Summary
Date Posted: Friday, June 09 2023, Base Salary: Not Disclosed

JOB DETAILS:
The responsibilities of the selected candidate will include:
• The Energy Specialist, based in Nairobi, Kenya, will support part of the Bank’s energy engagement in East and Southern Africa with primary responsibility to assist in mainstreaming productive uses into DRE and energy access operations. This will involve liaising with cross-sectoral champion organizations, productive appliance providers, end user financiers (including banks, microcredit, pay-as-you-go, leasing, and/or subsidies entities) and geospatial planners, particularly those related to Distributed Renewable Energy (DRE).
• The Energy Specialist will be a core team member of AFE flagship energy access initiatives, including DARES, Electrifying Africa and Energy Access MPA.

The Energy Specialist would be expected to:
• Support Bank task teams in designing operations (or components of operations) that are focusing on scaling up productive uses of energy, focused both on grid utilities and DRE providers
• Initiate and oversee market assessments, including value chain analysis, geospatial analysis and other data and analytics related to identification, design, implementation and monitoring of productive use activities
• Be a part of the task force under DARES and Electrifying Africa designing strategies and approaches for scaling up access with DRE in Africa, applying understanding of productive use business models and financing modalities
• Facilitate and lead the collaboration between geospatial market intelligence, productive use appliance providers, end user financiers, and electricity service providers (grid, mini grid, and off-grid) during the preparation and implementation of investments supported by the World Bank Group. This includes preparation and implementation of multi-stakeholder roadshows to hotspot areas.
• Engage in strong cross-sectoral partnerships with sectors that represent the users of productive appliances/uses, especially agriculture, SMEs, rural development etc., and develop collaborative approaches that build on each sector’s comparative advantages
• Apply an understanding of regional financial markets and innovative financing strategies to identify potential sources of funding and investment opportunities for DRE projects with a focus on productive uses. This can involve non-traditional forms of financing such as green bonds, blended finance, and crowd funding.
• Advise a range of Governments on energy policy and strategy as well as reform dialogue with an emphasis on incorporating productive uses into a comprehensive approach (grid, mini grid, off-grid) and into broader development policies, in particular promoting cross-sectoral linkages with agriculture, SME and other relevant sectors;
• (co-)lead the supervision and implementation support of the existing portfolio, ensuring alignment with the goal of promoting productive uses in DRE and energy access operations.
• Lead analytical work on DRE access, particularly the integration of productive uses.
• Build a pipeline of new investments backed by quality analytical work that emphasizes the importance of productive uses in DRE and energy access operations
• Expand on existing partnerships with development partners and other stakeholders (like EnerGrow, AMDA, GOGLA), to drive the electricity access agenda including improving conditions for access expansion in fragile states and core sector structural and financial sustainability reforms, and
• Liaise with the CMU, other GPs, and WBG on energy Access as well as climate change and resilience aspects, with an emphasis on the incorporation of productive uses.
• Other responsibilities will include technical support to lending and non-lending programs. Support energy sector strategy development and policy dialogue Support the development of new lending, preparation, and supervision of investment operations in the energy sector. This includes working towards enhancing quality, efficiency and pro-poor focus, while accelerating the implementation of operations Contribute to the development of analytical and advisory reports and studies that revolve around electrification, geospatial planning, policy and regulations, mobilizing (semi) commercial financings, and engaging with private sector. Provide drafting and inputs for sector and country briefings, analytical and advisory reports and studies on electrification, DRE acceleration, utility reform, transmission and distribution, renewable energy; energy efficiency, and other programs within the AFR Energy portfolio and promote the integration of productive uses.
• Support the unit’s analytical agenda on improving access to energy services in Sub-Saharan Africa.
• Assume an active role in the DRE team with the aim to ensure adequate and appropriate integration of relevant aspects of the energy development agenda in core Bank products, including the country partnership framework, strategic country diagnostic, country economic memorandum etc.; and
• Participate in the dialogue with relevant representatives of the private sector, productive appliance distributors, end user financiers, and relevant organizations to understand issues related to the business investment climate and to identify possible areas of collaboration through public-private-partnerships.
• Develop strong working relationships with the staff of other donor and financing agencies and co-operate with them in the preparation and supervision of projects, especially in the area of f DRE and productive uses.

Selection Criteria
• Master's degree in engineering, finance, business administration, economics, environment, agriculture, rural development, social sciences or equivalent areas relevant for energy sector development and/or development of productive uses.
• At least 5 years of combined experience in the World Bank, other international institutions and/or companies, government agencies, and/or power sector utilities with demonstrated track record of successful engagement with relevant developmental programs and significant portion of this experience in the DRE (Distributed Renewable Energy) field and/or productive uses is a must.
• A professional with a broad understanding of the DRE/mini-grid space, productive use appliance provision, and end-user financing. This includes an understanding of financial markets, investment climates, and structuring of deals to support productive uses is a plus.
• Experience in productive use sectors, such as agriculture, SME development, rural development, and in particular in developing and implementing user engagement strategies, awareness campaigns, technical assistance/business development services and user financing modalities is a plus
• Experience with electrification of schools, health clinics and other public institutions with DREs is a plus
• Understanding of operational challenges faced by mini-grid companies, power utilities and productive use appliance providers in the region, and experience in designing solutions to address these challenges.
• Demonstrates proven understanding of energy policies, technologies or strategies, private sector participation, utility reform, and institutional development needed to support the mainstreaming of productive uses into DRE and energy access operations.
• Experience leading and/or playing key roles in policy dialogue with clients and stakeholders, with a focus on productive uses.
• Experience working on/with World Bank or other International Financial Institutions (IFIs) I) lending and non-lending operations is desirable, particularly those related to productive uses.
• Experience in working in frontier markets and in particular countries experiencing fragility, conflict and violence (FCV) is a plus
• Demonstrates active listening skills and the ability to influence the audience (such as counterparts in government, international partner organizations, academia, and Bank colleagues, senior staff and managers).
• An excellent track record in carrying out high quality and timely analytical reports and activities would be advantageous.
• Experience working with large global teams, to produce high-quality results and outputs with minimal supervision is required;
• High level of motivation, ability to work independently, taking initiative, and flexibility in quickly adjusting to changing work program requirements;
• Excellent interpersonal skills and proven ability to build strong partnerships with clients, different stakeholders and colleagues across units and departmental boundaries in a multi-cultural environment with virtual teams located in different countries;
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English, able to communicate complex issues in simple terms and to engage in evidence-based dialogue with clients; French language Skills required, and
• Demonstrates strong understanding and able to translate technical analyses into policies, operations and/or research of at least one of relevant thematic business lines such as Energy Access; Economics, Markets & Institution; Oil & Gas; Energy Efficiency; Renewable Energy; Energy Finance; Hydropower; Power Systems & Technologies.

Work Hours: 8

Experience in Months: 60

Level of Education: Associate Degree

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