Job Vacancy in Kenya for Senior Hydro Business Specialist – Private Community based projects(MININFRA)

Background and Objective of the Recruitment
In line with the vision 2020, the Government of Rwanda has set in its Strategic Plan the target to increase access rate to electricity from the less than 15% to 50% by the year 2017 to serve as an engine for socio-economic development of the country. Power supply is and will be developed from all possible sources of energy in the country; from hydropower resources, Methane Gas of the Lake Kivu, Geothermal and Peat Resources etc.

It is expected that a cumulative total installed capacity of 1000 MW will be achieved by 2017 developed from the above mentioned energy sources.

The implementing agency for Energy Projects and Programs currently the Ministry of Infrastructure is facing shortage of capacitated human resources. It is in this regard that the Ministry of Infrastructure is looking for self motivated local experts, in different fields in order to occupy different posts available in the Energy Sector in order to join and complement the existing team.

TITLE: Senior Hydro Business Specialist – Private Community based projects
Background:
Private and Community based hydropower projects are considered to play a significant role in hydropower development in Rwanda. The challenges lie in defining hydropower’s strategic value in the country and managing risks. This requires careful attention to project preparation and supervision as well as improving the enabling environment. This in turn requires adequate resources, knowledge and skills across multiple stakeholders.

The Senior Hydro Business Specialist will have a clear role to play in maximizing the development potential of hydropower resources for the badly needed modern energy. He/she must lead efforts for the scale up through direct investment in development-driven, quality projects, executed in a timely manner.

Responsibilities, Roles, Duties and Accountabilities:
• He/she will provide technical assistance, knowledge sharing, policy dialogue, economic and sector work, and support for project preparations.
• He/she will have a niche in addressing complex projects that demand transparent and well based trade-offs and integration of environmental and social values.
• In addition, his/her role in policy dialogue and integrating across players embraces the evolving roles and partnerships of the public and private sec tors. This “new business” of hydropower requires an infusion of human and financial resources.
• He/she forms part of a multi-disciplinary team which is being put in place at the Ministry/Agency.
• The overall hydropower division is being coordinated by a small team under the guidance of Chief Hydropower Engineer (CHE). The hydropower team works closely with the other departments of the EWSA/MININFRA, reflecting the basic multi-disciplinary nature of hydropower development and operations. The anchor (hydropower division) team itself is a cross-disciplinary team with practical industry experience addressing the needs of the sector with emphasis on integration across economic, social, technical and environmental aspects of development. Above all, it is a team with practical and extensive experience in the development and management of hydropower projects.
• As a critical member of the core hydropower team, the selected candidate will play a key role in helping guide and implement the Ministry’s hydropower operational strategy.
• The successful candidate will report to the Chief Hydropower Engineer and take guidance from the divisional team leader for hydropower. Responsibilities will include:

1. Operations:
• Provide specialized technical inputs and handling institutional and implementation issues related to investment operations for effective hydropower development and management at the river basin and regional levels. Often this will involve leading or participating in the identification, preparation, appraisal and supervision of projects or components, interfacing with stakeholders and agency in resolving issues.
• Work intensively with relevant teams, clients, partners and the private/community sector to lead and/or provide expert judgment on feasibility and other studies, consultations and dialogue. Often this will include advice to relevant teams on policy development and the role of the governments to support hydropower including but not limited to the relative role of private and public sector involvement in the management of hydropower resources.
• Serve as peer reviewer/advisor on hydropower-related initiatives and corporate risk projects. Addressing operational queries on an as-needed basis, including enhancement and other quality-related tasks for hydropower projects within the country and region.

2. Hydropower policy and program management
• Build awareness of the role of hydropower among management and other sector anchor assessment groups within the country and region.
• Provide strategic and policy leadership fox the sector, and in coordinating implementation of the divisional hydropower business plan.
• Lead the divisional knowledge management responsibilities to build capacity both inside and outside the agency/country.
• Lead input to hydropower aspects of corporate initiatives and management queries

3. Analytical Initiatives
• Lead and/or participate in analytical work related to hydropower as guided by the hydropower business plan/strategies.
• Identify strategic issues and priority economics and sector work to support continuous improvement in the sector.

Requirement for the candidate:
1. Bachelor’s and/or Master’s degree in a related field.(Hydropower development and/or water management and minimum 5, preferably 8 years of relevant experience.
2. Formal training or equivalent in one or more of the following areas:
• Engineering
• Water resources management/hydrology (including operations modeling)
• Energy
• Natural resource economics
3. Minimum of 5 years field based experience in hydropower development and implementation such as in planning, feasibility studies, design, project su pervision and operations, preferably in developing countries.
4. In depth understanding of sustainability issues of hydropower development and actions necessary in planning, design and implementation to ensure social, environmental, economic and financial sustainability, including in¬dustry good practice standards and international policy issues and debates.

MODE OF APPLICATION
All interested candidates should submit to the Permanent Secretary of the Min¬istry of Infrastructure with the following attached:
• An application form downloaded at www.mininfra.gov.rw or found at Public Service Commission
• An application letter for employment
• A detailed curriculum vitae
• Photocopy of degree or certificate obtained
• Photocopy of Identity Card
• Testimonial, names and addresses of three persons for reference.

The application should be sent at the reception of the Ministry of Infrastructure at the address below:
Permanent Secretary
Ministry of Infrastructure,
Boulevard de l’Umuganda
P.O. Box 24 Kigali