Energy Expert

The Belgian development agency, BTC, mobilises its resources and its expertise to eliminate poverty in the world. BTC contributes to the efforts of the international community and works towards a society that provides present and future generations with sufficient resources to build a sustainable and fair world.

 

Its staff members in Brussels and overseas embody the commitment of the Belgian State and other development partners to international solidarity. They support more than 300 cooperation projects and programmes in some 20 countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America.

 

In view of the the further development of its activities the BTC is currently looking for a (m/f):

 

 

International (Multi-Sector) Energy Expert – RWANDA 

For the project: "Access to Electricity for Rural Populations through Renewable Energy"

 

Ref.: RWA/07/055-2B

 

 

Location: Kigali, Rwanda

Duration of contract: Ideallyuntil the end of December 2014 (shorter term possible – minimum until June 2014)

Expected starting date: as soon as possible – preferably as of October 2013

Monthly salary package: between 5,214,56 euro and 7.528,21 euro (this includes the gross monthly salary and the expat benefits: hardship allowance and expat allowance). The salary is calculated, depending on the composition of the family and the number of years of relevant experience.

 

Project:

For many years BTC has run energy projects in Rwanda under the 2007-2010 Indicative Cooperation Programme. Three hydroelectric micro power stations have been recently put in service. Many power lines have been built, both within the grid and to link power stations to the grid. Some fifty health centres have been equipped with photovoltaic solar panels.

BTC supports the Ministry of Infrastructure (Mininfra) and the implementation agency EWSA (Energy, Water and Sanitation Authority) in general with institutional capacity development.

In addition to these activities, a large 8 million euros project was launched in 2011 to build a new hydroelectric power station in the Southern Province (Rukarara – 2 MW). This project is complex and requires several months of further intensive follow-up of the German contractor (commissionning expected in December 2013).

Moreover, the 2011-2014 Indicative Cooperation Programme, which was concluded in May 2011, provides for the launching of new interventions in the energy sector in Rwanda for an overall amount of 55 million euros (geothermal energy, capacity development, access to electricity).

The 'geothermal energy' formulation process is ongoing; the formulation of the 2 other interventions is almost finished.

The Government has developed a very ambitious vision on electricity production goals and wants to see several hundreds of MW of production capacity added by 2017. (Right now production capacity is at about a hundred MW.) There is significant political pressure to have the sector progress, in particular with the exploration and the development of the geothermal potential. The Government of Rwanda drilled 3 exploratory wells under its own budget and several donors and agencies have expressed interest in supporting this sector. A series of support activities (essentially at the coordination and steering level) at EWSA for this sector could facilitate the sector's development in expectation of the start of the Belgian support (possibly by mid-2014).

90% of the population use fuel wood for heating. As the consumption of fuel wood is 30% above productivity, there is a strong pressure on the environment. Rwanda's energy strategy is only dealing partially with this challenge and the relations between the ministries that are responsible for energy and for forest management should be strengthened.

Mind that all projects of BTC in Rwanda are jointly managed with the partner: Project management is taken on jointly by a representative of each of the organisations and follows local laws and systems as much as possible.

Function:

Responsibilities:

As a replacement, the international expert will take over the steering of ongoing activities and projects in order to ensure the technical, financial and administrative close-out thereof. 

In addition to these technical activities, he/she will closely assist the Ministry and the EWSA agency with their institutional development (institutional capacity development work), in particular for maintenance issues. He/she will intensely support the efforts of the Rwandan party towards ensuring better coordination of the sector with the donors (Sector Wide Approach – SWAp Energy). In view of achieving this, he/she will develop intense personal contacts with the key persons of these institutions.

Considering the fact that several new projects have been formulated and the financial commitment of the Belgian State not being expected unitl 2014, he/she will ensure the relationship with the services of EWSA and the Ministry concerned in order to allow for a smooth start-up once the related Specific Agreements are signed.

The expert will provide his support to the EWSA team that is responsible for geothermal energy, in order to 1) improve the coordination with the donors and 2) prepare the start-up of the Belgian support.

Finally, he/she will try to improve the institutional ties and synergy between energy and reforestation actors and support good complementarity with the PAREF BE2 reforestation project, which is ongoing.

He/she will take on the responsibility of joint management for BTC as a delegate to joint management of the energy projects within Mininfra/EWSA.

Tasks

Management:

• Steer, as a joint manager, the implementation of projects and activities: quarterly operational planning, follow-up of implementation, management of public procurement, financial management, identification of risks and risk management measures…;
• Communication: ensure institutional communication, communicate with the media and BTC (annual reports, in particular);
• Ensure good relations with the stakeholders;
• Organise, prepare and submit to the Joint Local Consultative Body (JLCB) proposals for decisions for the project to progress and achieve quality results;
• Close out activities administratively and financially when they are terminated;
• Manage, in good understanding with the Intervention Director, the project team, most members of which are under an EWSA contract (so there is no direct hierarchical relation);
• Contribute to the final evaluations and to the follow-up of the recommendations of audits and backstopping;
• Facilitate and contribute if appropriate to the formulations of interventions planned under the 2011-2014 ICP and possibly to the preparatory activities for the start-up.

Institutional:      

• Support the Ministry and the EWSA agency in their internal organisation in general and change management. In particular, influence these institutions to allow for a better coordination and efficiency of the unit that is responsible for geothermal development;
• Stimulate the development by the partner of a strategy for the maintenance and durability of equipment and installations.

Technical:

• Ensure the technical quality of the works built by national and international subcontractors;
• Carry out provisional and final acceptances;
• Ensure the performance of preparatory tasks for the start-up of future interventions and more in particular for geothermal energy (scientific validation workshop for the choice of the drilling location in Kinigi; start-up of the operations of the Geothermal Expert Advisory Committee (GEAC) ; preparation of the Environmental Management Plan Kinigi; preparation of the Capacity Needs Assessment; contribution to preparing the call for tender documents (supervision of contracts; infrastructure works,)…).

Profile:

• Technical degree, engineer or equivalent, preferably in the area of electromechanics; generalist profile;
• Experience with project management (planning, administration, budgeting…); very thorough management;
• Show ability to generate changes, and more in particular on the institutional level, preferably in the development sector;
• Strong ability to work in team, management and organisation skills in a multicultural environment;
• Capacity to identify and commit private and public actors (consultants, prime contractors, development agencies…) in various sectors (for instance, geothermal energy);
• Excellent knowledge of spoken and written French and English;
• Experience with public contract award procedures is a major advantage;
• Proficiency in common software (WORD, EXCEL, POWERPOINT, …);
• At least 5 years of relevant professional experience;
• Interest in and knowledge of environmental issues (reforestation, erosion…) is an advantage.

Interested?

Please apply no later than September 1^st 2013, through our website www.btcctb.org. Use our Standard CV and a letter of motivation to apply. You can find the model of our Standard CV on theJobs page of our website. If you have any additional questions, don’t hesitate to

contact us at +32 (0)2/505 18 65.