Business Officer – Bihar (Resident Field Position)

Organization:

Reports to:

Duty Station:

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About SVSSPF

Solar Village Social Service Project Foundation (SVSSPF) is a registered Section 8 non-profit dedicated to "ending energy poverty in India’s most underserved rural communities." In partnership with the U.S.-based Solar Village Project (www.solarvillageproject.org), we empower schools, clinics, water systems, and entire villages with clean solar energy.

To date, SVSSPF has:

• Installed 100+ solar arrays at rural facilities
• Distributed 6,000+ solar lights
• Offset more than 230 tonnes of CO₂ annually

Our work follows a proven cycle—community survey, planning, procurement, installation, commissioning, hand-over, and impact evaluation—to ensure every system delivers measurable benefits.

Role Summary

The Business Officer will be SVSSPF’s primary on-the-ground presence in Bihar. This role involves approximately 80-90% fieldwork, focusing on:

• Identifying new project sites (schools, clinics, and villages) through research.
• Conducting detailed feasibility and baseline surveys.
• Preparing high-quality reports.
• Securing local permissions to ensure smooth installation and impact assessment processes.

Key Responsibilities

1. Site Identification & Feasibility:

• Utilize SVSSPF criteria to shortlist high-impact schools, health centers, and villages across Bihar.
• Collect secondary data, including electricity availability, poverty index, and development indicators.

2. Community & Facility Surveys:

• Design and administer household, school, and clinic questionnaires (digital or paper-based).
• Capture GPS coordinates, photographs, and load details; validate data integrity on-site.

3. Reporting & Analysis:

• Compile survey findings into concise, data-driven reports (using Word, Excel, GIS/Google Earth).
• Recommend project sizing (kW), estimate expected social impact, and calculate CO₂ offsets.

4. Local Liaison & Permissions:

• Build and maintain strong relationships with Panchayats, District Education/Health Departments, DISCOMs, and landowners.
• Secure written No Objection Certificates (NOCs), Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs), and any statutory clearances required for solar installations.

5. Project Execution Support:

• Coordinate logistics for material delivery, installation supervision, and commissioning visits.
• Facilitate community meetings, hand-over ceremonies, and media coverage.

6. Post-Installation Follow-up:

• Conduct impact-evaluation surveys at 6- and 12-month intervals post-installation.
• Identify and flag Operations & Maintenance (O&M) issues, escalating them to technical teams as needed.

Qualifications & Experience

• Education:

  Bachelor’s degree in Rural Management, Social Work, Renewable Energy, Electrical Engineering, or a related field.

• Experience:

• Minimum 2+ years of field-based work in rural development, CSR, or the SOLAR energy sector (mandatory).
• Exceptional candidates with 1–2 years of experience and a strong community engagement record may be considered.

• Technical Skills:

• Advanced proficiency in MS Office & Google Workspace.
• Experience with digital data-collection platforms.
• Basic understanding of load calculation & solar terminology.

• Language Skills:

  Fluent in Hindi and English. Working knowledge of at least one Bihari dialect (e.g., Maithili, Magahi, Bhojpuri) is preferred.

• Mobility:

  Must own a two-wheeler and possess a valid driving license; willingness to travel extensively throughout Bihar.

Core Competencies

• Strong community engagement and facilitation skills.
• Excellent analytical thinking and report writing abilities.
• Proven negotiation and stakeholder management capabilities.
• Self-motivated with the ability to work with minimal supervision.
• Cultural sensitivity, with an awareness of gender and social inclusion issues.

Remuneration & Benefits

• Salary (CTC):

  Up to INR 3.0 LPA (commensurate with experience).

• Quarterly Incentive:

  Up to Rs. 20,000 per quarter (based on KPI performance).

• Travel Reimbursement:

  Field travel expenses reimbursed as per organizational rates.

• Insurance:

  Accidental/medical insurance provided after the probation period.

• Professional Development:

  Opportunities for capacity-building workshops with SVSSPF & Solar Village Project.

To Apply:

Business Officer – Bihar