What we are looking for:

In the current strategy period, NRC Kenya is strengthening its response to address the impacts of climate change on the displacement affected and to reduce our own programming and operational environmental footprint. NRC’s stated ambition within its 2022-2025 Country Strategy is for “people we serve to have access to sustainable, clean and cost-effective energy options which reduce environmental impact in target areas”. NRC has the ambitions to institutionalize climate and energy and to dedicate adequate resources and capacities to ensure that displaced populations have access to reliable, clean, affordable and sustainable energy that will improve their living conditions at home, across the community and contribute to self-reliance.

The Energy and Environment Specialist (EES) will oversee and offer technical leadership for the Kenya Country Programme (covering both Kenya and Tanzania programmes) in relation to Energy and Environment (E&E) interventions in NRC’s areas of operation. The EES will lead the coordination, quality response, project management, and reporting of activities under NRC’s E&E programmes and will support and provide technical supervision of E&E interventions for the Kenya Country programme delivered through NRC’s partners. The EES will be responsible for programme design, lessons sharing, assessment, coordination, leadership and overseeing emergency responses, with and through in-country local actors   in collaboration with partner organisation programme leads, Programme Managers, Head of Programmes, Regional Office technical teams and relevant programme and support departments, including safety and security. The EES will also lead NRC’s positioning on cash and market-based E&E initiatives, and will facilitate the harmonisation of approaches and methodologies across programmes with partners. A key area of collaboration and codesigning programmes will be with the private sector.

The EES will be responsible for strengthening and coordinating implementation of the NRC strategic ambitions on clean energy access and mitigation of negative environmental impact of NRC’s programmes and will support the Country Office in the development of programming solutions. They will develop relevant approaches and tools, including for capacity building, technical guidance and resource mobilization plans to support NRC Country Office where energy is integrated into programmes, addressing the needs of population affected by displacement.

What you will do:

Key objectives for this role include:

• Responsible for ensuring compliance and adherence to NRC policies, guidance and procedures in relation to the relevant thematic area while contributing to the development of policies, strategies, tools and new approaches with a focus on innovation and piloting.
• Support the development of country strategies on clean energy access initiatives and indicators.
• Responsible for providing strategic advice, technical support and capacity-building support to NRC’s partners on relevant clean energy solutions implementation plans in line with global policies and strategies.
• Support the development of climate and clean energy programme design and approaches for NRC Core Competencies.
• Support institutional and private sector partnerships development for clean energy access.

Specific Responsibilities:

• Manage mapping on Climate Adaptation in humanitarian response in the country and present recommendations to Country Management.
• Responsible to map potential partnerships for NRC within climate and environment core competency and provide recommendation to the country management team. In addition, consolidate and signpost donor policy minimum environmental standards and climate adaptation funding opportunities.
• Generate and expand environmental assessment and programme adaptation cross-learning, including climate-proofing in NRC’s programmes sectors guidance, and produce a regular ‘analysis and learning report’ – including summaries of all NEAT+ assessments and findings of past or ongoing projects.
• Capacity build and support roll out of environmental screening, including through the NEAT+ tool, to NRC’s partners and humanitarian partners.
• Conduct analysis on the effects of climate change on displacement affected communities and their coping strategies to these and disseminate regularly to improve knowledge and expertise within NRC.

Please download the detailed job description to learn about all the responsibilities as the above are just a snapshot.

What you will bring:

Generic professional competencies: 

Generic professional competencies for this position: 

• Academic qualifications: Advanced university degree in engineering, electrical engineering, sustainable development studies, environmental management, energy technology, or relevant fields.
• Experience: A minimum of six years of relevant professional experience in a private sector and/or energy provider, management consulting or auditor/consulting firm; investment firm or social enterprise with energy/infrastructure focus; or UN/humanitarian/development agency working directly on operationalising clean energy solutions.
• Experience of delivering learning and development as part of programme development and capacity building
• Direct experience designing and implementing development/humanitarian projects a highly desirable advantage
• Experience in complex and volatile contexts

Context/Specific skills, knowledge and experience:

• Demonstrated experience in the design and application of energy and environment solutions, including renewable energy.
• Experience in the planning, design, budgeting and management of energy and environment systems and projects.
• Extensive knowledge of financial, regulatory and/or policy frameworks, renewable energy financial management.
• Familiarity with renewable energy business development and pilot programming is an asset.
• Familiarity with other non-solar-based energy solutions (biogas, biomass, hydraulic, wind)
• Ability to meet reporting deadlines, manage budgets and complete quarterly and yearly reporting.
• Fluency in English both written and verbal.