Project Description:
The objective of the AREAN project is to enable the achievement of low carbon energy access, sustainable energy and green growth targets of Niue as stated in the Niue Sustainable Energy Road Map (NiSERM), which is the basis of the country’s latest Nationally Determined Contributions under the Paris Agreement. The government has been, and continues to be, very focused on the achievement of its renewable energy and energy efficiency targets, especially the generation of 80% of its electricity needs from renewable sources by 2025; however, the available financial and technical resources will not be enough to guarantee a timely and full achievement of said targets without additional support from international donors.
The design of AREAN follows a holistic approach to the removal of all the barriers, by synergistically interconnecting all the activities of five (5) different components, namely:
The project will be implemented over a period of 48 months, spanning from 2019 to 2023, and the total amount of GHG emission reductions is estimated to be approximately 112.2 kilotons CO2. The GHG emission reductions will be partly realized during the implementation period of the AREAN project and partly achieved after the completion of the project, throughout the lifespan of the equipment provided for the demonstration projects as well as other investment type activities.
Project Outcome 1:
Improved policy and regulatory frameworks in the application of energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies in the energy end-use sectors.
Project Outcome 2:
Effective enforcement of plans, policies and regulations, and implementation of programs/projects on the application of climate resilient and low carbon technologies in the end-use sectors.
Project Outcome 3:
Increased availability of, and access to, financing for sustainable energy, energy access and low carbon development initiatives in the energy supply and demand sectors.
Project Outcome 4.1:
Climate resilient and low carbon techniques and practices adopted and implemented in the energy supply and energy end-use sectors.
Project Outcome 4.2:
Enhanced confidence in the viability of climate resilient and low carbon technology applications in the energy supply and demand sectors.
Project Outcome 5:
Enhanced levels of awareness and attitude towards climate resilient and low carbon development in the energy supply and energy end use sectors.
The project will be implemented over the course of 4 years, beginning in 2019. UNDP is the GEF Implementing Agency and the Ministry of Infrastructure (MOI), is the project’s lead Implementing Partner and responsible party.
The project is being nationally executed as per UNDP National Implementation Modality (NIM) procedures. According to UNDP guidelines on National Implementation Modality (2011), the Government is responsible for the management and delivery of programme activities to achieve project outcomes/outputs. Government regulations, rules and procedures therefore apply to project implementation to the extent that they do not contravene the principles of the Financial Regulations and Rules of UNDP.
Project monitoring and evaluation will be conducted in accordance with established UNDP and GEF procedures and will be provided by the project team and the UNDP Multi-Country Office (UNDP-MCO) in Apia with support from the UNDP Regional Bureau for Asia-Pacific (RBAP) region in Bangkok.
The Chief Technical Advisor (CTA) will be responsible for providing strategic direction and overall technical backstopping to the project team in the implementation of activities as defined in the project document and in the inception report. He/She will render technical support to the Project Manager (PM) under a joint arrangement with the Ministry of Infrastructure and the Project Management and Coordination Unit.
- He/She will work under the guidance of the AREAN Project Manager (PM). The CTA is expected to provide technical advice to the project team and assist the PM to organize and supervise the work of the project hired consultants;
- Under the supervision of the PM, the CTA will coordinate the provision of the required technical inputs, including assisting in executing the implementation strategy, recruiting and supervising experts and technical advisors’ inputs, and ensuring coordination and leveraging resources from other initiatives. The CTA will provide guidance and support on both strategic project matters, quality control of technical expertise and aspects of day-to-day management as required;
- The responsibilities and tasks that the CTA is expected to assume over another year of implementation is detailed in this document. In addition, the CTA shall submit a proposal at the beginning of each month including the specific deliverables and working days that is planning to cover in the next month, as well as a brief report indicating the deliverables provided and working days (timesheet) used during the previous month. That document will be discussed and, once it is cleared, will be used as the basic supporting document for the monthly payment;
- The scope of work for the CTA will include, but not necessarily be limited to, the following key activities:
a) Definition of Project Implementation Plan and provision of technical advice and support during implementation:
- Provide technical expertise and strategic guidance to all project components, assuming quality control of interventions, and support the PM in the execution of the planned activities under the project as stipulated in the project document, inception report and approved work plans and budgets;
- Give input and guide development of technical training packages on the use of the RE/EE technology for both supply and end-use sectors;
- Advise on key policy and legal issues pertaining to the project;
- Develop Terms of Reference for new consultants and sub-contractors that will be necessary for the implementation of the project, and assist in the selection and recruitment process; recommend best candidates and technical approaches, provide quality assurance function to sub-contractors;
- Provide supervisory function on the technical work carried out by consultants hired by the project including assisting the PM in coordinating the work of consultants and sub-contractors, helping to ensure the timely delivery of expected outputs, and effective synergy among the various sub-contracted activities;
- Provide guidance to ensure that works carried out under contract with the AREAN project meets the highest technical and professional standards;
- Assist the PM to mobilize staff and consultants for the mid-term and terminal evaluation, and in undertaking revisions in the implementation plan and strategy based on mid-term and terminal evaluation recommendations.
b) Project management and monitoring:
- Assist the PM in the preparation and revision of the Multi Year Work Plan and the Annual Work Plans (AWPs) and Budgets as well as formalizing the activities (baseline and incremental) for the first year;
- Assist the PM in the designing of an appropriate Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Framework; and develop suitable monitoring tools for the project activities (both baseline and incremental) that link to the log frame’s indicators, midterm and end of the year target, means of verification, and risks and assumptions, including advising on the implementation of such tools;
- In line with the preceding task, assist the PM in the designing and implementation of appropriate scheme to track the implementation of co-financed activities of the project and the amount of committed co-financing that have been realized;
- When appropriate and necessary, assist the PM in adjusting the Project Results Framework following the recommendations of the mid-term evaluation;
- As required from time to time, provide guidance to the PM in the preparation of other reports requested by donors and Government Departments;
- Provide hands-on support to the PM, project staff and other government counterparts in the areas of project management and planning, management of site activities, monitoring, and impact assessment;
- Guide the PM in the preparation of the Project Implementation Review/Annual Programme Report (PIR/APR), technical reports, quarterly progress and financial reports for submission to UNDP and the GEF;
- Guidance and train the project team in updating of the GEF Tracking Tools prior to midterm evaluation mission;
- Advice on establishing and managing monitoring and evaluation programs for all aspects of the project following the Log Frame of the project and on the preparation and finalization of the Annual Project Report/Project Implementation Review as required by the UNDP/GEF M&E system;
- Assist the PM in evaluating annually the extent by which the barriers that the AREAN Project is expected to remove have been achieved;
- Advise the UNDP, NPD, PM and Project Team and independent evaluators in the conduct of the Mid-term Evaluation (MTE) and Terminal Evaluation (TE), exit strategy and the project closure process and other UNDP-GEF requirements;
- Support and assist the PM in the preparation of the project final report (including the best practices, lessons learnt etc.);
- Support any other relevant tasks as assigned by the Director General of the Ministry of Infrastructure and the AREAN Project Manager.
c) Relationship building:
- This position will be located in the Project Management Coordination Unit (PMCU) and be an expert advisor in liaising with project partners, donor organizations, NGOs and other groups to ensure effective coordination of project activities and potential leverage of additional resources;
- Engage on and contribute to policy dialogues within the Niue Ministry of Infrastructure (MoI) and other relevant agencies.
d) Communication:
- Assist in the definition of a knowledge management, communications and awareness raising strategy;
- Provide guidance on knowledge management, communications and awareness raising and on document lessons from programme implementation and make recommendations to the Project Board for more effective implementation and coordination of programme activities;
- In the event of other potential tasks emerging, these will be discussed between the Project Manager, UNDP Programme Officer for Environment & Climate Change and the Chief Technical Adviser to review workloads and if necessary, re-assign priorities.
Institutional Arrangement
The hired consultant will work with the AREAN Project Manager. Reports and documentation will be shared with the AREAN Project Manager in a timely manner, with copy to the UNDP MCO Assistant Resident Representative of Environment and Climate Change Unit.
Required skills and competencies:
- Sound understanding of the UNDP-GEF Project Cycle Management, with demonstrated experience in designing and facilitating processes to enhance project implementation and its adaptive management through the application of M&E tools, including results-based management logical frameworks;
- Experience in working with communities, including community-based management and co-management initiatives, NGOs and multiple sectors of government, using mechanisms to develop common visions among stakeholders and including consulting with senior executives and civil servants;
- Awareness and a good understanding of the Government of Niue procedures and policies would be an advantage; and
- Experience of working in any Pacific Island Country or comparable island nation is an advantage.
Desired additional skills and competencies:
- Excellent computer skills (key MS applications) and ability to use information technology as a tool and resource; and
- Skilled in innovative and creative methods of engaging with various project stakeholders remotely.
Education:
- Master’s degree in the areas of Engineering, with focus on either Energy technologies, Renewable Energy technologies, and electric power systems; or,
- a Bachelor’s degree in above areas.
Experience:
- Master’s degree with 7 years of professional experience in Renewable Energy Systems, Energy Efficiency Technology Applications, Grid Stability Management, with substantive work undertaken in the electricity and energy sector, as well as a good understanding of mainstreaming gender and other cross-cutting priorities such as climate change mitigation;
- Extensive experience with the Niue Energy Sector (Electricity and Renewable Energy Sub-Sector would be an advantage); or,
- a Bachelor’s degree with 9 years of professional experience in above areas.
Language Requirement:
- Fluency in English (oral and written) is a requirement, with sound written and presentation skills using plain English.
Note:
- Previous applicants need not re-apply.
Contract Duration: 60 working days over duration of 12 months