High-level Overview:

Our client is seeking a Bioethanol Market and Commercial Strategy Expert to support clean cooking SMEs operating within Uganda’s urban bioethanol ecosystem. The Expert will assess the commercial viability, operating models, and unit economics of bioethanol deployment approaches, with a particular focus on identifying scalable and sustainable models suited to SMEs operating in emerging urban markets. The role will support participating SMEs in evaluating market positioning, operational structures, and commercial risks within the evolving clean cooking landscape. The ideal candidate will bring experience across clean cooking, downstream fuel distribution models, SME commercialization, and energy market development within African contexts.

Role & Responsibilities

Role: Bioethanol Market and Commercial Strategy Expert

Direct Report: Program Lead

Candidates required: 1

Deliverables:

• Assess the unit economics and commercial viability of bioethanol-focused clean cooking SMEs operating within urban markets.
• Evaluate existing bioethanol deployment, refill, and distribution models to identify commercially sustainable approaches suitable for SMEs.
• Assess the operational and market factors contributing to the success or failure of bioethanol deployment models within African clean cooking markets.
• Identify potential comparative advantages that SMEs may have relative to larger market participants operating within the bioethanol segment.
• Develop recommendations on commercially viable operating models, customer engagement approaches, and market deployment strategies for participating SMEs.
• Assess key barriers impacting scale-up, including operational, affordability, infrastructure, and market adoption constraints.
• Produce a final advisory report and implementation roadmap outlining recommended next steps for participating SMEs and programme stakeholders.

Requirements

Experience required:

• Experience working within clean cooking, downstream fuel distribution, or energy access markets in Africa.
• Experience supporting commercialization, market development, or operating model design initiatives for SMEs.
• Demonstrated experience assessing unit economics, deployment models, or market viability within emerging market environments.
• Experience working with early-stage or growth-stage businesses operating in resource-constrained markets.
• Experience advising organisations operating within urban consumer markets or last-mile distribution environments.
• Experience operating within East African markets, particularly Uganda, is advantageous.

Technical requirements:

• Strong understanding of clean cooking market dynamics and bioethanol deployment models within African contexts.
• Strong commercial and analytical capability, including assessment of unit economics, pricing structures, and operating model sustainability.
• Understanding of downstream fuel distribution, refill, or last-mile delivery models is advantageous.
• Ability to assess operational feasibility and scalability considerations within SME operating environments.
• Ability to develop commercially practical recommendations suited to resource-constrained and rapidly evolving markets.
• Understanding of the operational realities and constraints facing clean cooking SMEs in emerging markets.

Soft skills:

• Strong stakeholder engagement and relationship management capabilities.
• Ability to work collaboratively with SME founders, programme teams, and ecosystem stakeholders.
• Strong communication and facilitation skills across technical and non-technical audiences.
• Hands-on and solutions-oriented working style.
• High level of adaptability, initiative, and comfort operating within evolving project environments.

Working arrangement

Location: Kampala, Uganda

Travel requirements: Periodic travel within Uganda as required for SME engagement, diagnostics, and stakeholder workshops.

Terms of agreement

Required start date: TBC

Contracting period: 4–6 months

• Assess the unit economics and commercial viability of bioethanol-focused clean cooking SMEs operating within urban markets.
• Evaluate existing bioethanol deployment, refill, and distribution models to identify commercially sustainable approaches suitable for SMEs.
• Assess the operational and market factors contributing to the success or failure of bioethanol deployment models within African clean cooking markets.
• Identify potential comparative advantages that SMEs may have relative to larger market participants operating within the bioethanol segment.
• Develop recommendations on commercially viable operating models, customer engagement approaches, and market deployment strategies for participating SMEs.
• Assess key barriers impacting scale-up, including operational, affordability, infrastructure, and market adoption constraints.
• Produce a final advisory report and implementation roadmap outlining recommended next steps for participating SMEs and programme stakeholders.

• Strong understanding of clean cooking market dynamics and bioethanol deployment models within African contexts.
• Strong commercial and analytical capability, including assessment of unit economics, pricing structures, and operating model sustainability.
• Understanding of downstream fuel distribution, refill, or last-mile delivery models is advantageous.
• Ability to assess operational feasibility and scalability considerations within SME operating environments.
• Ability to develop commercially practical recommendations suited to resource-constrained and rapidly evolving markets.
• Understanding of the operational realities and constraints facing clean cooking SMEs in emerging markets.
• Strong stakeholder engagement and relationship management capabilities.
• Ability to work collaboratively with SME founders, programme teams, and ecosystem stakeholders.
• Strong communication and facilitation skills across technical and non-technical audiences.
• Hands-on and solutions-oriented working style.
• High level of adaptability, initiative, and comfort operating within evolving project environments.

• Experience working within clean cooking, downstream fuel distribution, or energy access markets in Africa.
• Experience supporting commercialization, market development, or operating model design initiatives for SMEs.
• Demonstrated experience assessing unit economics, deployment models, or market viability within emerging market environments.
• Experience working with early-stage or growth-stage businesses operating in resource-constrained markets.
• Experience advising organisations operating within urban consumer markets or last-mile distribution environments.
• Experience operating within East African markets, particularly Uganda, is advantageous.