Overview
The Energy Investment Programme Manager will oversee and coordinate the effective implementation of the Sustainable Energy 2 Programme for the DRC, including the mobilization of all project inputs and the supervision of project staff, consultants, and subcontractors.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead the design, planning, and implementation of Sustainable Energy 2 investment activities.
- Oversee day-to-day programme operations, ensuring compliance with UNCDF and UNDP regulations.
- Manage and monitor multi-year, annual, and quarterly work plans, track progress, and implement corrective actions.
- Monitor implementation and results and prepare regular technical and financial reports.
- Manage financial resources, including budgeting, fund requests, controls, and accounting.
- Prepare Project Board meetings.
- Build and maintain strategic partnerships with government, private sector, and civil society.
- Collaborate with national stakeholders to support the effective implementation of energy investment.
- Facilitate stakeholder consultations and engagements.
- Ensure the effective set up and roll out of the wood energy sector monitoring system.
- Represent the programme in energy and investment donor coordination groups.
- Liaise with the UNCDF investment unit to arrange PIC and IDIC for investments.
- Supervise the investment officers in the execution of investment transactions.
- Provide strategic direction on the methodology of market assessments, expressions of interests and other screening procedures.
- Review the initial investment pipeline and market assessment reports.
- Develop and implement strategies to secure co-financing from other investors and financiers.
- Initiate dialogues with potential investors and donors focusing on clean energy initiatives.
- Support the financial sustainability of energy projects through innovative funding mechanisms.
- Develop investment sustainability plans for energy projects and for the wood sector monitoring platform.
- Supervise programme teams and consultants to ensure effective project delivery.
- Foster a collaborative team environment.
- Conduct performance assessments and provide support for professional development.
- Execute activities by managing personnel, goods and services, training, including drafting terms of reference and work specifications, and supervising the work of all contractors.
- Liaise with DRC-based colleagues from other UNCDF and CAFI funded programmes.
- Identify policy-driven issues; and identify and synthesize best practices and lessons learned.
- Establish/strengthen national and international advocacy networks.
- Provide sound contributions to knowledge networks, communities of practice, and digital knowledge platforms.
- Organize and deliver training for projects personnel on programme related matters.
- Coordinate project implementation through regular coordination meetings, internal communications, and progress reporting.
- Ensure full compliance with CAFI guidelines, frameworks, and requirements.
- Monitor project performance, results frameworks, baseline indicators, Environmental and Social Safeguards, risks, and implementation plans.
- Coordinate with the Agence Congolaise de l’Environnement for the effective execution of audits.
- Oversee efficient and cost-effective use of programme resources and budgets, and support audits, spot checks, and CAFI/FONAREDD compliance processes.
- Lead and support reviews, evaluations, and learning activities (mid-term and final).
Required Experience
- Minimum 7 years (with master´s degree) or 9 years (with bachelor´s degree) of proven experience in managing development programmes, with a focus on investments (loans, challenge funds), in the energy sector specifically clean cooking (LPG, improved cookstoves) and renewable energy (solar or micro hydro) in the DRC.
- Experience designing, launching and supervising blended finance investment programmes (challenge funds or debt sourcing processes) for energy including LPG, solar, and for other sectors is required.
- Experience managing technical and administrative teams, working with a wide range of stakeholders including donors such as CAFI (and its donors such as NORAD, FCDO, SIDA) and FONAREDD in different sectors and at all levels and developing sustainable partnerships with partner organizations is required.
- Experience coordinating the implementation of large multi-stakeholder projects, including financial and technical aspects is required.
- At least 5 years of experience working in UN agencies such as UNCDF, with ministries such as the Ministry of Energy, Ministry of Environment, national or provincial institutions involved in electrification, investment, development cooperation and/or environmental management including energy projects is desired.
- Experience working with UN agencies on investment processes and energy projects is desired.
- Experience managing budgets, training and working with staff at all levels and with all groups involved in the project is desired.
- Experience coordinating and supervizing multiple project implementation units in the implementation of technical activities in partnership with various subnational stakeholder groups, including the community and government is desired.
- Experience in the use of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc), database packages, and web-based management systems such as ERP is required.
Qualifications
- Advanced University degree (master's degree or equivalent) in a field related to Natural Resource Management, International Cooperation, Renewable Energy, Environmental Sciences or Economics is required, or
- A first-level university degree (Bachelor´s degree) in the areas mentioned above in combination with additional 2 years of qualifying experience, will be given due consideration in lieu of Master´s degree.
- Certificates in Climate or Energy Finance are an asset.
