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Senior Specialist, MEL (UEF)
Senior Specialist, MEL (UEF)
2020 marked the start of the final decade to achieve SDG7 – access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all – by 2030. The world is not on track and a renewed sense of urgency and new approaches are required.
Providing finance at the speed and scale needed to achieve Providing finance at the speed and scale needed to achieve SDG7 requires a paradigm shift towards results-based financing (RBF).
RBF allows governments and donors to shift risk of delivery to the private sector, provides regulatory certainty to industry about financial support to be provided, aggregates financing and scales support across multiple countries.
SEforALL launched and operationalized the Universal Energy Facility (UEF) in October 2020 as a multi-donor RBF facility designed to significantly speedup and scaleup the delivery of energy connections in Sub-Saharan Africa. The UEF provides incentive payments to eligible organizations that deploy energy solutions and provide verified end-user energy connections.
SEforALL’s activities include designing end-to-end UEF framework and processes, including qualification criteria, technical specifications and KPIs; conducting analysis of base case assumptions and financial modeling to ensure a sound subsidy amount; setting up the UEF Governance Structure; carrying out in-country due diligence and stakeholder engagement; and managing the full process from pre-qualification and site specific applications to grant disbursements.
The UEF was launched in October 2020 with the application process opening for mini-grid projects in Sierra Leone and Madagascar. The UEF expanded to Benin for mini-grid projects in early 2021. Over the coming year, SEforALL expects to significantly grow the UEF to be a USD 100 million facility operating in multiple countries in Africa, expanding the mini-grid windows and launching new windows for solar for productive use (SSPU).
The main objectives of the Results Based Financing (RBF) Results Offer are:
- To provide a funding mechanism that allows for scale, speed and efficiency to achieve universal energy access by 2030.
- To operationalize and scale the UEF for mini-grids, stand-alone systems for productive uses, and clean cooking solutions.
- Under the RBF programme, SEforALL also provides advocacy, communications and outreach to promote and scale the transition to results-based approaches to providing energy access.
Purpose/Objective of the Role
- Provide efficient and effective support and delivery capacity to the UEF team
- Further co-design and implement the MEL Framework for the UEF in close collaboration with the UEF Team and the SEforALL MEL Team
- Coordinate Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning for the UEF including tracking indicators as defined in the UEF MEL plan and ensuring there is proper documentation
- Lead Analysis and reporting to donors on UEF results-based financing on an ongoing basis
- Supports knowledge management processes, including documentation, sharing and learning
Duties and Tasks for the Role
The main duties and tasks of the role include, but are not limited to:
- Develop/adapt rigorous innovative and simple M&E tools to be used for data collection on UEF activities, outputs, outcomes and impact
- Lead preparation of high quality, accurate and timely reports for donors and other partners as required in collaboration with the SEforALL MEL Team and UEF Core team to ensure donor reports are submitted on time, of high quality, accurate and give confidence for future funding
- Lead the further implementation of the UEF’s MEL Strategy and Framework, working closely with The SEforALL MEL Team and UEF Team; ensuring all data required for the UEF MEL Framework and UEF Operating Manual is flowing seamlessly through all levels of UEF systems
- Develop automation of the UEF reporting and indicators (KPIs), wherever possible in sync with the UEF Platform
- Design and update UEF MEL Framework manuals, capturing MEL Processes through multiple systems, as well as roles and responsibilities of all stakeholders
- Responsible for overall quality and accuracy of UEF MEL data and evidence across all systems and tools, such as Odyssey, UEF KPI Management Tool and Salesforce to ensure we can show impact
- Work with the UEF Team and support the UEF Programme Manager in capturing learnings throughout the programme cycle for internal discussion, course correction and donor reporting, as well as sharing these learnings with the SEforALL MEL Team and All Staff for continuous organizational learning loops
- Support UEF programme staff and external partners where necessary in their data collection activities by further developing and testing monitoring tools, building capacity of teams / stakeholders continuously
- Support quantitative and qualitative data analysis., including field validation as maybe required from time to time
- Support the capacity building of UEF team members by sharing MEL knowledge and supporting team members to fulfil their programmatic MEL requirements
- Work closely with the SEforALL MEL team to ensure the UEF MEL Framework is aligned with the principles of the organizational MEL Strategy and Framework
- Report to the SEforALL Head of MEL on all MEL related development for the UEF to ensure mutual agreement and cohesive integration with the rest of the organization’s MEL Framework as appropriate
- Support new projects, from a MEL perspective, within the organization relevant to the scale up of the UEF, acting as the key contact for the UEF and its business requirements
- Ensure knowledge management systems are kept up to date for all UEF related MEL and donor reporting documentation
- Support evaluations of the UEF in collaboration with the UEF Programme Manager, UEF Core Team, and SEforALL’s MEL Team
- Guide the UEF team in incorporating the evaluation findings and recommendation (in collaboration with the SEforALL MEL Team) to ensure the UEF is improving its operations and is on track to achieve its intended impact.
Specific Competencies for the Role
- Master’s degree in public policy, international relations, economics, business administration, sustainable development, international development, energy, or a closely related field.
- A minimum of 7 years’ experience in Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning in an international organization, specifically including quantitative and qualitative data analysis and synthesis across international programmes, or relevant equivalent experience considered
- A minimum 7 year’s experience in support of Programme Management in an international organization, including support of grant management to project developers in Africa or Asia, or relevant equivalent experience considered
- Demonstrated experience working within workflow management systems, including the capturing of data throughout different steps of the process from different roles participating in that system
- Demonstrated experience supporting the design and implementation of MEL Strategies and Frameworks across international development programmes
- Experience in the energy access sector, preferably mini-grids and solar home systems and/or experience in climate and environment is considered a strong advantage
- Experience in energy financing models, including results-based financing, with particular emphasis in developing countries considered a strong asset
- Experience in operating across multiple time zones and with distributed teams
- Working experience in Sub-Saharan Africa is considered a strong advantage
- Demonstrated experience in Project Management, having managed projects with increasing responsibility for at least 5 years, or relevant equivalent experience considered
- Strong IT skills including Outlook, Word, Excel (including reports/macros/graphs, advanced formulas and pivot tables) and Power Point.
- Demonstrated experience in using MS PPT to covey complex information to a general audience
- Demonstrated ability to conduct research in MEL practices and tools; specific experience applying this to the energy sector an asset
- Professional level command of written and spoken English in report writing for both general and executive audiences. Fluency in French is considered highly desirable.
- Prior experience working within the UN-system, international organizations and with broad partnerships is highly desirable as is experience working with energy sector stakeholders.
- Ability to perform under pressure in a fast-paced environment and demonstrated ability to prioritize in an ever-changing environment that requires high flexibility and a commitment to high quality results.
- Demonstrated experience in translating highly complex issues across multiple systems into straight forward and actionable plans to complete a task.
- It is imperative the incumbent has high emotional intelligence and is able to work well with a diverse and distributed team, and prioritizes integrity, respect and a positive team oriented environment
General Competences for the Role
- Innovation and Adaptability: Has expert skills and commitment to search for and produce innovative and creative approaches to activities. Is flexible to evolving circumstances, as well as helps others in doing so.
- Resilience and Emotional Intelligence: Has expert knowledge in the concepts of resilience and emotional intelligence. Is able to remain calm in challenging situations, to cope with setbacks, is responsive to the emotions of others and maintains a high level of performance.
- Analytical and Strategic Thinking: Has an expert level of analytical and strategic thinking skills. Gathers and processes demanding information, develops innovative solutions and contributes by representing topics/approaches in internal and cross-functional working groups/teams.
- Collaboration and Partnership: Demonstrates expert initiative and abilities to collaborate and form partnerships in own area of responsibility, across teams and externally. Builds and maintains effective relationships at all levels inside and outside the organisation. Displays team-oriented attitude contributing to creating a positive team spirit.
- Lead and Empower: Demonstrates initiative and role model behaviour in leading and empowering others. Takes responsibility for own work activities and personal actions and carries out the commitments agreed upon.
- Political and diplomatic understanding: Has an expert level of political and diplomatic understanding.
- Communicating information: Has expert skills in communicating information and uses the skills effectively in own scope of work and in others’ work.
- Research and Analytics: Has expert skills in research and analytics. Promotes the use of data within the team and to contribute to wider decision making.
- Project Management: Has expert skills in project management. Plans and organises their own work using project management tools in support of achieving the team’s objectives.
- Client Orientation / Striving for Excellence: Has expert skills in client orientation and achieving excellency in work delivery.
Our Values - please refer to our core values as defined here: https://www.seforall.org/who-we-are/staff/our-values.
Salary information: SEforALL has adopted its own salary scales corresponding to the SEforALL grading system. The minimum yearly salary for this position is USD 75,377 The actual salary offer will be determined within the scale depending on the successful candidate’s qualification and experience, and applying the principle of internal equity. In addition to the base salary, SEforALL staff receive a benefits package that includes contribution to pension, contribution to health insurance & homeworking allowance.
Additional Considerations
- SEforALL offers exciting high-impact assignments, a collegial and creative work environment, and the opportunity for committed professionals to thrive and grow within flat hierarchies and in the pursuit of an inspiring mission.
- SEforALL provides competitive compensation packages at its locations in Vienna, Washington DC and New York City, and flexibility and result orientated modern workplace arrangements.
- Qualified female candidates and candidates from developing countries are strongly encouraged to apply.
- Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
- SEforALL reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a level below the advertised level of the post.
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