Africa Cooling and Cold Chain Specialist

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UNEP - United Nations Environment Programme

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Application deadline 1 year ago: Wednesday 24 Aug 2022 at 23:59 UTC

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Result of Service - ACES headquarters campus facilities are renovated and Demonstration Hall is constructed so that they can be used for operations. - Equipment is procured and installed - Priority partners are recruited to join and remain well informed and bought-in to ACES with meaningful contributions of cash and/or in-kind support for its continued growth. - First SPOKE is moved to full design in Kenya and further SPOKEs in train - GO financing is availed to target audiences and at the initial stage at least one bank provides 10 consumers with financing to purchase new, efficient and climate friendly refrigerating and cooling appliances. - GO financing is evaluated and adapted as needed based on initial insights, informed by monthly MRV reports, and progress is reported to partners. - MEPS and labels are implemented and transform the market for covered products.

Work Location Rwanda

Expected duration 4 months, with possibility for extension

Duties and Responsibilities UNEP is accelerating the global transition to energy efficiency and climate-friendly cooling. Getting the right solutions in place for refrigeration and space conditioning (cooling) is essential for improving the quality of life and health of people without undue impacts on the planet. United for Efficiency (U4E) is a global initiative launched in 2015 to help developing and emerging markets quickly and comprehensively transition to energy-efficient and climate-friendly lighting, room air conditioners, household refrigerators, electric motors and transformers (see http://united4efficiency.org).

An expert consultant is needed in Rwanda to foster strategic partnerships across the continent and to ensure delivery of critical milestones across core collaborators of the Africa Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Cooling and Cold Chain (ACES), working alongside UNEP’s existing in-country ACES lead consultant who handles local day-to-day operations and execution. The Centre was established in 2020 by the Governments of Rwanda (GoR) and the United Kingdom (UK), U4E, the Centre for Sustainable Cooling, and a range of academic institutions. The University of Rwanda (UR) is the host of the Centre headquarters and has designated team and facilities, infrastructure, and land at its Rubirizi Campus in Kigali. The consultant will advise and help foster the build-out and operationalization of the headquarters and coordinate with existing and potential future Specialized Outreach and Knowledge Centres (SPOKES) which deploy ACES solutions in practical applications in African communities.

As secondary activities under the overarching work in support of ACES, the consultant will facilitate implementation of mandatory minimum energy performance standards (MEPS) and labels for refrigerating appliances and air conditioners which are among the most ambitious in Africa, as well as a green on-wage (GO) financial mechanism which is getting underway. Highly technical aspects, such as drafting technology specifications and developing new business models, will be conducted by subject matter experts from across the broader team.

Core details

1.1 Explain the requirement for a consultant/individual contractor including the reference to the work programme

A. Strategic coordination - Foster and help maintain buy-in and support at the senior leadership-level of key collaborators including Government Ministries and Agencies on priority activities and deliverables, enabling timely and quality execution across organizations.

B. Secure funding and in-kind support - Identify and help secure in-kind support for priority areas identified by the ACES team (equipment, facilities, expertise, data, land, etc.) from interested collaborators.

C. Operationalize facilities, staffing and business models - Help bring renovations and new construction of ACES facilities on-site at the headquarters campus (particularly the Demonstration Hall) and remotely for ACES SPOKES to successful delivery - Facilitate procurement of site preparation and equipment - On-board new in-market partners - Contribute information needed for grant management and reporting - Facilitate implementation of Rwanda’s recently adopted MEPS and labels and GO financing by engaging government agencies, industry, vendors, civil society and other pertinent actors and helping to overcome information or other gaps hampering progress.

D. Communications and Outreach - Conduct outreach to convey ACES’ progress at assigned events and via telecommunications.

Qualifications/special skills Academic Qualifications: - An advanced university degree (Masters or equivalent additional experience) with refrigeration, agricultural or medical or related technical fields, or general supply-chain or logistics that are relevant for these arenas (e.g.: Masters in Agribusiness Management). Experience: - At least 10 years of professional experience with energy policies and programmes. - Strong government relationships and understanding of local processes - Strong familiarity with the informational needs of senior decision makers in East African organisations, business, and initiatives. - Excellent written and oral communications skills on technical and policy aspects of energy policies and programmes. - Experience in developing funding proposals and building coalitions of support for new initiatives. - Experience in working as part of a multi-team coalition. - Familiarity with refrigeration and cooling markets and technologies is an asset. Language: - Fluency in spoken and written English is required, and fluency in spoken and written Kinyarwanda and French are an asset.

Additional Information Specific tasks and responsibilities:

  • Strategic Coordination with the project team and team support: ¿ Facilitate regular coordination with the different project’s stakeholders ¿ Track project deliverables and help ensure overall progress per the workplan ¿ Contribute other input and assistance to facilitate a cohesive team effort ¿ Organize and conduct meetings with major partners and regularly engage the project team. ¿ Facilitate delivery of activities to achieve priority milestones

  • Fundraising: ¿ Unlock cash and in-kind support from priority potential partners.

  • Operations: ¿ Facilitate completion of key facility renovations, new construction and procurement of equipment and services. ¿ Support the implementation, monitoring and verification of MEPS and labels and financial mechanisms

  • Communication of outreach: ¿ Support wider outreach to additional collaborators in Africa and beyond (regional bodies in Africa, other countries, industry) and communicate key progress of the project at international events, developing business case and initiating business engagement. ¿ Support the financial mechanism promotion and communication

    No Fee THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.

Added 1 year ago - Updated 1 year ago - Source: careers.un.org