Energy Officer (Innovation)

Energy Officer (Innovation)

Title: Energy Officer (Innovation)

Duty: HQ based, with travel to the field

Position level: P3 equivalent

Duration: 12 months

Reporting to: Senior Energy Officer, Division of Programme Support and Management, and Co-Lead UNHCR Innovation, Executive Direction and Management

About UNHCR Innovation:

UNHCR Innovation is a multi-year, inter-divisional initiative looking for more efficient, effective and creative solutions to challenges that refugees face across UNHCR operations worldwide. The ultimate goal of our action is improved refugee protection, empowerment, and dignity. We do this by rethinking the way UNHCR works, the way it involves refugees in the design of the programs, and the way it looks at good practices in the humanitarian and private sector.

About the job:

The Energy Lab works on safe access to energy for refugees. For that reason, the Energy Lab also works with the Energy Unit of the Division of Programme Support and Management, and several key field locations. The Lab has been running for 1.5 years already, and it’s now time to refocus its efforts. Previous projects included inter aliaprototyping minigrids in Nepal, co-designed cookstoves in Ethiopia, and community-manufactured solar lights. The Lab will now narrow its focus specifically on biogas, stoves, and minigrids.

Responsibilities

1. Draft a strategy for energy innovations within UNHCR for 2016 that complements UNHCR’s SAFE strategy:http://www.unhcr.org/530f11ee6.html
2. Manage a variety of projects (some to be developed, others are on-going), in collaboration with the Energy team, other HQ Units, and field operations, designed to test pioneering approaches, and establish good practices that may be scaled up;
3. Advise operations and divisions on the feasibility and scalability of good practices, including thorough analysis of supply chain considerations;
4. Providing technical support and guidance to operations that are investigating pioneering approaches to biogas, stoves, and mini-grids, n order to improve the protection and well-being of refugees, IDPs, returnees, and stateless persons;
5. Maintain and oversee calibration of UNHCR Renewable Energy testing and monitoring equipment.
6. Actively employ the Innovation Unit’s three-pronged approach by:
7. ‘Amplifying’ innovations using the Innovation Unit media platforms, and proactively supporting the Engagement pillar in the provision of content for internal and external communications strategies;
8. ‘Connecting’ in-house innovators with each other, in order to learn from good practices, and avoid duplicative efforts;
9. ‘Exploring’ external resources, and partners, together with Country Operations to help identify appropriate expertise, solutions, knowledge, and tools, and assist in creating solutions within the country operation.

Qualifications

Essential

• Advanced university degree (Master’s or equivalent) in a field related to energy, international development, electrical engineering. anthropology, or sociology;
• 6+ years of experience in delivering energy programmes preferably within, though not limited to, humanitarian/development settings;
• Strong interest in and exposure to humanitarian and development issues, especially in the area of data and technology;
• Demonstrable experience interacting with private sector partners;
• Demonstrated experience with advocacy; excellent communication/networking skills; fluency in English necessary;
• Experience working with large/complex organisations;
• Knowledge of production level systems at scale;
• Ability to coordinate and manage budgets and multiple projects;

Desirable

• Experience building projects that are informed by cultural nuances;
• Experience implementing new systems within large organizations;
• Experience in problem definition, solution design, and project implementation desired;
• Experience with change management;
• Experience in forming - or working with or alongside - energy cooperatives and/or community energy enterprises.

HOW TO APPLY:

HOW TO APPLY:

If you’d like to apply, please email a cover letter and CV to innovation@unhcr.orgby COB 1st November in whichever time zone you reside

For more information about UNHCR, please see www.unhcr.org

For more information about UNHCR Innovation, please see http://innovation.unhcr.org/