Energy Specialist

Job Description

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. For more information, visit www.worldbank.org.

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 387 projects totaling more than $44.1 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.

Western and Central Africa (AFW) Region:

https://www.worldbank.org/en/region/afr/western-and-central-africa

The Infrastructure Practice Group

Globally, 840 million people live more than 2 kilometers from all-weather roads, 1 billion people lack electricity, and 4 billion people lack Internet access. Access to basic infrastructure services is critical for creating economic opportunities for the poor. The Infrastructure Practice Group is charged with developing sustainable solutions to help close infrastructure gaps in developing and emerging economies.

Energy & Extractives Global Practice

Energy is at the heart of development. Energy makes possible the investments, innovations and new industries that are the engines of jobs, inclusive growth and shared prosperity for entire economies. Universal access to affordable, reliable and sustainable and modern energy – Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 7 — is essential to reach other SDGs and is at the center of efforts to tackle climate change. For more information:

https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/energy

The Africa Energy Program is growing rapidly, covering reforms (sector and corporate governance, energy security and the environment, regional energy trade, public-private partnerships, energy efficiency, etc.) and investment support in power generation, power and gas transmission and distribution, rural energy services, renewable energy development, low-carbon and climate friendly initiatives. The current portfolio comprises about 50 projects with a value of over US$10 billion. New lending is approximately US$1.5 billion per annum, with a growing share of renewable energy and regional activities. The Bank’s Africa Energy Program uses a variety of instruments, including investment lending, guarantees for public private partnerships, and development policy lending. In addition, the team manages a strong knowledge agenda to inform the policy dialogue in the sector.

In April 2024, the WBG and AfDB announced a joint partnership platform to provide electricity access to 300 million people in sub-Saharan Africa by 2030 in close cooperation with countries, the private sector and other development partners (Mission 300 or “M300”). African countries will need to undertake energy sector and power utility reforms to attract greater private sector investment and ensure the sustainability of electricity services from a fiscal, financial, social and environmental point of view. Senegal is one of 15 countries that have been invited to prepare a national energy compact for the Africa Energy Summit, which is expected to unite African Heads of State to catalyze and show commitment to deliver on policy reforms needed to achieve the M300 target, and to mobilize commitments from other public and private stakeholders. The compacts will cover actions needed to improve power utility performance and financial sustainability, attract private investment for energy access, and ensure efficient sector development to keep the cost of supply as low as possible. To achieve universal access and deliver on M300 objectives, Senegal will need to not only accelerate the pace of electrification but also invest in developing the off-grid market while investing in critical sector reforms to improve operational and financial performance.

The Africa energy sector grouping consists of four units (2 units for East and Southern Africa and 2 units for West/Central Africa). Each of the four units is managed by a Practice Manager. The units together have over 90 staff with over 25 in various field locations, and more than half of the operational and advisory activities are managed /led by field-based staff.

The IAWE2 (West and Central Africa) unit seeks an Energy Specialist based in Senegal to contribute to the Unit’s strategic, advisory, and operational work on the energy program. In Senegal, the Bank has an engagement that covers the following aspects of the sector – promoting universal access to affordable, reliable and modern electricity services; promoting the clean energy transition; promoting the regional integration; promoting the financial viability of the sector and enabling conditions to attract private sector capital; and supporting policy reforms to promote an efficient power market. This is achieved through a combination of financing and analytical work. Under the Energy Access Initiative, the Bank seeks to scale up its engagement to promote the objectives of universal access, and to support the development of scalable models that would attract financing from other donors and the private sector.

This position is based in Dakar, Senegal with a specific focus on existing and pipeline programs in Senegal. The focus will be across the entire energy sector portfolio including the broader electrification agenda, role of private sector participation across the energy value chain and the related policy dialogue. There are projects and ASAs under preparation in all these engagements and the selected candidate is expected to play a key role in program design and implementation over the IDA 21 period, and in delivering on the ambitious M300 agenda.

Duties & Accountabilities

The Energy Specialist will work on investment projects, analytical work and policy interventions across a range of countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, in particular in the Senegal CMU countries (Senegal, Mauritania, Cabo Verde, Guinea Bissau and the Gambia). The selected candidate will have the following key responsibilities:

• As part of project teams, prepare, appraise, negotiate and supervise investment operations in the energy sector;
• Coordinate with development partners to enhance synergies and development outcomes;
• Support teams in developing knowledge products and operational instruments to support Bank clients and advise relevant task teams in sector reforms and energy access;
• Contribute to business development as needed in selected countries;
• Actively participate in overseeing World Bank-supported energy country programs in the region with the aim to enhance quality and pro-poor focus and accelerate implementation;
• Develop and maintain close relationships with local public and private stakeholders, support policy dialogue and keep abreast of developments in the energy sector;
• Contribute to analytical work related to the shift towards clean energy, development of strategies for achieving financial viability and increasing energy access in Sub Saharan Africa in a sustainable manner.

Selection Criteria

• Master’s degree in engineering, energy planning/economics, business administration, or equivalent areas relevant for energy/extractives sector development;
• At least 5 years of combined experience in the World Bank, other international institutions and/or companies, government agencies, and/or power sector utilities with consistent record of successful engagement with complex projects;
• Understanding of public private partnership in energy sector including preparing strategies for successful private sector participation with specific focus on distribution, in addition knowledge in regulations, technologies or strategies, and institutional development needed to support development and for the success of project and analytic work would be added advantage;
• Experience leading and/or playing key roles in policy dialogue with clients and partners;
• Experience in energy access, renewable energy, regional integration and sector reforms and experience working in Sub-Saharan Africa preferably in both the public and private sectors;
• Experience in working in Senegal and/or other countries in West Africa would be an asset;
• Ability to think strategically, work independently, and multi-task complex projects effectively;
• Ability to develop, analyze and articulate project issues and to diagnose problems and propose reliable solutions;
• Interest and experience in preparing and organizing high-level technical workshops and meetings;
• A consistent track record in carrying out high quality and timely analytical reports and activities would be advantageous;
• High level of excitement, ability to work independently, taking initiative, and flexibility in quickly adjusting to changing work program requirements;
• Active listening skills, excellent interpersonal skills, able to influence the audience and build positive relationships with clients, different partners and colleagues across units and departmental boundaries in a multi-cultural environment with disperse teams located in different countries;
• Excellent oral and written communications skills, including demonstrated ability to communicate effectively with clients and colleagues at different levels of the organization and in a multi-cultural environment;

Required Professional Competencies

• Knowledge and Experience in Development Arena – Translate technical and cross-country knowledge into practical applications and contributions to country and sector strategies; interacts with clients at the policy level; anticipate problems and potential barriers to achieving results or meeting time demands.
• Policy Dialogue Skills – Anticipate needs and requests in the field and conduct independent policy discussions with representatives of the government and non-government partners;
• Integrative Skills – Understand relevant cross-sectoral areas how they are interrelated; able to undertake cross-sectoral work in lending and non-lending operations;
• Energy Sector Technologies – Deep experience applying knowledge (hydrocarbon, power generation, transmission and distribution, renewables, and energy efficiency) to policy-related decisions and advice;

World Bank Group Core Competencies

The World Bank Group offers comprehensive benefits, including a retirement plan; medical, life and disability insurance; and paid leave, including parental leave, as well as reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities.

We are proud to be an equal opportunity and inclusive employer with a dedicated and committed workforce, and do not discriminate based on gender, gender identity, religion, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or disability.

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