PROJECT MANAGER – ENERGY AND PROCESS – Mozambique 4 views

Nitidæ is a French organization whose goal is to develop projects that combine environmental preservation with the strengthening of local economies. With a team of 200 employees (economists, agronomists, foresters, energy process engineers, soil carbon specialists), Nitidæ is implementing more than 30 projects in Madagascar, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal, Cameroon and Mozambique. Nitidæ also provides technical expertise to companies to improve the performance of agricultural sectors, mitigate environmental impacts (preservation of natural resources, energy efficiency, carbon offset activities), and stimulate local economic development in collaboration with producer organizations.

Nitidæ develops bioenergy projects for populations with limited access to modern forms of energy and for economic actors wishing to increase the added value associated with the local processing of raw materials. The bioenergy projects implemented by Nitidæ aim to promote sustainable local economic development while combating deforestation by partially or totally replacing conventional fuels (firewood, petroleum derivatives).

In Mozambique, the cashew nut industry produces large quantities of residual shells. In the province of Nampula, where most of the processing plants are located, the quantity generated is approximately 34,000 Metric Tons of shells per year. This by-product has a high energy content that could be exploited for other productive uses. Currently, part of the shell is processed to extract the liquid it contains, known as CNSL[1] . The material remaining after extraction is known as cake. All three types of biomass (unprocessed shells, CNSL, and cake) have properties that make them suitable for use as biofuel, each in a different context depending on its composition. In 2023, nitidæ published a market study on shell by-products that identifies the priority sectors for the recovery of shells and their fractions.

In addition, a number of pilot tests have proven the viability of shell conversion technologies in production units with heating needs. These actions demonstrate that there is interest from the private sector in using cashew shell biomass for energy, but they also point to a series of technical challenges: the main one being the access to appropriate technologies for converting shells into marketable fuels, which are very little developed in the country.

Enabel’s Junt@sClima program in Mozambique aims to support solutions with potential impact and dissemination within rural communities. The program’s Result 3 focuses on improving access to clean energy services outside the electricity grid. Nitidæ has been selected by Enabel to implement a project to promote the use of alternative fuels, namely cashew nut shells and their derivatives, as well as off-grid energy efficiency solutions. The project will be implemented in the province of Nampula, the region where most cashew nut shells are available.

More specifically, the project aims to:

• Promoting the use of shells as a suitable fuel for productive use, through pilot installations of devices for burning shells, cake, or CNSL.
• Promote support and advice on biomass energy recovery and energy efficiency through
  • sharing experiences (in particular, innovative actions carried out on this subject in West Africa),
  • demonstrations to key stakeholders (ministries, sectoral organizations, users, etc.),
  • training local professionals to stimulate the emergence of suppliers of specialized equipment necessary for the use of alternative fuels and energy efficiency in the local private sector,
  • pilot interventions or installations focused on energy efficiency.

To enable these activities to be carried out, Nitidæ is looking to hire an Energy and Process Project manager.

Position and responsibilities

Reporting to the Country Representative in Mozambique, and in coordination with the Energy Division specialist (in France), the Energy and Process Technical Assistant assigned to the same project, and the rest of the Nitidæ teams in Mozambique, the Energy and Process Project Manager will be responsible for the following activities:

· Ensuring the smooth running of the activities planned for the project and monitoring the performance indicators[2]

· Facilitating the coordination and implementation of activities according to the established execution plan.· Conducting diagnostics and surveys to identify stakeholders who will benefit from support and assistance in installing energy recovery systems using alternative fuels or in improving energy efficiency.

· Designing, planning, and supporting the construction and installation of the above-mentioned systems, in close coordination with the partners involved in the project.

· Ensure the fine-tuning of installations, support operational monitoring, and measure the performance of pilot installations carried out as part of the project.

· Design and propose logistical and operational strategies for the processing and distribution of the shell and its by-products on a commercial scale.

· Ensure the institutional representation of the project, in particular by seeking to optimize synergies between the various partners, represent the project face to public authorities and the corresponding private sector.

· Organize and lead the biannual steering committees.

· Advise on investments to be made, taking into account established budgetary constraints.

· Oversee the execution of the project budget and ensure that expenditures comply with the project objectives and the conditions set out by the donor.· Write technical and progress reports on activities for the donor.· Ensure that lessons learned are capitalized upon.· Other tasks identified within the scope of the project.

Candidate profile

• Motivation for Nitidæ’s missions and the theme of sustainable development.

· Background on Energy engineering or thermal engineering, mechanical engineering, process engineering, or similar field.

· At least 3 years’ experience in a technical or managerial position.· Motivation to work on the energy recovery of agro-industrial waste.

· Good understanding of life cycle analysis approaches.

• Languages: professional use of Portuguese, English.

Personal qualities required:

· Autonomy, decision-making ability, and initiative

· Motivation to work in the field

· Methodical and rigorous approach to work

· Ability to work in a diverse team (unskilled workers, senior managers, industrialists, expatriates, researchers, etc.)

• Ability to write, analyze, and synthesize
• Willingness to learn regularly and ability to teach.

Experience in the manufacturing industry and/or renewable energies would be appreciated.

[1] Cashew Nut Shell Liquid

[2] Objectively Verifiable Indicators