National Coordinator, Climate Aggregation Platform (CAP)

UNDP is the knowledge frontier organization for sustainable development in the UN Development System and serves as the integrator for collective action to realize the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UNDP’s policy work carried out at HQ, Regional and Country Office levels forms a contiguous spectrum of deep local knowledge to cutting-edge global perspectives and advocacy. In this context, UNDP invests in the Global Policy Network (GPN), a network of field- based and global technical expertise across a wide range of knowledge domains and in support of the signature solutions and organizational capabilities envisioned in the Strategic Plan.

Within the GPN, the Bureau for Policy and Programme Support (BPPS) has the responsibility for developing all relevant policy and guidance to support the results of UNDP’s Strategic Plan. BPPS staff provides technical advice to Country Offices; advocates for UNDP corporate messages; represents UNDP at multi-stakeholder fora, including public-private, government and civil society dialogues; and engages in UN inter-agency coordination in specific thematic areas.

BPPS works closely with UNDP’s Crisis Bureau (CB) to support emergency and crisis response. BPPS ensures that issues of risk are fully integrated into UNDP’s development programmes. BPPS assists UNDP and partners to achieve higher quality development results through an integrated approach that links results-based management and performance monitoring with more effective and new ways of working. BPPS supports UNDP and partners to be more innovative, knowledge and data driven including in its programme support efforts.

As a Global Environment Facility (GEF) Implementing Agency and the Green Climate Fund (GCF) Accredited Entity (together, GEF and GCF are considered ‘vertical funds’), UNDP also supports countries in addressing development, climate, and ecosystem sustainability in an integrated manner. The UNDP Nature, Climate and Energy Unit is based in BPPS and is responsible for providing leadership and technical support for, among other areas, delivery of the Environment and Sustainable Development pillar of UNDP’s Strategic Plan. The principal areas of work are in environmental mainstreaming, environmental finance, adaptation to climate change, and local governance of resources, including energy.

UNDP country programme for Uganda (2021 -2025) will contribute to three interlinked and mutually reinforcing development results: transformational and inclusive governance; inclusive and sustainable growth; and sustainable management of natural resources and resilient development. To promote access to affordable renewable energy options in underserved rural and urban communities, UNDP will support innovative off-grid clean energy technologies for cooking and lighting to benefit small businesses, women and youth entrepreneurs, and service delivery in the education and health sectors. Emphasis will be on supporting innovative and inclusive financing such as financial aggregation and the use of digital technology for small low-carbon energy technologies; de-risking private-sector investment in decentralized energy and waste management solutions; and piloting technologies and business models. UNDP will build on its Climate Promise to support the climate aggregation platform, the Pay-Go solar initiative, and implementation of the nationally determined contribution. Multi-stakeholder platforms will scale up energy solutions.

The Climate Aggregation Platform (CAP) is a Nature, Climate and Energy (NCE) Unit GEF-funded project which, in partnership with the Climate Bonds Initiative, seeks to promote the scale-up of financial aggregation for small-scale, low-carbon energy assets in developing countries. The project aims to advance and raise awareness for innovative solutions to market barriers for financial aggregation. In so doing, the project can contribute to improving the lives of citizens in developing countries, bringing about affordable, reliable and clean energy.

The CAP’s activities and value proposition will be formulated in terms of a global offer and an in-country offer:

• Global offer: global awareness raising, knowledge management products and global network;
• In-country offer: an initial two to three in-country or regional initiatives (initial initiatives identified in Rwanda and Uganda), each centered around (i) a showcase transaction, likely in partnership with a development bank and/or the private sector, and (ii) tailored market development activities from a menu of services, such as market assessments, standardization efforts and addressing tax/regulatory barriers.

CAP’s primary focus is on advancing solutions to market barriers, and subsequentially raising awareness around those solutions. The project seeks to support innovative solutions. Innovative solutions can be understood as new, first-of-a- kind solutions in a particular market. Where possible, the CAP will prioritize innovative solutions which promise high impact, transform and/or disrupt established approaches.

The Global Environment Facility (GEF) has provided initial seed-funding to establish the CAP in the form of an initial grant. UNDP is the project implementing entity and the Climate Bonds Initiative (CBI), as a Responsible Party to UNDP, will implement specific pre-identified activities.

The CAP National Coordinator (NC) will be based in Kampala, Uganda and will support the UNDP Country Office in Uganda and the global CAP Project Team in the successful execution of the CAP project’s in-country activities in Uganda and other regional activities. The NC will also contribute to the implementation of the project’s global offer.

The NC will provide both administrative and technical input for the implementation of CAP in Uganda and will contribute to the CAP global activities. Administratively, the NC will support the day-to-day running of the project’s in-country/in-region activities, while technically, the NC will draw on his/her financial expertise to guide the project’s direction and activities.

As a primary objective, the NC will assist in identifying and bringing together relevant stakeholders (e.g. energy companies, investors, DFIs, government, development partners, etc.) in order to source, assess and support showcase CAP financial aggregation transactions. The NC will work closely with the CAP Project Coordinator to first define the CAP’s assistance to these transactions (e.g. providing technical assistance related to SPV structuring, regulatory matters, etc.) and thereafter organize and support the delivery such assistance.

The NC will lead the development of a detailed market assessment providing an in-depth analysis and vision for financial aggregation for Uganda. The NC will also contribute to the production of other knowledge products, including national action plans, case studies, blog posts.

The NC will support UNDP CO in Uganda to establish a National Working Group (NWG) consisting of relevant stakeholders in Uganda. The NWG may be embedded as a workstream into already existing working group, depending on the most appropriate set up identified and existing platforms. The purpose of the working group will be to guide and inform the CAP’s in-country activities, including proposing suitable showcase transactions, and providing inputs into the market assessments, CAP national action plans and CAP market development activities. The working group will also act as a broader forum to facilitate networking, coordination and sharing of information amongst national actors. The NC may support the secretariat of the NWG.

Furthermore, the NC will also support the implementation of CAP market development / barrier-removal activities in Uganda.

The NC will work closely with other CAP project team members, with staff at the UNDP Uganda Country Office and UNDP’s BPPS/Nature, Climate and Energy Unit, project consultants and partners. The NC will report to the Global Energy and Finance Advisor and the Team Leader- Nature, Climate and Energy Programme, UNDP Uganda Country Office.

Administrative responsibilities:

• Act as the local representative of the CAP and operate under an approved annual budget with a set of targeted objectives, including around knowledge management, and knowledge product creation activities with inputs from the global CAP team and UNDP Uganda Country Office;
• Support UNDP CO in Uganda in establishing and overseeing the CAP National Working Group and its activities;
• Lead the CAP in-country market development / barrier-removal activities;
• Lead activities related to supporting CAP’s in-country showcase transaction(s);
• Manage CAP knowledge products, including market assessments, CAP national action plans, case studies, etc.
• Liaise and communicate regularly with the global CAP team and assist the implementation of activities related to the project’s global offer, including awareness raising, knowledge management, and participating in global initiatives;
• Support the coordination of UNDP country offices for the CAP’s in-country activities;
• Closely coordinate and maintain working-level contacts with project partners on project implementation;

• Support the recruitment/procurement and coordination of project consultants or service providers supporting in-country CAP activities;

• Organize working group meetings, workshops, webinars, or other events;
• Contribute to UNDP and GEF monitoring and reporting requirements as needed;
• Assist in preparing and reviewing reports, work-plans, info packs, and other materials;

• Assist in managing the project’s financial resources, including reporting, both internally and externally;
• Support the organization of Project Board meetings, including the preparation of board documents and materials;
• Create and maintain a database of relevant stakeholders at the national/regional or global level;
• Support and assist the global CAP team on administrative matters, as and when needed;
• Preparation of project progress reports, annual work plans and contribution to the Country office reporting requirements.

Technical responsibilities:

• Provide guidance and oversight, and set high standards for the CAP’s technical planning, activities and products in Uganda. This will include:
  • Latest developments – Incorporate an up-to-date technical understanding of financial aggregation for small-scale, low-carbon energy, in Uganda;
  • Strategic direction – Ensure a strong and relevant CAP value proposition, responsive to latest developments and financial aggregation opportunities in Uganda, particularly with respect to PAYG solar markets, and other low carbon energy technologies such as clean cooking, e-mobility and energy efficiency;
  • Knowledge products. Utilize market and strategic expertise to contribute to market assessments and CAP national action plans.
• Prospect, develop and manage relationships with the CAP’s partners and relevant stakeholders in Uganda, including but not limited to energy companies, financial institutions (private and public), intermediaries, energy-sector entities and government ministries;
• Lead the development of a detailed country market assessment on financial aggregation;
• Identify and support in-country showcase financial aggregation transaction(s);
• Develop and update a CAP national action plan setting out specific barrier-removal activities that the CAP will pursue in the particular market.
• Support activities related to market development and barrier removal efforts;
• Develop local partnerships and through a process of active engagement with the key project partners including UNCDF, Ministry of Energy and Mineral development, private sector among others and deliberation, establish an outcome-oriented focused National Working Group (NWG) for the CAP.
• Lead and support the activities of the NWG and depending on the defined structure, support the Secretariat role of the NWG.
• Develop knowledge products, including case studies, and assessment of specific in-country market barriers and solutions for financial aggregation;
• Promote CAP’s vision and role in Uganda, acting as the primary interface with the market and UNDP.
• Represent CAP at industry meetings and events, including delivering talks and presentations in Uganda and more broadly East Africa, and other global locations.
• Contribute to the CAP website content including blogs, transaction announcements, papers and links to other knowledge products.
• Advise on opportunities to augment the CAP’s initial seed funding, expanding the CAP into new areas and increasing the CAP’s impact;
• Align and create synergies between the CAP activities and other project activities on energy and climate change implemented by UNDP in Uganda as per the Country Programme Document 2021-2025.

All of the above listed tasks shall be performed under the supervision of the Global Energy and Finance Advisor, BPPS/Nature, Climate and Energy Unit and the Team Lead Nature, Energy and Climate, UNDP Uganda Country Office.

Throughout the above responsibilities, it will be imperative that the National Coordinator establishes a strong working partnership with the global CAP project team and UNDP Uganda Country Office. The NC can draw upon the support of the global CAP project team, including administrative and technical support, to effectively carry out his/her responsibilities.

Impact of Results:

Successful implementation of the CAP project’s in-country initiatives in Uganda including: (i) Completed and updated market assessments and CAP National Action Plans; (ii) Established and active National Working Group;  (iii) identified and supported showcase transactions; (iv) Effective implementation of market barrier-removal activities based on the CAP National Action Plan; (v) Administration, knowledge management, events and communications; and (vi) CAP project’s global activities have been supported.

Progress has been made towards achieving the CAP Project’s objective of promoting the scale-up of financial aggregation for small-scale, low-carbon energy assets in Uganda, and the project outputs and outcomes as described in the CAP Project Document and Results Framework. In doing so, contribute to improving the lives of Ugandans, bringing about affordable, reliable and clean energy.

Opportunities to augment the CAP’s initial seed funding, expanding the CAP into new areas and increasing the CAP’s impact, have been identified.

Corporate:

• Demonstrates integrity by modelling the UN’s values and ethical standards;
• Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP;
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
• Treats all people fairly without favoritism;
• Fulfills all obligations to gender sensitivity and zero tolerance for sexual harassment.

Technical:

• Expertise in finance and financial structuring, preferably with transaction experience in PAYG solar sector and securitization structures;
• Expertise in the PAYG solar, renewable and low-carbon technologies and the energy market in Uganda;
• Knowledge of innovative business and financial models in low-carbon energy;
• Ability to successfully interact with finance, industry, and government stakeholders active in the solar and low-carbon energy industry.

Communication:

• Ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing, in a simple, concise, and persuasive manner.
• Ability to create content for the CAP website, including blog posts, transaction announcements, links to relevant publications, and commentary about the showcase transaction

Professionalism:

• Ability to work and build partnerships with multiple stakeholders and partners across a wide range of disciplines;
• Demonstrated ability in strategic thinking;
• Strong organizational, reporting and writing abilities;
• Able to work independently and remotely with minimal supervision;
• Remains calm, in control and good humored, even under pressure;
• Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude;
• Openness to change and ability to receive/integrate feedback.

Teamwork:

• Demonstrated ability to work effectively as part of a collaborative team and process.

Education:

Master’s or equivalent degree in energy, finance, engineering, business administration or other closely related fields.

Experience:

–          At least 7 years or more professional experience working in the area of clean energy finance.

–          Experience in financing low-carbon energy projects in Sub-Saharan Africa, with financial aggregation and securitization transaction experience a significant advantage, particularly if in the PAYG solar market or in Uganda;

–          Experience working in developing country contexts, with experience in Uganda and an existing network of relevant stakeholders in the country, a significant advantage;

–           Experience working with multilateral organizations, development banks and/or the UN system preferred.

Important applicant information

All posts in the SC categories are subject to local recruitment.

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