About Ignite Energy Access

Ignite Energy Access is Africa’s leading distributed renewable energy provider, delivering state-of-the-art solutions that enable reliable, affordable, and sustainable energy access to millions across the continent. Operating across 13 countries, we are building the infrastructure of the future – reliable, clean and accessible to everyone, everywhere. Positioned at the forefront of technological disruption and climate finance leadership, Ignite Energy Access is accelerating the shift to the next-generation utility services, empowering tens of millions across Africa and beyond.

Job Purpose

The role leads the delivery of integrated initiatives around stakeholder management, engagement, advocacy and influencing within and outside the organization. The role is responsible for overseeing external stakeholder engagement of Ignite Energy Access (IEA) activities and events to raise the profile of the organization and create awareness on the benefits of a sustainable renewable energy such as solar. This role will oversee the development and execution of strategy for IEA Tanzania in collaboration with the Country Director. The Business Strategy Manager is also responsible for leading high level business analyses and provide analytical input to improve the company’s operating performance.

Responsibilities

Fundraising, Grants and Donor Management

• Determine grant funding needs based on strategic objectives.
• Draft and submit grant proposals in line with strategic objectives.
• Managing grant allocation, claims, and disbursement processes, optimizing for accuracy, value to the business and meeting agreed disbursement targets with donor partners.
• Act as a first point of contact for all operational interaction with donors.
• Manage all reporting requirements and other documentation for grant programs and government agencies and ensure team compliance with terms and conditions of complex grant and contract agreements.

Strategy

• Support the development and implementation of IEA Tanzania’s long-term strategic plans.
• Drive cross-functional strategic initiatives by working with all departments to implement initiatives and ensure all milestones are achieved.
• Lead the planning and execution of a short-to-medium term macroeconomic strategy where needed.
• Evaluate industry trends and conduct a regular competitive landscape analysis of the solar home system market and energy sector in Tanzania.

Business Planning & Support

• Undertake specific ad-hoc projects or initiatives at the request of the Country Director with the aim to increase momentum and actively track performance/progress.
• Manage data and materials preparation to support respective governance forums, such as War Room, CEO MBR, QBR reports and bi-weekly reports.
• Monitor and effectively communicate business performance and provide insights as well as corrective actions to ensure business objectives are met.
• Develop performance management tools, such as ROI, that look at teams’ efficiency and effectiveness.
• Work on specific projects/deep dives and ensure follow through, particularly when thematic issues arise (work with different members of the management and regional team); provide timely and succinct updates on issues/projects.
• Developing and maintain Single-Source of Truth Dashboard for Management

Networking and Representation

• Represent IEA TZ in relationships with decision-makers to persuasively advocate for affordable energy solutions
• Facilitate the development of strategic partnerships with relevant agencies within and beyond the energy sector, academia, media, and research institutions to influence and change policy and advocate for integration of energy across other key sectors.
• Represent the business in national, donor, and government (national and international) forums related to energy to influence thinking of other stakeholders on effective delivery of energy and build a reputation as a sector lead.
• Responsible for identifying key sector issues on to focus advocacy efforts.
• Craft and execute a cost effective Corporate Social Responsibility strategy.

Team management

• Identify skills and resource needed to deliver against strategic plans of department, recruit and develop team members accordingly.
• Effectively manage performance of team members and motivate them to develop and perform at their best.
• Create and maintain a positive team environment conducive to high performance, according to IEA Values.

Knowledge and skills

Experience:

• Minimum of five (7) years’ management experience and at least two (2) of which should be working with a senior management.
• Experience in developing key strategic and operational partnerships at different levels
• Good understanding of government structures and how they function and ability to navigate the system.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills (including report writing) in English to produce professional documents of national and international standards and participate in policy discussions and debates
• Strategic thinker. Able to see the bigger picture, challenges and opportunities and create a long-term vision. Able to lead strategic discussions.
• Ability and presence to act as a spokesperson for IEA Tanzania in a way that builds credibility and influence.

Qualifications:

• Minimum of a University Degree, preferably in a discipline such as Development Finance, Social Policy/Political Science /Public Administration/Economics
• Masters’ Degree in Business or Social Field an added advantage

Skills:

• Grant management, proposal development, and donor relations
• Strategic planning, execution, and sector analysis
• Business performance analysis and executive-level reporting
• Project and portfolio management
• Policy engagement, advocacy, and external representation
• Data management, dash boarding, and visualization
• Leadership, team development, and performance management

Language(s):

• English
• Swahili

Technology:

• Computer skills – advanced proficiency with email programs and in Excel, Power Point, other analytical tools, SQL, etc.

• Determine grant funding needs based on strategic objectives.
• Draft and submit grant proposals in line with strategic objectives.
• Managing grant allocation, claims, and disbursement processes, optimizing for accuracy, value to the business and meeting agreed disbursement targets with donor partners.
• Act as a first point of contact for all operational interaction with donors.
• Manage all reporting requirements and other documentation for grant programs and government agencies and ensure team compliance with terms and conditions of complex grant and contract agreements.
• Support the development and implementation of IEA Tanzania’s long-term strategic plans.
• Drive cross-functional strategic initiatives by working with all departments to implement initiatives and ensure all milestones are achieved.
• Lead the planning and execution of a short-to-medium term macroeconomic strategy where needed.
• Evaluate industry trends and conduct a regular competitive landscape analysis of the solar home system market and energy sector in Tanzania.
• Undertake specific ad-hoc projects or initiatives at the request of the Country Director with the aim to increase momentum and actively track performance/progress.
• Manage data and materials preparation to support respective governance forums, such as War Room, CEO MBR, QBR reports and bi-weekly reports.
• Monitor and effectively communicate business performance and provide insights as well as corrective actions to ensure business objectives are met.
• Develop performance management tools, such as ROI, that look at teams’ efficiency and effectiveness.
• Work on specific projects/deep dives and ensure follow through, particularly when thematic issues arise (work with different members of the management and regional team); provide timely and succinct updates on issues/projects.
• Developing and maintain Single-Source of Truth Dashboard for Management
• Represent IEA TZ in relationships with decision-makers to persuasively advocate for affordable energy solutions
• Facilitate the development of strategic partnerships with relevant agencies within and beyond the energy sector, academia, media, and research institutions to influence and change policy and advocate for integration of energy across other key sectors.
• Represent the business in national, donor, and government (national and international) forums related to energy to influence thinking of other stakeholders on effective delivery of energy and build a reputation as a sector lead.
• Responsible for identifying key sector issues on to focus advocacy efforts.
• Craft and execute a cost effective Corporate Social Responsibility strategy.
• Identify skills and resource needed to deliver against strategic plans of department, recruit and develop team members accordingly.
• Effectively manage performance of team members and motivate them to develop and perform at their best.
• Create and maintain a positive team environment conducive to high performance, according to IEA Values.

• Grant management, proposal development, and donor relations
• Strategic planning, execution, and sector analysis
• Business performance analysis and executive-level reporting
• Project and portfolio management
• Policy engagement, advocacy, and external representation
• Data management, dash boarding, and visualization
• Leadership, team development, and performance management
• Computer skills – advanced proficiency with email programs and in Excel, Power Point, other analytical tools, SQL, etc.

• Minimum of a University Degree, preferably in a discipline such as Development Finance, Social Policy/Political Science /Public Administration/Economics
• Masters’ Degree in Business or Social Field an added advantage
• Minimum of five (7) years’ management experience and at least two (2) of which should be working with a senior management.
• Experience in developing key strategic and operational partnerships at different levels
• Good understanding of government structures and how they function and ability to navigate the system.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills (including report writing) in English to produce professional documents of national and international standards and participate in policy discussions and debates
• Strategic thinker. Able to see the bigger picture, challenges and opportunities and create a long-term vision. Able to lead strategic discussions.
• Ability and presence to act as a spokesperson for IEA Tanzania in a way that builds credibility and influence.