Energy Specialist at World Bank Group

The World Bank Group – Established in 1944, the WBG is one of the world’s largest sources of funding and knowledge for development solutions. In fiscal year 2018, the WBG committed $67 billion in loans, grants, equity investments and guarantees to its members and private businesses, of which $24 billion was concessional finance to its poorest members. It is governed by 188-member countries and delivers services out of 120 offices with nearly 15,000 staff located globally.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Energy Specialist

Job #: req11578
Location: Abuja, Nigeria
Organization: World Bank
Sector: Energy
Grade: GF
Term Duration: 4 years 0 months
Recruitment Type: Local Recruitment
Required Language(s): English

Description

• Do you want to build a career that is truly worthwhile? The World Bank Group is one of the largest sources of funding and knowledge for developing countries; a unique global partnership of five institutions dedicated to ending extreme poverty and promoting shared prosperity.
• With 189 member countries and more than 120 offices worldwide, we work with public and private sector partners, investing in groundbreaking projects and using data, research, and technology to develop solutions to the most urgent global challenges.

Western and Central Africa (AFW) Region:

• We need the best and brightest talent focused on Sub-Saharan African countries in order to harness the potential and innovation happening across the continent. Africa is a continent on the move, with a young population and a growing market of nearly 1.2bn people. We are committed to making the Africa regional teams into leading innovation hubs.
• Yet, these vast opportunities are tempered by persistent gaps in education, health, and skills, which have Africa only reaching forty percent of its estimated potential. Moreover, conflict, food insecurity, population growth, and the disruptive forces of climate change threaten to curtail or even reverse the progress that has been made over the past decades.
• In West and Central Africa, the World Bank is a leading partner with a growing portfolio of 350 projects totaling more than $38 billion in areas such as agriculture, trade and transport, energy, education, health, water and sanitation- all to support job creation, gender equality, poverty reduction, and better lives. Across the continent, the World Bank’s program has nearly doubled over the last 10 years. By 2030, about 87% of the world’s extreme poor are projected to live in Sub-Saharan Africa, so this is where our mission to end extreme poverty and to promote shared prosperity will be achieved.
• Are you ready to make an impact? We are looking for dedicated professionals to join our innovative and diverse team to improve people’s lives and help countries build back better after COVID.

Unit Context
The Energy & Extractives Global Practice of the World Bank Group is made up of more than 300 professionals, a lending program in the order of US$5-7 billion a year, an active portfolio of some $40 billion, and a rich program of Advisory and Analytical Work.

The EEX GP focuses on: providing affordable, reliable and sustainable energy to meet the needs of fast growing economies and to ensure universal access to modern energy services for people in client countries; and, strengthening policy and institutional frameworks to promote transparent and equitable growth of the extractives sectors for public benefit.   There is a strong emphasis on private sector resource mobilization and catalyzing financing from commercial and other sources of development and climate finance.

The Africa energy sector grouping consists of four Units across two regions of East and Southern Africa and newly created VPU of West and Central Africa. The position for locally recruited Energy Specialist is based in Abuja, Nigeria, with the primary work focus on the energy sector portfolio within the Nigeria Country Management Unit, but also providing limited cross support to the West and Central Africa region.

The Bank is engaged in all aspects of the electricity sector – generation, transmission, distribution, rural electrification and off-grid– through development policy financing, program for results, investment financing support, technical assistance and guarantee operations. The Nigeria Energy Sector country program is one of largest programs of World Bank in any country including operations across the energy sector value chain. This includes a variety of on-going and planned lending operations along with ambitious knowledge and analytical agenda.

The lending operations involve various WB lending instruments such as investment project financing, guarantees for public private partnerships, program for results, technical assistance, and development policy lending.  In addition, the team manages a strong knowledge agenda to inform the policy dialogue in the sector.

Duties & Accountabilities

• IAWE4 seeks a Energy Specialist based in Abuja, Nigeria to support the Africa Energy program’s strategic, advisory, and operational work. Specifically, it is expected that the selected candidate will be providing technical and engineering support to teams on project preparation and implementation, including policy and analytical work to be carried out as part of overall energy program, supporting donor coordination and liaising with local and international counterparts (including the private sector), as necessary.
• The Nigeria Energy Sector Program is also addressing the response to the economic shock related COVID-19 and oil market downturn through restructuring of some of the current projects in the energy sector portfolio.
• The Nigeria energy team also supports the implementation of interconnection projects within the West Africa Power Pool and anticipates further engagement in regional electricity interconnection projects across West Africa and Central Africa Power Pools.

Responsibilities
The responsibilities of the selected candidate will include:

• Lead technical engineering work (policy dialogue, lending and supervision, AAA) for Projects of the Nigeria Energy Sector Portfolio especially on transmission, distribution and off grid renewable energy applications;
• Work as core team member on procurement of transmission SCADA, smart meters, mini grid development, solar home systems, solar rooftop development teams on technical aspects and project management;
• Create partnerships with Nigerian stakeholders as well as donors on design and implementation of energy sector interventions;
• Supporting teams on strategic energy issues and implementation of the sub-region’s access agenda including implementation of Nigeria Electrification Program, increasing the participation of the private sector in energy;
• Actively participate in overseeing World Bank-supported energy country program in Nigeria with the aim to enhance quality and pro-poor focus and accelerate implementation;
• Work with IFC and MIGA for a WBG collaboration on potential PPP opportunities in Nigeria;
• Develop and maintain close relationships with local public and private stakeholders, support policy dialogue and keep abreast of developments in the energy sector.

Selection Criteria

• Minimum education level is Master’s Degree as follows: a Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering with at least two years of experience on technical / engineering aspects of transmission or distribution sector (including off grid applications) of power sector is essential and a Master’s level Degree in Engineering, Energy Planning, Finance, Economics, Business Administration or equivalent area;
• At least 5 years of total relevant experience in the energy sector with demonstrated ability to engage credibly on a range of issues in the energy sector in different regions;
• Prior experience of having worked in Nigeria power sector based in Nigeria for at least two years is essential requirement;
• Operational experience in recent technological advancements and business models;
• Operational experience in the following areas is highly desirable: energy policy and tariff regulation analysis and advisory, utility regulation, power market development and regional integration, off-grid electrification, gas-to-power Value Chain, project development and execution, utility commercialization and project finance;
• Excellent interpersonal skills and proven ability to build strong partnerships with clients, passion for development, ability to work different stakeholders and colleagues across units and departmental boundaries in a multi-cultural environment with virtual teams located in different countries;
• Hands-on project management experience, an ability to efficiently manage many activities simultaneously, a flair for problem-solving and an ability to self-navigate through complex bureaucratic environments;
• Problem solving and solution driven approach backed by a passion for cross sectoral development challenges;
• Good written and oral communication skills in English;
• Ability to communicate complex issues in simple terms and to engage in evidence-based dialogue with clients;

Required Professional Competencies:

• Knowledge and Experience in Development Arena – Understands policy making process; distills operationally relevant recommendations/lessons for clients.
• Policy Dialogue Skills – Identifies and assesses policy issues and plays an active role in the dialogue with the government and/or other stakeholders.
• Integrative Skills – Working to develop an integrated view across all facets of current sector.
• Energy Sector Technologies – Direct experience with depth in at least one area: power generation, transmission and distribution, renewables, energy efficiency, etc.
• Energy Policy, Strategy and Institutions – Familiarity with energy policies, strategies, institutions, and regulations.
• Lead and Innovate – Develops innovative solutions.
• Deliver Results for Clients – Proactively addresses client’s stated and unstated needs.
• Collaborate Within Teams and Across Boundaries – Collaborates across boundaries, gives own perspective and willingly receives diverse perspectives.
• Create, Apply and Share Knowledge – Applies knowledge across WBG to strengthen solutions for internal and/or external clients.
• Make Smart Decisions – Interprets a wide range of information and pushes to move forward

WBG Core Competencies:

• Lead and Innovate – Develops innovative solutions with others.
• Deliver Results for Clients – Achieves results and identifies mission-driven solutions for the client.
• Collaborate Within Teams and Across Boundaries – Initiates collaboration across boundaries and broadly across the WBG and brings differing ideas to the forefront.
• Create, Apply and Share Knowledge – Creates, applies and shares knowledge from across and outside WBG to strengthen internal and/or external client solutions.
• Make Smart Decisions – Recommends and takes decisive action.

Deadline: 26th April, 2021 at 11:59pm UTC

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online