UNCDF Jobs - 51742- Lead Strategic Planning Advisor for BoP Energy Acc

Lead Strategic Planning Advisor for BoP Energy Access

Advertised on behalf of

UNCDF

Location :

Home-based, with possibility of travel to Bangkok, Thailand and other selected destinations.

Type of Contract :

Individual Contract

Starting Date :

Application Deadline :

07-Dec-14 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

International Consultant

Duration of Initial Contract :

6 months

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

Maximum of 60 working days

UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence. UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

Background

The UN Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) has developed a global programme called CleanStart to support 2.5 million poor people to obtain access to reliable and affordable clean energy through microfinance. To this end, the CleanStart programme will support 18 financial service providers (FSPs) across six countries in Asia and Africa to build their capacity in providing financing for clean energy solutions. In parallel, the programme will also strengthen the supply chains of technologies being financed and advocate for policy and business environments that promote the growth of energy markets serving low-income people.

In November of 2013, CleanStart Connect 2013 was held in Bangkok. It focused on ‘Building Last Mile Energy Markets: Financing Scale and Impact’. 70 participants from energy enterprises, financial institutions, policy makers, investors, and development partners with operations in Asia and Africa were present. Specifically, it discussed the following themes:

End-user financing through loans and pay-as-you-go schemes;
Start-up/working capital for small-scale manufacturers/distributors;
Financing growth of business models from “blueprint to scale”.

Some key messages from this event were:

Energy microfinance is more than loans and owning systems, it’s also about payments, savings and services;
Energy enterprises of different kinds (in addition to financial service providers) can offer financing as part of their business model;
Energy start-ups need seed capital and other support to prove concepts and make businesses investment-ready.

In this context, and after considerable validation with a range of stakeholders, CleanStart is reviewing of its business model in terms of positioning the programme more flexibly as a platform that supports various different enterprises involved in BoP energy access and the financing of such. This may be within the countries that CleanStart is targeting with an in-depth country and sector-wide approach, as well as in countries where it identifies key strategic opportunities and/or innovative enterprise that requires further support to scale up and become investible. The latter part of the agenda involves developing different investment pathways, where CleanStart positions itself as a catalytic agent that foster market development and aims to crowd in private sector finance through de-risking some of the upfront investments required to scale up enterprises active in the energy access space.

Duties and Responsibilities

Objectives of the Assignment:

CleanStart seeks the assistance of a Lead Strategic Planning Advisor for BoP Energy Access to assist with this process of strategy revision, leading to widening of the CleanStart approach, involving its positioning as an energy enterprise support agent.

The objective of this assignment is develop a revised strategic plan for CleanStart, as a supplement to the existing Project Document. The supplement document will be presented to and cleared by the CleanStart Investment Committee. The strategic plan will contribute to the targets of the project document, and where possible, identify immediate new opportunities for positioning of CleanStart. The Strategic Planning Advisor will lead the process of developing the strategic plan, using an inclusive and iterative approach, drawing on a group of internal and pre-identified external stakeholders. The advisor will also be in charge of facilitating a strategy development/planning workshop with the CleanStart core team.

The Lead Strategic Planning Advisor will also oversee and lead the Innovate Finance for Energy Clients Expert, whom will be responsible for adding key components to the strategy revision document.

Scope of Work:

The scope of work will include the following:

Map the current landscape of energy access financing, with an emphasis on decentralized and house-hold level energy solutions and new and emerging innovative approaches to these;
Identify gaps along the “financing spectrum”, and identify specific CleanStart approaches/interventions that will develop a pipeline of investment-ready businesses and enterprises that have innovative approaches to energy access including through financing innovations (such as digitally enabled payment platforms) and could result in the “crowding in” of private investment (including impact investors);
Identify possible pathways for syndicated investments in new markets;
Focusing on new, undeveloped markets just opening up to access (e.g., Myanmar), linking on the ground best practices with required policy and practices (e.g., financial inclusion, SMEs);
Identify how UNCDF full capital mandate, investment tools and technical assistance can best be deployed, sometimes in combination, to achieve CleanStart’s global objectives;
Identify opportunities for maximum leverage of UNCDF role and resources;
Identify opportunities and partnerships that would result in additional funding for services (enterprise development/preparation) and early stage capital; Candidates include UNDP-GEF and the UN Social Enterprise Facility for the South;
Provide additional focus to CleanStart activities on financial inclusion and SME development in key markets in connection with proving concept and developing a theory of change;
Link with SE4ALL country action/investment prospectus activities.
Explore linking CleanStart to emerging new initiatives in energy access, such Results-Based Financing RBF.

Deliverables:

The consultant will deliver the following intermediate and final product keeping in mind the requirements under 3) Scope of Work (timetable indicative)

A critical-path plan for developing the strategic plan revision including key milestones and incorporating a strategy development/planning workshop with the CleanStart team before end January 2015;
A strategic plan draft version for validation by end February 2015;

A strategic plan revision (in the form of a project supplement) for CleanStart—with core text of no more than 20 pages plus a plan/resource and results framework for action by March 2015.

Competencies

Strong knowledge of evolving global development paradigms with increased emphasis on linking the private sector with development results;
Excellent business planning and modelling skills and experience;
Strong knowledge of the latest Base-of-Pyramid energy technologies and financing solutions;
Knowledge and experience in public-private partnerships;
Access to a wide network of financial service providers, energy service providers and energy access initiatives internationally, including those of the UN system;
Fully familiar with international initiatives such as SE4ALL, Energy+, as well as other decentralized energy solution programmes supported by a range of government, companies, financial and public institutions, and foundations.
Excellent presentation and communication skills, as well as a proven ability to involve the stakeholders at all levels;
Ability to deliver high quality material (including use of info-graphics) by set deadlines;
Strong facilitation and coordination skills.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Master degree in business, finance, economics, management or related fields.

Experience:

At least 10 years of working experience in the energy access sector, with an emphasis on finance/investment and small enterprises;
Experience in developing partnership arrangements between energy and financial service providers.

Language Requirement:

Fluency in written and spoken English.

Evaluation Method:

Consultants will be evaluated based on a cumulative analysis method. When using this weighted scoring method, the award of the contract shall be made to the consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as:

Responsive/compliant/acceptable; and
Having received the highest score out of a pre-determined set of weighted technical (70%) and financial (30%) criteria specific to the solicitation.

Evaluation Criteria:

Competencies (30%);
Experience (30%);
Education (10%).

Proposal Requirements

Proposals should contain the following information:

Technical and Financial Proposals which includes:

Offeror’s letter confirming interest and availability; form can be found here: http://uncdf.org/en/hiring-consultants
CV or signed P-11 Form
Breakdown of Costs (daily fee and miscellaneous expenses including travel costs)

Please upload all documents as one single file under "CV" (the system allows only one attachment).