Finance Specialist (Results Based Financing) at Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL)

Job Title: Finance Specialist (Results Based Financing)

Duty Station: Abuja, Nigeria

Team: Results-Based Financing

Line Manager: Programme Manager, Results Based Financing

Grade Level: Specialist level 2, overall level 5

Date Required: As soon as possible

Duration: One year with possibility to extend

Closing date: 29 March 2022 at 23:59 CET

APPLY NOW

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.

Context and Objective of Assignment

Sovereign donors are increasingly experimenting with Results-Based Financing (RBF) for energy access programmes.Providing financial support at the required speed and scale to achieve SDG7 (and to reach the last-mile communities that are the most vulnerable) will require a paradigm shift towards RBF, which would allow governments and donors to: Shift an appropriate level of risk of delivery to the private sector; provide greater certainty to industry about the level of financial support required; and aggregate financing and scale support across multiple countries.

SEforALL launched and operationalized the Universal Energy Facility (UEF) in October 2020 as a multi-donor RBF facility designed to significantly speed up and scale up the delivery of energy connections in Sub-Saharan Africa. The UEF provides incentive payments to eligible organizations that deploy energy solutions and provide verified end-user energy connections.

SEforALL’s activities include designing end-to-end UEF framework and processes, including qualification criteria, technical specifications and KPIs; conducting analysis of base case assumptions and financial modelling to ensure a sound subsidy amount; setting up the UEF Governance Structure; carrying out in-country due diligence and stakeholder engagement; and managing the full process from pre-qualification and site-specific applications to grant disbursements. The UEF was launched in October 2020 with the application process opening for mini-grid projects in Sierra Leone and Madagascar. The UEF expanded to Benin for mini-grid projects in early 2021. Over the coming year, SEforALL expects to significantly grow the UEF to be a USD 100 million facility operating in multiple countries in Africa, expanding the mini-grid windows and launching new windows for stand-alone solar for productive use (SSPU).

The main objectives of the Results Based Financing (RBF) Results Offer are:

• To provide a funding mechanism that allows for scale, speed and efficiency to achieve universal energy access by 2030.
• To operationalize and scale the UEF for mini-grids, stand-alone systems for productive uses, and clean cooking solutions.
• Under the RBF programme, SEforALL also provides advocacy, communications and outreach to promote and scale the transition to results-based approaches to providing energy access.

Purpose/Objective of the Role

The purpose of the Finance Specialist will be to provide effective financial support and delivery capacity to the RBF team, including leading and conducting financial assessments and analysis on results-based financing issues.

Duties and Tasks for the Role

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

• Conduct financial evaluations of applications to the UEF in the pre-qualification and site-specific stage for mini-grids and stand-alone solar for productive use windows
• Support development of methodologies, financial criteria, technical specifications, application processes and all related support material for establishing new technologies and waves for the UEF
• Develop financial integration models for the expansion of the UEF, including conducting analysis of inputs and assumptions for subsidy valuation
• Conduct financial risk assessments to determine exposure of program implementation in countries.
• Oversee, coordinate and advise on the overall RBF programme on aspects of financial evaluation.
• In collaboration with the UEF Platform Manager, UEF Funders, Development Community and Stakeholders, lead the development of the UEF’s global financial model template for MG and SSPU applications to promotes the sustainability of deployed UEF funds
• Conduct periodic updates to the UEF subsidy calculation and for every country for operation.
• Remain informed of recent developments in result-based financing for energy access
• 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

• Advanced degree in financial management, economics, energy economics, or in another relevant discipline
• Experience in international development, or the energy field, most of which should have focused on energy access and energy transition topics and themes (e.g. mini-grids, stand-alone solar for productive use, solar homes systems, clean cooking)
• Advanced technical qualifications in energy project finance, with desired experience in results-based financing 
• Experience or knowledge of developing country conditions in sub-Saharan Africa or Asia
• Experience in working on large portfolio projects
• Knowledge of sustainable energy policies, strategies and practices gained through advanced academic study and/or wide experience
• Understanding of energy finance and funding mechanisms, tools, and other resources for clean energy projects.
• Demonstrated skills with task/ project management. Demonstrated ability to design and manage complex programs that involve many different partners.
• Complete fluency in English and French, and strong written and verbal communication skills are required.

General Competencies for the Role

• Innovation and Adaptability: Has proficient 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 proficient 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 a proficient level of analytical and strategic thinking skills. Gathers and processes demanding information, develops innovative solutions and contributes by representing topics/approaches in internal working groups/teams.
• Collaboration and Partnership: Demonstrates proficient initiative and abilities to collaborate and partner with others in own are, and across teams. Identifies, develops, builds and actively promotes partnerships and collaboration, maintaining long-lasting partnerships.
• 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 a proficient 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 proficient skills in research and analytics and uses the skills effectively in own scope of work.
• Project Management: Has proficient skills in project management – plans and organises their own work using project management approaches in support of achieving the team’s objectives.
• Client Orientation / Striving for Excellence: Has proficient 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 52,370. 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.

_________________________________________________________________________________________

Your data will not be passed on to third parties outside SEforALL. We will only use your data to the extent necessary for the purposes of selecting personnel in accordance with the applicable data protection regulations.

 We will only disclose your personal information if we are required to do so by a court´s or administrative authority´s decision. In such a case, we will inform you as soon as possible of such an order so that you can take legal action against it if necessary. Please email to [email protected] if you require updates to your information in accordance with Art. 5 lit. d of the GDPR