Senior Energy Specialist – Hydropower

 Description

Do you want to build a career that is truly worthwhile? Working at the World Bank Group provides a unique opportunity for you to help our clients solve their greatest development challenges. The World Bank Group is one of the largest sources of funding and knowledge for developing countries; a unique global partnership of five institutions dedicated to ending extreme poverty, increasing shared prosperity and promoting sustainable development. With 189 member countries and more than 120 offices worldwide, we work with public and private sector partners, investing in groundbreaking projects and using data, research, and technology to develop solutions to the most urgent global challenges. Visit www.worldbank.org.

The Infrastructure Practice Group

Globally, 840 million people live more than 2 kilometers from all-weather roads, 1 billion people lack electricity, and 4 billion people lack Internet access. Access to basic infrastructure services is critical for creating economic opportunities for the poor. The Infrastructure (INF) Practice Group is charged with developing sustainable solutions to help close infrastructure gaps in developing and emerging economies. For more information: https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/infrastructure

INF Vice Presidential Unit (VPU) currently consists of four global practices (GPs): Energy & Extractives (EEX), Transport, Digital Development (DD) and Infrastructure Finance, PPPs and Guarantees (IPG).

Energy and Extractives Global Practice (EEX)

Energy is at the heart of development. Energy makes possible the investments, innovations and new industries that are the engines of jobs, inclusive growth and shared prosperity for entire economies. Universal access to affordable, reliable and sustainable and modern energy – Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 7 — is essential to reach other SDGs and is at the center of efforts to tackle climate change. For more information: https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/energy

There are around 300 staff professionally mapped to the Energy and Extractives Global Practice, of which about 90 mapped to EEX global units. Remaining staff is within regional energy units. EEX has an annual lending program in the order of US$5-7 billion a year, an active portfolio of some $40 billion, and a rich program of Advisory and Analytical Work. Regional energy units oversee and develop lending and non-lending energy operations in different subsectors including renewable energy, energy efficiency, utility performance, grid and off-grid access, regulatory and policy reforms. The EEX GP 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; and, strengthening policy and institutional frameworks to promote transparent and equitable growth of the extractives sectors for public benefit. There is a strong emphasis on private sector resource mobilization and catalyzing financing from commercial and other sources of development and climate finance.

There are three global units for EEX: (a) the Infrastructure Energy Extractives Industry Unit (IEEXI) oversees and contributes to lending and non-lending activities in mining and hydrocarbon development with particular emphasis on transparency, governance, capacity building, and gender opportunities together with the regional units; and takes the leadership on global extractives initiatives; (b) the Infrastructure Energy Global Programs (IEEES) oversees mobilization and deployment of trust funds (Energy Sector Management Assistance Program (ESMAP) and the climate funds); and (c) the Infrastructure Energy Global Knowledge & Expertise (IEEGK). 

Energy Global Programs Unit (IEES1) 

The Energy Global Programs Unit harbors the Energy Sector Management Assistance Program (ESMAP) and the Energy Climate Finance Team. The ESMAP is a donor-funded global knowledge and technical assistance program, administered by the World Bank. It provides analytical and advisory services to low- and middle-income countries to increase their know-how and institutional capacity to achieve environmentally sustainable energy solutions for poverty reduction and economic growth. Supporting over a hundred activities in countries around the world at any given time, ESMAP is an integral part of the Energy and Extractives Global Practice of the World Bank. 
The Energy Climate Finance Team coordinates and manages the demand of the Energy and Extractives Global Practice for climate funds, including the Climate Investment Funds (CIFs, such as the Clean Technology Fund), Green Climate Fund (GCF), the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and others. 

Energy Sector Management Assistance Program (ESMAP) 

ESMAP is a multi-donor trust fund administered by the World Bank that provides grants for country, regional and global engagements in energy sector issues including to inform new World Bank operations.

The ESMAP’s Business Plan FY21-24 focuses on supporting client countries on two overarching objectives: (i) Achieving universal access of energy by 2030 (SDG7) and (ii) achieving decarbonization across the energy sector in support of international commitment on climate change. The Business Plan is structured around four pillars (clean cooking, electricity access, renewable energy and accelerating decarbonization), and two cross-cutting or foundational programs (Foundations for the Energy Transition and the Energy Data and Analytics Hub).

ESMAP provides a combination of self-managed analytical work in order to further scale-up the energy access and transition agendas, monitoring of grants to regional operational units to support regional and country-specific analyses and capacity building, and operational support for country-specific projects in the six Bank regions. 

Background

The Energy Sector Management Assistance Program (ESMAP) of the World Bank Energy & Extractives Global Practice is seeking a highly motivated senior energy specialist to lead the implementation of the electricity markets, grid connectivity and regional trade (MARCOT) Program. The MARCOT Program operates under one of ESMAP’s cross-cutting Foundational Programs, the Foundations for the Energy Transition.

Hydropower at the Bank

Since 2002, the World Bank supported 131 hydropower projects totaling $17 billion in in 68 countries and with a total combined capacity of over 42 GW. Currently there are 9 project under preparation and 7 under implementation in the Bank with more than 10,000 MW.

The role of hydropower is rapidly changing due to technology development and the increasing need for climate change adaptation. Hydropower is not only a provider of energy, but also an enabler for power systems to deliver secure, affordable and clean electricity and for river systems to provide multipurpose water services and climate change adaptation. When designed and operated appropriately, hydropower dams can also contribute to water security through storage, food security through irrigation, as well as flood management, transportation, and local development.

The Hydropower Development Facility  (HDF)

Hydropower Development Facility (HDF) has the objective to support WB clients to develop and manage next generation rehabilitation and greenfield hydropower projects.
HDF will aim to do so by accelerating and improving the quality of project preparation, facilitating financing, and supporting the implementation of hydropower projects. The HDF is in the current ESMAP Business Plan (BP) as one of ESMAP’s funding windows under the Renewable Energy thematic area. The HDF will support four core areas: i) environmental and social impact assessment, ii) feasibility studies, iii) project implementation, and iv) capacity building and project management.

Duties and Accountabilities 

The selected candidate will undertake the following responsibilities. 

A.Lead the Hydropower engagement within ESMAP

ESMAP is seeking a senior hydropower specialist to lead the HDF team and provide technical support to World Bank task teams preparing and implementing hydropower projects. The senior hydropower specialist will report to the ESMAP Manager. 

The responsibilities include:

i) Work with ESMAP colleagues to achieve the ESMAP Business Plans objectives and results.

ii)Work with other global units within the bank responsible for water and dam safety (e.g. Global Water and EEX Global Practice) on mobilizing financing for hydropower development.

iii)Manage HDF grants
a)Review grant proposals from World Bank task teams to ensure technical soundness and alignment with ESMAP Business Plan and HDF objectives
b))Monitor progress of activities funded by HDF grants and preparation of annual progress reports

iv)Manage global work to support the objectives of the HDF
a. Manage ongoing ESMAP global activities (preparation and piloting of knowledge products supporting the objective of the HDF) 
b. Identify topics for new, relevant, knowledge products, implement their preparation, dissemination and piloting 
c. Initiate and lead knowledge exchange events for industry, World Bank clients, and development partners 
d. Manage the HDF budget for grants and own-managed global work

v)Represent the Bank and ESMAP 

vi)Contribute to the WBG corporate and global dialogue on hydropower-related agenda.

B.Cross-support to regional/country operations  

The selected candidate is expected to spend up to 50% of his/her time providing cross-support to regional/country analytical and investment projects to enhance their design and implementation. The responsibilities may include:

vii)Serve as a team member in teams preparing and implementing hydropower projects
a.Provide technical input to the preparation of project documents
b.Review technical information relevant to the project (e.g. due diligence)
c.Help the task teams to identify and engage technical consultants for specific tasks and manage their work

viii)Serve as a peer-reviewer for hydropower projects under preparation and deliverables related to hydropower

ix)Provide ad-hoc support to task teams for hydropower project
a. Provide technical input on on-demand basis
b.Help identify and engage technical consultants for specific tasks

Selection Criteria

• Master’s degree or higher in Mechanical engineering.
• At least 10 8 years of working experience in the hydropower sector in World Bank, other international or development institutions and/or consultancy companies. 
• Practical working experience in low income country
• Experience working in at least two World Bank client countries and/or regions designing, implementing, supervision, or studies for hydropower projects.
• Experience in rehabilitation projects and hybrid hydropower.
• Experience in project management, project evaluation and administration.
• Excellent communication skills and demonstrated ability to lead high-level dialogue. 
• Demonstrated capacity to lead teams but also act as an effective team member.
• Experience working with large global teams, to produce high-quality results and outputs with minimal supervision is required.
• High level of motivation, ability to work independently, and taking initiative.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and proven ability to build strong partnerships with clients, different stakeholders, and colleagues across units and departmental boundaries in a multicultural environment with virtual teams located in different countries. 

World Bank Group Core Competencies

The World Bank Group offers comprehensive benefits, including a retirement plan; medical, life and disability insurance; and paid leave, including parental leave, as well as reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities.

We are proud to be an equal opportunity and inclusive employer with a dedicated and committed workforce, and do not discriminate based on gender, gender identity, religion, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or disability.

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