ThaiNGO

Mid-level Renewable Energy Financial Advisor: USAID Clean Power Asia Program, Bangkok

The purpose of USAID Clean Power Asia is to accelerate the regional transition to a high performing, low carbon power sector. The Activity will assist the governments of the Lower Mekong and other developing countries in Asia in energy planning and help establish effective policy, regulatory, and technical environment for low-emissions growth in the power sector, while simultaneously attracting public- and private-sector investment in Renewable Energy (RE) development. USAID Clean Power Asia is focused on the following resources: solar, wind, small hydro (<15 MW), and biomass residues.

The program will initially focus on the four Lower Mekong countries of Cambodia, Lao PDR, Thailand and Vietnam, but may expand into Myanmar (Burma), and later to Indonesia and the Philippines on a limited and strategic basis. It will also include activities on the ASEAN regional level.

Overall Responsibilities

Work in close coordination with the project team, under the direct supervision and guidance of the Task 3 Team Leader, to

• support financial institutions, developers, or other relevant stakeholders to develop and secure finance for financing mechanisms/business models for promoting grid-connected renewable energy projects,
• support banks, financial institutions, and investors to convene standardization for securitization process for financing grid-connected renewable energy projects/programs
• provide advisory services, technical assistance and capacity building to key players in the RE market, including but not limited to project developers, investors, financial institutions and equity investment vehicles - with the main objective to increase their renewable energy portfolio, endorse diverse project financing mechanisms for RE projects, and build their capacity to conduct proper assessments of RE projects/programs.
• Develop and nurture relationships with key players in RE market, including other donors, government counterparts, private sector actors and others in the region who share the program’s goals.

Position Specific Responsibilities

The Renewable Energy Financial Advisor works under the direct supervision of the Task 3 Team Leader. Overall, the financial advisor will support work in the Mekong countries, and the broader ASEAN, related to mobilize investment from public and private sector into renewable energy as well as to collaborate with other key market players in lead efforts with partners, subcontractors, and others to institute such mechanisms in support of a stronger enabling environment for RE.

Potential activities that the Renewable Energy Financial Advisor will be expected to support include, but are not limited to:

• Assess and promote scalable & replicable business model(s) and financing option(s) for distributed solar PV
• Assess opportunities to scale up investment with capital market tools. Assess and evaluate needs/gaps/barriers to develop de-risking instruments.
• Develop case studies on green bonds for financing RE projects in the region
• Collaborate and work with relevant stakeholders to develop and promote adoption of standardized power purchase agreement (PPA) for all RE
• Co-organize bankers’ workshop to build capacity of bankers in lending to RE
• Provide advisory services and technical assistance to key players in RE market
• Conduct market diagnostic of grid-connected RE in Vietnam and Cambodia
• Support to conduct Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE) study of various RE Technologies and Levelized Avoided Cost of Electricity (LACE) in Thailand, Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia
• Participate in developing and monitoring implementation of the annual work plan
• Support to manage consultants and subcontractors as assigned, including drafting scopes of work, participating in selection and reviewing deliverables and work products.
• Other duties to be determined in conjunction with, the Task Lead, the COP and USAID.

Qualifications

• Minimum three (3) years’ experience in project finance / structured finance in one or more of the Lower Mekong countries in which USAID Clean Power Asia is focused (Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Lao PDR) and/or in ASEAN;
• Progressive experience working on donor-funded – preferably USAID-funded — energy and/or economic growth projects in the ASEAN region;
• Proven ability to manage logistical aspects of donor-funded project activities with multiple actors including energy ministries, regulators, universities, domestic banks, equity firms, and utility and planning agencies across the ASEAN region;
• Minimum of a Master’s degree in finance/ economics / business admistration or a relevant discipline is required;
• Applicants must bring native-level proficiency in one or more of the following languages: Lao, Khmer, Vietnamese, Thai , or Burmese; and
• Fluency in English is required.

Interested candidates may submit their CV to cparecruitment@abtassoc.com referencing “RE Finance Advisor” in the subject line. Candidates MUST indicate their salary history and availability or will not be considered. No other documents are required at this time. Applications will be accepted until October 7, 2015.

Abt Associates is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity employer committed to fostering a diverse workforce. Abt Associates provides market-competitive salaries and comprehensive employee benefits.