JOB OPPORTUNITY

Senior Energy Specialist

Job #: req27230
Organization: World Bank
Sector: Energy
Grade: GG
Term Duration: 4 years 0 months
Recruitment Type: International Recruitment
Location: Kathmandu, Nepal
Required Language(s): English
Preferred Language(s):

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 over 130 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. For more information, visit www.worldbank.org

The South Asia Region Context

The South Asia Region comprises eight countries (Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka) that range in size from India (with a population of over 1 billion) to Maldives (with 0.3 million people). The region has experienced a long period of robust economic growth, averaging 6% a year over the past 20 years. It was the second-fastest growing region in the world in the aftermath of the global crisis. This strong growth has translated into declining poverty and impressive improvements in human development. The percentage of people living below the poverty line fell in South Asia from 56% to 16% between 1981 and 2013. Still, the region remains home to a third of the world’s poorest, with 216 million people living below $1.9/day.

The South Asia Region: https://www.worldbank.org/en/region/sar

The World Bank Group (WBG) 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 Infrastructure Practice Group is charged with developing sustainable solutions to help close infrastructure gaps in developing and emerging economies. As part of the Infrastructure Practice Group, the Energy & Extractives (EEX) Global Practice (GP) focuses on providing affordable, reliable and sustainable energy to meet the needs of fast-growing economies, ensure universal access to modern energy services for people in client countries, strengthen 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.

UNIT CONTEXT

One out of four people in the planet live in South Asia. However only 1/20 of the world’s electric power capacity is installed in the region. The World Bank’s South Asia Region (SAR) energy unit contributes to addressing this challenge through its strong lending and knowledge management program in the region. The SAR energy unit manages a large and diverse portfolio of active projects in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Maldives, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. The South Asia Energy Program has grown rapidly in the last few years with a portfolio of more than US$8 billion and expected annual lending of about US$1 billion going forward.

The Energy Program’s engagements in the region cover reforms (sector and corporate governance, energy security and the environment, regional energy trade, public-private partnerships, energy efficiency), and investment support in power generation, power and gas transmission and distribution, rural energy electrification, renewable energy development, and low-carbon and climate friendly initiatives. A particular area of growth has been investments in energy transitions including renewable generation, hydropower, and transmission networks, with a strong pipeline of projects in several countries.

The Bank’s 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 Bank’s Nepal energy program addresses a complex range of issues ranging from the political economy of cross-border power trade, complex policy dialogue, and a broad range of energy sector reforms. Within this, the Bank’s operational focus in Nepal focuses on the development and trade of Nepal’s hydropower resources, and associated transmission and distribution infrastructure. The Bank’s pipeline in Nepal comprises a number of high-profile, large scale hydropower developments, which are being worked on in close collaboration with the Government of Nepal and Asian Development Bank. It is also envisaged that the Bank will add to its operational pipeline further financing operations for distribution sector strengthening and transmission strengthening particularly for cross-border transmission requirements, and with a focus on PPP development.

Duties & Accountabilities

The senior energy specialist will support the Practice Manager in guiding the overall policy dialogue and driving portfolio implementation and business development for the Bank’s Nepal energy program. He/she will lead complex operations, monitor portfolio performance, and help ensure that lending operations and AAA activities led by senior staff are well coordinated and contribute to access to energy for all, energy transitions and decarbonization, and improved performance of the sector. In particular, the senior energy specialist will support the Practice Manager and other key staff in the Bank’s support for Nepal’s large hydropower development, renewable energy and transmission and distribution sector development. The senior energy specialist will play a critical role in supporting the early implementation of the Upper Arun Hydropower project, the preparation of financing for the Dud Koshi Hydropower project (led by the ADB), and new engagements in support of distribution sector development and PPP transmission development.

The senior energy specialist will undertake a wide range of supporting roles in oversight and advice on portfolio engagement strategies, investment and ASA product development and implementation, contributions to enhance the substance, quality, and effectiveness of operations and ASA deliverables, monitoring portfolio performance, being a point of contact for teams on operational advice, mentoring and contributing to staff and team development and recruitment, and assisting in ADM business process actions.

The senior energy specialist’s duties will include:

Supporting policy dialogue on strategic energy issues and implementation of Nepal’s ongoing energy sector reforms.
Leading strategy and business development, and resulting operations which are part of the Bank’s energy program in Nepal.
Leading operational work (policy dialogue, lending and supervision, AAA), including being the Task Team Leader for individual projects while also maintaining sufficient knowledge of individual operations and activities not managed by him/her to be able to identify and help resolve project-specific or systemic issues. The focus will be on operational work in Nepal and on the health of the Bank’s portfolio and pipeline.
Developing strategic partnerships with organizations and individuals so that world class resources and private capital may be deployed to client countries. This will also require effective communication and outreach to relevant units in IFC and MIGA.
Advising colleagues and clients on global best practices in the energy sector and keeping abreast of country sector issues as well as contributing to global knowledge by introducing success and lessons learned by the Bank’s global engagement in the energy sector. Duties will including supporting the Practice Manager and other key staff in the mentoring and development of junior staff and energy teams.

Reporting: The staff will report to the Practice Manage, and will work closely with INF regional management team, Nepal Country Director and other CMU staff, particularly the Operations Managers, Lead Economists and INF/HD/SD Program Leaders, and INF sector leads across the region.

Selection Criteria

PhD or Master’s degree level in relevant field/discipline and substantial professional experience (typically the successful candidate will have at least 8 years of experience in positions of increasing complexity and responsibility).
Demonstrated skills in integrating multi-sectoral inputs into a package of solutions to achieve development results.
In-depth knowledge of WBG financing operations as well as analytical and advisory services, including work programming, budgeting, task management, and strong familiarity with WBG instruments.
Proven experience in designing and managing/supporting IPF/DPF/ PforR and guarantee operations as well as innovative ASA which has impacted policy dialogues and reform paths.
Demonstrated ability to lead discussions at the highest policy levels in the area of energy and Infrastructure.
Ability to communicate with senior authorities on complex energy and infrastructure policy issues, including the integration of sectoral solutions into the broader the economic framework.
Demonstrated client orientation through identifying and evaluating emerging opportunities aligned with WBG strategy, and challenging others to remove barriers and to deliver beyond client expectations.
Demonstrated achievement of results – through building a culture that consistently delivers high-quality products and services to clients and through engaging others in implementing strategies that have long-term impact.
Demonstrated leadership in teamwork and inclusion to support collaboration and working across boundaries, and ensuring diverse talent and capability is mobilized across Global Practices.
Proven ability to work across practice and disciplinary boundaries as well as with multiple stakeholders to build collaborative alliances for results.
Demonstrated capacity to understand the political economy and local context, tailoring policy dialogue and operational response to meet client expectations.
Excellent inter-personal skills, ability to constructively solve conflict situations and proven ability to lead from behind.
Superior communication skills with proven experience in dealing with conflict situations, the media, external constituencies and expert groups.
Demonstrated clear and concise oral and written communication skills.

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.

Learn more about working at the World Bank and IFC, including our values and inspiring stories.

Closing Date: 5/8/2024 (MM/DD/YYYY) at 11:59pm UTC