United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
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Purpose and Scope of Assignment
The purpose of this position is to provide dedicated, field-based operational and technical support to UN HCR energy programme across the Kaku ma and Kalobeyei operational area, with a strong emphasis on activity monitoring, ground-level coordination, and follow-up implementation. The Senior Energy Associate will serve as the primary on-the-ground focal point for energy activities in the area, ensuring timely and quality delivery of energy interventions while channeling strategic information to the Kakuma Head of Office and Senior Energy Officer in Nairobi.
The incumbent will support the analysis, planning, monitoring, and reporting of UNHCR Kenya's energy strategy in Kakuma-Kalobeyei, which seeks to accelerate the transition to clean, green, and renewable energy solutions for refugees and host communities alike. All activities will be aligned with the UNHCR Global Strategy for Sustainable Energy, the Kenya Multi-Year Energy Strategy 2026-2030, the Shirika Plan, and the Kalobeyei Integrated Socio-Economic Development Plan (KISEDP).
Roles and responsibilities:
Activity Monitoring and Implementation Follow-up (35%)
This constitutes the core function of the role. The Senior Energy Associate will:
Conduct regular field visits across Kaku ma refugee camp (area 1-4) _and the Kalobeyei Integrated Settlement to monitor the progress of all ongoing energy projects, including solar electrification of health facilities, schools, and community centres, as well as electric cooking initiatives and O&M contracts.
Maintain an updated activity tracker and work plan dashboard for all energy activities across the operational area, proactively flagging delays, risks, and proposed mitigation measures.
Monitor the quality of implementation of contractor and partner activities, including solar installations, electric cooking device deployment, and associated training programmes.
Verify the effective functioning of O&M contracts and escalate issues related to system downtime or maintenance gaps to the Senior Energy Officer in a timely manner.
Monitor the operationalization and performance of newly installed solar systems at health facilities, schools, market areas, and UNHCR field facilities across both Kakuma and Kalobeyei.
Ensure systematic data collection and documentation across all field activities, including beneficiary counts, energy production data, and system performance records.
Prepare weekly and monthly technical monitoring reports for submission to the Head of Office and Senior Energy Officer and for contribution to the operation's Situation Reports (SitReps).
Project Implementation Support (35%)
Supervise and coordinate the training of local youth - from both refugee and host community backgrounds - in the operation and maintenance of solar systems and electric cooking devices, ensuring meaningful knowledge transfer and sustained local capacity development.
Support the rehabilitation of existing energy systems that have become non-functional due to maintenance deficits or unavailability of spare parts.
Collaborate closely with the WASH section to support the solarization of boreholes and strategic water infrastructure across both sites.
Support the piloting and scale-up of market-based energy approaches in Kalobeyei, including engagement with private sector actors and the development of microenterprise models for energy service delivery.
Technical Guidance and Capacity Building (15%
Provide technical guidance and support to UNHCR implementing partners engaged in energy and environment projects across the Kakuma-Kalobeyei area.
Support the capacity development of UNHCR Kakuma Sub-Office staff and implementing partners on sustainable energy concepts, monitoring methodologies, and reporting tools.
Contribute to the design and delivery of awareness-raising sessions for refugee and host community beneficiaries on the safe use and maintenance of energy technologies.
Support the implementation and scale-up of market-based renewable energy and clean cooking solutions, informed by field assessments, with a focus on investment readiness, gender-responsiveness, and long-term sustainability.
Coordination and Stakeholder Engagement (15%)
Act as UNHCR's field-level energy focal point in Kakuma-Kalobeyei, maintaining regular engagement with NGO partners, government counterparts (including Turkana County officials and the State Department for Refugee Services), private sector actors, and community representatives.
Participate actively in relevant field-level working groups and coordination forums related to energy, environment, WASH, and integrated settlement planning.
Engage with private sector energy service providers, social enterprises, and financial institutions exploring investment opportunities in the Kakuma-Kalobeyei energy market.
Maintain regular structured communication with the Senior Energy Officer in Nairobi, contributing field-based evidence and operational updates to country-level strategy discussions.
Monitoring and Progress Controls
The Senior Energy Associate will be expected to produce the following regular outputs throughout the assignment:
Produce structured weekly field monitoring reports covering activity progress, challenges, risks, and recommendations across both Kakuma and Kalobeyei.
Monthly activity progress report, encompassing project tracker updates, key performance indicators, operational challenges, and recommendations for both sites.
Contribution to the energy section of the UNHCR Kakuma-Kalobeyei Situation Report
(SitRep).
Ad hoc technical notes, field visit reports, and assessment summaries as required by the Sub-Office Management or Senior Energy Officer.
Maintain accurate and up-to-date project documentation, including contracts, technical specifications, as-built drawings, and training records.
Document and compile lessons learned and best practices from Kakuma-Kalobeyei energy interventions, with particular attention to the Kalobeyei integrated model, to inform Kenyawide and global energy strategies.
End-of-assignment report summarizing key achievements, lessons learned, and strategic recommendations for the continuation and scale-up of energy activities across Kaku ma and Kalobeyei.
Qualifications and Experience:
Education
Work Experience
A minimum of two (2) to four (4) years of relevant professional experience in renewable energy project implementation, monitoring, and/or coordination.
Experience in a humanitarian, development, or integrated settlement context is a strong asset.
Demonstrated familiarity with solar energy systems, including design, installation, and O&M, is required.
Experience with clean cooking technologies, productive use of energy (PUE), and/or market-based energy approaches is a significant advantage.
Prior experience working in refugee settings, integrated development contexts, or remote, arid operational environments is desirable.
Knowledge of the Kalobeyei Integrated Socio-Economic Development Plan (KISEDP) and refugee self-reliance frameworks is an asset.
Key Competencies
Strong monitoring, data collection, and analytical skills, with the ability to translate field data into actionable recommendations.
Sound understanding of humanitarian and development energy needs, encompassing electricity access, clean cooking, greening of operations, and market-based approaches.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English.
Ability to work effectively in a collaborative, multi-cultural, and multi-disciplinary team environment.
Demonstrated capacity to perform under pressure in stressful, remote, and resourceconstrained settings.