Senior Energy Specialist at the International Financial Corporation (IFC) - World Bank Group

The International Financial Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, is the largest global development institution focused on the private sector in emerging markets. Working with 2,000 businesses worldwide, we use our six decades of experience to create opportunity where it is needed most. In FY15, our long-term investments in developing countries rose to nearly $18 billion, leveraging our capital, expertise and influence to help the private sector end extreme poverty and boost shared prosperity.

In 2015, the World Bank Group launched a recruitment mission to attract Sub Saharan African professionals to its work force. The initiative was the first of its kind for the institution and resulted in numerous hires into business areas such as Education, Health, Development Economics, Information Technology Systems, Social Urban/Rural & Resilience and Governance. The World Bank Group continues its commitment to hiring Sub-Saharan African professionals and announces its latest recruitment mission to again attract highly qualified Sub-Saharan African professionals who are looking for an exciting career, where their effort will contribute to the institution's goal of ending extreme poverty and promoting shared prosperity.

The International Financial Corporation (IFC), invites applications for the position below:

Job Title: Senior Energy Specialist

Location: Africa
Area: Energy

Job Summary
As part of the IFC’s Cross Cutting Advisory Solutions department, the Energy & Resource Efficiency (E&RE) group works to develop clean energy opportunities and improved resource use in emerging markets. The central aim is to increase energy access and optimize the use of resources to transform markets and improve people's lives. IFC’s E&RE works with a range of industrial sectors including agribusiness, infrastructure, financial institutions, services, manufacturing, among others.

IFC is seeking a Senior Energy Specialist with expertise in hydropower and general power sector experience to support with client engagements and sector level work related to clean energy investments in the Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) region. This position is based in Dakar, Senegal.

The Senior Energy Specialist will be a core resource in developing relations and delivering client facing advisory work in SSA and other regions as needed, and will have key responsibility for delivery of certain sector level activities.

Duties and responsibilities include the following:

Delivery to clients:

• Identify hydropower project opportunities in SSA to support potential IFC client engagements, including investigating and forecasting client needs and potential for impact related to E&RE. Also, participate in marketing activities
• Independently, evaluate and review technical documentation related to hydropower projects (master plans, pre-feasibility and feasibility studies, detailed design documentation, etc.), assess their financial feasibility and conduct initial assessment of project relevant permits and licenses
• For all hydropower related projects in SSA, jointly with the E&RE Regional Lead, structure client engagements by addressing all key aspects (scope of work, budget and pricing, timeline, deliverables etc.), prepare client approach materials (pitch presentations, offers etc.), support agreement drafting, secure and supervise processing of internal IFC clearances etc. Participate in negotiations process and assist the client leads with related tasks
• For all hydropower related projects, lead direct delivery of client advisory engagements providing direct technical expertise or/and managing/supervising selected consultants
• Work with IFC Infrastructure and PPP teams to help assessing (from technical point of view) hydropower projects
• Act as client manager for select clients.

Implementing sector level work:

• Support the development of power sector efforts in select SSA countries, i.e. support scoping efforts and monitor clean energy sector development in select priority countries in order to identify, assess and make recommendations on viable regional, sector and client level opportunities
• Lead interactions and facilitate consultations with key private and public sector players (in hydropower and other clean energy) with the aim to develop business for IFC, share IFC knowledge, best practices and experience and at the same time collect market intelligence relevant for IFC business
• Proactively consider interests of key stakeholders and engage with relevant partners to make successful client or sector intervention
• Prepare materials and represent the E&RE Program in seminars, conferences, other sector events focused on hydropower and other clean energy.

Capturing impacts and knowledge:

• Work with Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Officers and E&RE teams to ensure that firm and sector level results are properly captured. Systematically analyze what worked or didn’t and shares lessons across IFC
• Assist in building E&RE’s capacity to play an important role in hydro development of all sizes (small, medium and large)
• Contribute to corporate knowledge base and share effective approaches with E&RE team members and other IFC units
• Help fulfill internal and donor reporting requirements.

Selection Criteria

• Master’s degree in Engineering (preferably electrical or mechanical or civil engineering with specialization in hydropower)
• At least nine (9) years of relevant work experience
• Comprehensive knowledge of technical, environmental, legal, commercial and financial issues related to private sector hydropower project development
• Experience in providing inputs and advices in designing tendering documentation for energy projects
• In-depth expertise in hydropower plants design, development and operation with recognized track record in delivering technical advice to hydro project developers (private or public)
• Demonstrated ability to deliver innovative analytic work with proven track record of results
• Self-starter with strong organizational, and problem-solving skills, including ability to demonstrate the business case for energy and resource efficiency
• Ability to communicate clearly and concisely for expert and non-expert audiences, including ability to communicate technical and financial aspects of energy projects to diverse audiences
• Excellent communication skills including client relationships, presentation and negotiation skills as well as superb analytical writing
• Results-oriented approach with demonstrated history of accomplishments
• Well networked within the professional community in hydropower and in general power industries
• Fluency in English and French. Working knowledge of other languages will be considered as a strong plus.
• Cover letter should clearly describe the relevant results the candidate has delivered in prior positions, rather than simply listing responsibilities.

Recruitment Timeline
End of July - September 2016 - Review applications and update application status to candidates
August - September 2016 - Contact all shortlisted candidates and conduct interviews in Washington, D.C. and locations in Africa

Application Closing Date
7th August, 2016.

Method of Application
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online

Note

• Shortlisted candidates may be contacted as early as August 2016 for interviews which may be conducted in Washington, D.C. or locations in Africa. Interviews will be conducted through September 2016. Based on the availability of interviewers and candidates some interviews may be conducted virtually.
• Candidates who have previously submitted applications through the Recruitment Drive for African Nationals in 2015 must submit a new application to be considered for opportunities in this year's campaign. We apologize that we are unable to consider previously submitted applications.