Energy Financial Innovation Challenge and Private Sector Engagement Specialist

Location : Home-based

Application Deadline : 26-May-21 (Midnight New York, USA)

Time left : 7d 19h 53m

Type of Contract : IPSA (Short-Term)

Post Level : IPSA-11

Languages Required :
English

Starting Date :
(date when the selected candidate is expected to start) 01-Jun-2021

Expected Duration of Assignment : 68 days through 25 November 2021

UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.

UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

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.

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.

The Climate Aggregation Platform (CAP) is a Nature, Climate and Energy Unit GEF-funded project which, in partnership with the Climate Bonds Initiative, seeks to promote the scale-up of financial aggregation for small-scale, low-carbon energy assets in developing countries. The project aims to advance and raise awareness for innovative solutions to market barriers for financial aggregation. In so doing, the project can contribute to improving the lives of citizens in developing countries, bringing about affordable, reliable and clean energy.

Through the CAP, UNDP seeks to support innovations in financial aggregation or ‘showcase transactions’ that can help to unlock new sources and reduce the cost of capital for the small-scale, low-carbon energy sector in developing countries. This will also provide (1) An opportunity for information discovery on domestic market barriers which can in turn help guide the CAP’s activities; and (2) A ‘learning by doing’ experience that can be captured in case studies to be disseminated more widely.

UNDP is seeking the services of an Energy Innovation Challenge and Private Sector Engagement Specialist to support the NCE team in developing and implementing call for solutions and innovation challenges to identify, select and support innovations in financial aggregation for small-scale, low-carbon energy assets in Sub-Saharan Africa and energy project preparation support opportunities in SIDS countries.

Institutional Arrangement

• The Energy Financial Innovation Challenge and Private Sector Engagement Specialist will work in collaboration with the BPPS/NCE Energy team;
• The Energy Financial Innovation Challenge and Private Sector Engagement Specialist will report to, and be directly supervised by, the Global Energy and Finance Advisor;
• The Energy Financial Innovation Challenge and Private Sector Engagement Specialist will be given access to relevant information necessary for execution of the tasks under this assignment;
• The Energy Financial Innovation Challenge and Private Sector Engagement 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 Financial Innovation Challenge and Private Sector Engagement Specialist is expected to be reasonably flexible with his/her availability taking into consideration different time zones.

Duties and Responsibilities

The NCE Team require the support of an Energy Financial Innovation Challenge and Private Sector Engagement Specialist to deliver on the activities described below. The geographic scope will be Sub-Saharan Africa and SIDS countries.

Technical support in the management of Calls for Solutions / Innovation Challenges

Provide technical support during the design and pre-launch phase of the launch of the calls for solutions/innovation challenges, the evaluation and selection process, contracting of selected partners and the implementation of the supported innovations;

Development of Calls for Solutions / Innovation Challenges documentation and all the relevant processes and tools;

Development and implementation of a private sector engagement strategy, including communications and marketing for the Calls for Solutions / Innovation Challenges;

Support the development and launch of a website for the Calls for Solutions / Innovation Challenges;

Market scoping and identification of potential applicants both globally and in the target countries and active promotion of the Calls for Solutions / Innovation Challenges;

Support the screening, evaluation, and due diligence process of proposals;

Support the contracting process and kick-off of supported project.

Private Sector Engagement

Advise on private sector engagement and partnership opportunities;

Provide technical support on mobilizing and fostering external partnerships with the private sector.

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

Academic Education

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

Min. years of relevant Work experience

At least seven (7) years of professional experience in project management, project coordination and technical knowledge in the energy, climate and finance sector.

Required skills and competencies

Experience designing and managing calls for solutions, innovation challenges, challenge funds or other calls for innovative solutions to development problems;

Experience working in developing country contexts, preferably with experience in East Africa;

Proven existing network of relevant stakeholders in the energy access sector. Including distributed renewable energy companies and investors.

Desired additional skills and competencies

Experience working on similar assignments with the United Nations or other development organizations would be beneficial;

Knowledge of other UN languages is highly desirable.

Required Language(s) (at working level)

Excellent command of written and spoken English