Organizational Context
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.
UNDP’s work on Energy and the Sustainable Energy Hub
UNDP has been a leading advocate and the largest UN implementing agency for the energy transition at global, regional and national levels for several decades. UNDP’s Energy Programme supports policy makers with high quality data to make informed decisions on selecting and designing cost‐effective public instruments to promote private investment in clean energy, contributing to SDG 7 and in line with UNDP’s ‘signature solution’ on energy. UNDP has a successful track record in using policy instruments to de‐risk and catalyze investments in renewable energy, energy efficiency and energy access projects, including a series of sustainable energy initiatives specifically adapted to the needs (and resilient recovery) of fragile and crisis‐impacted countries.
Under the new Strategic Plan (2022‐2025), energy is one of UNDP’s six signature solutions – alongside poverty and inequality, governance, resilience, environment, and gender equality ‐ to support countries towards three directions of change: structural transformation, leaving no one behind and resilience. Scaled‐up programming efforts on energy access and the energy transition will be coordinated under the newly established Sustainable Energy Hub (SEH), which represents parts of the organization’s systematic and programmatic approach to respond to the energy and climate change agendas. As per UNDP’s new Strategic Plan 2022‐2025, the first objective of UNDP is increasing energy access for those furthest behind. By speeding up investment in distributed renewable energy solutions, especially for those hardest to reach and in crisis contexts, it aims to increase access to clean and affordable energy for 500 million people by the year 2025. The Africa Minigrids Programme, for example, is improving the financial viability of renewable energy mini‐grids in 18 countries, encouraging private investment, lower tariffs and expanded service.
Second, UNDP will work to accelerate the clean energy transition and access through systems changes that support inclusive, green and resource‐efficient economies. This work will capitalize on technological gains, clean energy innovations and new business models in the energy sector. Through the Sustainable Energy Hub, UNDP will harness networks, experience and innovation to scale‐ up energy programming efforts and shape policy, building on the existing portfolio of energy projects, covering over 100 countries to harness clean energy and support the energy access and transition as well as on UNDP’s Climate Promise, UNDP’s Sustainable Finance Hub and UNDP’s Digital offer. UNDP will also work with Governments in programme countries as they recover and build forward better from COVID‐19 and with investors to unlock and harness public and private finance to power progress towards multiple SDGs.
Finally, recognizing that change will be disruptive, UNDP will strive to ensure that such transitions are just, and that their impact on vulnerable people is understood and duly mitigated
Background on Regional Engagement
To provide country support and work with relevant teams for local action, the Sustainable Energy Hub is structured to work in close contact with UNDP’s Regional Hubs (i.e., Africa, Asia Pacific, Arab States/Middle East & North Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Europe and Central Asia). Therefore, the Regional Energy Specialist will be located at the Regional Centre to which he/she applies.The Regional Energy Specialist will work closely with the Regional Team Leaders for Nature, Climate and Energy and other regional specialists in the regional team to advance the sustainable energy agenda, while engaging with country offices in the region and enabling strategic partnerships with regional organizations and partner UN agencies. Therefore, working closely with other regional specialists, the Specialist will provide policy and programme support to:
(1) de‐risk energy investments;
(2) scale up energy finance;
(3) promote innovation, technology, and data for sustainable energy,
(4) enable SDGs through an inclusive, just energy transition,
(5) advance energy access and transition policies and the enabling policy environment e.g. on carbon pricing, energy audits and fossil fuel subsidy reform; and
(6) expand energy access for poor and displaced communities, among other activities.
Based in one of UNDP’s Regional Hubs, the Regional Energy Specialist will be supervised by the Director of the Sustainable Energy Hub in UNDP Headquarters (primary supervisor). The person will also work closely with the Regional Team Leader for the NCE Team (secondary supervisor).
Duties and Responsibilities
Innovation, Strategic Leadership, Programme Support and Policy Advice
Africa to assist countries at the regional level in designing strategies and policies to support energy access priorities, promote the energy transition, and foster low carbon growth in the context of their sustainable development efforts, aligned with the service offer under the Sustainable Energy Hub.
Policy Positioning and Representation
Research and Knowledge Management
The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.
Institutional Arrangements
Core | ||
Achieve Results: | LEVEL 3: Set and align challenging, achievable objectives for multiple projects, have lasting impact | |
Think Innovatively: | LEVEL 3: Proactively mitigate potential risks, develop new ideas to solve complex problems | |
Learn Continuously: | LEVEL 3: Create and act on opportunities to expand horizons, diversify experiences | |
Adapt with Agility: | LEVEL 3: Proactively initiate and champion change, manage multiple competing demands | |
Act with Determination: | LEVEL 3: Think beyond immediate task/barriers and take action to achieve greater results | |
Engage and Partner: | LEVEL 3: Political savvy, navigate complex landscape, champion inter-agency collaboration | |
Enable Diversity and Inclusion: | LEVEL 3: Appreciate benefits of diverse workforce and champion inclusivity | |
Cross-Functional & Technical competencies | ||
Thematic Area | Name | Definition |
Business Direction & Strategy | Strategic Thinking | Ability to develop effective strategies and prioritized plans in line with UNDP’s objectives, based on the systemic analysis of challenges, potential risks, and opportunities, linking the vision to reality on the ground, and creating tangible solutions. Ability to leverage learning from a variety of sources to anticipate and respond to future trends; to demonstrate foresight in order to model what future developments and possible ways forward look like for UNDP. |
Business Development | Knowledge Generation | Ability to research and turn information into useful knowledge, relevant for context, or responsive to a stated need. |
Business Development | Integration within the UN | Ability to identity, and integrate capacity and assets of the UN system, and engage in joint work; knowledge of the UN System and ability to apply this knowledge to strategic and/or practical situations. |
2030 Agenda: Planet | Nature, Climate and Energy | Energy access Energy planning, Derisking energy investment and financial appraisal Energy: Renewable Energy |
Business Management | Communication | Ability to communicate in a clear, concise, and unambiguous manner both through written and verbal communication; to tailor messages and choose communication methods depending on the audience. Ability to manage communications internally and externally, through media, social media, and other appropriate channels. |
Business Management | Partnerships Management | Ability to build and maintain partnerships with wide networks of stakeholders, Governments, civil society and private sector partners, experts, and others in line with UNDP strategy and policies. |
Business Direction & Strategy | System Thinking | Ability to use objective problem analysis and judgement to understand how interrelated elements coexist within an overall process or system, and to consider how altering one element can impact on other parts of the system |
Min. Education Requirements | Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in energy, engineering, environment, economics, business administration, social sciences, or related discipline is required, or A first-level university degree (Bachelor´s degree) in the areas mentioned above in combination with additional 2 years of qualifying experience, will be given due consideration in lieu of Master´s degree. |
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Min. years of relevant Work experience | Minimum 7 years (with Master´s degree) or 9 years (with Bachelor´s degree) of professional work experience providing policy advice and programme support in the general area of Energy Access, Energy Efficiency, Renewable Energy or Climate Change in different development contexts is required. |
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Required skills | Experience in providing policy advisory services to governments related to sustainable energy and energy planning with authority and credibility is required; |
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Desired additional skills and competencies |
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Required Language(s) (at working level) | Fluency in English is required;
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