“UNDP is the UN's global development network, an organization advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. We are on the ground in about 170 countries and territories, including Indonesia, working to eradicate poverty while protecting the planet. UNDP supports implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In Indonesia, UNDP works with the Government to integrate SDGs into national plan and policies.”

Anchored in the 2030 Agenda for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and committed to the principles of universality, equality and leaving no one behind, the UNDP has issued the UNDP Strategic Plan 2018-2021 as guideline to help countries achieve SDGs by focusing UNDP’s competence and expertise on three sets of development settings:

1. Eradicate poverty in all its forms and dimensions.
2. Accelerate structural transformation for sustainable development by addressing inequalities, transitioning to zero-carbon development & building a more inclusive  accountable governancesystem.
3. Build resilience to shocks and crises.

In alignment with the UNDP Strategic Plan to reduce inequality, the acceleration of access to electricity using locally available renewable resources is a feasible intervention. Notably, because there are about 2,000 villages in Indonesia without sustainable access to power, and there are 17,000 islands in Indonesia that makes national grid interconnection is costly. The Government of Indonesia has been addressing this challenge by allocating state-owned budgets for rural electrification programme. With current fiscal capacity, meeting the target of national electrification with quality of service remains a big challenge.

UNDP, with funding support from KOICA Indonesia, implements a 4-year project titled “Accelerating Clean Energy Access to Reduce Inequality (ACCESS).” Under overall oversight from UNDP Indonesia, the project will be implemented in Indonesia and Timor-Leste in collaboration with UNDP Timor-Leste. The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (MEMR) and KOICA Indonesia are the implementing partners of the ACCESS project in Indonesia, while the Ministry of State Administration (MSA) and KOICA Timor-Leste are the partners in Timor-Leste.

The ACCESS project's objective is for the poor and most vulnerable communities to have equitable and sustainable access to basic services required for improving livelihoods. In Indonesia, the ACCESS project locations are 23 villages in East Nusa Tenggara, West Sulawesi, Southeast Sulawesi, and Central Kalimantan Provinces, while in Timor-Leste are 25 villages in Dili, Bobonaro and Manatuto municipalities.

To achieve the objective, ACCESS will implement activities that will produce following outputs and key activities: 

Output 1: Renewable-based power plants built providing sustainable access to electricity for remote villagers in Indonesia with institutional and local capacity in place.

Key Activities:

1.1 Renewable-based energy infrastructures construction that providing access to electricity for households in targeted villages in Indonesia that can be monitored remotely.

1.2 Local capacity building  for operation and maintenance of the built energy infrastructures.

1.3 Local institution establishment to enhance sustainability and scaled-up use of built energy infrastructures.

1.4 Results dissemination and planning for scaling up developed.

Output 2: Under SSTC between Indonesia and Timor-Leste: solar PV water pumps and Highly Efficient Solar Lamp System (LTSHE) are installed in remote villages in Timor-Leste, providing sustainable access to clean water and lighting.

For the project implementation, UNDP establishes Project Management Unit (PMU) in both Indonesia and Timor-Leste. The PMU consists of National Project Manager, Technical Engineer, Technical Officers, Monitoring and Outreach officer, Project Finance Associate, and administrative support. UNDP Senior Advisor for Sustainable Energy will supervise the NPM and assuring that the PMU delivers the project's outputs. Project Board consists of government partners, KOICA, and UNDP will be established to provide advisory and strategic guidance to the project.  The position of Technical Engineer is required for monitoring the work of the Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) company.

Under the supervision of the Head of Environment Unit, the Technical Specialist is responsible to provide technical expertise to ensure quality of the engineering and construction of the off-grid solar-PV power plants in Indonesia and of solar water pumps in Timor-Leste. Technical Specialist is expected to have close collaboration with Technical Officer for Rural Electrification in ACCESS project team of Indonesia and with the Technical Engineer in ACCESS project team of Timor-Leste. 

Provide top-quality technical advisory services.

• Provide cutting-edge policy advice in the thematic area of the project and facilitate policy dialogues with partners, promoting UNDP thought leadership and advocacy work. Establish advocacy networks at the country level and linked to international networks. Contribute to relevant, high-impact advocacy campaigns that are implemented with key partners.
• Contribute to the analysis of the technical situation in the context of the project and advise the UNDP CO management on issues related to the thematic area of the project.
• Contribute to the setting of technical standards based on regional and global best practices in the thematic area of the project.

Support effective implementation of programme/project activities aimed at local economic development.

• Provide technical support, working in collaboration with the Project Manager, in planning and effectively implementing project activities within the scope of approved budgets, workplans and other project documents and in alignment with UNDP’s programmatic priorities and goals. Supervise and coordinate the work of the project team and consultants. Provide guidance and support in the identification and sourcing of technical expertise, including preparation of TORs and evaluation of experts.
• Provide timely and quality technical advice and guidance for the project implementation in line with UNDP’s rules and regulations, and UNDP Project Operational Policies and Procedures.
• Manage and monitor project financial resources; and analyze project progress to identify risks and other implementation problems. Ensure timely collection of data for reporting on project activities, outputs, and outcomes; and substantially contribute to the preparation of narrative and financial progress reports, including donor reports. Provide technical guidance on risk mitigation measures to address implementation problems. Update risk logs.
• Coordinate and participate in quality control mechanisms, seeking to improve the technical quality of the project outputs, products, publications, and policy discussion papers and briefs.

Support strategic partnership building and resource mobilization.

• Establish and maintain a strategic understanding of and engagement with all the relevant institutions, including establishing contact and developing strategic partnerships with other UN agencies, government institutions, donors, NGOs, IFIs, the private sector, academia, civil society, and other stakeholders and beneficiaries at the national, regional, and local levels.
• Participate in meetings with donors, prepare and deliver presentations of project results, and follow up with relevant counterparts if requested by the supervisor.
• Implement resource mobilization strategies to achieve project outcomes that include facilitating liaisons with potential financing agencies and institutions to strengthen relationships and raise funds. Identify new funding opportunities for furthering the project ideas.

Contribute to knowledge management and information sharing in the UNDP country office.

• Organize training for the project personnel to enhance their capacities in the technical matters of the thematic area of the project.
• Identify, evaluate, synthesize, and document lessons learned and best practices directly linked to the project goals and activities. Develop knowledge sharing materials and respond to related queries.
• Contribute substantively to knowledge networks and communities of practice within the thematic area of the project.
• Develop and carry out a personal learning plan.

The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.

Institutional Arrangement

The Technical Specialist liaises closely with the national authorities working in the thematic area of the  project, the donor community, and other UNDP programmes and projects in the country. The Technical Specialist works with the project experts and counterparts of the Government beneficiary institution(s), as well as engages with other national institutions, international organizations, and other relevant actors.