Energy in Displacement Settings           

The Global Platform for Action on Sustainable Energy Displacement Settings (GPA) was established to enable increased access to sustainable energy solutions in displacement settings. The GPA initiative is contributing to strengthening long-term protection of refugees, internally displaced people, and local host communities through increased access to renewable and sustainable energy sources. It recognises that the use of renewable energy technologies in humanitarian response settings is not so much a question of access to technology, but of an integrated policy approach bringing together all relevant stakeholders, such as governments and local communities of host countries, international humanitarian organizations, displaced communities as well as private sector providers of resources, knowledge and technology.  In 2022 the GPA published the seminal State of the Humanitarian Energy Sector Report (SOHES 2022) to guide actors in learning about humanitarian energy.

The GPA Transforming Humanitarian Energy Access (THEA) programme provides inclusionary analysis and evidence to support the energy needs of all displaced people. Specifically, THEA delivers high-quality research and knowledge to support policy and decision-making on humanitarian energy investments, as well as to enable systemic change within the UN system and humanitarian partners. The programme will deliver transformative action in humanitarian settings, working with the Transforming Energy Access (TEA) platform to mainstream energy access in humanitarian settings, providing expert advice on the needs of refugees, internally displaced people (IDPs), and all displaced people for UK innovators and international energy access projects. Specific investments in renewable energy and transformative UN action will enable alternative and inclusive financing aimed at working directly with refugees and displaced communities. The programme is funded by the TEA platform funded by UK FCDO and managed by the Carbon Trust, within the Leave No One Behind portfolio of the TEA platform and the Inclusive Energy Ayrton Challenge. THEA is managed by the UNITAR Global Platform for Action on Sustainable Energy in Displacement Settings (GPA) Coordination Unit, in collaboration with partners such as the Global Refugee-Led Network (GRN), Ashden, and Chatham House.

The individual contractor will support critical activities of the GPA team, acting as the programme manager for the GPA THEA Programme.

• Management role: Lead the administrative management and reporting processes for the THEA programme​.
• Manage administration of project activities and provide financial reporting​, working collaboratively with the THEA Inclusivity Lead. 
• Facilitate the mainstreaming of humanitarian issues within energy access programming and demonstrate practical progress on transformative humanitarian energy policies.

• Programme management: Manage the THEA programme and deliver high-quality programme management.​
• Design management processes to deliver the core activities of the programme and oversee the management of all pillars of THEA.​
• Develop programme design and THEA activities: develop programme options and deliverables, and activities, create budget structures, personnel and process structures using UNITAR existing structure and working within UN agencies and GPA partners.
• Lead the administration of the programme, including internal administration within UNITAR, administrative organisation with partners and donors. 
• Deliver reporting and financial management of the programme, including budget processes and keeping financial records for the programme.
• Support the THEA Inclusivity Lead on the content development of the programme, including supporting inclusive energy programming design to reach the most vulnerable in displacement settings and engaging with partners across the GPA networks.
• Deliver high-quality stakeholder engagement and partnership management, managing partner contracts, THEA partner meetings, and support joint programme activities with key humanitarian energy collaborations.
• Ensuring timely monitoring, evaluation, and learning throughout the programme: providing reporting and monitoring through Carbon Trust and FCDO reporting systems. 

Project Management, Administration, and Reporting

• Project management: managing the THEA programme, setting deliverables and timelines, and process management. Undertake programme management of activities and THEA project administration, including developing Gannt chart and programme management tools. Leading process, team management, and liaising with project partners. Coordinate THEA activities and lead THEA deliverables tracking.
• Lead timely administration across all pillars of THEA outputs and deliverables, ensure deliverables are produced timely and effectively within the deadlines for the Carbon Trust and donors. Deliver effective administration within UNITAR administrative systems.
• Support the wider programme management needs of the GPA team, and development of contracting processes for GPA projects and contracts.
• Develop reporting to the programme managing agent (including contract development) and the donor directly (on content and process). 
• Deliver reporting results, complete Carbon Trust reporting template ​and internal UNITAR reporting processes. Report results and outputs of analysis to inform donor needs and project assessments.
• Develop data management processes and complete the THEA KPIs and Carbon Trust reporting files.​
• Administration and meeting organisation: scheduling and event organisation. 
• Contribute to team working and developing alternative inclusion processes within UN structures, breaking down structural and colonial barriers within humanitarian practice.
• Attend GPA management meetings and developing GPA project management structures, supporting wider team work where appropriate. For example, connections with the GPA READS programme.

Partner Management

• Manage partner contracts and associated budgets: People, resources, relationships, and contract management responsibilities. 
• Collaboration and partnership building: working with INLCUDE partners and GPA members to build positive and inclusive delivery structures.
• Organise partner meetings and build external relationships on programme management for the THEA programme.
• Ensure timely reporting processes followed with partners and support partner staffing management processes.

Financial management

• Ensure financial and budget management: timely financial management and financial requests, invoicing and contract management, managing partner financial arrangements, reporting and budget control.  
• Lead and coordinate finance and reporting meetings with partners and other administrative events.​
• Develop financial information and keep financial records for the programme, including budget coordination, expenses, travel processes, internal UNITAR administration. ​
• Provide advice on financial and administrative procedures for pillar 2 on inclusivity investments, with Ashden​.

Conceptual development of programme activities

• Write and deliver project reports, donor documents, and analysis summaries.
• Support the development of programme design outputs, eg: write the programme reports for the contract managing agent and donor.
• Support the content development the programme with the Inclusivity Lead and Inclusivity Analyst, and attend THEA meetings and support content development with partners​.
• Support knowledge development under pillar 4 workstream on decarbonisation workstream.​
• Directly input to pillar 5 mainstreaming workstream, with MPTF partners and Inclusivity Lead, with TEA partners and external humanitarian energy sector organisations.
• Support the GPA Inclusivity Lead and Inclusivity Analyst on content deliverables, such as Inclusivity Strategy.
• Contribute to team working and developing alternative inclusion processes within UN structures, breaking down structural and colonial barriers within humanitarian practice.

• Produce reporting summaries and written outputs pertaining to the core programme.
• Lead THEA coordination and timely delivery of reporting.
• Chair online meetings and organise regular check-ins with the THEA team and partners.
• Liaise and correspond with partners: direct reporting responsibilities to FCDO for THEA.
• Further build relationships and prioritise knowledge sharing with TEA partners.
• Present programme findings at TEA annual partners in-person and online meetings.
• Support the work of the THEA Inclusivity Lead and Inclusivity Analyst, and the wider GPA team.

• Quality submission of deliverables.
• Activities implemented with a high degree of effectiveness and efficiency, demonstrating a high degree of professionalism of the individual contractor, and contributing to an increase in the professional image of the Institute.

The contractor will report to the Specialist of the UNITAR’s Division for Peace, PTPU.

Required Qualifications

• Have completed an undergraduate degree. Trainings on project management would be an asset. 
• Minimum 5 years’ experience working on humanitarian issues, energy access, or a related development field.
• Professional experience working in the development, humanitarian, or energy sectors. Direct experience working in humanitarian energy and with sector partners would be an advantage.
• Have demonstrated experience with programme management and financial reporting structures within humanitarian and NGO organisations. 
• Advanced knowledge of log-frames and indicator reporting systems, including FCDO reporting structures.
• Be an outstanding team player and able to support across complicated administrative processes. 
• Key skill: Attention to detail and accurate reporting.

Languages: Proficiency in both oral and written English are required. Knowledge of French or another United Nations official language is an asset.