UNDP Jobs - 55876- Swaziland Action Agenda and Investment Prospectus

Swaziland Action Agenda and Investment Prospectus Consultancy

Location :

Mbabane, SWAZILAND

Type of Contract :

Individual Contract

Starting Date :

Application Deadline :

30-Apr-15 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

International Consultant

Duration of Initial Contract :

30 working days spread out between May & September 2015

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

30 working days spread out between May & September 2015

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

Swaziland is one of the 43 African countries that are part of the 83 that have joined the Sustainable Energy for All (SE4ALL) Initiative, globally. In recognition of this global engagement, the period “2014-2024” was adopted as the ‘Decade for SE4ALL’ by the UN General Assembly in December 2012. The Initiative aims at mobilizing action from the global community, the governments, the private sector, and civil society around three objectives: ensuring universal access to modern energy services, doubling the global rate of improvements in energy efficiency, and doubling the share of renewable energy in the global Energy Mix, all to be reached by 2030. Since the launch of the Initiative, the UN Secretary-General has been successful in mobilizing action across the globe. This has included stock-taking exercises to determine plans of action designed to advance on the objectives, according to each country’s priorities and circumstances.

Following the Rio 20+ alignment, the sustainable path opted-in by Swaziland included Energy Sustainability, one of which is through tapping on the opportunities created by the SE4ALL Initiative. The SE4ALL Rapid Assessment and Gap Analysis, together with an Action Plan for 2014 to 2030 was successfully completed in 2014 with support from the UNDP Regional Energy Programme (REP). Consistent with the National Development Strategy Vision 2022, UNDP Strategic Plan 2014-2017, Swaziland UNCT United Nations Development Framework 2016-2020, and the draft UNDP Swaziland Country Office (CO) Country Programme Document (CPD), 2016-2020 the SE4ALL is a priority area for support to the attainment of development results for the Kingdom of Swaziland.

UNDP is an active member of the Africa SE4ALL Regional Hub established by three African Institutions (NEPAD, AUC and AfDB). At the joint Africa Hub, Global Facilitation Team (GFT) and SE4ALL partners’ meeting in Tunis, December 2013, it was agreed that each country develops the SE4ALL Action Agenda and Investment Prospectuses (AA/IPs). Building on UNDP coordination role for the nation-wide stakeholders’ consultation for the Post-2015 in Swaziland, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Energy – Department of Energy and the SE4ALL stakeholders have designated UNDP to lead the gathering of an SE4ALL comprehensive consultation at national and local levels. The outcomes of such consultations are expected to be critical inputs to inform the Swaziland AA/IPs.

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Energy – Department of Energy supported by the UNDP CO seeks the services of an International Consultant to facilitate and develop the Sustainable Energy for All Actions Agenda and Investment Prospectus for Swaziland. The International Consultant will work closely with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Energy – Department of Energy (MNRE-DE) Focal Point who will be the national counter-part and facilitate the AA/IPs process, together with support from the UNDP Swaziland country office and Regional Service Centre (RSC), Regional Energy Programme (REP).

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the overall guidance and coordination of UNDP Swaziland Resident Representative and with the assistance of the UNDP Regional Service Centre, the International Consultant (IC) is tasked to facilitate comprehensive and nation-wide consultations for the development of SE4ALL Action Agenda and Investment Prospectus, at both local and national levels. The IC will work closely with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Energy – Department of Energy involving the national stakeholders to undertake SE4ALL AA/IP process taking into consideration the global and regional best practices. The IC will produce a detail Report of the outcomes of the consultations to inform The Swaziland AA/IP Document.

The International Consultant will be responsible for the organization and implementation of the national/high level and multi-stakeholders’ consultations and the delivery of the final consolidated consultations’ report and recommendations for the AA/IPs document.

The consultations will inform the following deliverables:

Inception Report with a clear methodology for the consultation and outlining the tools to be employed to identify the opportunities, priorities and challenges from the local and national consultations;
A Draft Report of the national consultations’ outcomes for the consideration in the national AA/IP, along the three SE4ALL objectives and the SE4ALL Action Agenda template developed by the Africa Hub;
Consolidated and illustrated Final Report of the national consultations’ outcomes, with a set of strategic and operational recommendations for the consideration in the national AA/IP, in line with the three SE4ALL objectives;
Prepare a comprehensive presentation for Cabinet.

Time frame:

Inception Report will be completed by 15th May 2015;
Local and national consultations, by 5th July 2015;
Draft Report for the national level validation workshop and consolidation of AA and IP by 26th July 2015;
The Final Report approved by the Government of Swaziland, Ministry of Natural Resources and Energy, RSC & CO UNDP, NEPAD and ECREEE, by 31st August, 2015.

Level of Effort:

30 (Thirty) working days are provided to the International Consultant for the production of the draft and final reports;
The division of time between desk review (draft) and production of the Final Report will evidently allow adequate time in country to ensure full engagement of the Government of Swaziland.

Competencies

Core Competencies:

Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards;
Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP;
Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
Treats all people fairly without favoritism.

Functional Competencies:

Proven experience of the SE4ALL initiative in Africa and in support to country process implementation;
Strong knowledge of the energy sector in SADC and in the Swaziland and related policy and institutional capacity challenges, in particular, on energy access, renewable energy and energy efficiency;
Strong knowledge of actors and experience with Swaziland national energy sector and priority sectors;
Strong knowledge of the energy – water - food security - climate change nexus.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Graduate degree (Masters, PhD) in energy economics, policy, planning and finance or related discipline, e.g. Sustainable Energy, Electrical Engineering, or in similar sectors.

Experience:

At least 10 years of experience in the energy sector including three (3) years in performing similar tasks;
Expertise in the field of energy and more specifically in the field of access to energy services, energy efficiency and renewable energy;
Experience in risk assessment and project costing;
Experience in the planning and formulation of energy for development strategies and associated investment programs;
Strong knowledge of project management and programmes in the energy sector in the SADC Region and preferably in Swaziland;
Good knowledge of actors and experience with national energy sector, experience with the SE4ALL Initiative and familiar with the AA/IP process;
Good knowledge of information systems on sustainable energy;

Language:

Perfect fluency in written and spoken English.