Market Development Specialist

In Sierra Leone, the Rural Renewable Energy Project (RREP), a DFID-funded project, is collaborating with the Government of Sierra Leone (GoSL) to supply up to 5 MW of sustainable renewable electricity in rural communities through installations of at least 94 solar mini-grids to be operated and managed by private sector partners.

The implementation of the project is develop around five (5) Work Packages (WP):

Work package 1 / 1+:  6kWp solar photovoltaic (PV) generation plants at 54 Community Health Centres (CHCs) were installed between April and July 2017. These generation plants were then extended into small mini-grids with a capacity between 16kW and 36kW and distribution networks installed which will eventually connect all other public institutions and households in 50 of these communities. All 50 mini-grids are installed and ready for operation as of October 2018.

Work package 2: aims to bring the country’s photovoltaic (PV) power generation capacity up to 5MW by attracting the private sector to invest in the mini-grid market while drawing on the lessons of WP 1/1+. WP2 will install mini-grids in additional 40 communities with >36kW systems (up to max. 200kWp) using sustainable business and delivery models developed by the private sector.

Private sector operators have been selected through a competitive tender process, and will take on operation and maintenance of WP1/1+ mini-grids and co-invest in the development of the WP2 sites. The operators will be responsible for the last mile connection to identified customers and the in-house wiring of customer homes.

Work package 3: provides Technical Assistance (TA) and institutional capacity building to the Ministry of Energy, the Electricity and Water Regulatory Commission, other relevant government agencies as necessary, as well as to private sector companies selected to operate WP1 sites and co-invest in and operate WP2 sites.

Work Package 5: This work package focus majorly on the Monitoring and Evaluation function. An M&E Plan including Impact Evaluation design will be develop for learning and accountability.

Work Package 6: Private sector development. Through this work package, RREP seeks to develop a private sector engagement and strengthening strategy, underpinned by a keen understanding of local market systems, to promote productive use economies in mini‐grid catchment areas; supporting both the commercial viability of the privately operated mini‐grids.

employment opportunities and incomes and fostering greater social and economic welfare for communities. 

To leverage this opportunity, RREP and partners seek to put in place a rural energy market development work stream under Work Package 6. The RREP Rural Energy Market Development work stream seeks to accelerate to accelerate demand and off-take of rural energy across mini-grid catchment area. The work stream seeks to collaborate with private sector to increase access to and drive uptake of new and improved rural energy-reliant economic opportunities and productive use equipment in mini-grid catchment areas. It also seeks to forge shared-vision partnerships with public, private and social sector stakeholders working to drive developmental outcomes in health, education, gender parity and overall poverty reduction where lack of energy access hinders further progress on such outcomes. Altogether, it seeks to support mini-grid operators toward provision of commercially viable energy services ultimately driving welfare increases of rural communities across catchment areas and beyond. 

Purpose and Scope of Assignment
The RREP project is looking for a dynamic professional with a strong entrepreneurial sense and an excellent eye for identifying investment opportunities and partnerships.  This role will work with local and international companies and investors, development partners and public sector stakeholders to drive energy partnerships and investment across mini-grids, productive use equipment and appliances, and potentially standalone systems.

The Market Development Specialist will directly report to the RREP Work Package Deputy Project Manager/Project  Manager. He/she will manage a Programme Analyst advising, mentoring and managing him/her toward high quality and coordinated delivery. 

Functional Responsibilities:

• Portfolio design, governance, delivery, and growth facilitating and supporting partners in co-creation of interventions and solutions that foster off-take of newly available mini-grid electricity and productive use of energy at scale
• Develop, manage and grow a pipeline of strategic, innovative, and co-leveraged partnerships and investments aligned with the work stream’s objectives and goals.
• Assess and facilitate development of pilot businesses cases and scalable & replicable interventions, practices, business models, and financing instruments with partners including mini-grid operators, project developers, energy companies, and public and social sector stakeholders, as relevant
• Provide technical assistance and capacity building to partners to design and pilot business cases that target practice, processes, and overall strategy innovations.
• Provide operational and financial management support to partners and manage partnership delivery against targets including toward improving operational and financial management systems that support innovation, scale and overall business growth.
• Nurture opportunities with investors and developers and broker investments in target Facility areas
• Identify and produce relevant and insightful content (i.e., videos, infographics, case studies, snapshots, investment briefs etc.) toward development of a broad knowledge and learning platform to raise awareness of the facilities services; to inform the sector of mini-grid and productive use investment opportunities; to inform sector learning and best practices; and to showcase portfolio.
• Manage team in the day-to-day operations of the Rural Energy Market Development work stream

Knowledge Management:

• Establish a knowledge and learning platform to promote best practice sharing, raise awareness of productive use investment opportunity, and inform thought-leadership in the sector nationally and beyond.
• Participate in the relevant Communities of Practice.
• Knowledge of industry best practices
• Support the Deputy Project Manager, Project Manager and Communications team  in documenting and maintaining lessons learnt from the delivery of the Work Package for the purposes of knowledge sharing and continuous improvement in the delivery of similar activities

Personnel Management:

• Establish a thorough understanding of UNOPS personnel contract modalities (i.e. ICA);
• Support the selection, recruitment and training of the team as required by project plans
• Perform Project Support role, unless appointed to another person or corporate/programme function

 Core Values and Principles:

• Understand and respect UNOPS sustainability principles

                I.  Look for ways to embed UNOPS sustainability principles in day to day project management

               II.  Seek opportunities to champion gender equality at work place

               III.  Champion and communicate project’s sustainability aspects with key stakeholders

• Understand and Respect National ownership and capacity

              i.   Understand the principles of the Paris Declaration on aid effectiveness and mainstream them into                    the project plans

            ii.   Seek opportunities to support recruitment of qualified local personnel

           iii.   Look for ways to build capacity of local counterparts

          iv.   Partnerships and Coordination Understand the UN Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF)  and UNOPS, the project’s place in the UN system:

          v.   Strive to build strong partnerships and effective coordination among relevant project actors (e.g.United Nations, governments, and non-governmental organizations or other relevant partners)

• Accountability for results  and the use of resources

         i.  The project management processes are designed to deliver maximum accountability, transparency and results. If a project or processes is not in line with this, it is the responsibility of the Market Development Specialist  to raise the issue with the Deputy Project Manager and Project Manager.

• Excellence

         i.  Contribute to innovation and the adaptation of best practice standards of sustainability and quality.

Additional Considerations: The Market Development Specialist is expected:

• To develop and nurture relationships with key public, private, and social sector stakeholders to identify key challenges and opportunities across respective industries, value chains and development impact interventions where energy access is a key bottleneck. 
• To contribute to the strategic direction and vision of the Rural Energy Market Development work stream establishing an operational framework to guide roll-out of services and instruments outlined in the work stream framework
• Ability to demonstrated quantitative skills
• Integrity and ability to work in a dynamic team as well as to supervise other specialists.

Monitoring and Progress Controls

• Effective work package/ Work stream governance, and risk management
• Timeliness and accuracy of reporting on Work package performance
• Accuracy of Work package planning and delivery according to plans
• Identification and implementation of continuous process improvement and risk management.

General: 

• Provide support to ensure that the project produces the required products within the specified tolerance of time, cost, quality, scope, risk and benefits

• Master’s Degree in Finance, Business Administration, Economic or a relevant discipline is required.
• Bachelor’s Degree with a combination of two (2) additional years of relevant professional experience in Finance, Business Administration, Economic or other relevant discipline, may be accepted in lieu of the Advance University Degree.
• Technical/professional diploma, in relevant discipline, in combination of four (4) additional years of experience maybe accepted in lieu of Advance University Degree.

• Financial or Investment certification is highly desirable
• Prince 2 Certification (i.e. Foundation /Practitioner) will be an advantage.

• A minimum of five (5) years of combined professional experience in market development, and/or business and investment advisory services and programmes is required.
• Knowledge of the African power sector, including institutional, policy and regulatory issues with at least two (2) years of experience in developing countries is required.
• A proven track-record of successfully bringing projects from idea/concept to implementation is an asset
• Strong management consulting, market intelligence experience, business case development, and  financial modelling is an asset.
• Experience with private sector-led solutions to energy challenges is an added advantage
• Experience in low income consumer energy markets, and productive use of energy is an added advantage
• Working knowledge of the off-grid sector – mini-grids and standalone solar is an asset
• Extensive business advisory experience in sub-Saharan Africa across sectors – energy, renewable energy (solar) etc; and with firms at various stages of growth is highly desirable
• Demonstrated leadership experience managing project teams is an added advantage.
• Demonstrated excellent partner and stakeholder management experience, building and maintaining relationships with private sector at various stages of growth, development agencies, and relevant public sector players is highly desirable.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (i.e. PowerPoint, Word, Excel, Outlook) will be highly distinct

• Ability to work to meet tight schedules under stressful environment and varied cultural context.
• Good team player attitude.
• Ability to perform with professionalism, integrity and commitment to project demands.
• Ability to work under pressure and meet strict deadlines.

• Please note that the closing date is midnight Copenhagen time
• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
• Only those candidates that are short-listed for interviews will be notified
• The duty station i.e. Freetown is a family duty station.
• Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
• Work life harmonization - UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands. We have a progressive policy on work-life harmonization and offer several flexible working options. This policy applies to UNOPS personnel on all contract types
• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post
• The incumbent is responsible to abide by security policies, administrative instructions, plans and procedures of the UN Security Management System and that of UNOPS.  

It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential recruits/interns. Recruitment/internship in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.

UNOPS is an operational arm of the United Nations, supporting the successful implementation of its partners’ peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world. Our mission is to help people build better lives and countries achieve sustainable development.

UNOPS areas of expertise cover infrastructure, procurement, project management, financial management and human resources.

Working with us

UNOPS offers short- and long-term work opportunities in diverse and challenging environments across the globe. We are looking for creative, results-focused professionals with skills in a range of disciplines.

Diversity

With over 4,000 UNOPS personnel and approximately 7,000 personnel recruited on behalf of UNOPS partners spread across 80 countries, our workforce represents a wide range of nationalities and cultures. We promote a balanced, diverse workforce — a strength that helps us better understand and address our partners’ needs, and continually strive to improve our gender balance through initiatives and policies that encourage recruitment of qualified female candidates.

Work life harmonization

UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands.