Background

The EU High Level Policy Advisory Mission (EU HLPAM) is a project financed by the European Union and implemented by the UNDP. The objective of the project is to support the Government to implement its EU-integration related reform Agenda and in particular to assist the government in developing the capacities required for the implementation of the Association Agreement, including the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area, as well as the Visa Liberalisation Action Plan. Specifically, the project aims at strengthening the policy-making, strategic planning and policy management capacities of selected line Ministries and State Agencies involved in the implementation of the Association Agreement and Visa Liberalization and at enhancing stakeholders’ knowledge and awareness of EU policies, legislation and regulations in sectors strategic to the implementation of the Association Agreement including the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area, and to the implementation of visa liberalization.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Adviser on Energy policy will provide policy advice to the Prime Minister of the Republic of Moldova and the Prime Minister’s Office on issues related to energy policy and will support the beneficiary to undertake its strategic, regulatory and policy making roles related to the formulation and implementation of the Government’s agenda on energy, the Energy Community Treaty commitments and EU integration commitments, including those related to the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area.

The Adviser will report primarily to the Prime Minister of the Republic of Moldova and the Secretary General of the Government, with a reporting line to the EU Delegation to Moldova, UNDP Moldova and the project manager. The Advisor will work closely with the other members of the team of EUHLPAM Advisors.

• Raise stakeholders' awareness of the policy implications of the Government's reform agenda and the AA negotiation and implementation processes in the area of energy;
• Acquaint the national authorities with different policy options in the area of energy;
• Provide the beneficiaries with examples of EU best practice in the energy sector;
• Assist in the identification of policy and legislative priorities in the area of energy;
• Support the national authorities to draft policy papers, together with strategies and Action Plans for implementing the policies in the energy sector;
• Assist the national authorities during the policy consultation process;
• Strengthen the institutional capacities of the beneficiary institutions in energy sector to design, manage and monitor policy;
• Support the beneficiary to design and apply risk management principles and tools;
• Liaise with other projects / programmes / instruments in the energy sector to ensure synergy, to promote effective downstream implementation of the policies and to avoid overlap and duplication, where appropriate and when requested by the beneficiary;
• Advise on the development of formal mechanisms to ensure that feedback from policy implementation is duly taken into consideration during the design phase of future policies;
• Support the national authorities to network with EU institutions through the EU Delegation to Moldova;
• Provide sectorial advice and report to the EU Delegation whenever requested in the area of energy;
• Assist the beneficiary to prepare an exit strategy on how the advice will be mainstreamed and consolidated once this phase has elapsed;
• Advise the beneficiary to prepare the formal applications/fiches/Terms of Reference for policy implementation support from other EU instruments or any on-going/planned TA project;
• Provide strategic advisory support to the Office of the Prime Minister to undertake its strategic, regulatory and policy making roles related to energy policy formulation and implementation;
• Assist the Office of the Prime Minister in its coordination role between Moldovan institutions with competence in the area of energy;
• Support the Office of the Prime Minister in management of international negotiations and relationships related to the energy sector;
• Draft policies aimed at diversifying energy market, ensuring access to different energy suppliers, promote renewable energy sources and energy efficiency;
• Provide assistance to the development of strategies for investments in the field of energy;
•  Provide assistance to ensuring integration of energy considerations in other sector policies, such as environment, transport, and agriculture, among others.

Respect and promote EU visibility at all times.

The above responsibilities will be carried out through but not limited to: development of strategy documents, policy papers, advisory notes, methodologies, draft fiches and other relevant documentation as well as provision of technical on-the-job advice, support to networking to the institutions responsible for Government policies in the area of energy.

Competencies

Functional Competencies:

• Excellent communication skills;
• Proven report writing skills;
• Computer literacy;
• A working knowledge of the Romanian or the Russian language would be an advantage;
• Previous work experience in Moldova would be an advantage.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• A Masters’ Degree in energy / relevant discipline or equivalent of professional experience relevant to the assignment;
• A bachelor degree in the same areas combined with 17 years of experience professional experience relevant to the area of required expertise will serve in lieu of a Master’s Degree.

• Preferably 15 years of professional experience.

Specific professional experience:

• At least 10 years of professional experience linked to the provision of high level policy advice or policy making in the area of energy;
• Preference to 15 years of such experience will be given;
• At least 10 years of proven work experience in the energy sector in EU Member States, current or former EU Candidate States/EaP countries would be an asset;
• A comprehensive knowledge of EU external assistance programmes and policies targeted at EaP countries;
• A comprehensive knowledge of the EU acquis and policies in the area of energy.

Language:

• Fluency in written and spoken English.