Energy Expert UNDP Burkina Faso

Energy Expert UNDP Burkina Faso

The deployment is requested for the UNDP Country Office Burkina Faso in Ouagadougou. The Expert will contribute to promoting access to clean and sustainable Energy for the benefit of the most vulnerable communities. S/he will be based in the Ouagadougou office with field missions in the regions where UNDP is implementing projects. The Expert will report to the Environment and Energy Team Leader of UNDP Burkina Faso.

DURATION : 12 months with possible extension.

OPERATIONAL CONTEXT

Since 2016, Burkina Faso has been facing deteriorating security crisis characterized by recurrent attacks by nonstate armed groups in most of its regions; only the central regions of the country seem to be relatively spared. Initially directed at the administration and the defence and security forces, the attacks have now also targeted civilian populations. This deterioration of the security environment has led to community conflicts, the loss of social cohesion and living together. As of 30 May 2022, more than 2,000,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) have been counted in Burkina Faso, more than half of whom are women and children. Most are relocated to spontaneous sites in host villages after fleeing violence and intra-communal conflict. Living conditions at reception sites are precarious as IDPs lack the minimum subsistence level after abandoning everything in their home villages.

Most recently, Burkina Faso has also been facing political instability and a military putsch in January 2022. This fagile situation has aggravated the general situation in the country where access to Energy in rural areas is less than 10% and where the rate of access to clean cooking in rural areas does not exceed 5%. In fact, Burkina Faso has one of the lowest electricity access rates in the world with a national electrification rate of only 25% in 2019, including a significant disparity between urban areas with 65% of the urban population having access, compared to only 10% in rural areas. The same electrification gap exists between urban and rural areas for SMEs, public health and education facilities across the country. For example, the rate of access to electricity is 10.5% for SMEs in urban areas while only 1.9% of rural Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) have access.

This situation has contributed to deteriorate social cohesion: the pressure on forest resources is exacerbating tensions between IDPs and the host population while the lack of lighting exacerbates insecurity at reception sites, and the lack of Energy and technologies suitable for the productive use of Energy in RMAs makes IDPs more vulnerable.

To support the country, especially to support the population most affected by the insecurity – IDPs and host communities- to cope with this situation, UNDP (as well as other UN agencies) deployed to several regions of the country, while programme intervention is covering all regions of the country. With five UN Integrated Offices in United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) – www.unhcr.org Bobo-Dioulasso, Ouahigouya, Dori, Fada N’Gourma, and Kaya, and three UNDP project offices in Koudougou, Dedougou and Tenkodogo, UNDP is present in 8 of 13 regions in the country.

UNDP interventions on Energy focus on:

– facilitating access to sustainable Energy solutions for the most vulnerable communities including IDPs and their host communities;

– deployment of green mini grids and clean cooking technologies in an area that is severely deprived of access to Energy;

– reducing the Energy access gap between rural and urban areas with a strong focus on the productive use of Energy for the benefit of women and young people in rural areas;

– institutional support to the Ministry in charge of Energy and coordination of technical and financial partners in the Energy sector;

– preparatory studies on the productive use of Energy in rural areas, innovative financing of the Energy sector in rural areas leading to transformational actions such as: gender access to Energy in rural areas, promoting the productive use of Energy in rural areas and innovative financing access to Energy in rural areas.

AIM OF THE MISSION

The main objective of the mission is to support UNDP priorities actions in promoting access to clean Energy. The specific objectives will include: (i) deploying Energy and clean technologies for the benefit of rural populations in the crisis-affected regions; (ii) institutional support to the government and coordination of actors. UNDP Burkina is looking for a highly motivated expert with field experience for an initial period of 12 months, renewable.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Under the general supervision of the Environment and Energy Team Leader, the Expert will interact technically with the Energy Programme Officer and the Resilience and Governance Unit as well as with the UN Integrated offices in the field. She/he will:

A. Provide technical advice on Energy policy issues and contribute to strategic documents and processes.

• Support the scaling up of the results of the Derisking Renewable Energy Investment initiative and support the government in taking ownership of the recommendations
• Support the establishment and operationalization of the consultation framework for actors in the offgrid Energy sector.
• Provide substantial contributions to the Government of Burkina Faso on policies and planning instruments to intensify the implementation of mini-grids.

B. Support Energy planning and programming

• Support government partnerships with domestic and international partners to adapt and scale-up programs related to clean Energy implementation, focusing on exploring feasible models for an expanded deployment of mini-grids.
• Support ABER in the implementation of a mini-grid pilot project to ensure a feasible business model for the large-scale deployment of mini-grids in the Africa Mini Grid project.
• Work with government staff to integrate UNDP’s risk mitigation approach as an instrument to attract new investment in clean Energy solutions.
• In collaboration with the UNDP Country Office in Burkina Faso, explore the potential of private sector Energy partnerships and opportunities to link private finance (including SDG impact investments) with local entrepreneurs.
• Identify and advise on opportunities to mobilize additional funds and resources to increase the impact of the project.

C. Provide technical support to Energy-related project activities

• Provide technical input and advice for Energy-related projects, with a focus on rural electrification.
• Review work plans, budgets and progress reports and contribute to the preparation of results-based work plans;
• Provide close and regular technical support to the Environment and Energy Unit including other units, integrated offices, government agencies, development partners, civil society and the private sector;
• Provide technical support and sound advice to rural actors to facilitate their access to clean Energy and productive use of Energy.
• Share knowledge on Energy-related projects by documenting lessons learned and best practices in project management and contributing to the development of knowledge-based tools (including policies, strategies, guidelines, etc.)
• Develop and provide advice, training, and capacity building for partners to improve the implementation of Energy projects.
• Provide strategic guidance as well as technical and operational support to the Ministry of Energy and its departments/agencies to improve rural Energy deployment.

D. Coordinate strategic partnership and institutional capacity in Energy.

• Strengthen relations with the departments/agencies of the Ministry in charge of Energy to ensure a close partnership between UNDP and the government;
• Develop and maintain strategic partnerships with technical and financial partners in the Energy sector, UN agencies, government counterparts at all levels, the private sector and civil society. In particular, contribute to increasing joint United Nations programming on the deployment of minigrids.
• Strengthen and assist in advising the government on policy planning and strengthen the technical capacity of government officials;
• Account for regional and global networks using the UNDP system and other systems where opportunities exist to stimulate and strengthen partnership with government.

E. NORCAP Experts are expected to support NORCAP in specific tasks, with up to 10% of the total workload while deployed, which shall be identified at the beginning of your mission. NORCAP will invite experts to join and participate on its Community of Practice (CoP) activties to share knowledge and build capacities in both Technical aspects and humaniterian principles.

EXPECTED DELIVERABLES

• Sound technical advice on Energy policy issues and high quality inputs to strategic documents and processes.
• Support for planning and programming on Energy issues;
• Technical support for Energy-related project activities;
• Support for the coordination of the strategic partnership and the strengthening of institutional capacities in the field of Energy.

Experience

• Advanced degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in Energy, Engineering, Environment, Economics, Energy Finance or related field required;
• At least 7 years of professional experience in policy advice and programme support in the general areas of Energy access and renewable Energy in different development contexts, preferably for offgrid electrification; Essential requirements
• Proven experience in the design and/or implementation of development projects to promote investment in the Energy sector;
• Excellent oral and written skills in French and English; Knowledge of the other language would be an asset;
• Excellent drafting, formulation and reporting skills;
• Precision and professionalism in the production and editing of documents;
• Strong general computer skills, including proficiency in various MS Office applications (Excel, Word, etc.) and e-mail/Internet; familiarity with database management and office automation equipment;
• Have a strong interest in innovations in the Energy sector to enable the achievement of the broader SDGs;
• Proven experience in applying a gender-sensitive approach to programming
• Demonstration of a high level of professionalism and an ability to work independently and in situations of high pressure, within tight deadlines.
• Superior ability to conduct qualitative and quantitative research
• Experience working with UN agencies or other international organisations would be an asset.

PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS

• Good analytical and problem-solving skills
• Excellent communication skills
• Knowledge of the cultural and political environment of West Africa.
• Multi-tasking and hands-on approach
• Availability for frequent field missions to remote locations.