WORLD BANK GROUP

JOB #152705

JOB TITLE: Senior Energy Specialist

JOB FAMILY: Energy and Mining

JOB TYPE: Professional & Technical

GRADE: GG

LOCATION: Yaounde, Cameroon

RECRUITMENT TYPE: Local Hire

LANGUAGE REQUIREMENT: English [Essential]

CLOSING DATE: 12-Jan-2016

Background / General description:

Over 1.2 billion people are without access to electricity worldwide, most of them concentrated in about a dozen countries in Africa and Asia. Another 2.8 billion rely on wood or other biomass for cooking and heating, resulting in indoor and outdoor air pollution attributable for 4.3 million deaths a year. Providing reliable electricity to the unserved and inadequately-served people of the world is central to efforts to eradicate extreme poverty and create shared prosperity. The World Bank Group supports the Sustainable Energy for All initiative, and is committed to working towards accomplishing the initiative’s three goals by 2030: i) universal access to electricity and clean cooking fuels; ii) doubling the share of the world’s energy supplied by renewable sources from 18 percent to 36 percent, and iii) doubling the rate of improvement in energy efficiency. 

The Energy & Extractives Global Practice of the World Bank Group is made up of more than 300 professionals. The Energy side of the practice focuses on providing affordable, reliable and sustainable energy to meet the needs of fast growing economies and to ensure universal access to modern energy services for people in client countries. The Extractives side of the Global Practice focuses on strengthening policy and institutional frameworks to promote transparent and equitable growth of the extractives sectors and leverage extractives-related infrastructure for public benefit. Both parts of the Global Practice place a strong emphasis on private sector resource mobilization.

The Africa Energy Program is growing rapidly, covering reforms (sector and corporate governance, energy security and the environment, regional energy trade, public-private partnerships, energy efficiency, etc.) and investment support in power generation, power and gas transmission and distribution, rural energy services, renewable energy development, low-carbon and climate friendly initiatives.  The current portfolio comprises about 50 projects with a value of over US$10 billion.  New lending is approximately US$1.5 billion per annum, with a growing share of renewable energy and regional activities.  The Bank’s Africa Energy Program uses a variety of instruments, including investment lending, guarantees for public private partnerships, and development policy lending. In addition the team manages a strong knowledge agenda to inform the policy dialogue in the sector.

The Africa energy sector grouping consists of two Units (one for East and Southern Africa and one for West and Central Africa). Each of the two units is managed by a Practice Manager. The two units together have over 75 staff with over 25 in various field locations, and more than half of the operational and advisory activities are managed /led by field-based staff.  

The World Bank’s Cameroon energy program is large and diverse, and covers the whole energy value chain including generation, transmission, and distribution. The program also includes a strong policy dialogue component. 

Note:  This is a local hire position. Third party nationals could qualify for assistance on relocation and housing benefits.

Note: If the selected candidate is a current Bank Group staff member with a Regular or Open-Ended appointment, s/he will retain his/her Regular or Open-Ended appointment. All others will be offered a 3 year term appointment.

Duties and Accountabilities:

The Senior Energy Specialist will play a key role in the strategic, advisory, and operational work of the Energy practice in Cameroon but also encompassing other countries in Central Africa. The Senior Energy Specialist's primary responsibilities will be to prepare, appraise, negotiate and supervise complex energy projects in selected countries in West and Central Africa.  S/he will actively participate in overseeing implementation of energy operations with the aim to enhance quality and accelerate implementation.  The focus of the position will include utility focused projects for generation, transmission, and distribution investments, energy access, and sector policy dialogue.

The Senior Energy Specialist should lead an active Bank policy dialogue with clients and other stakeholders on strategic energy issues and implementation of the region’s ongoing energy sector reforms.  This includes the promotion of regional power trade and advancing prospect for development of cross-border interconnections. The Senior Energy Specialist will also maintain sufficient knowledge of individual operations and activities (including those not managed by him/her) to be able to identify and help resolve project-specific or systemic issues.  

The candidate will be required to lead and contribute to analytical and advisory work. This includes supporting the development of national and regional analytical activities and advising governments.  In doing this, the senior energy specialist will be expected to forge partnerships with organizations and individuals which can both better inform the Bank's energy strategies, and also result in higher quality implementation and impact of Bank-supported programs. This will require effective communication and outreach to key stakeholders including client governments, academia, civil society organizations, media, other development partners and other Bank units.

Selection Criteria:

Candidates must meet the generic criteria for international level GG: Sustained record of achieving high-quality substantive results over an extended period (typically at least 8 years). 

• Master’s degree in finance, energy planning, engineering, economics, or related field; 
• at least 8 years of combined experience in the World Bank, other international institutions/companies and/or government in energy with demonstrated track record in the management of large complex projects; 
• experience and/or substantive exposure with recent developments in the energy sector such as utility reform and public-private partnerships;
• experience in hydropower development would be an advantage; 
• a track record of team work and ability to produce high-quality results and outputs with minimal supervision; 
• a track record of good external client relations skills at all levels of seniority; 
• High level of energy, initiative and flexibility in quickly adjusting to changing work program requirements;
• Excellent oral and written communication skills, in particular ability to effectively dialogue with and relate to clients and stakeholders; and, 
• Proficiency in French and English is essential.

Competencies:

• Knowledge and Experience in Development Arena - Translates technical and cross-country knowledge into practical applications and contributions to country and sector strategies; interacts with clients at the policy level.
• Policy Dialogue Skills - Anticipates needs and requests in the field and conducts independent policy discussions with representatives of the government and non-government partners.
• Integrative Skills - Understands relevant cross-sectoral areas how they are interrelated; able to undertake cross-sectoral work in lending and non-lending operations.
• Energy Policy, Strategy and Institutions - Solid understanding of energy policies, strategies, institutions, and regulations.
• Sector/Network Representation - Demonstrates ability to coordinate, participate in, and act as a catalyst for, strategic cross-sector dialogues within the network, across the country, among Bank colleagues and other development institutions, government, and other organizations.
• Project Design for Impact and Sustainability - IL - Contributes to the design of projects and programs, based on an understanding of the country and sector context.
• Sector Dialogue - IL - Able to conduct a dialogue with the client on familiar topics, with a narrow scope, based on a solid understanding of the sector.
• Operational Project Management - Demonstrates in depth knowledge and understanding of project management tools & methodologies, as well as of Bank instruments and processes related to project preparation & implementation, resource management, and stakeholder communications.
• Team Leadership - Leads teams to achieve challenging outcomes, providing a role model and enhancing the team-leadership skills of team members.
• Lead and Innovate - Develops innovative solutions with others.
• Deliver Results for Clients - Achieves results and identifies mission-driven solutions for the client.
• Collaborate Within Teams and Across Boundaries - Initiates collaboration across boundaries and broadly across WBG, and brings differing ideas into the forefront.
• Create, Apply and Share Knowledge - Creates, applies and shares knowledge from across and outside WBG to strengthen internal and/or external client solutions.
• Make Smart Decisions - Recommends and takes decisive action.

Applications:

Qualified Candidates are requested to submit an on-line application at www.worldbank.org/careers. Click on > Current job opening > Job Type>Professional & Technical > Job Family>Energy & Mining > Select the job number. 

Closing date for receipt of applications is January 12, 2016.

Only qualified candidates will be contacted.