Program Support Officer - South Africa

Programme Support Officer, Clean Cooking and Sustainable Energy

Limited Term Contract (6 months, with possibility of extension)

C- Quest Capital LLC (CQC) is a clean energy project developer whose mission is to transform the lives of the rural poor in developing countries by providing them with access to clean and sustainable energy services, clean energy technologies, and improving health and well-being of women and children. CQC was founded in 2008 and is headquartered in Washington D.C., U.S.A., with subsidiaries in India, Malaysia, Singapore, and Cambodia. Our projects are closely managed by the CQC Operations Team and by establishing relationships with people and organizations based in-country called Implementing Partners (IPs), whose development goals closely align with the work we are doing at scale and are already working at the village level.

Background:

CQC is rapidly expanding their impact to provide cleaner cooking services across core geographies. IPs build improved cookstoves made from local materials and hold trainings on how to build these stoves. The IPs build the capacity of target rural populations and provide them with access to clean cooking technology. IPs are required to return to the households, where the stoves have been distributed and built, for registration onto an online database. There is a need for a spot auditor to randomly check on approved stoves distributed by the IPs to ensure quality, compliancy with the relevant standards, and to receive feedback from end-users.

Core Tasks:

• Under the guidance of the South Africa Country Manager and supervision of the US-based Operations Team, the Programme Support Officer (PSO) will focus on knowledge sharing through community trainings and quality control through spot audits. The PSO is required to collaborate directly with the Implementation Partner to conduct a random sample of improved cookstoves in active areas as well as offer support in the field through trainings.

Duties and responsibilities:

• Undergo Enumeration Training to properly conduct the field surveys/spot audits with the Implementation Partner in country.
• Manage personal travel logistics and reporting requirements and seek pre-approval of costs from CQC.
• Provide detailed budget and schedule outlining their program and expected expenses.
• Communicate through WhatsApp with Operations Team on an as-needed basis.

Requirements:

• Have a valid driver’s license and access to their own vehicle (preferred) for transportation to households throughout the areas of implementation – the position includes frequent travel and competence on a motorbike is required.
• Proficiency in the English language and local languages spoken in Mpumalanga is essential. Knowledge of the geography and culture in the province will be advantage.
• Strong preference will be given to candidates with excellent writing skills, with good communication skills, and have existing experience conducting Android phone-based field surveys.

Deliverables:

Spot audit:

• Questionnaires to be completed and logged for each of the sampled households.
• All findings are to be organized in a report and provided to CQC.

Trainings:

• Identifying and working with Country Manager/U.S. Based staff and Implementing Partners to support and organize community trainings as needed,
• Report to Country Manager and perform tasks to expand program access and integrity, as directed.

Location:

Position is remote. Seeking a candidate based in Mpumalanga province. Day-to-day location will vary based on the random sample (25–30 households) that will be pulled from the online database of existing approved stoves. Household sample locations are not to be revealed to the Implementing Partner, although the area or ward under audit may be shared.