Background:
The United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) houses the Secretariat of the Decarbonising Humanitarian Energy (DHE) Multi Partner Trust Fund (MPTF). The role of the DHE MPTF is to design, demonstrate, and facilitate a Centralised Clean Energy Service (CCES) that takes a country-wide approach to supporting humanitarian actors in energy efficient, sustainable energy transitions in order to reduce reliance on costly diesel and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The programme will position this support to further facilitate energy access for displaced and host communities in humanitarian settings.
The DHE programming is delivered by UNITAR, UNDP and NORCAP’s Green Shift Programme, referred to as the DHE Programme Partners (PPs). The programme aims to: decarbonise and create energy access; support a simplified involvement of the private sector to increase its investment capacity; coordinate the grouping of multiple projects together (“bundling”) to achieve economies of scale and unlock innovative financing mechanisms; open opportunities to improve energy access to the displaced and local host communities; and produce a suite of evidence-based communications materials that promote lower carbon operations.
The CCES offerings will most fundamentally provide technical support interested humanitarian clients (referred to as Energy Transition Partners or ETPs), including site energy audits and site-specific business cases. The CCES will further provide support and counsel on moving forward with business cases by addressing key structural barriers to unlock project viability, including bundling costly procurement for small, remote projects and addressing the early termination clause in humanitarian contracts.
As per the programme ToR, the CCES establishes its overall goal through two overarching indicators:
- Reduction of greenhouse gas emissions achieved (measurement: Tonnes of CO2eq); and
- Reduction of energy costs achieved through the implementation of sustainable energy solutions (measurement: EUR).
The broader DHE programme is delivered through 6 work packages that interact with the CCES’ core offerings.
Coordination and Strategic Project Development
Coordinating at global, national, and local levels, background research, connecting suppliers and other local partners to humanitarian organisations, kickstarting country- and region-level implementation, aggregating monitoring and reporting at the country and organisation level, coordinating scale-up of the CCES, collecting and analysing lessons learnt.
Evidence and Technical Assistance
Purchasing energy meters and conducting site assessments and energy audits to measure consumption, applying standard sustainable energy project development processes (with energy efficiency considerations) to assess sustainable energy value proposition, developing business cases for humanitarian organisations for individual and bundled sites, developing technical specifications for tender documentation, developing centralised procurement processes.
Greening Humanitarian Energy Infrastructure
Supporting implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of concrete sustainable energy projects (energy efficiency solutions and/or sustainable energy systems), producing evidence on public-private collaborations, monitoring systems performance systems, quantifying impact of transitions to sustainable energy solutions.
Leveraging Finance
Applying de-risking mechanism to humanitarian contracts, refining contractual frameworks, integrating opportunities for green financing and blended finance solutions.
Capacity Strengthening and Knowledge Sharing
Training on programme design through a standard project development process (UNDP 7 Step Green Energy Solution), vocational training for end users/communities on installation, operations and maintenance of sustainable energy systems, producing and disseminating knowledge products through webinars, events, and international conferences.
Enabling Community Access
Supporting creative business model development and implementation to extend electricity to communities and community resources, supporting innovative community-based energy access funds
General objectives of the contract:
The incumbent will fulfil acting Head of the DHE MPTF Secretariat responsibilities while the programme recruits to fill the longer term role. The incumbent will provide strategic and operational support to the governance bodies of the DHE MPTF and is responsible for the coordination and day-to-day management of the DHE MPTF. The Head of the Secretariat will lead the strategic thinking of the Fund and will guide and oversee the operational and administrative support to the DHE MPTF Implementing Entities and governance bodies. The Head of the Secretariat will also contribute to, and support the development of dialogues with a multi-disciplinary approach to ensure that the Fund responds with relevant and timely calls for proposals and programmatic oversight. The Head of the Secretariat provides strategic analysis to support and inform the Steering Committee. The Head of the Secretariat leads resource mobilisation efforts and represents the Fund a range of internal and external partners. The Head of the Secretariat also manages the Secretariat Team and ensures delivery of the objectives of the DHE. Candidates interested in applying for the longer term Secretariat Lead role are welcome to apply to the short-term consultancy.
Accountability:
The Head of the DHE MPTF Secretariat, under the supervision of the Director, Division for Peace and within delegated authority, is responsible for the following duties:
Manage the development and implementation of the DHE MPTF by:
- Leading programme development and results management of the DHE MPTF in cooperation with Programme Partners, under the direction of the DHE MPTF Steering committee.
- Managing the Secretariat team to ensure effective support for the implementation of the DHE MPTF.
- Facilitating collaboration, coordination, and communication between partners to ensure that, amongst other things, the DHE MPTF’s Theory of Change and Results Framework are implemented effectively.
- Liaising with the MPTF office on matters pertaining to overall fund allocations, administration, and delivery, including for the transfer/release of approved project funds, project/ fund extensions and closures, and tracking donor contributions.
- Overseeing development and implementation of:
- A monitoring and evaluation framework to track program performance and support effective scaling; and
- MPTF, UN and donor guidelines and tools.
- Supporting programme prioritisation, country evaluations, onboarding of clients, and resource mobilisation.
- Developing workplan and activities recommendations based on country assessments.
- Demonstrating innovative approaches and knowledge management through research on new tools, instruments and implementable trends.
Execute Integrated Approach on Project Implementation by:
- Setting the strategic vision, rationale and transformative approach of the DHE MPTF.
- Identifying and shaping overlapping priorities between the Implementing Entities and other partners and reflecting those priorities in strategic documents, strategic thinking, monitoring and reporting to support project implementation.
- Collating and disseminating best practices from across peer organisations and promoting exchange.
- Providing planning, logistical, and operational support to the DHE MPTF Steering Committee.
- Ensuring successful calls for proposals for DHE MPTF deliverables.
- Developing and implementing procurement processes for the selection of consulting firms or individual consultants.
- Consolidating and preparing narrative and financial reports to comply with MPTF, or any other partner reporting requirement.
Lead Advocacy, Partnership and Resource Mobilization by:
- Developing and implementing resource mobilisation plan.
- Undertaking outreach to strengthen engagement of key partners, including multilateral and bilateral development actors, private sector investors, civil society and individual investors.
- Identifying opportunities for new innovative pool funding mechanisms to combine multiple external funding sources and reinforce strategic partnerships with UN Agencies
- Promoting communication with external partners to support the development and growth of the DHE MPTF, e.g., attending conferences and workshops that inform DHE development and/or promote its visibility.
- Developing advocacy materials that convey DHE MPTF rationale and goals.
- Developing collaboration frameworks with relevant complementary partner, regional and thematic initiatives.
Management and administrative aspects by:
- Overseeing and supporting the programmatic / administrative tasks including budget preparation, reporting on budget / programme performance as required by the MPTF Office and other stakeholders.
- Evaluating the supervised staff’s performance, interviewing candidates for job openings, and evaluation of candidates.
- Managing, guiding, and training staff under their supervision.
- Ensuring timely and effective management of the DHE MPTF in line with the overall management of programmatic activities, operational risks, regulatory reporting and reviews.
Work implies frequent interaction with the following:
- The DHE MPTF Steering Committee.
- The DHE Advisory Board.
- The DHE MPTF Programme Partners, which presently includes UNDP, UNITAR and NORCAP.
- The DHE MPTF Energy Transition Partners working within the humanitarian response.
- Donors.
- Relevant country partners and stakeholder.
- Other related initiatives and stakeholders, including UN Energy, SEforALL, Health and Energy Platform of Action, energy business associations and other relevant structures.
Results expected:
- Successful development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the DHE MPTF.
- Successful implementation of first 6 month of work plan set-up by Steering committee
- Provision of sound and innovative direction and advice on a wide range of issues associated to the successful development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the DHE MPTF.
- Delivery of thorough, well-reasoned written and verbal contributions, associated to the successful development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the DHE MPT.
- Implementation of corrective action with respect to operational issues of the DHE MPTF Secretariat.
Competences:
- Professionalism: Expert knowledge in MPTFs. Demonstrated ability to manage a MPTF, as well as to mobilise resources. Excellent public speaking and representational skills. Proven record of building and managing teams. Shows pride in work and in achievements. Demonstrates professional competency and mastery of managing a MPTF. Is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results. Is motivated by professional rather than person concerns. Shows consistency when faced with difficult problems and challenges. Remains calm in stressful situations.
- Planning and organising: Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies; identifies priority activities and assignments; adjusts priorities as required; allocates appropriate amount of time and resources for completing work; foresees risks and allows for contingencies when planning; monitors and adjusts plans and actions as necessary; uses time efficiently.
- Stakeholder orientation: Establishes and maintains productive partnerships with all stakeholders by gaining their trust and respect; Identifies stakeholder needs and matches them to appropriate solutions; Monitors ongoing developments inside and outside the stakeholder’s environment to keep informed and anticipate problems; Keeps stakeholder informed of progress or setbacks in projects.
- Judgement/decision-making: Identifies the key issues in a complex situation and comes to the heart of the problem quickly; gathers relevant information before making a decision; considers positive and negative impacts of decisions prior to making them; takes decisions with an eye to the impact on others and on the Organisation; proposes a course of action or makes a recommendation based on all available information; checks assumptions against facts; determines the actions proposed will satisfy the expressed and underlying needs for the decision; makes tough decisions when necessary.
- Leadership: Empowers others to translate vision into results; is proactive in developing strategies to accomplish objectives; establishes and maintains relationships with a broad range of people to understand needs and gain support; anticipates and resolves conflicts by pursuing mutually agreeable solutions; provides leadership and takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work; demonstrates knowledge of strategies and commitment to the goal of gender balance in staffing.
- Managing performance: Delegate appropriate responsibility, accountability and decision-making authority; makes sure that roles, responsibilities and reporting lines are clear to each staff member; accurately judges the amount of time and resources needed to accomplish a task and matches task to skills; monitors progress against milestones and deadlines; regularly discusses performance and provides feedback and coaching to staff; supports creativity and initiative; actively supports the development and career aspirations of staff; appraises performance fairly.
Qualifications:
- Education: Advanced university degree in business administration, management, economics or other relevant discipline, or the equivalent combination of education and experience in a related area.
- Experience: At least 7 years of progressive experience at national and international level in managing complex grants and other financial instruments in the humanitarian, international development, or sustainable energy sectors.
- Desired Skills:
- Experience in large-scale Fund / Programme management (managing Multi-Donor Trust Funds or large-scale multi-stakeholder programmes including results-based management, risk management, finance and operations) proven record in resource mobilization along with knowledge of financing for development is required
- Strong Project / Programme management experience, including a demonstrated ability to develop structures and processes to support innovative programming.
- Demonstrated experience in coordinating multi-stakeholder projects, including engagement with UN agencies, donors, and implementing partners.
- Experience in working with donors in negotiating, setting up of funding, and familiarity of processes and procedures.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build effective relationships and facilitate dialogue among diverse stakeholders.
- Understanding of innovative financing, joint programming, partnerships, and country-level joint UN work is an asset.
- Additional Skills:
- Experience in one or more of the following areas: project design, risk assessment, implementation, and results-based financial management.
- Strong knowledge of sustainable energy sector dynamics preferred, particularly in humanitarian / development and energy access contexts.
- Experience working in developing countries.
- Familiarity with UNDP and/or NORCAP project management processes and procedures is an asset.
- Language: Fluency in oral and written English is essential; knowledge of a second official UN language is an advantage.
How to apply
Interested candidates should submit an up-to-date CV and a one-page (maximum) cover letter to energy@unitar.org by Wednesday, 6 November with the following email subject line “DHE MPTF Head of Secretariat position”.
The detailed TOR of the position is available here.
