational and recreational programs.