Program Manager (Clean Energy Solutions for Women)

The Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP) brings together philanthropy including the IKEA Foundation, The Rockefeller Foundation and the Bezos Earth Fund, governments, technology, policy and development partners, and the private sector to tackle the twin challenges of energy access and transition in emerging and developing countries. By 2030, we aim to expand clean energy access to one billion people, enable 150 million new jobs and reduce 4 gigatons of future carbon emissions. We believe clean energy is development: without it, every other form of progress is undermined so we’re building a movement to unlock a new era of inclusive green economic growth that accelerates universal energy access while enabling the global community to meet critical climate goals during the next decade.  

Employment Type: Contract

Duration: The Program Manager (Clean Energy Solutions for Women)  will be contracted for a period of one year, with the possibility of extension to 2 years subject to satisfactory performance (contingent on an initial 3-month probation period).

About The Clean Energy Solutions for Women Program

Clean Energy Solutions (CES) are often expensive and unavailable, leaving rural women—who depend on energy-intensive work to sustain their livelihoods—without access to these vital tools. As a result, many are forced to rely on costly, inefficient, and polluting energy sources that reduce productivity and limit economic opportunities. By providing CES such as solar-powered mills, irrigation pumps, and cold storage, women can save time, boost productivity, diversify their income streams, and build greater economic resilience.

The Clean Energy Solutions for Women Program is a two-year pilot initiative funded by the Gates Foundation in partnership with GEAPP. Focused on improving the livelihoods and economic resilience of women in agriculture in Kenya, the program provides access to clean energy solutions (CES) that enhance productivity, increase incomes, and promote women's agency. By deploying approximately 2,050 CES appliances to reach up to 5,000 women, the program aims to generate evidence on how CES contributes to women’s economic empowerment (WEE), test approaches for facilitating women’s ownership of CES, and assess their impact on income and productivity, creating a foundation for scaling similar efforts in other regions.

The Program Manager will lead the end-to-end implementation of the program in Kenya, managing day-to-day activities, coordinating stakeholders, and ensuring seamless CES integration within local WEE partner networks. This role involves aligning program objectives with timelines and budgets, fostering partnerships, monitoring outcomes, and adapting strategies to optimize the program’s impact.

Tasks and Responsibilities 

Inception Phase (3 months)

• Defining Project Scope, Objectives, and Deliverables: Collaborate with Program Management Team Lead and Implementing Partners (IPs) to set clear project goals and deliverables, ensuring a unified understanding for successful outcomes.
• Co-create detailed interventions with selected partners, particularly the specific choice of technologies and business models.
• Support development of the program’s Monitoring, Evaluation and Data Plans: In collaboration with the MEL and Data leads outlining specific program indicators, to accurately, timely and regularly measure the results and impact of interventions and maintain a data repository to extract learning.
• Support with the identification, selection, and contracting process of program implementing partners.
• Coordinate meetings with relevant stakeholders and partners: including Implementing Partners, GEAPP teams etc.
• Develop Program Workplan and Budget: Execute against agreed workplan and budget aligning with project objectives and targeted results, ensuring efficient resource utilization for achieving milestones.

Program Implementation Period

• Actively monitor day-to-day activities, quickly identifying and resolving issues to maintain adherence to work plans, deliverables and strong partner performance.
• Oversee CES deployment according to the work plan and budget, ensuring alignment with M&E metrics and quality standards, while continuously evaluating progress and adapting strategies to optimize impact and address any barriers to CES uptake.
• Conduct regular check-ins with partners to enhance information sharing and improve efficiency and effectiveness of program implementation and operations
• Work closely with M&E partners to ensure robust data collection on CES impact, including income changes, productivity gains, and time savings, using both quantitative and qualitative methods.
• Drive a structured learning agenda, collecting insights on CES adoption barriers, affordability, financing models, and social impacts to inform future program scale-up.
• Creative, strategic thinking to adapt to challenges, engage with donors to integrate changes, align closely with the Gates Foundation’s strategy, and translate program outcomes into actionable insights to create a responsive, impactful program

Reporting and Compliance

• Reporting and Knowledge Management: Provide input on required reports i.e. bi-annual reports, post-field reports surveys, reports, case studies, best practices etc.
• Compliance Management: Maintain accurate grant records and files to ensure that program implementation is in compliance with all GEAPP and Gates Foundation requirements, rules and regulations.
• Budget Management and Efficiency: Support the PMT Lead and Program Accounting Associate to efficiently manage the program budget, optimizing fund usage while meeting project objectives.
• Fraud prevention: foster a culture of integrity, ethics and transparency to ensure appropriate use of the grant’s resources by:

1. • Ensuring proper segregation of duties whenever possible
   • Require grantees to follow all procurement policies and procedures set by GEAPP.
   • Independent verification: Conduct site visits and spot checks to ensure activities reported occurred.
   • Require adequate expense documentation.
   • If required, conduct fraud awareness training team members and partners.

Partner and Stakeholder Engagement

• Effective Communication and Stakeholder Management: Streamlining communication flow among all program partners to quickly respond to emerging issues, troubleshooting and maintaining high standard of transparency and accountability.
• Networking and partnerships: Explore partnerships and network to expand the program's reach, fostering strategic alliances and leadership in the field.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in related field, i.e., Project Management, international development or relations, economics, renewable energy with a relevant combination of education and work experience required.
• 4-6 years relevant experience in donor funded program (i.e. Mastercard Foundation, USAID, Gates Foundation) management and extensive knowledge of donor regulations and policies, especially as they relate to reporting and compliance, with progressive management responsibilities
• Program management certification i.e., PRINCE2, PMP is highly desirable
• Fluency in English is required
• Knowledge of renewable energy, productive uses of energy, agrifood systems, and the intersection of gender and youth is highly desirable but not required

Core Behavioral Competencies

• Strong organization and prioritization skills with keen attention to detail.  
• Teamwork: Works cooperatively and effectively with others to achieve common goals. Participates in building a culture characterized by inclusion, trust and commitment.
• Communication: Effectively conveys information and expresses thoughts professionally. Demonstrates effective use of listening skills and displays openness to other people’s ideas and thoughts.
• Adaptability: Adjusts planned work by gathering relevant information and applying critical thinking to address multiple demands and competing priorities in a changing environment.
• Professionalism: Displays appropriate and ethical behavior, integrity and personal presentation in the workplace always; demonstrates respectful communication for others, both verbal and non-verbal.

We operate from a strong commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion in everything we do. It is not only the right thing to do – we could not make an impact without our team members' diverse perspectives and experiences. We expect all GEAPP employees to contribute by developing their unique perspectives and talent, challenging conventional wisdom through evidence and reason, and amplifying marginalized voices.  

 GEAPP LLC is committed to the principles of equal employment opportunity and compliance with all federal, state, and local laws concerning employment discrimination, including the Americans with Disabilities Act. To this end, the organization ensures equal opportunity to all employees and applicants regardless of race, color, age, gender, sexual orientation, religion, marital status, national origin or ancestry, citizenship, lawful alien status, physical, mental, and medical disability, veteran status, or liability for service in the United States Armed Forces.  

GEAPP LLC is an Equal Opportunity Employer.