Closing date: Friday, 16 January 2015
Background / General description
The World Bank: Established in 1944, the WBG is one of the world’s largest sources of funding and knowledge for development solutions. In fiscal year 2014, the WBG committed $65.6 billion in loans, grants, equity investments and guarantees to its members and private businesses, of which $22.2 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. The WBG consists of five specialized institutions: the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), the International Development Association (IDA), the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA), and the International Centre for the Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID). IBRD and IDA are commonly known as the World Bank, which is organized into six client-facing Regional Vice-Presidencies, several corporate functions, and has introduced fourteen Global Practices (GPs) as well as five Cross-Cutting Solution Areas (CCSAs) to bring best-in-class knowledge and solutions to regional and country clients.
The Energy & Extractives GP (GEEDR): The energy financing program totals about $7 billion per year, complemented by Climate Investment Fund operations, a sizable Technical Assistance program, and a strong track record of One WBG engagements with MIGA and IFC to scale-up and leverage greater resources. Its priorities are:
- Achieving universal access to reliable modern energy: generation, transmission, electrification, clean cooking solutions;
- Shifting energy systems to a more sustainable path: renewable energy, natural gas, energy efficiency; and
- Improving the investment climate for energy: sector reform and governance, strengthening utilities, enhancing investment framework and encouraging private sector participation, rationalizing subsidies. Extractives include technical Assistance lending, advisory services, IFC investments and partnership programs to pave the way for transparent, responsible and productive development of extractives industries. Key priorities are:
(i) Enhancing sustainability, transparency in revenue management, inclusive job creation and growth opportunities, and addressing resource-related conflicts;
(ii) Supporting the extractive industry through investments/interventions by IFC and MIGA such as early equity in mining and oil and gas companies in fragile states, promoting domestic companies and developing transformational projects; and
(iii) Knowledge sharing and exercising a convening role with a view to promoting a best practice approach to sustainability.
Energy and East Asia and Pacific: In recent years, EAP has grown to become the center of gravity of the global energy system, with energy demand projected to almost double by 2030. The region’s economies are relatively well-endowed with energy resources, although vast differences exist in the scale and patterns of energy use. Oil is the dominant fuel, followed by natural gas and coal, which has grown at double-digit rates since 1990 and now makes up 16% of the regional primary demand. The share of renewables in the primary mix is almost twice the global average at 24%, reflecting heavy reliance on traditional biomass used for cooking in rural areas where low incomes and/or a lack of access restrict the use of modern fuels. Fossil-fuel subsidy reform remains a challenge, although progress is being made. Subsidies amounted to $51 billion in 2012 and are deterring investment in needed energy infrastructure, while hampering improvements in energy efficiency and renewables deployment. There is an urgent need for innovative ways to generate power in a socially, economically, and environmentally sustainable manner. Compounding the problem is widespread energy poverty across Asia, with almost a billion people still without access to electricity.
The Vietnam Energy Program: The Bank maintains a vibrant assistance program for Vietnam’s energy sector including support to power generation, transmission, distribution, EE and RE development. In addition to a large lending program, the Bank conducts an active and wide-ranging dialogue with the Government of Vietnam, Vietnam Electricity and ERAV (the regulator) covering power and gas sector reform and restructuring, private sector participation, economic regulation and financial viability of the sector. There are currently about US$2 billion of IDA/IBRD investment projects under implementation including hydropower generation, expansion and upgrading of transmission and distribution network, implementation of smart grid technologies and advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) and an energy efficiency project targeting industrial enterprises. The current policy dialogue covers RE mapping, pumped storage development strategy, divestiture strategy for EVN’s generation assets (Gencos), financial viability of the power sector, implementation of the International Hydropower Protocol (IHP), supply and demand side energy efficiency and support of the development of the Vietnam Wholesale Electricity Market (VWEM).
Note: If the selected candidate is a current Bank Group staff member with a Regular or Open-Ended appointment, s/he will retain his/her Regular or Open-Ended appointment. All others will be offered a 3 year term appointment.
Duties and Accountabilities
The World Bank Energy and Extractives Global Practice (GEEDR) seeks to hire an Energy Specialist to join Hanoi based Vietnam energy team. The position will report to the Practice Manager of the East Asia and Pacific (EAP) region and the Energy Sector Coordinator located in Hanoi.
The Energy Specialist will be an integral part of the Vietnam energy team responsible for promoting long-term business relationships with national and local stakeholders through policy dialogue; facilitating program development, task management; supporting communications and outreach activities on energy issues to ensure that best practices and lessons learned are reflected on the unit’s operations. Specifically, the responsibilities of this position will fall into the following categories:
- Policy Dialogue and Donor Coordination: Support the Bank’s energy sector policy dialogue with relevant stakeholders in Vietnam, particularly with regard to sector, energy efficiency and renewables. S/he will also support donor coordination activities in the energy sector;
- Business Development:
(i) Support the Bank business development in line with the Bank’s country sector strategy and in close collaboration with other units at the Bank,
(ii) provide inputs to Country Partnership Framework and other cross-sectoral products,
(iii) as a technical specialist in the energy sector, make a substantial technical contribution to both investment project and analytical and advisory activities; and,
(iv) liaise with the country team and the Global Practice Manager to oversee and review the operational and budgetary aspects of ongoing and proposed investment projects;
- Project Preparation: Support task teams in project identification, design and preparation by:
(i) advising clients on feasibility studies, technology choice studies, cost-effectiveness analyses and implementation reports;
(ii) reviewing and assessing implementation capacity of project implementation counterparts and supporting institutions/agencies;
(iii) defining appropriate benchmarks/indicators and establishing project assessment and monitoring frameworks to assess progress and outcomes; and
(iv) carry out stand-alone tasks as agreed with the team lead and practice manager.
- Project Implementation Support: Provide implementation support to the Bank clients for projects and programs under implementation to ensure implementation quality and timeliness and consistency with project objectives. Implementation requirements will cover financial, disbursement, procurement, social and environmental guidelines and agreements typical of World Bank supported projects/programs;
- Client and Stakeholder Network: Coordinate/participate as part of the World Bank Group’s team at national forums, workshops and conferences focusing on energy issues. The selected candidate will establish and maintain networks with public, civil society, academic and private sector professionals in order to expand the World Bank’s dialogue on the energy agenda in Vietnam.
Specific responsibilities and duties will include:
- Working closely with senior specialists on the development of investment and policy operations and other project financing-related assignments by providing high-level technical and operational support
- Contributing to the preparation/independently preparing key project documents for project development and management review purposes
- Managing projects as Task Team Leader (TTL) or in co-TTL capacity, including maintaining workflow and monitoring progress, milestones and deliverables against the planned work program
- Interfacing with and providing project-related guidance and input to the relevant fiduciary functions, including Legal and the Safeguards, Financial Management and Procurement teams
- Reviewing and performing both ex-ante and ex-post economic and financial analyses in order to inform project-specific preparation and assessment activities
- Leading preparation of trust-funded Technical Assistance activities, coordinating with key project stakeholders and taking the necessary steps to comply with internal procedures and move projects forward
- Providing technical support by preparing TORs and reviewing consultant reports, with an emphasis on quality control and ensuring value-for-money
- Analyzing country-specific energy sector-related developments and conducing market soundings with clients in order to assess the need of new engagements
- Conducting in-depth, ex-post assessments of the impacts linked with the implementation of a given energy project
- Leading knowledge management efforts, contributing to sharing lessons learned across the Global Practice and among the relevant target, internal and external audiences
- Keeping abreast of latest knowledge and international best practice in the energy arena
- Ensuring seamless communication and smooth cooperation with HQ and CO project team members
- Exploring partnering and liaising with the World Bank Group units that are engaged with energy sector development, including the IFC and MIGA’s energy team
- Seeking guidance on complex projects/issues from senior specialists
- Handling ad-hoc requests by senior management
In addition to closely engaging with World Bank Group staff, the Energy Specialist will be expected to maintain regular contact with Government, the private sector, development partners, researchers, civil society organizations and other stakeholders.
Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for the Energy Specialist position are as follows:
- Master’s or PhD degree in economics, engineering, energy, or related discipline, with at least five years of relevant professional experience
- Prior experience in power sector development, and a good command of key issues relating to energy planning, energy efficiency, hydropower energy
- Hands-on project management experience, an ability to efficiently manage a large number of activities simultaneously, a flair for problem-solving and an ability to self-navigate through complex bureaucratic environments
- Understanding of World Bank’s operational procedures and their application will be a distinct advantage
- Excellent organizational and managerial skills
- Demonstrated analytical and modelling skills applied to energy projects
- Ability to work flexibly on a range of assignments, and prioritize a variety of complex evolving tasks
- Ability to deal sensitively in a multicultural environment and build effective work relations with clients and colleagues
- Willingness and ability to travel extensively
- Oral and written fluency in English and Vietnamese
Competencies
The competencies required for the Energy Specialist position are as follows:
- Clean Energy – Working knowledge of application of renewable energy and energy efficiency solutions
- Integrative Skills – Working to develop an integrated view across all facets of the energy sector
- Policy Dialogue Skills – Identifies and assesses policy issues and plays an active role in the dialogue with the government and/or other stakeholders
- Deliver Results for Clients – Proactively addresses clients’ stated and unstated needs
- 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: hydrocarbon, power generation, transmission and distribution, renewables, energy efficiency, low carbon strategies, 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 clients’ 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.
The World Bank Group is committed to achieving diversity in terms of gender, nationality, culture and educational background. Individuals with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated in the strictest confidence.
