Energy Finance and Project Development Specialist

Senior Environment

Overview

Support sustainable energy access and transition targets.

You have:

• Master's degree (or equivalent) in energy, environmental sciences, finance, business or other relevant field.
• At least seven (7) years of experience working on sustainable energy finance with international organizations, advisory firms or private sector energy access company/fund.
• Experience with the design and implementation of development projects to promote sustainable energy investment.
• Experience in designing and structuring innovative financing mechanisms and blended finance instruments.
• Experience in providing advisory services to governments and the private sector on energy finance.
• Knowledge of other UN languages is highly desirable.

Contract

This is a IPSA-11 contract. This kind of contract is known as International Personnel Services Agreement. It is normally internationally recruited only. It usually requires 7 years of experience, depending on education. More about IPSA-11 contracts.

Background

Instructions to Applicants: Click on the "Apply now" button. Input your information in the appropriate Sections: personal information, language proficiency, education, resume and motivation. Upon completion of the first page, please hit "submit application" tab at the end of the page. Please ensure that CV or P11 and the Cover letter are combined in one file.

Personal CV or P11, indicating all past positions held and their main underlying functions, their durations (month/year), the qualifications, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate, and at least three (3) the most recent professional references of previous supervisors. References may also include peers.

A cover letter (maximum length: 1 page) indicating why the candidate considers him-/herself to be suitable for the position.

Managers may ask (ad hoc) for any other materials relevant to pre-assessing the relevance of their experience, such as reports, presentations, publications, campaigns or other materials.

Travel:

1. UNDP will cover the cost of travel of the individual to the duty station, as well as their return to their home upon completion of their services. Travel costs are covered only in the event that the function will be undertaken physically in the duty station and excludes working from home arrangements.
2. Any travels related to official performance of duties will be covered by UNDP.

Office/Unit/Project Description

UNDP is the knowledge frontier organization for sustainable development in the UN Development System and serves as the integrator for collective action to realize the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UNDP’s policy work carried out at HQ, Regional and Country Office levels, forms a contiguous spectrum of deep local knowledge to cutting-edge global perspectives and advocacy. In this context, UNDP invests in the Global Policy Network (GPN), a network of field-based and global technical expertise across a wide range of knowledge domains and in support of the signature solutions and organizational capabilities envisioned in the Strategic Plan.

Within the GPN, the Bureau for Policy and Programme Support (BPPS) has the responsibility for developing all relevant policy and guidance to support the results of UNDP’s Strategic Plan. BPPS’s staff provides technical advice to Country Offices; advocates for UNDP corporate messages, represents UNDP at multi-stakeholder fora including public-private dialogues, government and civil society dialogues, and engages in UN inter-agency coordination in specific thematic areas. BPPS works closely with UNDP’s Crisis Bureau (CB) to support emergency and crisis response. BPPS ensures that issues of risk are fully integrated into UNDP’s development programmes. BPPS assists UNDP and partners to achieve higher quality development results through an integrated approach that links results-based management and performance monitoring with more effective and new ways of working. BPPS supports UNDP and partners to be more innovative, knowledge and data driven including in its programme support efforts.

UNDP’s 2018-2021 Strategic Plan emphasizes the critical links between environmental sustainability, climate change mitigation and adaptation, and broader efforts to achieve the goals of the 2030 Agenda and Paris Agreement. As part of the Global Policy Network in the Bureau for Policy and Programme Support, UNDP’s Nature, Climate Change, and Energy (NCE) Team promotes and scales up integrated whole-of-governance approaches and nature-based solutions that reduce poverty and inequalities, strengthen livelihoods and inclusive growth, mitigate conflict, forced migration and displacement, and promote more resilient governance systems that advance linked peace and security agendas.

The NCE Team works with governments, civil society, and private sector partners to integrate natural capital, environment and climate concerns into national and sector planning and inclusive growth policies, support country obligations under Multilateral Environmental Agreements, and implement the UN’s largest portfolio of in-country programming on environment, climate change, and energy. This multi-billion dollar portfolio encompasses: Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services including forests; Sustainable Land Management and Desertification including food and commodity systems; Water and Ocean Governance including SIDS; Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation; Renewable and Modern Energy; Extractive Industries; Chemicals and Waste Management; Environmental Governance and Green/Circular Economy and SCP approaches. This work advances crosscutting themes on innovative finance, digital transformation, capacity development, human rights, gender equality, health, technology, and South-South learning.

In addition to UNDP’s bilateral partnerships on natural capital, environment and climate, UNDP is an accredited multilateral implementing agency of the Green Climate Fund (GCF), the Multilateral Fund (MLF), the Adaptation Fund (AF) and the Global Environment Facility (GEF) which includes the Global Environment Facility Trust Fund (GEF Trust Fund), the Nagoya Protocol Implementation Fund (NPIF), the Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF), and the Special Climate Change Fund (SCCF). As part of UNDP’s partnership with these vertical funds, UNDP provides countries specialized integrated technical services for eligibility assessment, programme formulation, capacity development, policy advice, technical assistance, training and technology transfer, mobilization of co-financing, implementation oversight, results management and evaluation, performance-based payments and knowledge management services.

One of six signature solutions under UNDP’s current Strategic Plan is to “Close the energy gap”. Access to clean and affordable energy is an essential enabler for the achievement of all Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement.

In the Decade for Action UNDP seeks to scale-up its current energy offer to work with partners on three areas:

• Close the gap on energy access so that marginalized people and communities gain access to sustainable, clean, energy and the dignity and opportunities it brings.
• Drive innovation in energy value chains to speed up investments in energy access in off-grid and crisis-affected contexts.
• Accelerate the energy transition through system-changes that support a green recovery and bring together the best ideas from the worlds of government, business, and finance.

UNDP is seeking the services of an Energy Finance and Project Development Specialist to support the NCE team in providing rapid, agile and tailored response to developing countries needs to achieve their energy access and transition targets.

Institutional Arrangement

• The Energy Finance and Project Development Specialist will work in collaboration with the BPPS/NCE Energy team;
• The Energy Finance and Project Development Specialist will report to, and be directly supervised by, the Head of Energy;
• The Energy Finance and Project Development Specialist will be given access to relevant information necessary for execution of the tasks under this assignment;
• The Energy Finance and Project Development Specialist will be responsible for providing her/his own working station (i.e. laptop, internet, phone, scanner/printer, assignment specific software, etc.) and must have access to a reliable internet connection;
• Given the global scope of the work to be undertaken during this assignment, the Energy Finance and Project Development Specialist is expected to be reasonably flexible with his/her availability taking into consideration different time zones.

Duties and Responsibilities

The scope of work over the course of the period will vary depending on the specific assignment and region. The geographic scope is global, and the Specialist can be called upon to service requests for assistance in any of UNDP’s 5 regions.

Technical advisory to UNDP country offices on sustainable energy projects/programs

• Provide technical advisory support – through regular dialogues and engagements with UNDP country offices – to enhance sustainable energy programming and policy work at the country level;
• Analyze the viability of different sustainable energy solutions, financial and business models (e.g., mini-grids, off-grid solutions, clean cooking solutions, energy efficiency, e-mobility and new technologies) and their potential to scale at the country level;
• Support country engagements with key stakeholders, including local and national government institutions, the private and financial sector, and civil society organizations.

Preparation and planning of technical sustainable energy project/programme proposals

• Coordinate and support the development of sustainable energy project/programme proposals and preparatory activities (e.g., baseline data collection, assessments of technological, societal, and institutional contexts, stakeholder engagements and consultations, design of financial instruments, financial analysis etc.). Preparatory activities may include mission travel to the field, as needed, subject to Covid-19 developments, or the organization of virtual missions;
• Identify and engage potential project partners, including but not limited to sustainable energy companies, financial institutions, impact investors, foundations, etc.;
• Support the identification and mobilization of funding.

Technical assistance

• Provide technical assistance (e.g., advocacy work, training, technology assessments, financial analysis etc.) directly to governments agencies and officials, e.g., in the context of ongoing UNDP projects, or other initiative and/or policy efforts;
• Review and provide technical inputs to specific projects that are already under implementation and provide technical assistance and advisory work to UNDP project teams, as needed. Advise on the scope and opportunity for scaling up UNDP’s support to countries on bridging the gap on energy access, diffusing innovation in energy value chains and supporting the energy transition;
• Assist with the sourcing of technical expertise including the preparation of TORs, identification and evaluation of experts and reviewing reports.

Competencies

Corporate

• Demonstrates integrity by modelling the UN’s values and ethical standards;
• Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP;
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
• Treats all people fairly without favouritism.

Technical

• Ability to strengthen and maintain the capabilities of individuals, societies, organizations and governments to set and achieve development objectives overtime (Capacity Development);
• Knowledge of development planning processes and the ability to apply to strategic and/or practical situations (Development Planning);
• Ability to productively share UNDP Knowledge and activities (Advocacy);
• Knowledge of sustainable development concepts, principles and issues and the ability to apply strategic and/or practical situations (Sustainable Development).

Communications

• Able to communicate effectively in writing to a varied and broad audience in a simple and concise manner.

Professionalism

• Capable of working in a high- pressure environment with sharp and frequent deadlines, managing many tasks simultaneously;
• Excellent analytical and organizational skills;
• Exercises the highest level of responsibility and be able to handle confidential and politically sensitive issues in a responsible and mature manner.

Teamwork

• Works well in a team;
• Projects a positive image and is ready to take on a wide range of tasks;
• Focuses on results for the client;
• Welcomes constructive feedback.

Required Skills and Experience

Min. Academic Education

• Master’s degree (or equivalent) in energy, environmental sciences, finance, business or other relevant field.

Min. years of relevant Work experience

• At least seven (7) years of experience working on sustainable energy finance with international organizations, advisory firms or private sector energy access company/fund.

Required skills and competencies

Skills

• Experience with the design and implementation of development projects to promote sustainable energy investment;
• Experience in designing and structuring innovative financing mechanism and blended finance instruments;
• Experience in providing advisory services to governments and the private sector on energy finance.

Desired additional skills and competencies

• Experience at professional level in a large international or governmental organization, experience working with development finance institutions is preferred;
• Experience working with developing country contexts preferred.
• Knowledge of other UN languages is highly desirable

Required Language(s) (at working level)

• Excellent command of written and spoken English

Apply now

Potential interview questions

Added 5 years ago - Updated 1 year ago - Source: jobs.undp.org