This is a unique opportunity to join a new, innovative and fast-growing social enterprise which enables access to solar power in order to tackle poverty and climate change.
You will have at least three years experience in business and sales management, preferably with a background in franchising.
Experience of living/working in rural Africa is an advantage.
You must have the passion and entrepreneurship needed to drive our programme work to new heights and you will be expected to spend time in rural African environments.
Job Title: Micro Solar Franchise Coordinator
Location: Kenya (Nairobi with frequent travel to rural areas)
Salary: Negotiable, dependant on experience.
About SolarAid
We believe that the two most important threats facing humanity today are climate change and global poverty. SolarAid was launched as a response to this and is already working in Malawi, Tanzania, Kenya, Zambia and Argentina.
SolarAid is an innovative and fast-growing charity that aims to enable the world’s poorest people to have access to clean, renewable power.
SolarAid carries out a range of solar projects from microsolar, which involve training entrepreneurs to build, market and sell small solar devices - such as solar powered radios and lanterns to macrosolar projects, which facilitate access to solar systems which can be used to power community centres, medical clinics, schools and other such communal infrastructure.
As a charity we are committed to supporting the growth and development of the solar industry. As SolarAid grows, it will educate and influence the public and policy makers on issues related to renewable energy and climate change and their impact on the world’s poorest people.
Rationale for this post
In recognition of some of the constraints to scaling up micro-businesses in Africa and Latin America, SolarAid has demonstrated the advantages of working through a micro-franchise model.
Micro-franchising applies proven marketing and operational concepts of traditional franchising to small businesses in the developing world. This provides the benefits of micro-enterprise, through a proven business concept and thus at lower risk to the entrepreneur.
We have worked with the former Managing Director of Interbrand to develop a micro-franchise named Sunny Money, under which we are recruiting a network of micro-franchisees from the poorest communities in Africa to sell these solar products. We rigorously recruit and train micro-franchisees, with only the best being selected for the franchise and with strict targets for sales.
We support them with access to a supply chain, marketing and branding.
SolarAid is therefore looking for people with significant business experience who are prepared to play a leading and active role in implementing our microfranshise model in rural Kenya.
The post is an exciting opportunity for a skilled, dynamic and experienced franchisor looking to transfer their skills to an emerging ‘Bottom of the Pyramid’ market.
The successful applicant will have proven experience of building a network of franchisees selling a range of products in accordance with an operations manual.
The applicant should also have experience of developing operations manuals and will share their skills in franchising and business administration in order to build up local capacity to establish sustainable solar enterprises.
You will be required to travel to rural areas, carry out sales pitches to communities, recruit, train and support franchisees, driving our microsolar work forward.
SolarAid is growing fast and we review our staffing structure on a regular basis in order to ensure that it meets our needs most effectively.
Job descriptions may need to be amended as new projects start and more people are recruited. This may result in new responsibilities being taken on, responsibilities being passed on to others and line management being transferred.
Purpose of the post
Reporting to the Country Manager, the post holder will be required to:
You will have at least three years experience in business and sales management, preferably with a background in franchising.
Experience of living/working in rural Africa is an advantage.
You must have the passion and entrepreneurship needed to drive our programme work to new heights and you will be expected to spend time in rural African environments.
Job Title: Micro Solar Franchise Coordinator
Location: Kenya (Nairobi with frequent travel to rural areas)
Salary: Negotiable, dependant on experience.
About SolarAid
We believe that the two most important threats facing humanity today are climate change and global poverty. SolarAid was launched as a response to this and is already working in Malawi, Tanzania, Kenya, Zambia and Argentina.
SolarAid is an innovative and fast-growing charity that aims to enable the world’s poorest people to have access to clean, renewable power.
SolarAid carries out a range of solar projects from microsolar, which involve training entrepreneurs to build, market and sell small solar devices - such as solar powered radios and lanterns to macrosolar projects, which facilitate access to solar systems which can be used to power community centres, medical clinics, schools and other such communal infrastructure.
As a charity we are committed to supporting the growth and development of the solar industry. As SolarAid grows, it will educate and influence the public and policy makers on issues related to renewable energy and climate change and their impact on the world’s poorest people.
Rationale for this post
In recognition of some of the constraints to scaling up micro-businesses in Africa and Latin America, SolarAid has demonstrated the advantages of working through a micro-franchise model.
Micro-franchising applies proven marketing and operational concepts of traditional franchising to small businesses in the developing world. This provides the benefits of micro-enterprise, through a proven business concept and thus at lower risk to the entrepreneur.
We have worked with the former Managing Director of Interbrand to develop a micro-franchise named Sunny Money, under which we are recruiting a network of micro-franchisees from the poorest communities in Africa to sell these solar products. We rigorously recruit and train micro-franchisees, with only the best being selected for the franchise and with strict targets for sales.
We support them with access to a supply chain, marketing and branding.
SolarAid is therefore looking for people with significant business experience who are prepared to play a leading and active role in implementing our microfranshise model in rural Kenya.
The post is an exciting opportunity for a skilled, dynamic and experienced franchisor looking to transfer their skills to an emerging ‘Bottom of the Pyramid’ market.
The successful applicant will have proven experience of building a network of franchisees selling a range of products in accordance with an operations manual.
The applicant should also have experience of developing operations manuals and will share their skills in franchising and business administration in order to build up local capacity to establish sustainable solar enterprises.
You will be required to travel to rural areas, carry out sales pitches to communities, recruit, train and support franchisees, driving our microsolar work forward.
SolarAid is growing fast and we review our staffing structure on a regular basis in order to ensure that it meets our needs most effectively.
Job descriptions may need to be amended as new projects start and more people are recruited. This may result in new responsibilities being taken on, responsibilities being passed on to others and line management being transferred.
Purpose of the post
Reporting to the Country Manager, the post holder will be required to:
- Help scale up the Sunny Money franchise in Kenya
- Identify areas in which to set up franchises and open these up
- Select franchisees; promoting the franchisee opportunities and electing successful candidates
- Coordinate training; facilitate training of franchisees in sales and marketing accordance to the Operations Manual
- Provide ongoing support and re-training to micro-franchisees where necessary
- Coordinate centralised production and sourcing of materials and overseeing timely distribution to micro-franchisees
- Ensure the franchisees have access to micro-finance, savings accounts and receive timely payment of salaries
- Coordinate the collection of data from micro-franchisees for project records, carbon offsetting and monitoring and evaluation purposes
- Ensure consistent quality and branding across the micro-franchises
Person Specification
Skills/ Experience: Essential
Skills/ Experience: Essential
- Sales management experience
- Good working knowledge of social marketing, sales and business administration.
- Excellent planning and organisational skills with experience of management issues (people and budgets) and the ability to work in a variety of contexts
- Excellent time-management and organisation skills
- Computer literacy
- Driving Licence
Skills/ Experience: Desirable
- An experienced franchisor with a track record of results scaling up a business
- Working experience of franchising
- Manufacturing management experience
- Good knowledge of current development thinking as well as of the political, economic and development issues relating to East/Southern Africa
- Experience of sales and business administration in a developing world context
- Experience of working with people in remote sites/at a distance
- Demonstrated skills in project management
- Skills in supply chain management and sales
- University graduate
- Good level of Swahili
Personal Qualities
- Natural salesperson, able to build excitement in communities about solar energy and entrepreneurship
- Stand alone self-starter with capacity to work under minimum supervision & support and the ability to manage multiple priorities and workload
- Willingness and flexibility to spend time in rural African communities
- Enthusiasm about solar energy and commitment to SolarAid’s work
- Confident communicator, able to negotiate mutually beneficial partnerships with local businesses and communities
- Good judgment and ability to take decisions or work within complex and challenging political environments
Terms and conditions
- 1 Year fixed term
- Probationary period: three months, after which there will be a review and confirmation in post or otherwise.
- Annual leave: 25 days
- Opportunities for training and personal development will be made available.
- This is a mid level post
Deadline for applications: 12th February 2010
Applicants are invited send completed application forms together with a concise covering letter which clearly explains how you meet the criteria set out in this job description to: recruitment @ solar-aid.org
Please include entitle you email according to following format: Your Name Microsolar Kenya e.g. David Maina Microsolar Kenya
Applicants are invited send completed application forms together with a concise covering letter which clearly explains how you meet the criteria set out in this job description to: recruitment @ solar-aid.org
Please include entitle you email according to following format: Your Name Microsolar Kenya e.g. David Maina Microsolar Kenya
