GVEP International SME Advisor (BoP energy sector)

GVEP International (Global Village Energy Partnership) is a non-profit organisation working to reduce poverty by accelerating access to affordable and sustainable energy services. GVEP supports the growth of small and medium size energy businesses in rural areas so that they can provide sustainable access to clean energy and improve the quality of life for millions of people in developing countries. This is achieved by bringing energy businesses the enabling resources they need to scale up and become sustainable including financial, technical, operational and capital raising expertise.

Role

The SME Advisor is a key role within GVEP’s Enterprise Support Team (EST), a small, dynamic team providing technical, financial and consulting services to GVEP's larger clients (SMEs and social enterprises, rather than micro-businesses) who deliver energy products and services to the poor. These include activities related to capital raising and investor facilitation, as well as improving the business' operations and helping it to scale-up. The EST, with the support of the SME Advisor, will assist clients in the following ways related to investor-readiness:

• create and refine business plans and investor pitches
• complete project feasibility work
• prepare for bank and investor due diligence processes
• create financing strategies and financial projections
• facilitate investor engagement

The EST also provides other forms of support to BoP energy businesses including:

• linkages with complimentary market participants
• strategic planning
• marketing
• supply chain management
• financial management
• customer relations
• human resources
• carbon finance

Requirements

• 3-7 years’ experience in business development services, impact/SME investing, strategic or management consulting, or business technical assistance.

• Expertise in the energy sector including renewable energy project development, operations, and financing (grant, equity or debt investments).

• Experience in the evaluation of SMEs operations and creation and implementation of growth, expansion and operational efficiency plans.

• Experience working with rural or small businesses, and an understanding of unique challenges faced by African SMEs.

Job Email id: peter.george(at)gvep.org