Terms of Reference: Technical Manager – Distributed Renewable Energy (Consultant)
Position Name: Technical Manager – Distributed Renewable Energy (Prerna OJAS)
Reporting Line: CEO-Prerna OJAS / Associate Director-HN and WEE
Tenure: 11 months
Location: Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh
Compensation: Competitive salary with performance-based incentives
About Project Concern International (PCI) India:
The Project Concern International, India office was incubated over two decades ago with a mission to accelerate a broad range of health and development outcomes in India. Over the years, we have maintained a diverse portfolio, working in the areas of public health, nutrition, WASH, gender, social protection, and disaster response aimed at reaching out to low-income, vulnerable, and hard-to-reach populations. PCI, India is expanding its work and portfolio into Livelihoods, Women Economic Empowerment and Decentralized Renewable Energy. We work in close partnership with national and state governments and a host of development partners, including civil society organizations. With a current presence in 13 states, we continue to work towards improving the health and well-being, livelihoods, Decentralized Renewable energy and Economic Empowerment of Women from vulnerable and marginalized communities. Our approach to addressing the complex and multidimensional social inequities entails co-designing and testing the solutions with the communities and other stakeholders – using the principles of human-centered design (HCD) and behavioral sciences. For more information, please visit our website https://pciglobal.in/
About Program:
PCI, India is a technical partner of the Uttar Pradesh State Rural Livelihood Mission. PCI is providing technical assistance around integrations of Health & Nutrition (HN), Gender and Women Economic Empowerment (WEE) and Decentralized Renewable Energy interventions with community platforms promoted by UPSRLM. UPSRLM has promoted a community based Decentralized Renewable Energy Company Prerna-OJAS. Prerna OJAS was the outcome of million soul initiative supported by Ministry of New & Renewable Energy. After the Million Soul project got over, Prerna-OJAS a private limited company came in the business of manufacturing and supply of Solar Based products and implements DRE initiatives with rural communities. PCI, India has collaborated with Prerna-OJAS for providing technical assistance for supporting Prerna-OJAS for improving its systems, business operations, management, marketing, branding, business development and design, development as well as implementation of DRE pilots for ushering green revolution in Uttar Pradesh. The technical support will enable Prerna-OJAS in creating 1 lakh Green Jobs for rural women leading to economic empowerment of Rural Women.
Position Summary:
The Technical Manager-DRE will play a key role in identifying solutions, develop sustainable models that support quality installations for the Prerna OJAS company in the solar and renewable energy sector. This individual will be responsible for researching and designing innovative DRE solutions, conduct rigorous field testing and ensure needful compliances. The Incumbent will be required to collaborate with multiple govt. agencies, NGOs and private partners, establish mechanisms to assess quality of DRE installation while offering technical advisory support to micro-entrepreneurs. The role requires working on developing financial mechanisms, subsidies, and policy frameworks while ensuring cost-effectiveness, scalability and sustainability for Prerna OJAS. The incumbent will report and work in close supervision of CEO-Prerna OJAS and Associate Director-HN & WEE.
Roles and Responsibilities:
Solar-Powered Livelihood Solutions Development:
- Identify and develop solar-powered livelihood solutions based on rural consumer needs and market demand.
- Design and optimize solar PV systems for productive use applications in agriculture, dairy, fisheries, and other micro-enterprises.
- Research and integrate innovative decentralized energy solutions into rural livelihood ecosystems.
Implementation & Technical Oversight:
- Oversee the installation, commissioning, and operation of solar-powered livelihood systems.
- Ensure smooth integration of DRE technologies into existing rural livelihood activities.
- Develop Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for the operation, maintenance, and monitoring of DRE solutions.
- Conduct field assessments to evaluate performance, efficiency, and impact of solar livelihood solutions.
Quality Assurance & Compliance:
- Establish and maintain quality assurance mechanisms for DRE systems.
- Ensure compliance with safety regulations, certification standards, and environmental norms.
- Work with regulatory bodies and certification agencies to obtain necessary approvals for solar livelihood systems.
Capacity Building & Stakeholder Engagement:
- Train and build the capacity of local entrepreneurs, technicians, and end-users on solar livelihood technologies.
- Collaborate with government agencies, NGOs, financial institutions, and private sector partners to scale up DRE-based livelihood models.
- Provide technical advisory support to micro-entrepreneurs and farmers on efficient utilization of solar-powered systems.
Project Management & Business Model Development:
- Develop and implement sustainable business models for solar-powered livelihood solutions.
- Monitor project implementation and analyze key performance indicators (KPIs) for impact assessment.
- Work on financing mechanisms, subsidies, and policy frameworks to enhance the affordability and accessibility of DRE solutions.
- Ensure cost-effectiveness, scalability, and sustainability of solar livelihood projects.
Tasks as and when required depending upon the program’s requirement.
Qualifications:
- B.Tech / M.Tech in Electrical, Electronics, Renewable Energy, or a related field from a recognized university/institute.
- Additional certifications in renewable energy technologies or product development would be an advantage.
Experience:
- Minimum 5 years of post-qualification experience in solar-powered livelihood systems and Decentralized Renewable Energy (DRE) solutions.
- Expertise in designing, implementing, and managing solar-based livelihood applications such as solar-powered cold storage, solar water pumps, solar dryers, solar refrigeration, solar-powered food processing units, and other renewable energy-powered productive use technologies.
- Knowledge of Solar PV system design, microgrid solutions, energy-efficient appliances, and battery storage systems.
- Understanding of business models for DRE solutions in rural and semi-urban areas.
- Familiarity with solar-powered micro-enterprises, last-mile distribution, and financing mechanisms for renewable energy adoption.
- Experience in project management, training, and capacity building of rural entrepreneurs and stakeholders.
- Minimum 2 years of experience in a private sector organization managing a Strategic Business Unit (SBU) or a renewable energy-based enterprise development program.
Skills:
- Strong understanding of solar energy systems, renewable energy technologies, and market dynamics.
- Excellent communication, negotiation, and presentation skills.
- Ability to analyze regulatory frameworks and their implications for business operations.
Key Attributes:
- Strong technical expertise in DRE and solar-powered livelihood systems.
- Knowledge of business models and financial mechanisms for renewable energy-based enterprises.
- Hands-on experience in project implementation, stakeholder engagement, and capacity building.
- Ability to analyze market trends, identify rural energy needs, and design effective solutions.
- Results-driven with a strong entrepreneurial mindset.
- Passion for sustainability and renewable energy.
- Strong networking and interpersonal skills.
- Ability to work under pressure and meet tight deadlines.
Additional Requirements:
- Willingness to travel for client meetings, conferences, and site visits.
This position is an exciting opportunity for a motivated professional to contribute to the growth of a forward-thinking organization in the renewable energy sector.