Individual Consultant to Undertake Business development Services

Background

UNDP is the knowledge frontier organization for sustainable development in the UN Development System and serves as the integrator for collective action to realize the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Energy is one of UNDP’s six signature solutions – alongside poverty and inequality, governance, resilience, environment, and gender equality - to support countries towards three directions of change: structural transformation, leaving no one behind and resilience. As per UNDP’s new Strategic Plan 2022-2025, the first objective of UNDP is increasing energy access for those furthest behind. By speeding up investment in distributed renewable energy solutions, especially for those hardest to reach and in crisis contexts, it aims to increase access to clean and affordable energy for 500 million people. Sub-Saharan Africa is home to approximately 600 million people without access to clean, affordable energy, making the region a key focus of UNDP’s new Strategic Plan energy objective and scaled up energy offer, which seeks to provide access to clean and affordable energy to 500 million people by speeding up investment in distributed renewable energy solutions, especially for those hardest to reach strategic partnerships and targeted stakeholder engagement. RBA’s Africa Promise pledged to provide at least 100 million people with access to Energy by the end of the current Strategic Plan.

Under the UNDP’s Renewed Strategic Offer in Africa, or “Africa Promise”, The Zimbabwe Country office and the Ministry of Energy and Power Development are implementing the Africa Energy Offer to accelerate access to sustainable, affordable, and clean energy that will catalyse SDGs achievement in Zimbabwe. This intervention will catalyse strategic investment in the energy sector in Zimbabwe to improve access to electricity which currently stands at 41%, leaving an estimated 9,3 million persons without access to clean and affordable energy. This offer will be implemented under the UNDP Zimbabwe Poverty Reduction, Environment and Climate Change unit in partnership with the Ministry of Energy and Power Development Department of Energy Conservation and Renewable Energy, The Rural Electrification Fund and the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority.

Duties and Responsibilities

RATIONALE

The objective of the Project is to de-risk and accelerate investment in energy access with a focus on productive use of electricity, targeting in its first year, electrification of Off-grid households and businesses with renewable energy sources to enable sustainable livelihood and economic growth of Youth and Women. This will be done in a stepwise approach of interrelated activities. Feasibility studies will be conducted to initiate the development of 5 pipeline projects which are investor ready. The project will ensure full business development for the beneficiary communities.

SCOPE OF WORKS

The Government of Zimbabwe and UNDP Country office through the UNDP Energy offer programme require the services of an Individual Consultant to undertake business development services at project sites. This entails:

Business Development Services

Identify and promote renewable energy productive uses value chains in communities in selected 3 project sites,
Develop business training manuals and conduct trainings for beneficiaries in 3 project sites on productive uses of energy,
Support the legal establishment/registration, formalization and or organization of community groups/enterprises,
Training on business development and capacity strengthening for the Rural Electrification Agency, ZERA and Ministry of Energy.

EXPECTED DELIVERABLES

The key deliverables under this consultancy are:

Inception report detailing the assignment methodology and work schedule,
Business development for Renewable Energy Productive Uses Training Manuals,
Business development Services report, detailing renewable energy productive uses value chains and community enterprises at project sites, and capacity building to national stakeholders,

Competencies

Corporate Competencies:

Demonstrates integrity by modelling the UN’s values and ethical standards,
Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability,
Treats all people fairly without favoritism.

Functional Competencies:

Judgement/Decision-making
Strong technical skills and analytical capacities, sound judgment;
Strong technical problem-solving skills;
Ability to understand and establish priorities and work by objectives.

Teamwork

Ability to work in a team and establish effective working relationships with people from different nationalities and cultural backgrounds;

Ability to work under stress and work overtime when required.

Excellent knowledge of the UN system and UN joint country programming processes (CCA/UNDAF),
Good knowledge and experience with the national development frameworks, especially Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) PRSP, SWAP, key legislation, etc.
Specialised technical knowledge, including in conducting external programme evaluations, data collection and analytical skills, mainstreaming the HRBA to programming and gender equality and women’s empowerment considerations, and transition contexts.
Excellent communication, interpersonal skills, teamwork and adept at working with people of diverse cultural and social backgrounds,
An understanding of and ability to abide by the core values of the United Nations.

Required Skills and Experience

The Individual Consultant required for this assignment should have expertise in community development, social sciences and economics with relevant experience in opportunity assessment and developing rural communities for productive uses of energy, particularly renewable energy . The Consultant is also requested to submit samples of previous works carried out within a similar scope (further to the short bio description).

Education

Possess a minimum of bachelor’s degree in field of Social Science, Development studies, business, economics, renewable energy or other relevant qualifications,

Experience

Minimum 5 years of professional experience with socio- economic assessment in rural communities
Experience in identification and promotion of energy productive uses at the community level
Experience in Design of data collection tools
Experience in manipulation of energy data including data collection, analysis and reporting

Language

Excellent oral and written skills;

Duration of Assignment

This assignment will be conducted over 44 Working days.
IC Expected to Travel to all the 8 Provinces in Zimbabwe.

Impact of Results

The purpose of the consultant is to provide specialised consultants services under the UNDP Energy Offer project in liaison with the Ministry of Energy, Rural Electrification Fund, ZERA and UNDP Zimbabwe Country Office and Regional/HQ teams and other partners.