Consultant: Inclusive investment research and design

Location:  

Working from your own premises. Occasional travel to refugee camps and other countries in sub-Saharan Africa might be required, although we seek to minimise carbon emissions associated with our work as much as possible.   

We are working hard to accelerate transformative climate solutions for a more just world. We are now seeking an experienced consultant who will deepen our understanding of how we can better support enterprises led by displaced people innovating in energy access to help build a more equal, low-carbon society.   

This is part of our work on the UK-FCDO-funded Transforming Humanitarian Energy Access (THEA) programme in partnership with the Global Platform for Action on Sustainable Energy in Displacement Settings (GPA), Chatham House and Global Refugee-led Network (GRN).  

This assignment will require approximately 50 days between December and February.

This consultant will: 

• Engage various stakeholders, including finance and credit institutions, venture capitalists, and refugee energy business entrepreneurs, to understand barriers to humanitarian energy and the kinds of support businesses led by displaced people require to grow and thrive.  
• Conduct a landscape mapping exercise to identify the displaced people-led businesses that currently exist in the Transforming Humanitarian Energy Access programme’s four priority countries – Bangladesh, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda. This will include reviewing Ashden pipeline of past Ashden Award applicants in these countries, speaking to partners and key stakeholders in the humanitarian energy sector, conducting additional desk research and categorising the businesses according to their stages of growth.  
• Develop criteria around the different stages of growth of the businesses and the different kinds of support they require.   
• Design inclusive mechanisms to support these businesses with grants, direct investment and business support to help them scale.  
• Develop impact metrics to monitor the progress/growth of the businesses and evaluate the success of the mechanisms.  

Skills required: 

Essential: 

• Knowledge of and experience in international development, energy access and/or humanitarian sectors.   
• Extensive knowledge of enterprise financing and support, microfinance and inclusive investment.  
• Good research and analytical skills and the ability to synthesise complex information into clear concept notes and briefs.   
• Excellent written and verbal English communication skills.  
• Flexible and willing to work outside office hours to overlap with team in the UK, as required.    

 Desirable: 

• Familiarity with the displacement context.  
• Experience in multi-stakeholder collaboration and managing complex projects with people in different geographies. 
• Confident networker with strong networks in East Africa.  
• Good problem-solving skills and ability to get things done.   
• Experience using Document Management and CRM.  
• Fluency in Swahili.  

To apply please send a CV and a cover letter demonstrating that you have the skills we are looking for to Chhavi Sharma chhavi.sharma@ashden.org. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis, and people with a displacement background are encouraged to apply.