Description

Business Development Associate:
- Urban energy entrepreneurship
- Commoditizing cooking fuel for urban populations
- An opportunity exists in a francophone African country to launch an environmentally conscious business in the urban cooking energy space.

Background

In this particular country, millions of urban families cook on charcoal every day. Wood from virgin or planted forests is cut and transformed into charcoal, using highly inefficient, traditional carbonization methods. Unlike electricity or cooking gas, charcoal is cheap yet comes at a great cost. Some 600,000 tons of charcoal are consumed each year, and that requires the wood from tens of thousands of hectares of forests. The trees literally all go up in smoke, releasing vast amounts of CO2 into the atmosphere. Without change, the future is bleak. A steeply growing population and deep poverty place an ever greater demand on charcoal, until the country runs out of forests and unique biodiversity is forever destroyed.

Although much charcoal originates from (rain) forests, several large towns rely predominantly on charcoal from Eucalyptus forests planted on public land. Characterized by small scale informal operators, the value chain of charcoal from these forests is fragmented and highly inefficient at every level. The opportunity exists to establish a vertically integrated charcoal business which adds economy of scale and removes non-value-adding intermediaries and inefficiencies. A profitable business, this venture would also lower the cost of charcoal to poor consumers; prevent CO2 emissions; reduce waste of natural resources; and lower pressure on unique wild forests.

Objectives
- The position will establish, test, pilot and refine the business on a small scale, using easily scalable systems;
- Assisted by capable local staff, arrange for supply arrangements with transporters and charcoal producers in the nearby forest and warehousing in town;
- Create a small initial sales network that offers unique consumer advantages (home delivery of charcoal in clean bags that can be ordered a SMS-based ordering & customer control system (FrontlineSMS), and implemented through a scalable mirco-franchise network;
- On proven success, produce a business plan for expansion, aimed at taking 15% of the charcoal market in the capital city within 3 years.

Qualifications

Requirements
- MBA, MBA Intern, Post Graduate Management
- You have a degree from a business school, and/or significant working experience in consumer retail. Previously experience living/working worked in developing countries is an advantage. You're great with Excel, know how to set up and manage a sales team, understand consumer marketing, manage finances. You speak French well, but have an ability to communicate in English too.
- You are enthusiastic, flexible, adventurous, and have an entrepreneurial spirit. You are self-driving; able to take initiative; and capable of delivering without constant supervision. This is a hands-on job that will require you to spend time outside an office in the forests but also in low-income urban areas engaging with poor consumers.
- Demonstrated experience of successfully building new projects from scratch. Good networking and communication skills. Ability to function in a uncertain startup environment and have an entrepreneurial bent of mind. Good experience of using technology to drive businesses. Should be eager to do running around and hands on work. Need a very high dosage of optimism and patience.

Conditions

Though unpaid due to its start-up nature, this is a 6-12 month volunteer opportunity to delve into social entrepreneurship and have a lasting impact on an early venture.

This is a volunteer position and you will be required to pay your flight/visa/insurance costs. However, as the business begins to earn revenues it will be able to gradually start supporting you up to a reasonable level, which is possible within several months. If you perform well and the business proves its potential, there are opportunities to continue to lead the venture into further growth on a paid basis.

You will be supported and mentored by an experienced social-entrepreneur with a track-record of establishing successful ventures, some of which are expanding rapidly across Africa. This is a unique opportunity to contribute expertise to a transformational initiative located in an amazing country.

To apply, send your CV and motivation letter to the email address below. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Applications before 31 December 2011.

Minimum Education

MBA

Intern Types

• Business Admin, Management
• Sales
• Sustainable Development

Languages

• English
• French

Cost in US$:

Please contact us for details on the fee.

Experience Required

no

Volunteer Types

• Energy
• Environment
• Marketing
• Small Business Development
• Volunteer Management
• Volunteering

This Program is open to

Worldwide Participants.

Participants Travel

Independently

Typically Participants Work

Independently or in Groups of 2-3

Application Process Involves

• In-Person Interview when Feasible
• Other
• Phone/Video Interview
• Resume

Startle's Mission Statement

To provide clean and sustainable energy for people at the base of the pyramid.