Background

In Kazakhstan, about twice as much consumption of electricity per capita of any other country in Central Asia, and about 3.5 times more than the average of other developing countries worldwide. Approximately 78 TWh of electricity were consumed in Kazakhstan in 2009; this figure is expected to increase by a staggering 36 percent by 2015. Electricity consumption in buildings represents 22 percent of the total electricity consumption of the country, with the residential sector constituting 9.3 percent of total electricity consumption, the service sector about 8 percent, and the public sector about 5 percent. About three-fourths of Kazakhstan’s electricity is generated at coal-fired power stations and cogeneration facilities.
 
As in other countries, lighting is a major contributor to electricity consumption in buildings in Kazakhstan.
The lighting market in Kazakhstan has its origins in the Soviet era. During that time, mass production in the absence of competition yielded lamps and fixtures of low price, low quality, and low energy efficiency. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, independent Kazakhstan found itself without domestic production of lighting products. As markets opened up, imported lighting products began to enter the country. Some foreign entrants into the market, including Philips, OSRAM, and General Electric (GE), provided goods and services of a quality higher than customary in the previous market. At the same time, many smaller firms from China, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Taiwan, and others provided lower-quality but cheaper products.
 
Inefficient incandescent lamps (IL) account for approximately 77 percent of lighting in buildings in Kazakhstan. At present, the market supply of energy-efficient lighting in Kazakhstan is relatively low, accounting for only about 3 percent of the market. All the same, demand for energy-efficient lighting is rising.
 
Various market barriers impede the successful and widespread application of energy-efficient lighting in Kazakhstan: (1) Informational barriers, (2) Lack of quality control over energy-efficient lighting, (3) Structural barriers in the marketplace (4) Lack of policy support (5) Mercury recovery and recycling.
 
The proposed UNDP/GEF project will seek to overcome the market barriers and policy gaps described above, and specifically to support the effective execution of the IL phase-out, by means of four interrelated components.

Duties and Responsibilities

Objective: 

Provide policy advice on strengthening institutional and technical capacities for collection of information, quality control and complying the National according to appropriate Guidelines

Support project management: planning, quality management, monitoring and evaluation.

Scope of work:

Review the project document against components, outputs and activities and, in discussion with the Project team, key project partners, to identify the potential gaps/areas that need to be re-examined in the inception phase. Prepare recommendations on strengthening institutional and technical capacities of the Project, know-how recommendations on Project design and future implementation of Work Plan based on international best practices in energy-efficient lighting and current situation and existing legislative acts on energy-efficient lighting in the Republic of Kazakhstan.

Provide strategic advice on the overall project implementation strategy to Project Board and PM

Based on project Logical Framework, prepare and help PMU assure the effective implementation of the project impact-oriented M&E plan

Assist PMU to carry out risk assessment and prepare risk mitigation plan, ensuring that risk mitigation actions are incorporated in the project work plan

Jointly with Project Manager and based on inputs from national experts prepare Project Inception Report, including overview of changes in project environment, summary and justification for revision in Project Logical Framework, Monitoring and evaluation plan, Risk Log, QA/QC provisions and quarterly annual work plan and budget for 2013-2017 in full compliance and in the format presented by the PMU.

Participate at the Inception workshop and make a presentation of Project Inception Report.

Competencies

Corporate skills

  • Demonstrate integrity by modeling values and UN ethic standards
  • Promote UNDP vision, mission and strategies
  • Demonstrate culture, gender, religion, nationality and age tolerance and ability to adopt 
  • Knowledge management and training
  • Share own knowledge and experience
  • Give helpful advises and comments to colleagues 
  • Skills to work in team, good organizational and communicative skills
  • Leader’s ability and self-control
  • Focus on work with a customer
  • Constructive and enthusiastic approach to scope of work rendered
  • Demonstrate ability to stay possessed and keep control in a stressful situation
  • Response friendly to critics and dissent

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

  • Master Degree in engineering, environmental policies and protection, energy technology, project management or closely related field. Ph.D will be considered as advantage.

Experience:

  • At least 7 years of experience and proven track record with policy advice and/or project development/implementation in environment (preferably specialization in the field of energy efficiency and lighting);
  • Experience with CIS, Central Asian countries and/or Kazakhstan is preferable
  • Proven track record of application of results-based approaches to evaluation of projects focusing on financial mechanisms in environmental protection (relevant experience in the CIS region and within UN system would be an asset);
  • Previous experience in monitoring and evaluation of environmental projects will be considered as an asset.

Language Requirements:

  • Full proficiency in English both written and verbal;
  • Knowledge of Russian would be considered an advantage.

Others:

  • Familiarity with result-based management in project formulation, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation, experience with GEF projects is a plus;
  • Excellent communication skills,