Consultancy for Green Economy and Climate-Resilient Livelihoods Market Systems Assessment for Vulnerable Host and Refugee Youth

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) seeks a consultant to conduct a market systems assessment of green economy opportunities focusing on climate-resilient livelihoods for vulnerable host and refugee youth in Kenya. The consultancy will analyze market systems, green skills, business opportunities, policy environment, and private sector engagement to inform strategic programming.

Responsibilities

• Map and analyze green economy market systems and value chains presenting viable economic opportunities for vulnerable youth using the Market Systems Development (MSD) approach.
• Assess green skills, training needs, and TVET gaps aligned to identified market opportunities including emerging sectors such as e-mobility, solar, and clean cooking.
• Identify climate-resilient green business and enterprise opportunities including business models, financing options, market demand, and barriers to entry for youth.
• Analyze the policy and regulatory environment affecting green livelihoods and refugee economic participation, identifying enabling frameworks and structural barriers.
• Map private sector actors and assess their appetite and modalities for engaging host community and refugee youth.
• Develop actionable recommendations and business development opportunities including an intervention framework, stakeholder engagement strategy, and indicative program design options.
• Apply a Gender Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (GEDI) and refugee inclusion lens, disaggregating findings by sex, age, refugee/host status, and disability where possible.
• Use a robust mixed-methods approach combining desk review with primary qualitative and quantitative data collection.
• Produce deliverables within a 45-day timeline including inception report, field debrief notes, draft and final assessment reports, validation workshop presentation, and raw data.

Requirements

• Advanced degree(s) in economics, agricultural economics, development studies, Business Studies, Strategy Development, environmental science, market systems, or related fields.
• Demonstrated experience (minimum 8 years for the team leader) in market systems development, livelihoods, or economic development in sub-Saharan Africa, with experience in Kenya.
• Proven experience conducting market or value chain assessments in ASAL and refugee-hosting contexts.
• Expertise in the Market Systems Development (MSD) approach (e.g. Springfield Centre / DCED Standards).
• Knowledge of Kenya's green economy landscape (climate-smart agriculture, renewable energy, sustainable mobility, circular economy).
• Ability to integrate Gender Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (GEDI) analysis into livelihoods work.
• Relevant language competencies for fieldwork (English and Swahili required; Somali and Turkana an asset).
• Ability to propose and justify detailed methodology, sampling strategy, data collection tools, and analytical frameworks.
• Ability to produce deliverables including inception report, field debrief notes, draft and final assessment reports, validation workshop presentation, and raw data in compliance with IRC data policy.

Skills

• Market Systems Development
• Livelihood Development
• Economic Development
• Value Chain Analysis
• Market Assessments
• Climate-resilient Livelihoods
• Green Economy Analysis
• Climate-Smart Agriculture
• Renewable Energy
• Sustainable Mobility
• Circular Economy Principles
• Gender Equality Analysis
• Diversity and Inclusion Analysis
• Sampling Strategy Design
• Data Collection Tools
• Analytical Frameworks
• Report Writing
• Workshop Facilitation
• IRC Data Policy Compliance

Languages

English, Swahili