ENGIE Energy Access is the leading Pay-As-You-Go (PAYGo) and mini-grids solutions provider in Africa. The company develops innovative, off-grid solar solutions for homes, public services and businesses, enabling customers and distribution partners access to clean, affordable energy. The PAYGO solar home systems are financed through affordable instalments from $0.19 per day and the mini-grids foster economic development by enabling electrical productive use and triggering business opportunities for entrepreneurs in rural communities. With over 1,800 employees, operations in nine countries across Africa (Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia), over 1.9 million customers and more than 9 million lives impacted so far, ENGIE Energy Access aims to impact 20 million lives across Africa by 2025.

www.engie-africa.com

www.linkedin.com/company/engie-africa

Job Purpose And Mission

The Head BD Mini-Grids & SHS wholesale drives the development of Mini-Grids in all EEA markets and will also play an important role in expanding Engie MySol products into new geographic markets.

The job holder supports growing the Mini grids pipeline through winning tenders or concluding negotiated deals. She/He is also responsible for building strategic partnerships to get our product distributed through 3rd parties in countries where we have decided not to be vertically integrated. She/He will explore any ethical and law compliant ways that would increase our chances of success such as joint ventures, partnerships, coordinated new market entry with SHS activities.

From approval process perspective, the Head of BD and Mini grids will develop with a transversal team (project MG team) the required documents in order to get the investment files to EEA investment committee and any required committee at Engie level.

The job holder will also support the Mini-Grid teams in locations where EEA has a Mini grid activity during the construction period up to commissioning. She/He will also support any expansion project review and will monitor operation as long as the country has not operated more than 1 MG successfully.

The role involves leading Engie MySol’s expansion through developing a Business to Business (B2B) business model by responding to tenders in countries we are not vertically integrated, finding leads through direct contacts with potential distributors all over the world, submitting proposal according to pricing committee guidance and closing sales.

The job holder needs to interact with different global teams (legal, finance, technical, commercial, digital) both for Mini-Grids and wholesales activities.

Responsibilities:

• Identify economic activities, potential partnerships, and methodologies for development consideration for both Mini-Grids and Wholesales in all potential markets.
• Build and test new revenues streams to improve the Mini-Grid business model:
• Identify and design new products and services mix to be offered to customers.
• Lead the building of the new business activities (product or service) with the support of the Global MG team: define the commercial offer, the financial model, the customer journey, and ensure the compliance of the new business with the local regulations.
• Present the new business activity to the EEA investment committee for approval.
• Coordinate implementation of the new business activity upon approval.
• Define the budget and HR needs to implement the new business activities.
• Build partnership or Joint Ventures to implement new wholesale business activities at scale.

Lead mini-grid entry to existing and new markets.

• Accelerate Mini-Grid development in Africa with and without EEA physical presence, under investment committee mandates.
• Define and improve the methodology to select new markets to be opened within the guidelines of EEA mandate.
• Build strategic partnerships and joint ventures to accelerate development of Mini-Grids
• Test and implement new revenue streams to support electricity demand on each Mini-Grid site with the support of the Strategic Marketing team.
• Challenge the technical specifications of the Mini-Grid that is development by the global and local Technology team.
• Challenge the operation assumptions developed by the global and local Operation team.
• Support the Country Director and the relevant Regional Director to build a viable Mini-Grid team in new markets of operation.
• Work with each Business Developers in each region to accelerate pipeline development.
• Work with the Finance team to securing external funding.
• Present investment files and decision metrics to the EEA and Engie investment committees.
• Contribute to the constant improvements of the BD processes:
• Site selection process,
• Investment process,
• Tender application process,
• Innovative project development process,
• Partnership building process,
• Process to externalize site development.
• Performance Monitoring processes
• Capacity expansion processes.

Tender Applications

• Support the global grant funding team on the overall tender coordination process, from pre-qualification to final submission.
• Lead EEA internal process validation
• Manage relationship with tender stakeholders (donors, developers, agencies…).
• Assess upcoming tender grant opportunities together with global grant funding team.
• Submit and track the progress on tender applications.

Joint venture, acquisitions, and strategic partnerships

• Build strategic partnerships or Joint Ventures at a country, regional or continental level.
• Present the partnership/JV project to EEA investment committee for approval.
• After signature and in the case of a JV:
• Be the representative of EEA in the JV.
• Present new investment files of the JV to EEA investment committee.
• Negotiate amendments of the agreement with the partners and get approval from EEA management.
• In the case of acquisition/equity investment in a third company:
• Coordinate the various streams Due Diligence phase.
• Lead the negotiation on the terms of the transaction.
• Coordinate the building of the financial model and project funding with the relevant global team.
• Present the acquisition/equity investment project to the EEA management committee.

Advocacy and relationships with authority

• Support the strategy team to define the appropriate advocacy strategy.
• Drive the Business Development team to implement the advocacy strategy towards international donors & represent EEA as a speaker in conferences focusing on energy in Africa.

Wholesale & Partnership

• Development and implementation of the B2B market expansion strategy
• Drive the Wholesale team in delivering the agreed wholesale budget.
• Evaluation and analysis new B2B market entries.
• Developing sales strategies and setting quotas.
• Building long term relationships in the new B2B markets.
• Identify and leverage from donor funding programs.
• Building a long-lasting, mutually beneficial relationships with external contacts and internal departments to create a better customer experience.

Health, Safety, Security, and Environment (HSSE)

• Responsible and accountable for HSSE across all EEA Mini Grids sites
• Accountable for ensuring compliance by all mini-grid teams to all EEA and ENGIE Group HSSE Requirements and working closely with the Country Director and Country Head of Mini-grids to deliver full compliance.”

Budget

• Develop and deliver the agreed yearly budget.

At EEA, we have high expectations for our managers. Each manager plays a key role in creating an exceptional experience not only for our customers but for every person on our team. Our managers help EEA realize our ambitious goals while developing their own leadership skills and facilitating growth for their direct reports.

We believe that great managers:

• Deliver ambitious results: As a high-performing and accountable leader, you create an enabling environment for effective action and bold decision which contribute to successful delivery of results.
• Act with integrity: As an ethical leader you are honest, respectful, objective, and transparent. You create and build upon a foundation of trust and openness.
• Inspire and mentor the team: As an inspirational leader you walk the talk. You empower and coach your team with trust and humility.
• Are accessible: as an accessible leader, you develop and maintain deep connections with stakeholders through approachability and active listening.
• Ensure diversity and inclusion: as an inclusive leader, you ensure diversity and foster a sense of belonging.

Knowledge And Skills

Experience

• At least 8 years of experience in business development and/or project management.
• Experience in tender submissions.
• Experience in business modeling and preparation of investment files and budgets.
• Strong negotiation skills & successful experience in signing deals and building partnerships.
• Strong leadership, experience in multicultural management and recruitment.
• Strong project management skills
• Successful experience in innovation and time to market initiatives.
• Experience with governments, international institutions and in lobbying activities.
• Good understanding of the energy access sector both from an infrastructure and mass-market perspective.
• Excellent writing and communication skills.
• Good analytical skills.
• Strong problem solving and critical thinking ability.

Qualifications

• Master/Bachelor of Business Administration, Economics/Political Sciences, Engineering or equivalent

Language(s):

• English
• French (is a plus), Portuguese (optional)

Technology:

• Good understanding of access to energy and renewable energy technologies in the Mini-Grid and Solar Home System environment.

ENGIE is an equal opportunity employer, promoting diversity and committed to creating an inclusive environment for all. All applications are screened based on business needs, job requirements and individual qualifications, without any regard to origin, age, name, sexual identity, orientation or preference, religion, marital status, health, disability, political opinions, union involvement or citizenship. Our differences are our strengths!