Females are highly encouraged to Apply. 

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:

1. 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.
2. Support the development of country strategies on clean energy access initiatives and indicators.
3. 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.
4. Support the development of climate and clean energy programme design and approaches for NRC Core Competencies.
5. Support institutional and private sector partnerships development for clean energy access.

Specific Responsibilities:

1. Manage mapping on Climate Adaptation in humanitarian response in the country and present recommendations to Country Management.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. Capacity build and support roll out of environmental screening, including through the NEAT+ tool, to NRC’s partners and humanitarian partners.
5. 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.

What we offer:

• Duty station: Nairobi_Kenya
• Contract: national fixed term contract– 1 Year renewable subject to availability of funding.
• Travel: Upto 50%.
• Salary/benefits: grade 9 on NRC’s country salary scale.
• NRC is an equal opportunities employer. We are committed to diversity without distinction to age, gender, religion, ethnicity, nationality, and physical ability.
• We think outside the box, encourage ideas, and give responsibility to all employees at all levels. You will have many opportunities to be heard and take the initiative.

Find out more about the benefits of working for NRC

Important information about the application process:

• Internal candidates only: please click on the suitcase icon labelled “I am an employee” to be redirected to NRC’s internal careers site.
• When creating your profile, include your full name as given on your passport. Complete all the system-required fields for experience, employment history and education.
• Submit your application and CV in English, taking care to attach your latest CV.
• Applications that do not meet the minimum standards in terms of experience or qualifications will generally not be considered. Unsolicited applications not related to this specific job advertisement will not be considered.
• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. We receive many applicants for each vacant position.
• Open to Kenyan nationalities only.
• If you have any questions about this role, please email EAY Recruitment [email protected] with the job title as the subject line.

Why NRC?The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) is an independent humanitarian organisation helping people forced to flee. Our 15,000 staff work in crises across 40 countries, providing life-saving and long-term assistance to millions of people every year.

Watch this short video to see NRC in action.

Kenya hosts more than 400,000 registered refugees and asylum seekers in the two camps Kakuma and Dadaab, as well as in urban areas. Most of the refugees are from Somalia and South Sudan. Some have lived in Kenya for decades, while many fled to Kenya during the 2010 drought and the civil war in South Sudan. Freedom of movement is constrained in the camps and livelihood and working opportunities are limited.

It’s becoming increasingly difficult to seek refuge in Kenya. Somali citizens no longer automatically receive refugee status. In 2016, the Kenyan government announced that Dadaab will close, but this was blocked by the High Court in 2017. In 2019 and 2020 there were renewed calls for the closure of Dadaab and a roadmap for camp closure has been agreed upon between UNHCR and Government of Kenya.

Internal displacement in Kenya is often overshadowed by the refugee situation. Kenyans have been internally displaced by droughts, food insecurity and floods, as well as ethnic conflicts. The present situation in Arid and Semi-Arid Land counties across Kenya remains precarious due to more droughts.

You can also learn more about NRC’s operation in Kenya here.

We are looking for people who are passionate about helping refugees and people forced to flee. Are you one of those people? If you are, NRC offers you the opportunity to:

• Do demanding and professional work, often in challenging contexts.
• Join a work culture that empowers every employee to share ideas and take responsibility.
• Be part of a welcoming and supportive community committed to human dignity.