Work LocationIndia – Hyderabad or New Delhi
Expected duration12 months
Duties andResponsibilities
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is accelerating the global transition to energy efficiency and climate-friendly cooling. Getting the right solutions in place for refrigeration and space conditioning (cooling) is essential for improving the quality of life and health of people without undue impacts on the planet. United for Efficiency (U4E) is a global initiative launched in 2015 to help developing and emerging markets quickly and comprehensively transition to energy-efficient and climate-friendly lighting, space conditioning (cooling), refrigeration (equipment and comprehensive cold chains), electric motors and transformers (see http://united4efficiency.org). The first Centre of Excellence, the Africa Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Cooling and Cold Chain (ACES), was established in 2020 by the Governments of Rwanda (GoR) and the United Kingdom (UK), U4E, the Centre for Sustainable Cooling (CSC), and a range of academic institutions. The University of Rwanda (UR) is the host of the Centre headquarters and has designated team and facilities, infrastructure, and land at its Rubirizi Campus in Kigali. The design and establishment of two Centres of Excellence (CoE) in Haryana and Telangana will replicate the model of ACES and is aimed at the innovation for sustainable cold chain for food and pharma security and economic growth, including modal shifts, use of data, demonstration, delivery (including knowledge transfer) and skills capacity. The purpose of the in-state CoE in India is to: • Conduct state-of-the-art applied research across key pillars of sustainable, equitable and resilient cold chain for food and pharma products. • Provide capacity building, upskilling, and training for farmer producer organizations (see http://sfacindia.com/FPOS.aspx/co-op) and mobilisers and other supply chain stakeholders including, among others, agri-startups and entrepreneurs, equipment technicians and researchers. • Develop both an innovation and business hub and technology testing/demonstration centre. • Connect indigenous and the UK (and wider industrial) experts, investors, agri-food businesses, farmer cooperatives, and energy or logistics providers, to support the delivery of affordable, resilient, low emission cold-chain systems in India in line with socio-economic and climate targets/national objectives. The programme has been developed by the University of Birmingham (UoB), leading a consortium of UK universities (London South Bank, Heriot-Watt and Cranfield), and UNEP-U4E working with the UK and State Governments and industry. The CSC will continue to provide the academic and technical research base, expertise and framework to establish the Centres of Excellence in Sustainable Cooling and Cold chain. Along with the team in the UK at the partner Universities, the project team is looking to recruit Indian nationals to support the development and delivery of the programme in-country. A Principal Expert is needed in India to provide overall coordination for the Centres of Excellence for Sustainable Cooling and Cold Chain to be established in Haryana and Telangana, India. The Principal Expert, working with the Lead Experts, will be responsible for the strategic coordination of the project development in India in order to ensure the execution and close-out of activities with a range of responsibilities, including helping to secure in-funding support, support operationalization of facilities, and supporting communications and outreach. Core details 1.1 A. Strategic coordination • Act as the conduit with the international academic team to provide guidance in-country on the overall design, build and set-up for the CoE. • Foster and help maintain buy-in and support at the senior leadership level of key collaborators (inter alia, farming communities and their mobilisers, government, academia, and industry) on priority activities and deliverables, enabling timely and quality execution across organizations. • Help define scope, goals, and deliverables working with the project team. • Track progress and help with oversight of the in-country team to ensure the quality of work and delivery against time and budget. Work with the project team (U4E and CSC) and staff in the coordination and planning for major activities, sharing insights on progress and perspectives gleaned from outreach efforts and advising on areas of highest opportunity and major potential pitfalls. • Alert the project team (U4E and CSC) and provide in-depth written and verbal advice on potential upcoming hurdles (e.g., fees, permitting, schedule considerations, bureaucratic processes, and cultural norms) and recommend solutions for complex matters that are critical to keeping the initiative on track. • Address ad hoc urgent needs prioritised by the project team, as directed, to resolve critical delays, misunderstandings, cost overruns, and other adverse impacts on major deliverables. • Liaise with current stakeholders and help secure new collaboration across the continent/globally, serving as an interlocutor with key stakeholders and donors who offer the greatest strategic opportunity to advance the Centres. • Provide clear insights and recommendations to optimize the vaccine supply chain in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh (AP) and food supply chain in Haryana. B. Help secure funding and in-kind support • Act as the in-country liaison to help identify and secure in-kind support for priority areas identified with the project team (e.g., equipment, facilities, expertise, data, and land). • Pitch ideas to potential in-country funders and partners, as directed. • Contribute to grants, funding proposals, reports, and liaison, as agreed, including information gathering, conducting briefings to build interest and gather commitments, securing letters of endorsement and formal agreements, facilitating paperwork and processes to be navigated, and providing regular updates to ensure parties remain well apprised of developments. • Provide written and verbal inputs for reporting to donors using assigned templates. C. Support operationalisation of facilities • Act as the in-country liaison to help identify and secure in-kind support for priority areas identified with the project team (e.g., equipment, facilities, expertise, data, and land). • Provide the overall knowledge transfer and knowledge management processes. D. Communications and Outreach • Conduct outreach to convey progress at assigned events and via telecommunications including by providing inputs where requested for website and communication materials (e.g. press release, social media content, flyer, banners) to increase the visibility of the CoE, projects and activities, and raise awareness of sustainable cooling and cold-chains; providing information and participate when requested for governance meetings (e.g. Steering Committee, National Technical Advisory Committee, fortnightly project team meeting) and other ad hoc meetings; and assisting with planning of VIP visits if travel and in-person gathering protocols permit.
Qualifications/special skillsA combination of an advanced relevant (e.g., economics, medicine, biosciences, engineering, refrigeration but others may be considered depending on experience) university degree (Masters or equivalent additional experience) and proven knowledge on cold-chain logistics for food and/or pharma and their business models. At least 7 years of both extensive theoretical and practical knowledge of cold chains. Exceptional candidates with less than 7 years will be considered. Previous experience in cold-chain implementation (food and/or health) is essential. Previous experience of developing or delivering academic or industry cold-chain, biomedical, or refrigeration training courses is an asset. Familiarity with refrigeration and cooling technologies is essential. Previous experience in cold-chain implementation (food and/or health) is essential. Previous experience of developing or delivering academic or industry cold-chain, biomedical, or refrigeration training courses is an asset. Strong familiarity with the informational needs of senior decision-makers in Indian organisations, businesses, and initiatives. Experience in developing funding proposals and building and managing coalitions of support for new initiatives. Experience working with international organisations and/or government counterparts Skills: • Fluency in spoken and written English is required, and fluency in spoken and written Telugu/Haryanvi or Hindi are an asset. • Excellent written and oral communications skills on technical and policy aspects of socio-economic development, climate and energy policies and programmes. • Excellent project and time management skills. • Ability to thrive as part of an international multi-team coalition. • In-country network across industry, government, and academia.
LanguagesFluency in spoken and written English is required, and fluency in spoken and written Telugu/Haryanvi or Hindi are an asset.
No FeeTHE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.
