Principal consultant | Climate change - Energy, Infrastructure, Industry

For over 24 years, we have been supporting and guiding our clients to achieve low-carbon climate-resilient development. We assess contexts and baselines, design strategies and frameworks, develop policies, programmes and projects and unlock finance for public and private sector clients across the world.

Do you want to make a real difference in the fight against climate change?

E Co. is looking for a Principal consultant to lead the projects on Energy, Infrastructure and Industry sectors.

About the role

Are you passionate about Climate Finance? Are you a renowned expert in the fields of Energy, Infrastructure, and/or Industry ; a thought-leader and experienced practitioner familiar handling complex assignments, able to handle detail as well as dealing with the bigger picture? Do you possess vast networks in your field and are you held in high regard by your teams and clients? Are you equally at ease being a team player, a contributor and learning from others?

We are looking for a renowned expert, driving excellence within the organisation, demonstrating thought-leadership, driving Knowledge Management practices and leading the strategic growth and development of your sectors.

As a Principal you will lead and manage a team of direct reports setting and managing expectations, leading quality management, managing and coordinating the work of team members on consulting assignments, and planning and managing resources to deliver assignments within time, scope and profitability. You will be driven to “wow” our clients, through understanding and managing client expectations, reflecting those in team deliverables and identifying opportunities to go above and beyond. You will ensure your direct reports fulfill their internal obligations with respect to strategy, policies and processes by setting an example and leading them in line with our core values.

Responsibilities

Strategy and Business Development

• Contribute to the formulation of the Consulting team strategic objectives
• Develop and drive strategic initiatives with the key clients, or in a particular technical area or service area in line with overall E Co. strategic growth objectives
• Demonstrate thought-leadership in a focus area through a range of initiatives (speaking opportunities, reports, articles, webinars, interviews etc)
• Represent E Co. externally to build and enhance E Co’s reputation
• Marketing: actively expand E Co’s network of clients, partners and experts
• Marketing: contribute to E Co’s written and verbal collateral in your key knowledge area(s) (blogs, report articles, social media posts, podcasts, webinars etc)

Consulting/Billable

• Provide quality management (QM) for assigned assignments, including overall oversight and quality control, ensuring they are delivered on time, within scope and budget and with quality
• Oversee that all assignments within the portfolio are in line with strategic initiatives (innovation, improvement, scalability/cross selling initiatives, etc.)
• Lead highly complex assignments
• Provide oversight/quality assurance as a key expert in complex assignments
• Manage complex assignment teams comprised of both internal and external experts
• Contribute to strategic pipeline development in line with the company and Consulting Team objectives
• Contribute to bid development and provide technical support to the bid development team

For assignments led:

• Management of the contract, scope, budget, resource plan, the allocation and programming of activities, and product delivery
• Ensure accuracy, timeliness and cost effectiveness
• Ensure compliance with E Co. processes and assignment management / standard operating procedures
• Identify issues and bottlenecks and demonstrate effective decision making to ensure smooth resolution
• Oversee the development of deliverables and their delivery in a timely manner and with quality,
• Oversee client management and develop an understanding of the client's expectations and manage those in line with the contract and scope of work
• Ensure quality communication with clients
• Ensure client experience achieves ‘wow’
• Manage third party assignment relationships (external experts, partners, other stakeholders)

For assignments under quality management:

• Provide support and oversight to the team leader in the management of assignments relating directly to all points listed above
• Verify an understanding of the client's expectations and ensure those are met by the team leader in line with the contract and scope of work
• Verify the contract is aligned with the terms of reference and E Co’s technical and financial proposals as submitted (or negotiated)
• Verify deliverables are in line with client expectations, E Co. good practice standards and are delivered on time, on budget
  

Consulting team Management and Development

• Contribute to resource and capacity planning of the Consulting team for active assignments and pipeline
• Lead, manage and hold accountable (LMA) Senior consultants and Consultants in active assignments under your management
• Act as line manager to a pool of internal Senior consultants and Consultants
• Role model best practice behaviour in use of E Co’s Assignment Management tools
• Provide constructive input into the continuous development of E Co’s Assignment Management and Knowledge Sharing tools
• Lead Knowledge Management & Learning (KML) in a defined area and contribute in others; share knowledge and best practice behaviours through mentoring, assignment quality assurance, retrospectives, assignment presentations and communities of practice
• Role model best practice by designing, refining and utilising E Co.'s methodologies, frameworks, tools and templates
• Mentor consultants in their career path

Administration and compliance

• Role model best practice behaviour in all administrative assignment management / standard operating procedures within E Co.
• Provide constructive input into the continuous development of all E Co. assignment management / standard operating procedures
• Plan and log own working time (non-billable/billable) in the online time-tracking software
• Ensure active use of E Co’s CRM software and processes

Qualifications

• A minimum of 20 years of relevant experience in different regions, preferably EU neighbourhood countries, Balkans and MENA)
• Postgraduate degree – MBA, MA, MSc, PhD in a relevant technical subject
• A strong record of experience in Energy, Infrastructure, and Industry areas
• Sound knowledge and experience in climate change mitigation/ adaptation/ resilience; e.g. Renewable Energy, Energy Access, Energy Efficiency, Transport, EV transport, Smart cities, Urban development,
• Experience providing consulting and advisory services upstream of financing decisions - e.g. market analysis, strategy development, policy development, proposal development
• Proven track record of technical consultancy delivery in one or more relevant fields
• Experience working with one or more of our public sector clients such as EBRD, WB, EIB,GIZ is essential. GCA, GCF, Adaptation Fund, NAMA Facility, AfDB, AFD, FCDO, IADB, AFC as well as the private sector experience is desirable 
• Proven track record leading teams to deliver projects and other assignments on time, on budget and to high-quality standards

• Strong track record in project management in a multi-stakeholder developing country context
• Experience in contract management including managing change control
• Excellent ability to design, organise, execute and deliver consulting solutions to international clients
• Able to build and maintain relations with existing and potential clients, follow leads, build meaningful partnerships and engage experts
• Possesses good negotiating skills as demonstrated through client, partnership and expert negotiations
• Experience writing or contributing to the writing of assignment reports, technical proposals, marketing materials and other written outputs in your areas of expertise
• Experience acting as quality manager (quality assurance + quality control) on assignments, proposals and other outputs
• Experience guiding small teams of consultants 1-2-1, helping them to develop knowledge, skill sets and tools that will enable them to realise their own personal and professional objectives
• People management skills - able to manage people and their performance, hold them accountable and guide or support their career development

Highly desirable

• Experience with an as-yet-unexplored relevant client, technical or service area would be an advantage
• Significant relevant experience in Africa, Eastern Europe, Latin America, and/or Asia
• Fluency in English and another language (including French, Portuguese, Spanish, Russian, Chinese and Arabic)
• A wide network of contacts in the sustainable and international development sector

Benefits

• Competitive salary
• Join a B Corp-certified organisation
• Flexible working hours and hybrid remote and office work
• 28 days holiday, increasing with years of service
• Annual educational allowance for professional development
• Participant in the annual company retreat
• E Co. is committed to a policy of equal employment opportunity and does not discriminate in the terms, conditions, or privileges of employment on account of race, age, colour, sex, national origin, physical or mental disability, religion.