Clean Energy Finance Activity Manager
USAID Vietnam Urban Energy Security Project and USAID INVEST
Scope of Work
Background
As Vietnam experiences steep increases in energy demand and rising air pollution challenges, there is growing recognition that cleaner, more reliable sources of energy are needed and greater capital investment is necessary. USAID has a number of ongoing activities in support of its Enhancing Growth and Development through Energy (EDGE) initiative, including Vietnam Urban Energy Security and INVEST. These two projects are currently implementing activities in Vietnam to mobilize public and private sector investment for the clean energy and are coordinating on a number of interventions. Jointly, these projects seek a Clean Energy Finance Activity Manager to provide oversight and management to be based in Vietnam.
INVEST
The INVEST Program builds and flexibly deploys a network of experts from an array of organizations to frame and test customized financing solutions that address investment constraints, leverage additional capital, and generate development impacts to create value for USAID missions and operating units. The INVEST Program enables USAID to quickly access relevant expertise from a broad and diverse network of partners, provide tailored, co-created, customer-centric solutions, and drive cross-agency learning and advancement. Designed with a focus on researching, developing, and disseminating best-fit blended finance solutions, the INVEST Program pairs innovative technical approaches with new partnership models, and feeds learning back to USAID to inform its future initiatives in the areas of blended finance and private sector engagement. The 5-year program has a small and dynamic management team based in Washington, DC with multiple field buy-ins, including Vietnam with a focus on clean energy. This role of the selected staff member will be to serve as an in-country representative for the INVEST team to coordinate and support activities in implementation in Vietnam, in addition to the responsibilities under the VUES project.
Vietnam Urban Energy Security
The Vietnam Urban Energy Security Project works closely with USAID and the Government of Vietnam at multiple levels to improve enabling frameworks, mobilize investment, and increase the adoption of innovative solutions for advanced, distributed energy. It is a 4-year activity with the overall goal of “advanced, distributed energy solutions deployed to improve urban energy resilience and energy security” in Vietnam.
The specific objectives of this activity are to assist Vietnamese cities to:
- Improve enabling policies, regulations, and city-level plans/programs for the deployment of resilient, distributed energy services;
- Mobilize public and private sector investment for the deployment of advanced, distributed energy systems;
- Increase adoption of innovative technologies, practices, business and financing models for advanced, distributed urban energy solutions.
In an effort to achieve the objective of catalyzing capital into clean energy, the two projects provide a variety of technical assistance, transaction advisory support, and blended finance solutions that demonstrate the viability of investing in Vietnam’s clean energy sector. These activities leverage existing programs – donor funded and otherwise – to support investment and crowd in new actors by building investable pipelines and reducing risk. The project engages a wide range of stakeholders to ensure interventions address constraints on both the supply and demand side, and works to broker stronger linkages between those seeking investment opportunities and those needing capital to grow their businesses and scale their solutions.
Position Overview
The Clean Energy Finance Activity Manager (“Activity Manager”) will provide activity management and technical support for the two project’s activities focused on unlocking capital. This may include scoping and designing new activities in support of unlocking investment; drafting solicitations to identify grantees or subcontractors to support financing activities; representing both projects with various stakeholders to promote and coordinate on behalf of the project activities; and managing the delivery of technical work. In some cases, the Activity Manager will provide direct support to partners, and in other cases the Activity Manager will oversee consultants or firms in the delivery of services. The Activity Manager will need to draft scopes of work to detail the various engagements and activities and will be responsible for budget management of these activities in close collaboration with the Finance and Operations team.
The Activity Manager will also work with other project staff as required to ensure successful implementation across all activities, including monitoring, evaluation, and learning; implementation of the Activity Fund; project reporting; and other activities identified throughout the life of the project.
Responsibilities
- Provide technical and non-technical assistance to partners and stakeholders in the area of clean energy finance;
- Assist in the development of scopes of work and solicitations;
- Assist in the development of the implementation work plans and operational strategy;
- Work with technical experts, consultants, and outside contractors in the fulfillment of their scopes of work in the areas of transaction advisory support, investment facilitation, blended finance, or other areas of clean energy finance;
- Under the guidance and instruction of VUES COP and INVEST SIA, liaise with relevant local stakeholders involved in the clean energy sector in Vietnam including but not limited to private sector actors, government ministries, financial institutions, and other donor funded projects working in the same space to ensure strong coordination between stakeholders and reduce redundancy;
- Ensure timely completion of quality deliverables according to approved workplan and scopes of work; ensure activities are implemented in accordance with USAID regulations and DAI policies
- Work closely with Finance & Operations Manager to manage activity budgets;
- Coordinate with the Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Manager to provide technical input on project targets, indicators, updates, and learning
- Coordinate with Communications Specialist to capture case studies, success stories, and lessons learned; provide input on communications materials and other items in order to tell the story and make the case for clean energy investments
- Coordinate closely with the Activity Fund Manager, City Coordinators, and Grants Coordinators to provide technical input into grant and subcontract solicitations including RFPs and SOWs;
- Support relationship with DOIT and GVN counterparts including in participation in meetings, drafting emails, and other communications;
- Other duties as assigned by the Chief of Party and Deputy Chief of Party
Qualifications
- At least 5 years of experience working in clean energy finance related activities and demonstrated familiarity with finance and investment landscape in Vietnam
- Knowledge and familiarity with renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies and efforts
- Demonstrated experience in budget, operational, and process management
- Experience working in USAID and/or donor-funded energy or finance projects in Vietnam or regionally preferred
- Experience working with government counterparts preferred
- University degree in finance, power/energy engineering, or related subject.
- Well organized and self-directed with good analytical ability and sound decision-making skills
- Must be comfortable working with colleagues remotely in multiple cities and countries
- Must be comfortable responding quickly to changes in scope or direction, pitching in where needed, and working in a fast-paced working environment
- Fluency in Vietnamese is required
- Excellent writing, speaking, and reading skills in English; demonstrated report writing skills in English is required.
Level of Effort, Location and Reporting
This a full-time position, with a level of effort of 260 days per year. It is estimated that 50% of the Activity Manager’s time will be spent on INVEST and the remaining 50% spent on Vietnam Urban Energy Security, with an understanding these percentages are fluid based on the work requirements and might favor one project more heavily at certain times, and the favor the other project at other times. The employment contract will be on a yearly basis, with possible extensions until the close of the project.
The Activity Manager will report to the Deputy Chief of Party of Vietnam Urban Energy Security and to Strategic Investment Advisor on INVEST. The position is based in Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City.
Application Instructions
Applicants should apply via Formsite at this link:
https://fs9.formsite.com/daisuppliers/itlfchkr5h/index.html?1595539546826 [1]
Deadline for the application: August 30, 2020.
About DAI
DAI works at the cutting edge of international development, combining technical excellence, professional project management, and exceptional customer service to solve our clients’ most complex problems. Since 1970, DAI has worked in 150 developing and transition countries, providing comprehensive development solutions in areas including crisis mitigation, democratic governance and public sector management, agriculture and agribusiness, private sector development and financial services, economics and trade, water and natural resources management, and energy and climate change. Clients include international development agencies, international lending institutions, private corporations and philanthropies, and host-country governments. More information about DAI can be found on the DAI website (www.dai.com [2]).