Renewable Energy Consultant (Home-Based Retainer)

Background Information – UNOPS Sierra Leone Country Office

The Rural Renewable Energy Project (RREP) is a first of its kind in scale and scope in Sierra Leone and regionally in Sub-Saharan Africa, implemented by the Ministry of Energy with support from the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) and grant funded by DFID. The project will contribute to Sierra Leone’s economic development through increased access to electricity in rural areas while simultaneously reducing Sierra Leone’s future Green House Gas emissions.

This project aims to establish an enabling environment in Sierra Leone for a private sector driven rural mini-grid market and to provide up to 5MW of sustainable renewable power in rural community households, priority institutions, such as Community Health Centers (CHCs), schools, agricultural business centers and other productive uses, as well as chiefdom administrative offices, through solar mini-grids, based on a Public-Private Partnership approach. It is estimated that the RREP will connect approximately 360,000 direct beneficiaries in rural Sierra Leone to electricity, with a further 500,000 indirectly benefitting from access to low carbon electricity.

The implementation of the project is developed around three Work Packages (WP):

Work package 1 / 1+. 6kWp solar photovoltaic (PV) generation plants at 54 Community Health Centres (CHCs) were installed between April and July 2017. These generation plants were then extended into small mini-grids with a capacity between 16kW and 36kW and distribution networks installed which will eventually connect all other public institutions and households in 50 of these communities. All 50 mini-grids are installed and ready for operation as of October 2018.

Work package 2: aims to bring the country’s photovoltaic (PV) power generation capacity up to 5MW by attracting the private sector to invest in the mini-grid market while drawing on the lessons of WP 1/1+. WP2 will install mini-grids in additional 40 communities with >36kW systems (up to max. 200kWp) using sustainable business and delivery models developed by the private sector.

Private sector operators have been selected through a competitive tender process, and will take on operation and maintenance of WP1/1+ mini-grids and co-invest in the development of the WP2 sites. The operators will be responsible for the last mile connection to identified customers and the in-house wiring of customer homes.

Work package 3: provides Technical Assistance (TA) and institutional capacity building to the Ministry of Energy, the Electricity and Water Regulatory Commission, other relevant government agencies as necessary, as well as to private sector companies selected to operate WP1 sites and co-invest in and operate WP2 sites

Background Information – Job-Specific

UNOPS has been established in Sierra Leone since 2000 and currently has 53 personnel in country, operating out of 3 main locations – in Freetown and the other district Field Offices.

During the last 15 years, UNOPS has delivered a variety of infrastructure projects nationwide, particularly in the fields of health and security infrastructure, and has procured a variety of vehicles, non-medical health related items and medical equipment.

Current projects include:

• Infrastructure Programme for Isolation Units; Construction of screening and isolation units for government hospitals under the Ebola Emergency Response Project (EERP) (with funding from the World Bank) and medical waste management and WASH (with funding from DFID) in support of the Ministry of Health.

• Procurement of non-health items and services to contribute to the Global Fund Programme in Sierra Leone, for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM)

• Construction of the new Administrative Headquarters of the Transnational Organized Crime Unit (TOCU) in Freetown, Sierra Leone for the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)

Purpose and Scope of Assignment

Under the direct supervision of the Project Manager and the overall oversight of the Country Manager, the Renewable Energy Consultant will provide technical advisory supervision on the implementation of the DFID-Funded Project and/or any other renewable project.  In addition, he/she is expected to provide technical expertise in support of other renewable energy projects within the UNOPS Ghana Operational Hub as needed. 

He/she will provide technical advisory support in off-grid renewable energy, emissions reductions and low-carbon development. He/she will also have oversight on the program design and management, guide the development of renewable energy related activities, and work closely with stakeholders to meet project outcomes on time, within scope, and within budget. 

Specific tasks to be undertaken include, but are not limited to, the following:

1. Provide advisory support in conducting required assessment of energy demand need, preparation of the project concept note and other project documents
2. Provide technical advisory support in the preparation of preliminary and detailed designs, cost estimates, specifications and tender documents,
3. Technical/peer review of the preliminary and detailed design, cost estimates, specifications and tender documents prepared by other entities
4. Provide technical advisory support to the project team/contractor to closely monitor construction activities in compliance to the engineering accuracy of construction activities, and compliance to the specified Quality, Health & Safety, Social and Environment management systems.
5. Testing and commissioning of the mechanical and electrical installation of the renewable energy equipment, support structures and asset transfer procedures and approach
6. Contribute to  the preparation of project asset handing over procedure and required documentation
7. Technical advice and assistance in the development of regulatory framework, guidelines and enabling environment to promote off grid renewable electrification
8. Provide private sector advisory support and assistance to access grant financing, commercial equity and debt financing and promote development of technical, operational and maintenance procedures.    

Deliverables

Corresponding deliverable may include, but are not limited to, the following:

1. Prepare assessment/due diligence report, concept note and project documents.
2. Prepare schematic, preliminary, and/or detailed designs and associated reports and annexes.
3. Provide written design review responses or comments until final closure of the design process.
4. Write the Final Design Report, incorporating comments closure process   .
5. Provide written and verbal response to comments on the Final Report from DFID, ASI, UNOPS.
6. Prepare budget estimate for UNOPS to implement pre-feasibility studies, feasibility studies, concept and detailed designs, and tender documents for the project delivery.
7. Prepare construction assurance report using Quality Management templates.
8. Prepare testing and commissioning reports for completed activities or deliverables.
9. Prepare technical assistance report on particular area of support identified, regulatory framework, private sector support, and/handing over asset procedures.

• Master’s Degree in energy or engineering or related field from a recognized university is required. 

• Applicants with  Bachelor’s  Degree with  nine (9) years of relevant working experience will be considered. 

• A Technical/Professional Certification with eleven (11) years of significant experience associated with relevant academic credentials will also be considered.

Functional Competencies

• Strong technical knowledge of the off-grid energy systems 
• Experience in grid integration of renewable energy projects
• Knowledge of load forecasting, demand side management, and energy efficiency optimization and energy/environmental markets
• Demonstrated quantitative modeling skills
• Advanced Microsoft Office (Excel and Access) skills
• Familiarity with GIS modeling

Contract type: International Individual Contract Agreement (IICA) 

• Please note that the closing date is midnight Copenhagen time
• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
• Only those candidates that are short-listed for interviews will be notified.
• Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
• Work life harmonization - UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands. We have a progressive policy on work-life harmonization and offer several flexible working options. This policy applies to UNOPS personnel on all contract types
• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post
• The incumbent is responsible to abide by security policies, administrative instructions, plans and procedures of the UN Security Management System and that of UNOPS.  

It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential recruits/interns.
Recruitment/internship in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.

UNOPS is an operational arm of the United Nations, supporting the successful implementation of its partners’ peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world. Our mission is to help people build better lives and countries achieve sustainable development.

UNOPS areas of expertise cover infrastructure, procurement, project management, financial management and human resources.

Working with us

UNOPS offers short- and long-term work opportunities in diverse and challenging environments across the globe. We are looking for creative, results-focused professionals with skills in a range of disciplines.

Diversity

With over 4,000 UNOPS personnel and approximately 7,000 personnel recruited on behalf of UNOPS partners spread across 80 countries, our workforce represents a wide range of nationalities and cultures. We promote a balanced, diverse workforce — a strength that helps us better understand and address our partners’ needs, and continually strive to improve our gender balance through initiatives and policies that encourage recruitment of qualified female candidates.

Work life harmonization

UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands.