Energy Sandbox Mechanism Specialist

Background

The Republic of Moldova has taken important legislative and institutional steps toward fostering innovation and accelerating the energy transition. In November 2024, the Parliament adopted Law No. 225/2024 on regulation of the innovative test spaces in the field of energy, establishing a legal framework for the testing of innovative technologies, business models, and regulatory approaches under controlled conditions. This pioneering law positions Moldova among the first countries in Central and Eastern Europe to implement a formal regulatory sandbox mechanism in the energy sector.

The law aims to remove structural and procedural barriers to innovation, enabling qualified stakeholders, such as energy service providers, technology developers, distribution system operators, and energy communities to pilot cutting-edge solutions in a real world environment. Projects admitted into the sandbox benefit from a temporary regulatory exemption, under strict monitoring and with the purpose of informing longer-term regulatory reforms.

To implement this vision, the Commission for Regulatory Sandboxes in the Energy Sector was established as an inter-institutional coordination and oversight mechanism under the Ministry of Energy. The Commission is responsible for reviewing and approving sandbox applications, supervising pilot activities, evaluating risks, and issuing policy recommendations based on the outcomes of the experimental projects. The Commission plays a critical role in ensuring that sandbox trials align with national energy priorities, while safeguarding consumer interests and ensuring system reliability.

In support of its mandate, a dedicated Secretariat has been created within the Ministry of Energy to manage the operational, administrative, and technical functions of the Commission. The Secretariat serves as the primary interface with applicants and stakeholders, manages the application and evaluation processes, coordinates monitoring and reporting, and ensures institutional continuity.

Duties and Responsibilities

Support the Sandbox Secretariat’s Operational Functions

• Provide expert input into the organizational and procedural design of the Secretariat, including workflow structuring, internal coordination, documentation systems, and communication mechanisms.
• Design practical tools and templates for application intake, evaluation, pilot tracking, and reporting.
• Establish operational protocols for pilot project lifecycle management—from application to completion and transition into the standard regulatory environment.

Build Capacity of Sandbox Stakeholders

• Develop and deliver targeted training programs and guidance materials for various stakeholder groups, including potential applicants, public institutions, and Commission members.
• Provide hands-on support in building stakeholders’ understanding of the sandbox framework, eligibility criteria, and project implementation requirements.
• Ensure that applicants and project teams are well-prepared to navigate regulatory, technical, and operational aspects of sandbox participation.

Analyze the Sandbox Project Proposals

• Support the design and implementation of clear evaluation criteria, decision-making processes, and documentation templates.
• Assist in reviewing and assessing sandbox applications to ensure they meet eligibility criteria, comply with legal requirements, and align with the sandbox’s strategic priorities, including renewable energy integration, smart grids, and electro-mobility.
• Verify the legal status of applicants, the innovative value of proposed solutions, and their potential for scalability and long-term impact.

Monitor and Evaluation 

• Establish and implement a monitoring and evaluation (M&E) framework for ongoing sandbox pilots, ensuring that all approved projects are tracked against agreed milestones and comply with sandbox rules.
• Oversee the collection and review of progress reports from implementers and address operational challenges as they arise.

Institutional Arrangement

The Energy Sandbox Mechanism Support Specialist will work under the supervision of the Just Energy Transition Programme Manager and the Climate Change, Environment and Energy Cluster Lead and will ensure the provision of development services and products commensurate with the scope of the Programme and assigned area of responsibility of the highest quality and standards to national and local counterparts and clients through applying HRBA and GE approaches.

The Energy Sandbox Mechanism Support Specialist will work in close cooperation with the Just Energy Transition Portfolio team for effective achievement of results, anticipating and contributing to resolving complex project/project-related issues and information delivery. The incumbent is expected to exercise full compliance with UNDP programming, financial, procurement and administrative rules, regulations, policies and strategies, as well as implementation of the effective internal control systems.

Competencies

Core

Achieve Results: LEVEL 3 - Set and align challenging, achievable objectives for multiple projects, have lasting impact  

Think Innovatively: LEVEL 3 - Proactively mitigate potential risks, develop new ideas to solve complex problems  

Learn Continuously: LEVEL 3 - Create and act on opportunities to expand horizons, diversify experiences 

Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 3 - Proactively initiate and champion change, manage multiple competing demands  

Act with Determination: LEVEL 3 - Think beyond immediate task/barriers and take action to achieve greater results 

Engage and Partner: LEVEL 3 - Political savvy, navigate complex landscape, champion inter-agency collaboration 

Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 3 - Appreciate benefits of diverse workforce and champion inclusivity 

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies

Business Direction and Strategy - Strategic Thinking 

• Ability to develop effective strategies and prioritized plans in line with UNDP’s objectives, based on the systemic analysis of challenges, potential risks and opportunities; linking the vision to reality on the ground, and creating tangible solutions.
• Ability to leverage learning from a variety of sources to anticipate and respond to future trends; to demonstrate foresight in order to model what future developments and possible ways forward look like for UN.

Business Development - Knowledge Generation  

• Ability to research and turn information into useful knowledge, relevant for content, or responsive to a stated need.

Business Management - Partnership Management 

• Ability to build and maintain partnerships with side networks of stakeholders, Governments, civil society and private sector partners, experts and others in line with UNDP strategy and policies.

Business Management - Project Management

• Ability to plan, organize, prioritize and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals.

Digital - Innovation capacity building

• Ability to define and create the conditions for trying out new ways of working or introducing new problem solving approaches to an organisation. 
• Ability to develop, manage and evaluate a learning curriculum that raises awareness, builds confidence, strengthens innovation capabilities around a certain method, tool or technique; or helps develop an innovation mindset. 
• Ability to create the authorising environment (mandate, incentives) to embed and spread new ways of working. In-depth knowledge of one or more innovation methods, broad knowledge of innovation processes and innovation management. 
• Ability to align a learning and development strategy with broader innovation strategy.

Data - Data analysis

• Ability to extract, analyse and visualize data to form meaningful insights and aid effective business decision making.

Communications - Advocacy strategy and implementation 

• Ability to create and implement advocacy strategies which lead to impactful change.

Required Skills and Experience

Education

• Advanced university degree (Master’s Degree or equivalent) in Energy, Economy, Engineering or other closely related fields is required; OR
• A first-level university degree (Bachelor’s Degree) in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of Master`s degree

Experience

• Minimum 5 years (with Master’s Degree) or 7 years (with a Bachelor’s degree) of progressively responsible experience in regulatory frameworks, or innovation governance, preferably in the energy sector.

Required Skills

• At least 5 years of experience working with or supporting government institutions, regulators, or development partners in energy transition, innovation policy, or regulatory reform.
• Proven experience in designing and/or managing institutional workflows, inter-agency coordination processes, or multi-stakeholder platforms. 
• Proficiency in productivity and collaboration tools (e.g., MS Office, SharePoint, Trello, etc.).

Desired Skills

• Experience with regulatory sandbox mechanisms or experimental policy frameworks, preferably in the energy sector.
• Strong analytical and report-writing skills demonstrated by previous assignments.
• Previous experience in development assistance or related work for NGOs, academia, a donor organization, development partners, UN Agencies is an asset
• Demonstrated ability to design templates, guides, training materials, or operational manuals. 
• Experience in engaging a wide range of stakeholders across public, private, and academic sectors 

Required Language(s)

• Fluency in English is required. 
• Knowledge of Romanian and/or Russian will be an asset

Professional Certificates

• Additional training and certification in project management and/or business administration would be an advantage.

Equal opportunity

As an equal opportunity employer, UNDP values diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate and, as such, we encourage qualified applicants from all backgrounds to apply for roles in the organization. Our employment decisions are based on merit and suitability for the role, without discrimination. 

UNDP is also committed to creating an inclusive workplace where all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, are valued, can thrive, and benefit from career opportunities that are open to all.

Sexual harassment, exploitation, and abuse of authority

UNDP does not tolerate harassment, sexual harassment, exploitation, discrimination and abuse of authority. All selected candidates, therefore, undergo relevant checks and are expected to adhere to the respective standards and principles. 

Right to select multiple candidates

UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement.  We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.

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