Purpose of the Role
The
Project Coordinator will coordinate and oversee the pilot
phase of Mwangaza Kitchens, ensuring that early adopter schools are identified,
onboarded, supported through the full transition process, and monitored closely
to generate robust operational, financial, and usage data.
The
role is explicitly delivery-oriented. The Project Coordinator will drive
implementation end-to-end: coordinating with team members leading on energy
audit review, system sizing and technology selection, through financing
arrangements and kitchen remodelling, to installation, commissioning, and
post-installation support. At the same time, they will ensure that learning and
data from the pilot are systematically captured, analysed, and reported to
inform adaptation, donor accountability, and future scale-up.
Key Responsibilities
1.
Pilot coordination and delivery leadership
- Lead the operational coordination of the Mwangaza Kitchens pilot,
ensuring timely, high-quality delivery across all participating early
adopter schools.
- Working closely with team focal points within the respective
counties/areas, drive the identification, engagement, and onboarding of
faith-based early adopter schools, working closely with diocesan
leadership, school boards, principals, and kitchen staff.Coordinate the
full school transition pathway, including:
- Review and validation of existing and new energy audits
- Support to system sizing and technology selection based on
technical, financial, and operational suitability
- Coordination of kitchen design and remodelling requirements
- Oversight of installation, commissioning, and initial technical
support Act as the central point of coordination between schools,
technology providers, energy auditors, financial partners, and Mwangaza
Light field teams.
- Proactively identify implementation bottlenecks and resolve them
pragmatically to maintain momentum during the pilot phase.
2.
Blended finance, carbon, and commercial coordination
- Support the structuring and execution of blended finance
arrangements for early adopter schools, including grants, concessional
finance, and innovative repayment mechanisms.
- Coordinate closely with financial institutions, SACCOs, and
church-linked financing mechanisms to ensure agreements are practical,
understood, and implemented as designed.
- Support the operationalisation of carbon market components at pilot
level, including data requirements, monitoring systems, and alignment with
emerging dMRV approaches.
- Ensure that financial and carbon-related assumptions are grounded in
real-world school cash flows and usage patterns, feeding learning back
into model refinement.
3.
Data, learning, and adaptive management
- Ensure that high-quality data on system usage, performance, costs,
savings, and user experience are collected consistently across pilot
schools.
- Work with technical partners to ensure that IoT, monitoring, and
reporting systems are functional and fit for purpose.
- Working closely with data analysis and management focal points,
compile, analyse, and synthesise pilot data to inform internal
decision-making, adaptation of the model, and preparation for scale-up.
- Contribute to the development of evidence products, learning notes,
and practical insights that strengthen the credibility of the Mwangaza
Kitchens model.
- Working closely with the Mwangaza Light CEO and Communications
Officer, document lessons learned, operational challenges, and best
practices to support replication and scale of the Mwangaza Kitchens model.
Grant
management and donor reporting
- Lead day-to-day grant management for the pilot phase, ensuring
activities, expenditures, and reporting align with approved proposals and
donor requirements.
- Prepare high-quality narrative and financial reports in close
coordination with DCA and Mwangaza Light finance and programme teams.
- Track deliverables, milestones, and risks, proactively flagging
issues and proposing mitigation measures.
- Support donor engagement, learning visits, and external
communications related to the pilot phase.
5.
Coordination, representation, and partnerships
- Represent the Mwangaza Kitchens pilot in relevant technical
discussions, partner meetings, and sector forums as required.
- Work in collaboration with Mwangaza Light team to maintain strong
working relationships with church institutions, technology suppliers,
financiers, auditors, and sector stakeholders.
- Ensure close alignment between DCA and Mwangaza Light roles,
responsibilities, and expectations throughout pilot delivery.
Risk Management
- Proactively identify and monitor technical, financial, and
operational risks associated with project implementation,
including infrastructure installations, financing mechanisms, and
multi-stakeholder coordination.
- Develop and implement risk mitigation strategies and
escalate critical issues where necessary to ensure successful delivery of
the pilot.
Qualifications and
Experience
- Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field such as engineering, energy,
environmental science, economics, development finance, or a related
discipline. A Master’s degree is an added advantage.
- At least 5–7 years of progressively responsible experience in
project coordination or management within clean energy, climate,
infrastructure, or market-based development initiatives.
- Demonstrated experience working with blended finance,
results-based financing, or commercially oriented development models.
- Practical knowledge of clean cooking, renewable energy
systems, or institutional energy solutions.
- Experience using digital monitoring tools, data dashboards, or
project management platforms.
- Strong familiarity with carbon markets, carbon project
development, or dMRV systems is a significant advantage.
- Proven experience coordinating multiple technical and commercial
actors, including private sector suppliers and financial institutions.
- Experience managing donor-funded grants and producing high-quality
reports.
Skills and Competencies
- Strong implementation instincts and the ability to “get things done”
in complex, multi-stakeholder environments.
- High level of comfort engaging at both technical and institutional
levels, from kitchen staff to senior school boards and donors.
- Solid analytical skills, with the ability to translate operational
data into practical learning.
- Excellent organisational and coordination skills, with strong
attention to detail.
- Clear, confident written and verbal communication.
- Ability to work independently while maintaining disciplined
coordination with multiple partners.
How to Apply
