Clean Energy Access Senior Associate, VeraSol

CLASP serves at the epicenter of collaborative, ambitious efforts to mitigate climate change and in the global movement for clean energy access, through appliance efficiency. Our mission is to improve the energy and environmental performance of the appliances & equipment we use every day, accelerating our transition to a more sustainable world. We work hand-in-hand with governments, experts, industry, consumers, donor organizations and others to propel policies and markets toward the highest-quality, lowest resource-intensive appliances possible.

CLASP has worked in more than 100 countries since our inception in 1999. CLASP is headquartered in Washington, DC, with teams in Europe, Kenya, India, China, and Indonesia. We are mission-driven and committed to a culture of diversity, transparency, collaboration, and impactful work. See our Team Page to learn more about us.

CLASP’s Clean Energy Access programs support ambitious efforts to increase global access to clean energy through appliance and equipment energy efficiency. We work in partnership with key stakeholders in South Asia, East and West Africa, and China — with support from a diverse group of funders.

Our team helps build healthy markets for off-grid solar products by driving innovation and sales in early-stage product markets, surfacing data and research on product performance, market trends, and consumer preferences, establishing technical foundations for consumer protection, and aligning sector stakeholders across the value-chain.

From advancing the off-grid solar technologies, bringing power to energy-impoverished people, to building climate resilience of underserved communities, CLASP’s CEA programs increase the uptake of affordable, low-impact, high-quality appliances.

As our global portfolio continues to grow, we are expanding our team to help us execute our portfolio of clean energy access initiatives.

The associate will be a key member of the CLASP Kenya program team and will be responsible for supporting the design and implementation of CLASP’s strategy, plans, and deliverables for the Clean Energy Access (CEA) team. The associate will work closely with CLASP’s program team members in Nairobi and Washington, D.C. and will perform a wide range of activities including monitoring, evaluation, and learning-related work, project coordination, stakeholder and donor engagement, and market and technology research.

The associate, while based in CLASP’s Nairobi office, will work collaboratively with CLASP’s cross-cutting teams in Washington, D.C. and India, as well as a wide network of international partners and program stakeholders, including government agencies, funding institutions, program partners, appliance manufacturers and distributors, and local and international NGOs and companies to support market and standards development and implementation in Kenya and beyond.

The associate will primarily support VeraSol. VeraSol is a global quality assurance program that strives to make safe, affordable, and durable products the default option in the off-grid solar market. Grounded in rigorous testing and international best practices, VeraSol sets quality standards, promotes high-performing solar technologies, and supports the adoption of harmonized policies. In doing so, we help improve livelihoods for the most vulnerable people in the least developed countries, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and increase clean energy access for all.

• Maintain and improve program infrastructure: Collaborate with global team members on the scoping, design, and execution of a complex, fast-moving project portfolio.
  • Schedule internal team meetings and external funder and stakeholder meetings, circulate agenda and pre-meeting materials, and develop minutes/meeting notes
  • Utilize established and new tools for tracking program activities, impacts, monitoring, and evaluation
  • Collaborate with CLASP’s Finance, Operations, and Administrative Teams on vendor and consultant management, contract development, and invoice processing
• Coordinate! Collaborate! Repeat! Work with CLASP colleagues, partners, stakeholders, sub-contractors, and grantees around the world to develop and implement programs, projects, and research efforts.
  • Provide guidance to junior staff, i.e. coordinators, fellows, and interns, providing program orientation, training, and ad-hoc technical or operational assistance, as appropriate
  • Contribute to data management for the VeraSol Product Database, including maintaining up-to-date records and responding to internal and external requests for data analysis and data sharing
  • Coordinate the appliance testing process, including company outreach, sampling and shipping coordination, test report review, data cleaning and analysis, and results-sharing
  • Support the solar energy kit and appliance certification operations from initial company engagement to results-sharing through coordination with team members, test labs, and solar companies
  • Represent VeraSol in relevant industry events such as webinars and conferences
• Support program outreach, stakeholder engagement, and reporting: Communicate program impacts and facilitate knowledge-sharing across various stakeholder groups, including industry leaders, trade associations, government decision makers, and donor organizations.
  • Support engagement with governments and development programs on use and adoption of quality assurance frameworks
  • Contribute to project proposal development and grant reporting on programmatic activities, collecting input from team members, reviewing, and formatting the final product
  • Support content development for the VeraSol Newsletter and other communications campaigns and activities
  • Design and develop high quality and informational webinars, reports, and presentations, in collaboration with Communications Team members
• Generate market and technology intelligence: Generated knowledge products, resources, and tools to inform and inspire impact-oriented actions.
  • Conduct desk research, data collection, and analysis on appliance markets, policies, and solar appliance technologies

• An Effective Collaborator. You’ve successfully worked across cultural lines on a dispersed team, and you have the ability to operate in complex situations. You can easily gain trust from team members and are known for supporting them to ensure they are set up for success. You’re not afraid to ask questions.
• Flexible. You can manage a diverse set of team needs and aren’t afraid to step outside your job description or comfort zone to help the team reach its goals. You’re comfortable with shifting schedules and don’t expect every day to go “as planned.”
• A Humble Teammate. Nothing is beneath or above you. You are quick to always lend a hand or two! You are able to earn influence without authority and naturally seek to support both small projects or large strategic goals.
• An Abundant Thinker. You believe that we are living in a world of abundant resources and that the right team of partners can make improbable things happen. You bring relentless curiosity and creativity to every task, project, and engagement.
• Mission-oriented. You believe in the mission of CLASP and are passionate about climate change, energy efficiency, and creating a more sustainable world.

• Minimum two to five years of professional experience in energy efficiency, clean energy, engineering, environmental science, business, international development, economics, public policy or energy is required
• You have good customer-facing skills. These qualities include being patient, understanding, and proactive to address the needs and inquiries from companies seeking certification services.
• Collaborative, solutions-oriented team member who is comfortable working across geographies and time zones.
• Experience in rural electrification, productive use technology, renewable energy, and/or related areas.
• Willing to work in projects related to clean energy access.
• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field (e.g., engineering, international relations, environmental science, economics, energy studies) required or equivalent professional/academic qualifications.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English.
• Ability to handle multiple deadlines and complete assignments with minimal supervision in a fast-paced workplace.
• Strong analytical skills, including experience with Excel and/or other analytical software and the ability to translate analysis into policy recommendations is highly preferred.
• Strong work ethic and an ability to take initiative; a drive to learn and grow on the job.
• Strong time management and organizational skills with ability to manage multiple tasks and projects at a time
• A commitment to diversity and inclusion. You’re always asking: “whose voice is not at the table?” You have experience working with diverse teams and successfully navigating cross-cultural communication in both local and global contexts, and you deeply value creating a workplace that is supportive of difference.

You will be exposed to an unusually wide range of people and issues in the clean energy access  and energy sectors, as well as the internal infrastructure and operations of a global NGO.

A successful candidate will develop and build our data and analytics work, grow a broad set of professional and technical skills, honing them to the level of excellence in a demanding and fast-paced environment. You will work with, learn from, and grow alongside a high-performing and diverse team in which everyone is committed to the development of themselves and others.

CLASP offers competitive compensation commensurate with experience, including fully paid health insurance for individuals and their families/dependents, provident fund and includes a collegial office environment that supports wellness and flexible options after a certain period of employment. This position will be based in the organization’s Nairobi office with a hybrid schedule. Early morning or evening hours are sometimes necessary to accommodate international collaboration; some travel and weekend hours may also be required. We are an equal opportunity employer.

Interested candidates should submit their resume and answer the required questions by signing into ADP and applying through the Career Center. Apply here.

CLASP is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. Our goal is to be a diverse workforce that is representative, at all job levels, of the citizens we serve. CLASP complies with all federal, state and local employment law in the countries we operate and is committed to providing equal opportunity for all employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, disability, political affiliation, personal appearance, family responsibilities, matriculation, genetic information, military or protected veteran status, credit information or any other characteristic protected under federal, state or local law. Each person is evaluated based on personal skill and merit. CLASP’s policy regarding equal employment opportunity applies to all aspects of employment, including recruitment, hiring, job assignments, promotions, working conditions, scheduling, benefits, wage and salary administration, disciplinary action, termination, and social, educational and recreational programs.