Background

As part of Denmark’s support to South-South Cooperation, to enable coherent cooperation between China and countries in Africa, in particular around the promotion of the UN’s Sustainable Energy for All (SE4ALL) initiative, UNDP China has been funded to develop two projects, one with Zambia and one with Ghana. Both initiatives aim to ensure a more holistic transfer of renewable energy technologies from China to Africa. The planned support will not transfer hardware per se, but focus on the institutional framework and capacity required to make the local absorption of renewable energy technologies effective.

The “China-Ghana South-South Cooperation on Renewable Energy Technology Transfer” project is a collaboration between the Energy Commission in Ghana, the Ministry of Science and Technology in China together with the UNDP Country Offices in Accra and Beijing. The project will facilitate exchange of expertise and technology between China and Ghana, building on China’s unique development experience.

This project aims to address Ghana’s need to increase universal energy access by effectuating off-grid community-based electrification, increasing the share of renewable energy, and promoting the productive uses of energy.  The project thus supports broader national socio-economic and environmental objectives, most notably poverty reduction through employment generation and supporting action on climate change mitigation. The project will do so by creating an enabling environment for technology transfer and promote the production of renewable energy technologies in Ghana with a strong focus on private sector development and inclusion.

The project management team will be based at the Energy Commission.  The Project Coordinator will report to the Head of the Renewable Energy Division at the Energy Commission, and will also establish reporting mechanisms with the head of the Sustainable Development Cluster at the UNDP. He/she will be responsible for the overall management and implementation of the project, with the support of the Project Associate and in close collaboration with project stakeholders.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the direct supervision of Head of the Renewable Energy Division (Energy Commission) and in close collaboration with the Head of the Sustainable Development Cluster (UNDP Ghana), the incumbent will be responsible for, but not limited to, the following duties:

• Manage and coordinate project implementation in accordance with objectives, work plan and planned budget, to ensure that the activities in each output area are timely, efficiently and effectively implemented in accordance with the project document and work plan;
• Manage the day-to-day operations of the budget, including the management of financial and other records to facilitate audits of the project; this includes monitoring of financial resources and accounting to ensure accuracy and reliability of financial reports;
• Manage financial resources  according to value-for-money and cost effectiveness principles;
• Prepare annual work plans and associated budget;
• Plan and coordinate project activities and project-related meetings;
• Draft terms of reference, technical specifications and other documents as necessary;
• Support project related procurement and recruitment processes;
• Coordinate with relevant stakeholders to ensure the technical robustness of project outputs;
• Monitor project implementation against established and agreed indicators in coordination with the SDC M&E Specialist;
• Manage requests for the provision of financial resources by UNDP;
• Ensure timely submission of quality progress reports;
• Coordinate awareness creation on all project activities and ensure project visibility and communication of results to project stakeholders and the wider public;
• Coordinate the project activities with relevant activities and initiatives of the Government;
• Maintain close relationship with all key stakeholders and relevant partners to ensure adequate information flow   and cooperation between the participating institutions of the project (in particular, with the members of the Project Steering Committee in Ghana and the PMU based at the Ministry of Science and Technology in China);
• Liaise  and coordinate meetings and discussions amongst the various implementing agencies and partners  involved in the project
• Undertake closing out activities for the project which include final financial and technical reports, and the handing over of documents as required;
• Address challenges that might arise during project implementation and undertake any other activity that may be necessary for the effective management of the Project;
• Organize the exchange and cooperation activities between the PMUs in China and Ghana.

Competencies

Communicating information and ideas:

• Communicating clearly and effectively;
• Seeking to understand the ideas of others;
• Facilitating and encouraging open communication;
• Creating an environment for open communication. Inspiring and persuading others.

Ethics and values:

• Taking actions that are congruent with what he/she says. Reliably delivering on promises and honoring commitments made;
• Demonstrating consistency in upholding and promoting the values of UN/UNDP in actions and decisions;
• Demonstrating an appreciation of differences in values and learning from cultural diversity;
• Moves from demonstrating sensitivity to encouraging full participation, to leveraging diversity. 

Knowledge sharing/continuous learning:

• Taking responsibility for self-learning and development;
• Actively seeking learning and career development opportunities;
• Promoting organizational learning and knowledge management;
• Building a culture of knowledge sharing and learning.

Organizational awareness:

• Understanding, building and using formal/ informal systems and contacts in a complex organizational and global environment to obtain results;
• Moves from an ability to use organizational services to assist others, to applying corporate thinking and applying judgment, to building support and finally, demonstrating political acumen.

Self-management and emotional intelligence:

• Managing moods, responding effectively to stress, situations of ambiguity or crisis;
• Managing relationships with others to achieve mutual benefits;
• Building an emotionally intelligent organization.

Working in teams:

• Working effectively with colleagues in ways that allow the achievement of shared objectives;
• Building teams both within existing organizational structures and outside of them;
• Creating team spirit and unity of purpose across the business unit. 

Functional competencies

Building strategic partnerships:

• Establishing, maintaining, and utilizing a broad network of contacts;
• Building partnerships and strategic alliances;
• Leveraging the resources of national governments and other development partners.

Client orientation:

• Understanding and meeting or exceeding client needs;
• Anticipating and addressing client needs and concerns;
• Developing innovative approaches to meeting client needs;
• Ensuring overall provision of quality services to clients.

Job knowledge and technical expertise:

• Demonstrating and applying professional and/or technical expertise/knowledge of the post or discipline;
• Focusing on the knowledge and skill areas necessary to effectively perform the functions of the post;
• Identifying and seeking to expand knowledge and improve work processes.

Conceptual innovation in the provision of technical expertise:

• Supporting UNDP’s advocacy by developing innovative and creative approaches to the provision of technical expertise;
• Moves from research to analysis to developing innovative and creative approach to conceptual leadership and championing conceptual innovation.

Creating visibility for UNDP/supporting UNDP’s capacity to advocate:

• Ensuring that UNDP has the visibility and corporate image it requires as the key development actor.

Design and implementation of management systems:

• Ensuring that UNDP has the internal management systems it requires as the key development actor.

Innovation and marketing new approaches:

• Enhance existing processes or products. Developing original and innovative ideas and approaches;
• Integration in a multi-disciplinary environment.    

Promoting accountability and results-based management:

• Monitoring and promoting practices, procedures and systems that support accountability and results-based management, while also influencing change in the organizational culture.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Master’s degree in Engineering, Energy, Physics, Business Management or relevant field. 

Experience:

• At least 5 years work experience in project management. Previous work in international project management is an advantage;
• Knowledge and experience in renewable energy is essential;
• Excellent analytical and organizational skills;
• Experience in the development/implementation of UNDP project is an asset;
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Powerpoint, Excel, Outlook, etc).

Language:

• Fluency in written and spoken English.