Expert Roster: Energy Access Consultants

Location: Remote - Open to various locations within Eastern Africa (Burundi, Comoros, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda) or Southern Africa (Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia, Zimbabwe).
Applicants must hold independent right to work for the country of hiring.

Timeframe / Schedule

The Consultants will be retained for a period of 24 months during which a variable level of effort will be attributed. Some assignments may also be short (5 days or less) or long (several days per week for multiple weeks to months) to support a particular area of expertise required across various projects.

About Mercy Corps
Mercy Corps is a leading global organization powered by the belief that a better world is possible. In disaster, in hardship, in more than 40 countries around the world, we partner to put bold solutions into action — helping people triumph over adversity and build stronger communities from within. Now, and for the future.

Background

Energy 4 Impact is Mercy Corps’ market systems delivery and advisory platform, specialising in clean energy and productive use. We work to build inclusive, resilient energy markets that deliver sustained clean energy access, increased incomes, and climate-resilient livelihoods in underserved regions.

With a strong track record across priority African markets, we operate at the intersection of policy and institutions, enterprise growth and finance, ecosystem coordination, and evidence and market intelligence. Our work addresses five systemic barriers that prevent energy access markets from functioning: regulatory uncertainty and weak policy implementation, limited investor confidence and perceived market risk, demonstrator success without clear replication or scale pathways, fragmented ecosystems and weak coordination, and insufficient decision-grade market evidence.

We tackle these barriers through three outcome pathways. We support governments and regulators to provide clearer, more predictable market rules that improve investor confidence. We accelerate energy enterprises from demonstration to commercial viability, building the pipeline of investable opportunities that markets need. We generate and disseminate the market evidence that donors, investors, and governments need to make better allocation, policy, and investment decisions. Across all three pathways, we convene and align governments, enterprises, financiers, donors, and delivery partners to address systemic barriers no single actor can solve alone.

Energy 4 Impact’s comparative advantage lies in harnessing donor ambition to deliver strategic, market-credible solutions. We have a distinctive capacity to blend the advisory capabilities of a specialist firm with the geographic presence and community reach of an NGO.

Our signal of success is sustained private sector investment flowing into previously high-risk energy access markets. When that happens, the market conditions we helped build are working.

Purpose / Project Description:

Energy 4 Impact is building a roster of consultants to provide specialist services in our advisory projects in Africa. Assignments range from policy analysis and advisory, to enterprise-focused technical assistance and investment facilitation, data analytics, evaluation, and knowledge management.

Consultant Objectives

Whilst consultants’ specific objectives will depend on the assignment, the following are expected across all:

• Deliver high‑quality, evidence‑based insights and recommendations to project teams and assigned clients.
• Produce high‑quality deliverables on time and to specification.
• Strengthen project outcomes through targeted technical expertise.
• Support the identification of innovative, practical, and commercially viable solutions that strengthen market systems and improve the long-term sustainability of project outcomes.
• Build and maintain strong stakeholder relationships.
• Contribute to learning, knowledge capture, and continuous improvement in Energy 4 Impact’s programming and advisory services.
• Contribute to business development through building up of project design and concept.

Consultant Activities

Consultants’ tasks will vary depending on the project context and expected deliverables. Below are examples of activities expected:

Policy analysis and advisory

• Policy analysis, regulatory reviews, and assessment of enabling frameworks.
• Drafting or refining policies, regulations, guidelines, or institutional models.
• Designing and facilitating government–private‑sector dialogue platforms.
• Advising on governance structures, institutional arrangements, or market‑enabling reforms.
• Supporting design and delivery of pilots on new institutional or regulatory models to inform national adoption.

Enterprise‑focused technical expertise

• Enterprise diagnostics on TA needs for growth and sustainability
• Market analysis, business strategy, and business‑planning support.
• Supply‑chain design, last‑mile distribution, and operations optimisation.
• Sales, marketing, and business‑development advisory to improve customer acquisition and revenue growth.
• Technology and product development support (design, testing, iteration, performance assessment).
• Team, leadership, governance, and board strengthening for growing companies.
• Legal, regulatory, and compliance guidance relevant to enterprise expansion in energy‑access markets.
• Design and implementation of digital tools, management information systems, business intelligence solutions and data-driven decision-making processes.
• Financial modelling, unit‑economics analysis, and investment‑readiness preparation.
• Capital raising facilitation, including investor engagement, matchmaking, pitch preparation, data room development, and due diligence preparation.
• Capital structuring, including designing blended finance approaches and innovative financing mechanisms to improve access to capital.
• Carbon credits, carbon project development, MRV systems, climate finance mechanisms and associated revenue models.

Research and learning

• Market diagnostics, sector mapping, and landscape analyses.
• Designing and executing field‑based and desk‑based studies, including surveys, FGDs, KIIs, and site assessments.
• Verify indicators reported by enterprises on performance and contribute to strengthening M&E frameworks.
• Analysing technology performance, commercial viability, and end user‑level impact.
• Producing case studies, learning briefs, research reports, and knowledge products.
• Supporting the translation of evidence into programme design, policy recommendations, and investment decisions.
• Supporting the design and delivery of learning sessions and events on thematic areas in market development, enterprise development, investment, and policy.
• Developing decision-support tools, dashboards and visualisations to improve programme and investment decision-making.

Once retained, the individual consultants will receive detailed requests and scopes of work in accordance with the specific needs that will arise. The individual consultants will have the right to refuse a specific assignment in accordance with their own availability. As a rule, candidates should be able to avail themselves within 5 working days of assignment allocation.

The individual consultants will be assigned a point of contact depending on the assignment but should be prepared to work across teams with flexibility. Consultants may work across multiple thematic areas and projects. Assignments are expected to combine technical expertise with data analytics, stakeholder engagement and problem-solving to deliver practical, evidence-based solutions that contribute to enterprise growth, stronger market systems and increased investment in energy.

Consultant Deliverables: The specific scopes of work will detail the deliverables per assignment.

The Consultant will report to: Head of Programs, Energy 4 Impact.

Required Experience & Skills

Areas of technical expertise

Non-exhaustive areas of expertise required in the pool of consultants through individual expertise are listed below. Candidates are requested to be as specific as possible about their areas of expertise, including years of experience in each area. The list below if only a guidance on what we are looking for.

1. Venture building support to energy companies: Value proposition and market positioning, end-user financing, retail and distribution strategies, after-sales service, etc
2. Financing: SME and end-user financing, de-risking instruments, results-based financing, capital raising (grants, equity, debt, blended, RBF, etc.), crowdfunding, etc). Expertise gained through designing/setting up these financing mechanisms is highly advantageous. Expertise in mobilising capital in the climate finance space (e.g., carbon financing, bonds, concessional loans, disaster risk financing, etc) is highly desirable.
3. PUE in agriculture and livestock: Climate-smart technologies such as solar irrigation, drying, cooling, processing, e-transportation, and others, climate-smart value chain development approaches (e.g., regenerative agriculture, agronomy, etc.)
4. Utility development & electrification: Mini grid/stand-alone off grid systems, grid expansion and densification. We are particularly interested in those with a background in electric engineering, technical system design, tariff structuring, business modelling, demand-side management.
5. Clean cooking: High-tier clean cooking (HTCC) technologies including electric cooking, business modelling (supply, distribution, financing)
6. Electric Mobility: Assess emerging opportunities in electric mobility technologies and related innovations.
7. Policy and regulation in electrification, productive use applications and clean cooking. This includes, but is not limited to energy efficiency, energy pricing including tariff structuring, design and delivery of subsidy schemes, end-user protection, policy and tax advisory and analysis.
8. Monitoring, evaluation and learning: Setting up and managing database management systems either at the level of enterprises or portfolio, data analytics on enterprise performance and growth, market intelligence, establishing M&E frameworks for enterprise advisory projects.
9. Digitalisation and data systems: Support the design and implementation of digital tools, management information systems, business intelligence solutions and data-driven decision-making processes.
10. Carbon markets and climate finance: Assess opportunities related to carbon credits, carbon project development, MRV systems, climate finance mechanisms and associated revenue models.

Other key requirements

• Minimum 3 years of demonstrated experience in the specific area of energy access expertise for which the consultant is applying. Candidates should specify which areas of technical expertise they are applying to (please refer to point 1-10 above).
• At least 3 years of professional experience working in African markets, with a strong understanding of local market dynamics, institutional environments, and private‑sector realities. Experience gained as part of an enterprise, utility, government institution/agency, financial institution/investor, or venture consulting firm is highly desirable. Candidates should list only countries where experience is gained consistently over at least 6 months. Experience through on-ground delivery is highly desired.
• Strong technical knowledge, with demonstrated success in applying it to SME or policy advisory assignments.
• Proven ability in managing relationships with advisory clients, including structured analysis, actionable recommendations, and client‑facing communication.
• Experience in sector networking and relationship building, e.g., with government and regulatory agencies, private‑sector companies, financiers, other advisory networks, development partners, and community‑level actors.
• Excellent analytical and problem‑solving skills, including the ability to work with qualitative and quantitative data and translating it into succinct actionable insights. Candidates are encouraged to include a portfolio of published attributable knowledge and data products.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English. Candidates should state their level of proficiency against recognised standards such as the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR; A1 to C2 categorisation) and the United Nations Language Framework (UNLF; Levels I to IV categorisation).
• Fluency in French, Kiswahili, Portuguese, or other African languages is a strong asset. Candidates should list professional proficiencies in additional languages, utilising the same standard framework as that above (English).
• Strong autonomy, reliability, and professional integrity, with the ability to work remotely, manage multiple tasks, and meet deadlines with limited supervision.
• Ability and willingness to travel, sometimes at short notice (2 weeks or less), depending on assignment requirements.
• Commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and ethical conduct, in line with Mercy Corps’ values and safeguarding standards.

Accountability to Participants and Stakeholders
Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our program participants, community partners, other stakeholders, and to international standards guiding international relief and development work. We are committed to actively engaging communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.

Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions
This is a remote position based in the selected candidate's country of permanent residence.

Ongoing Learning
In support of our belief that learning organizations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities we serve, we empower all team members to dedicate 5% of their time to learning activities that further their personal and/or professional growth and development

Team Engagement and Effectiveness
Achieving our mission starts with how we build our team and collaborate. By bringing together individuals with a variety of experiences, backgrounds, and perspectives, we strengthen our ability to solve complex challenges and drive innovation. We foster a culture of trust and respect, where every team member is valued for their contributions, empowered to reach their full potential, and motivated to do their best work.
We recognize that building a strong and effective team is an ongoing process, and we remain committed to learning, improving, and growing together.

Equal Employment Opportunity
Mercy Corps is an equal opportunity employer committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, religion or belief, national origin, age, disability, marital status, veteran status, or any other characteristics protected under applicable law.

Disclaimer: The use of AI technologies will not be permitted during online interviews. This includes, but is not limited to, AI‑generated responses, virtual assistants, real‑time transcription or summarization tools, automated scripts, or any system that provides real‑time prompts or recommendations. This reflects Mercy Corps’ commitment to equitable hiring practices, equal opportunity, and a level playing field for every candidate. Candidates who require the use of AI-assisted tools as a reasonable accommodation for a disability are encouraged to submit a request to their recruiter prior to their interview. Mercy Corps will review all such requests and work with candidates to identify appropriate accommodations in accordance with applicable law.

Safeguarding & Ethics
Mercy Corps is committed to ensuring that all individuals we come into contact with through our work, whether team members, community members, program participants or others, are treated with respect and dignity. We are committed to the core principles regarding prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse laid out by the UN Secretary General and IASC and have signed on to the Interagency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. We will not tolerate child abuse, sexual exploitation, abuse, or harassment by or of our team members. As part of our commitment to a safe and inclusive work environment, team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner, respect local laws and customs, and to adhere to Mercy Corps Code of Conduct Policies and values at all times. Team members are required to complete mandatory Code of Conduct elearning courses upon hire and on an annual basis.

As an applicant, if you witness or experience any form of sexual misconduct during the recruitment process, please report this to Mercy Corps Integrity Hotline ([email protected]).