Background

Myanmar has embarked on a major transition towards democracy, market style economy and peace. Myanmar has low middle-income status (LMIC) and is committed to lifting itself out of Least Developed Country (LDC) status within the next seven years. Following the implementation of the first ever UNDP Country Programme during 2013-2017 and as a key development partner of the government of Myanmar, UNDP will implement a new UNDP Country Programme for the period 2018-2022, striving to deliver on a large and relevant programme portfolio that is responsive to the main development challenges facing the country.

The UNDP Myanmar Sustainable and Inclusive Growth Team anchors UNDP’s programme portfolio in these areas of sustainable and inclusive growth issues (including economic growth, environment, climate change and disaster risk reduction) and provides thought leadership on cross-cutting development issues in Myanmar, and globally, to ensure that UNDP’s mandate of convening development partners in support of the national development agenda, informed by a commitment to the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals, is amplified by internal knowledge, research, and stand-out policy advice.

Given the importance of energy sector for the poverty reduction, and sustainable and inclusive growth in Myanmar, UNDP developed a project concept (PIF) “Myanmar Rural Renewable Energy Development Programme” in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation and in consultations with the relevant line ministries/departments. The PIF was submitted to Global Environmental Facility (GEF) and was approved by GEF secretariat.

A Project Preparation Grant (PPG) has been obtained to carry out necessary analyses and prepare a full-fledged project proposal. In order to ensure the results of the project preparation work, UNDP is seeking a National Project Development Coordinator to work as the GEF PPG Team Member to produce a project document along with a set of relevant evidence based analysis for submission to the GEF. The approved PIF is attached to build on and develop a fully formulated project proposal. The proposed project aims to contribute into the following outcome areas;

1.  Effective implementation of supportive policies for enhanced renewable energy utilization in rural productive uses;

2.  Strengthened market demand for affordable renewable energy technologies for rural livelihoods application;

3.            Increased investments in rural renewable energy for productive uses and enterprise development

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the supervision of the Chief of Unit (Sustainable and Inclusive Growth) and GEF PPG Team Leader, the Renewable Energy Finance Expert will be will be responsible for providing technical inputs in relation to the financial context for renewable energy development in Myanmar’s rural areas, the development of proposed approaches for de-risking investment and the needs and demands of the renewable energy market.

UNDP Myanmar will lead the project development process and manage the GEF PPG budget in full consultation with the UNDP-GEF Technical Adviser. The GEF project preparation team will be composed of the following:

1. International Specialist for Project Development (Team Leader)
2. International Specialist in Renewable Energy Financing (and using the DREI approach)
3. National Specialist in Rural Renewable Energy (Technology)
4. National Specialist in Rural Development
5. National Specialist in Gender Analysis and Social Safeguards
6. National Project Development Coordinator/Translator 

In executing necessary preparation of the full-fledge project proposal, the Renewable Energy Finance Expert will carry out the following tasks;

1. Preparatory Technical Studies and Reviews (Component A): Prepare inputs and support the required analyses/studies, as agreed with the PPG Team Leader, including:

   • Conduct a “Preliminary Derisking Renewable Energy Investment analysis and use the results of the “preliminary DREI study” to suggest input for the baseline/situational analysis for the full-size project (FSP). The initial DREI analysis will be used to to indicate the need for financial support and design of appropriate financial support mechanisms in the project document. During the project implementation, a full scope DREI study will be conducted, which is outside the scope of this assignment.  

   • Compose the preliminary DREI analysis on the basis of analysing the:

     - Risk environment: gathering market information on rural renewable energy development (mainly SHS, solar mini-grid, mini/small hydro and biomass gasifiers) in Myanmar, including existing/planned investments, market barriers and relevant stakeholders as well as interview with private sector developers in order to generate a financing cost waterfall which identifies how risks contribute to higher financing costs.

     - On the basis of the financing cost waterfall and identification of existing public instruments, identify and determine solutions for public instruments as well as financial instruments that can address risks contributing to higher financing costs

   • Support the completion and preparation of the ProDoc and all other final outputs.

2. Formulation of the ProDoc, CEO Endorsement Request and Mandatory and Project Specific Annexes (Component B):

   • Prepare inputs and support the development of final PPG deliverables, as agreed with the PPG Team Leader.

3. Validation Workshop (Component C):

   • Contribute to the validation workshop; and

   • Support all necessary revisions that arise during the workshop, as appropriate.

4. Final Deliverables:

   • Completed Rural Renewable Energy Risk Environment analysis and resulting rural renewable energy financing cost waterfall, including interview data ;

   1. Completed analysis of solutions for public instruments as well as financial instruments that can address risks contributing to higher financing costs ;

   2. Report in Microsoft Word

The DREI approach stands for “De-risking Renewable Energy Investment” and is a UNDP approach to identify risks and carriers for design of policy and financial derisking instruments. The “initial DREI analysis” will be used to indicate the need for financial support and design appropriate financial support mechanisms.

More detail information, please see following Procurement Notice link: http://procurement-notices.undp.org/view_notice.cfm?notice_id=44963

Competencies

Corporate competencies:

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

Technical competencies: 

• Ability to provide guidance on implementation of the Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization (ABS), including design and implementation of ABS and traditional knowledge policy and bioprospecting projects;
• Knowledge of environmental issues, NRM concepts, principles and policies and ability to apply to strategic and/or practical situations;
• Ability to work with multiple stakeholders across a wide range of disciplines.

Functional competencies:

• Development and Operational Effectiveness:
• Ability to contribute to strategic planning, change processes, results-based management and reporting;
• Ability to lead formulation, oversight of implementation, monitoring and evaluation of development projects;
• Ability to apply development theory to the specific country context to identify creative, practical approaches to overcome challenging situations.

Knowledge Management and Learning:

• Demonstrates practical knowledge of inter-disciplinary development issues;
• Seeks and applies knowledge, information, and best practices from within and outside of UNDP. 

Client Orientation:

• Maintains relationships with clients, focuses on impact and result for the client and responds positively to feedback;
• Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude; 
• Proven networking, team-building, organizational and communication skills.

Professionalism:

• Demonstrates openness to change and ability to manage complexities;
• Demonstrates strong oral and written communication skills;
• Remains calm, in control and good humored even under pressure.
• Excellent reporting skills;

Required Skills and Experience

Academic Qualifications/Education: 

• Master’s degree or higher in a relevant field, such as finance, business administration, economics;

Experience: 

• At least 10 years’ of experience with renewable energy investment. Experience around public instruments to promote investment will be an advantage;

• Excellent, research based financial modelling skills

• Strong writing and drafting skills

• Knowledge of GEF, UNDP policies, procedures and practices and working experience with international organizations or GEF funded projects is an asset;

• Work experience in Asian countries is an asset;

• Proven ability to work effectively in multi-disciplinary and multi-cultural teams.

• Strong interpersonal and written and oral communication skills

• Computer proficiency, especially related to professional office software packages (Microsoft Office)

Language skills: 

• Excellent English language skills with strong technical writing skills, effective oral and communication skills