Principal Consultant / Team Leader - Energy Lead

Charlotte, NC, United States

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Principal Consultant / Team Leader - Energy Lead ** Principal Consultant / Team Leader - Energy Lead**

Practical Action Consulting Flexible Full time Staff About Practical Action Consulting

Practical Action Consulting (PAC) is the consulting arm of the Practical Action Group. The Practical Action Group has consulting offices in the UK, Senegal, Nepal, India, Bangladesh, Kenya and Peru each managed separately, but working in collaboration.

This role is with the PAC International team, which is led from the UK but delivers work internationally and collaborates with colleagues in other PAC global offices. PAC International is a small, dynamic team of highly skilled consultancy professionals working in the energy, agriculture and resilience/disaster risk reduction sectors. Technical experts are supported by a roster of highly skilled associates as well as business development, contract/compliance management, communications and finance support staff.

PAC Internationals ambitious strategy to 2025 contributes to the wider Groups impact in energy, agriculture and climate resilience by:

* Winning and delivering technical consultancy services and research contracts that shape the policies, strategies and practices of decision-makers, practitioners and the private sector.

* Innovating and incubating practical solutions that can be scaled.

* Facilitating and convening strategic partnerships with the private, public and research sectors.

* Providing strategic and technical support to the wider Practical Action Group.

The Role

This is a challenging and rewarding senior role within the PAC International team: leading the energy strategy; growing the portfolio; ensuring high quality development and delivery; serving as a principal technical expert and lead; managing a small team and associates; representing and building business-relevant partnerships and networks.

Reporting to the PAC International Managing Director, you will:

* Lead the delivery of all aspects of the PAC energy strategy, including adapting it as required based on external market analysis and in close collaboration with the wider Practical Action Groups energy strategy and PAC International SMT.

* Develop and nurture strong external business-relevant partnerships and networks to support portfolio growth, client diversification, profile building and to position PAC International with strategic consortia.

* Drive and deliver on energy business development processes ensuring quality, competitiveness and financial viability of offers (including meeting income generation targets).

* Serve as a principal technical expert and/or lead on assignments preferably bringing expertise in humanitarian energy, productive use of energy and/or last mile energy access.

* Ensure high quality, timely delivery and financial controls across the portfolio and be willing to project manage as necessary.

* Manage and nurture client relations to promote repeat business and position brand.

* Lead and mentor a small team, fostering a culture of excellence that is business-oriented, results-driven and high performing. This will include assessments of team capabilities, supporting staff development and recruitment as necessary.

* Grow and nurture the network of associates and ensure their effective deployment.

* Provide and/or support the vision for innovation and ingenuity across all areas of work.

* Work closely with other PAC and Practical Action colleagues, especially in energy, agriculture and markets and contribute to the wider Groups strategic and technical capability.

* Serve as a key member of the PAC International SMT: setting team strategy, reporting against progress, agreeing business targets, and contributing to communications and marketing strategies.

* From time to time, provide/support the energy team to provide technical assistance to Practical Action energy programmes.

Indicators of success in this role would include:

* Steady growth in the energy portfolio across all three focus areas, meeting/exceeding income targets at a minimum

* Energy portfolio aligns and contributes to Practical Actions overall energy strategy

* At least 1 new strategic partnership created/significant client added each year and existing partnerships and networks nurtured

* A motivated, professional team capable of delivering to high quality, on time and within budgets

Responsibilities

* Providing technical leadership and profile in one or more of PACs strategic focal areas for energy.

* Nurturing and expanding client, sector, technical and associate networks to support client diversification, portfolio growth and enhanced profile of PAC International.

* Representing strategic high-level fora and working groups.

* Leading growth of PAC International Energy portfolio and ensures annual income targets are reached. As part of this, actively working on and leading bids, co-ordinating proposal team members, quality assuring proposal submissions and assessing competitiveness of bids/approach.

* Ensuring PAC International energy team members are provided with sufficient oversight, support and capacity-building as required.

* Ensuring increased collaboration on development, delivery and other business aspects with PAC Global colleagues.

* Providing high quality inputs (technical, financial, management) to and quality assuring PAC International energy projects and proposals.

* Providing leadership in terms of and creates space for others to input to innovation and creativity concerning our approach, strategy, external engagement and portfolio development.

* Providing core contributions to the development of PAC Internationals Strategic and Annual Business Planning, its monitoring, reporting and review. Ensuring alignment with PA Group strategy. Working with others in the PA Group as appropriate to share and integrate learning (internal and external) and to manage knowledge.

Person Specification

This role will suit a candidate with an established track record and profile in the energy consultancy field. A specialism in either Productive Use of Energy and/or Humanitarian Energy is preferred.

Significant experience of and a sound understanding of consultancy business approaches and models is essential. A strong understanding of the market and the ability to assess and position PAC for competitiveness in the space is required. Significant experience in developing and growing consultancy portfolios and teams is also a key criteria. The ability to write compelling, competitive and persuasive bids/concepts is essential. Strong project and financial management skills are also required.

The candidate should have strong, active networks in the energy consultancy space: with clients, primes/partners, associates and technical experts/thought leaders. You will have demonstrated skill in nurturing and building networks, high-level representation, persuasive and effective communication and negotiation.

To be successful, candidates require the qualities of a strong leader, manager and team player; with the enthusiasm, dynamism and motivation to grow the PAC International energy portfolio in size towards greater impact. A willingness to learn from and contribute to Practical Actions ingenious approaches to energy is an important attribute.

The ability to co-ordinate and build the capabilities of colleagues is essential, as well as the ability to work effectively in a team with external partners and consultants/associates.

As with most consultancy roles: a degree of flexibility, multi-tasking and ability to respond to emerging opportunities or challenges is required.

**Skills, Abilities and Competencies**

* Masters or above in a related degree/qualification (energy, international development, economics, MBA or related field/sector) or equivalent

* High-level and ideally high profile technical expertise in one or more of PAC Internationals strategic energy focal ar

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