Senior Specialist, Energy, SEforALL

Duty Station: Vienna, Austria or similar time-zone (CET)

Team: Policy and Regulatory Frameworks

Line Manager: Programme Manager, Policy and Regulatory Frameworks

Grade Level: Specialist 3, overall level 6

Date Required: As soon as possible

Duration: One year with possibility to extend

Closing date: 29 March 2022 at 23:59 CET

Background About SEforALL

Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL) is an international organization working with leaders in government, the private sector and civil society to drive further, faster action toward achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG7), which calls for universal access to sustainable energy by 2030, and the Paris Agreement, which calls for reducing greenhouse gas emissions to limit climate warming to below 2° Celsius.

Achieving these goals will require a radical rethink of the way we produce, distribute and consume energy. SEforALL is at the heart of this foundational shift to ensure no one is left behind. Drawing on data and evidence, we identify a critical path to success in achieving SDG7.

Former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon launched the Sustainable Energy for All initiative in 2011. Now an independent organization, we maintain close links with the UN, including through a relationship agreement, partnerships with UN agencies and with SEforALL’s CEO acting as the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Sustainable Energy for All and Co-Chair of UN-Energy. These roles include advising the UN Secretary General and his staff on issues relating to sustainable energy and the implementation of SDG7 and supporting the coordination of sustainable energy issues in the United Nations system.

The ambitions of SDG7 are extraordinary. Aiming to achieve them in the context of the Paris Agreement on climate change involves transformation at a scale never undertaken before. Swift action must be taken by leaders in governments, private sector companies, institutions, financiers, development banks, unions, communities, entrepreneurs and civil society. As we enter the final decade to achieve SDG7, SEforALL has strategically chosen to strengthen global agenda-setting while expanding its activities to an engagement model that prioritizes data-driven decision-making, partnerships with high-impact countries and implementation on the ground. The new SEforALL three-year business plan outlines “results offers” that scope out our planned interventions and demonstrate to our funding partners the impact of their support.

Objective of Assignment

The objectives of the Policy and Regulatory Frameworks objectives are:

Supporting partner countries in developing robust enabling policy and regulatory environments by facilitating access to a knowledge hub of best-in-class policy and regulatory tools and advisory support.
Continually identifying, develop and disseminate best-in-class approaches, tools and templates for energy policy and regulations to policy-makers in partner countries.
Acting as an incubator for innovative policy approaches to overcome barriers to SDG7 in collaboration with partner countries.

Purpose/Objective of the Role

The main objectives of the role include:

Manage and lead individual PRF activities with particular focus on policy advisory and technical assistance to partner countries. This includes project management, donor relationship management, stakeholder engagement, research, knowledge generation and dissemination
Support Programme Manager in building pipeline of in-country engagements
Identify and develop best-in-class policy and regulatory standards, templates, tools and innovative approaches to unlock barriers to SDG7 and partners
Contribute to the PRF team by supporting an engaging, productive and results-oriented work environment

Duties and Tasks for the Role

The main duties of the role include, but are not limited to:

Project manage multiple parallel in-country activities independently including development of project objectives, activity and resource planning, stakeholder engagement, implementation, monitoring and evaluation.
Conduct outreach, engage and develop constructive relationships with government policy makers, development partners and other stakeholders to advance programme objectives.
Drive thought-leadership within the PRF team identifying best-class energy policy, regulations and institutional frameworks in order to develop replicable standards and templates for SEforALL focus countries.
Support Programme Manager in driving the work-plan, including representing the programme in internal processes on behalf of the Programme Manager when requested
Review SEforALL focus countries’ policy and regulatory frameworks to identify successes, gaps, required areas for support and potential intervention.
Contribute to thematic content and input for SEforALL publications, policy briefs and short communications on the energy sector.
Provide thematic and content-related support to the SEforALL SRSG/ CEO and SEforALL leadership for a wide spectrum of meetings and engagements.
Liaise with SEforALL’s Operations, Communications, MEL and Resource Mobilization teams to provide relevant input and insight to the work of the PRF team.
In partnership with the Resource Mobilization team, identify project and funding opportunities, lead in the development of grant proposals, collaboration agreements and fundraising efforts.
Represent SEforALL towards external stakeholders, in industry-events and knowledge sharing activities
Facilitate knowledge building and knowledge sharing in own work area to bring about awareness and understanding, as well as utilise SEforALL systems and process to share the knowledge. e.g. Salesforce.
Other tasks and duties as may be required

Specific Competencies for the Role

Demonstrated ability to independently manage multiple parallel in-country activities/projects, translating strategy in to action and results
Strong communication skills (both written and oral), ability to communicate and work in French and/or Spanish considered a strong asset.
Project management experience with a technical assistance agency or international organization; Previous experience in implementing energy policy advisory projects and working with governments in the global South, particularly Sub-Saharan Africa and developing Asia.

General Competencies 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 EUR 64,432. 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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