Biochar Fellow

About Us:

UpEnergy delivers high-impact, emission reducing projects that accelerate decarbonization and create long term benefits in local communities. We do so by making life-improving clean technologies available to local communities and environments across Africa. Whether it’s protecting the local environment, delivering health benefits, or reducing poverty through financial savings and employment, our projects sustainably benefit and enable people to live better lives within climate resilient communities.

To date, UpEnergy has delivered over 95 emission reduction projects, impacted over 4 million lives, and reduced over 4 million tons of CO2 Emissions across 7 countries. UpEnergy prides itself on deep local knowledge and established teams on the ground to ensure the highest impact and results. The UpEnergy team continues to grow, across multiple countries and continents, and seeks diligent, entrepreneurial, fun, and motivated talent who are excited to join us in delivering even more impact. Learn more here: www.upenergygroup.com

About the role:

 UpEnergy is looking for a Biochar Fellow will be involved in any and all aspects of our organization and are tasked with a wide range of differing projects, reporting directly to the Business Development Lead. Our fellows work closely with our global and local teams to create impact and directly contribute to the solving of some of Africa’s most complex challenges.

This is a unique opportunity for you to be part of a team that is helping shape the future through alleviating poverty while at the same time fighting climate change. You are ideally creative, process-driven, strategic and a tactical executor interested in serving the low income customer base.

This Fellowship will have an initial 12 month contract, with potential for extension. As we look to expand UpEnergy, there may also be opportunities for exceptional candidates to join the team on a full time basis once the initial fellowship is completed. This role can be located in Tanzania or Remote, to be discussed with the hiring manager.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Biochar market development: Provide technical expertise for the development of innovative biochar products, find potential buyers, and manage buyer relationships as well as conduct training and workshops to educate farmers about the application and benefits of biochar.
2. Business development/ Project expansion: Through research and insights gathering, share suggestions on geographical expansion for Biochar projects. Identify and assess project expansion opportunities in and outside of Tanzania through networking and relevant research on available waste biomasses, infrastructure, biochar demand, etc.
3. Project management: Be the main point of contact for biochar related questions for our local partner, run key strategic initiatives from ideation to completion and manage day-to-day interactions between UpEnergy, local NGOs, farmers, research institutions, our local partner and other stakeholders.
4. Market analysis: Monitor market developments in the biochar world, to ensure competitive advantages through utilization of data on biochar credit prices and buyers, technological advancements, emerging biochar standards, etc.
5. Monitoring: Ensure the implementation of biochar quality and application monitoring according to the monitoring plan, leasing with the Carbon team who owns this part
6. Problem solving and educational campaigns: help the local team expand the biochar R&D product distribution and adoption by local farmers, including design and deliver educational sessions on the benefits of Biochar for farmers

Does that sound like you?  

• An MBA, PhD graduate or in pursuant of in the areas of regenerative agriculture, farming, sustainability, biochar or related

• Experience working in a high performing environment

• Experience building systems and processes to support organizational growth

• Experience designing well-considered strategy (strategic), as well as successfully delivering projects

• Ability to use data, insights to map out effective strategies

• Rigorous and analytical

• Entrepreneurial, curious and iterative, willing to be experimental by trying and testing new ideas

• Resilience

• Authentic and trustworthy

• A love for the work we do at UpEnergy

• Professional fluency in English is required. Portuguese or French would be a plus

Why Join Us?

Not your average 9-to-5

UpEnergy encourages teamwork, creativity, and we’re not afraid to get our hands dirty. We stay close to our market, understand our customers, and have a lot of fun while doing our work! If you’re looking for a conventional 9-to-5, you’d be missing out on our adventures!

Opportunity to do things in a new way

As one of the largest compliance credit issuer in Africa, we need to be constantly improving and rethinking our way of work. This means endless opportunities for a self-starter to initiate new ways of doing things or experimenting ways to help us improve.

Personal and Career Growth

Wouldn’t it be a pity to spend so much time working but not growing and learning? At UpEnergy we value both personal and professional growth, and we want to grow as a team. From classroom training to coffee chats to performance review, we want to support every team member to grow into the best version they can.

Create Lasting Impact

Our clean energy products bring positive impact to both our planet earth and for the low-income communities we work in. We don’t just focus on sales – we follow up and truly understand our customers to make sure that they continue to benefit from our products. Your work will create much longer-lasting impact than what you can see!