Are you passionate about powering up climate justice in the Global South, in particular clean, affordable energy for all? Are you keen to use your deep expertise on energy access to transform lives, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa? Are you ready to deploy your extensive skills to lead, develop and increase our impact in this area? 

If so, this is a golden opportunity for you to achieve transformative impact. 

The prestigious Ashden Awards have been rewarding trailblazing energy access champions and climate solutions in the Global South for over 20 years, and putting the need to support them on the map. Our programme of support for winners has helped many of these innovations to flourish and achieve large scale impact. Most recently, we have put refugee energy innovators on the global stage, funded wider access to sustainable cooling in farms and cities, proven how investment in skills and training can deliver a just transition, and boosted clean energy advocacy. 

We are now seeking an experienced leader to further scale up our international work on energy access and climate solutions with a particular focus on Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), collaborating with and supporting local partners to help them increase living standards and opportunities for marginalised people and communities at greatest risk from the climate crisis.  

This is a one-year renewable contract, with the key task of reviewing, strengthening and growing our work in SSA to maximise our impact. This will include finding new ways to unblock large scale funding and investment into clean energy access, including in humanitarian settings, as well as into some nature-based solutions. 

As well as overseeing expenditure for all our international programmes, a key task will be to work with colleagues in the fundraising team to secure significant new programme funding. You will also represent Ashden publicly and contribute to thought leadership on key issues. 

Your in-depth experience will include working on clean energy access and climate action in Sub-Saharan Africa (or transferable expertise from other locations in the Global South); driving policy change, funding and investment to scale up climate solutions. You will also need a good understanding of budgeting, be a brilliant team leader and have a strong fundraising track record. 

The role is four days per week, based in London with the flexibility to work remotely. Regular travel to SSA is required.   

First interviews will take place online on 19 February and second interviews will be in person at our office in Victoria on 22 February. 

JOB DESCRIPTION 

Job title: Director of International Programmes  

Job purpose: Lead the strategic development and delivery of Ashden’s International Programmes focused on Energy Access and other climate-related work in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and elsewhere in the Global South. 

Reports to: Ashden CEO 

Terms and conditions: 12 month fixed term contract (renewable). 

4 days per week. 

Based in the Ashden office in London Victoria (with working from home as agreed).  

Right to live/work in UK  

Direct Reports: International Programme Manager 

Duties and Responsibilities 

Leadership & Strategy 

• Build and develop an effective internationally-distributed team to deliver impactful work on climate solutions and energy access in the Global South.  

• Review our work to support climate solutions in the Global South at a strategic level, and develop it to maximise impact in all areas within the current framework of jobs, skills and livelihoods. 

• Work with colleagues to develop proposals and secure funding for existing and new  workstreams, help pitch these proposals as needed, and contribute to the identification of new leads 

• Be a dynamic and effective member of the Directorate, contributing fully to collective organisational leadership and decision making. 

• Work with the CEO and other Directors to achieve Ashden’s overall strategic goals. 

Delivery 

• Develop and steward productive relations and partnerships with clean energy access and climate action stakeholders in the Global South with a focus on SSA. 

• Forge productive relations with relevant funders and investors in London and elsewhere. 

• Support international team members in developing effective workstreams that connect Ashden Award winners, and other innovators we work with, to funders and investors, so that they can scale up and/or become replicable. 

• Work closely with the Head of Awards to develop relevant awards and ensure that they dovetail with the programmatic work.  

• Review and develop the Power Up Campaign for clean energy access, supporting its African leadership. 

• Be a spokesperson for Ashden at events and across all media, contributing to our thought leadership on climate solutions and energy access in the Global South. 

• Ensure we operate within a framework of increasing social justice and livelihoods; decolonisation; and diversity, equity & inclusion, reporting on progress. 

Executive Management Team & Reporting 

• Oversee income and expenditure for all our international work and produce the necessary reports. 

• Share responsibility with the CEO and other Directors for reporting on performance of the whole organisation to the board of trustees. 

• Along with other Directors, deputise for the CEO when required. 

General responsibilities 

• Be an ambassador for Ashden. 

• Be flexible and carry out other associated duties as may arise, develop or be assigned in line with the broad remit of the position. 

• Support and promote diversity and equality of opportunity in the workplace. 

• Support and promote sustainability and carbon reduction actions within Ashden, Sainsbury Family Charitable Trust and our wider work.  

Scope and accountability  

 Decision making and limits of authority  

Subject to the overarching strategy of the organisation and consultation with EMT colleagues, authority to create and deliver the strategy through the work of the programmes, awards and integration of communications and fundraising to achieve these aims.  

Financial resources  

The International Programme Team budget with authority as described in the [Financial Procedures Manual].   

Information resources  

Ensure that all records are kept in accordance with GDPR regulations.   

Other resources  

n/a  

People management  

International Programme Manager and oversight of the wider international team, consultants, contractors and interns.  

Legal, regulatory and compliance  

Ensure compliance with SFCT financial policies and procedures.  

Ensure compliance with data protection regulations (where applicable - GDPR Champion for Ashden, initial responsibility for ensuring compliance with GDPR).   

Ensure compliance with Ashden Safeguarding policies and procedures and data protection in relation to grant management.   

Personal compliance with SFCT health and safety procedures​, Equal Opportunities & Diversity procedures.  

PERSON SPECIFICATION 

EXPERIENCE and SKILLS 

• Extensive experience of clean energy access issues and climate solutions in the global south, ideally in Sub-Saharan Africa/or transferable from other Global South locations.  

• Demonstrable understanding of the funding and investment landscape for clean energy access in Sub-Saharan Africa. 

• Experience of brokering productive and healthy partnerships across a broad spectrum of stakeholders.  

• Substantial strategic planning experience. 

• Proven track record of working with senior decision-makers and of using programmes to leverage policy change.  

• High competency at managing people both in-person and remotely.  

• Competent at budgeting and strong and demonstrable track record of fundraising.  

• An effective leader who can enthuse the team.  

• A compelling communicator. 

PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS  

• Able to work some evenings, weekends and out-of-hours from time to time. 

• Available to travel to Sub-Saharan Africa and other locations in the global south at least four times a year for a week at a time. 

• Active and self-led learner who keeps abreast of developments.  

• Good understanding of and commitment to anti-discriminatory practice and equal opportunities. An ability to apply awareness of diversity issues to all areas of work.