idealist.org

Solar Micro-franchise Volunteer

This is a unique opportunity to join a new, innovative and fast-growing social enterprise tackling global poverty and climate change through solar power. You will have 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 SolarAid's programme work to new heights and you will be expected to spend time in rural African environments.

Job Title: Solar Micro-franchise Volunteer
Location: East and Southern Africa

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 large network of micro-franchisees from the poorest communities in Africa to sell these solar products. We work with local communities to 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 business (preferably franchising) experience who are prepared to play a leading and active role in implementing our microfranchise model in rural Africa. The post is an exciting opportunity for a skilled, dynamic and experienced individual looking to transfer their skills to an emerging ‘Bottom of the Pyramid’ market.

Ideally, the successful applicant will have experience of building a network of sales agents selling a range of products. They will share their skills in 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 and train franchisees and drive 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 develop, implement and scale up the Sunny Money franchise in country
• Select franchisees; engaging the local community, 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
• Plan and eventually 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

Essential Desirable

Skills/
Experience
- Sales / business 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
- 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 living and/or working in a developing country.
- 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
• 2 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.

Deadline for applications: 6th September 2009
Applicants are invited send completed application forms to: recruitment@solar-aid.org