Operational Context
The secondment of technical experts from SDC/HA to UNHCR over the past five years has resulted in tremendous added value to address the operational gaps between the emergency response and more sustainable longer-term solutions which are technically sound and can reduce the cost of operations and maintenance. Rigorous technical support is necessary to be able to effectively address not only technical issues but also ensure that the outcomes are optimal from a financial and environmental perspective.
The mix of technical operational support (remote and ad hoc field visits) combined with capacity building initiatives that have been spearheaded by secondees from SDC (e.g. Applied Hydrogeological training and Solar water pumping training) has been recognized as a key added value to the quality of the services indirectly and directly provided to UNHCR POCs.
Overall Goal
Humanitarian crises are becoming increasingly complex. UNHCR field operations encounter major operational and technical limitations to meet the needs of the most vulnerable. This mission is part of the newly established Geneva Technical Hub (GTH) that aims at supporting UNHCR field operations in continued quality technical programming and thus contributing to improved response and service delivery to the life of Persons of Concern (POCs). The GTH aims at strengthening comprehensive responses, solve specific technical questions, test and roll out innovative and scalable solutions, also in collaboration with Swiss academia, in Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR), Water, Sanitation & Hygiene (WASH), Shelter & Settlement, Energy & Environment and Protection. The project contributes to Switzerland's initiative Tech4Good. The collaboration between UNHCR and SDC through the GTH will strengthen:
Operational level: The hub designs, tests and rolls out innovative solutions to complex issues arising in specific contexts. Combined with existing resources, UNHCR country operations' capacities will be enhanced to deliver integrated multi-sectoral technical solutions for displaced communities, specific to the respective areas.
Technical level: Selective expert secondments specific to contexts and complexities allow direct involvement in and close follow up on operations and suitability of concepts. Hence, specialized technical advice and guidance foster multi-sectoral technical support with a focus on DRR, WASH, Shelter & Settlement, Energy & Environment and Protection. Consequently, displaced populations and host communities will benefit from integrated practical and adequately resourced interventions adapted to the local context.
Institutional level: Integrated approaches to comprehensive capacity building for UNHCR, partners' and other stakeholders' technical staff will promote learning, skills transfer and knowledge building on innovative approaches in all relevant technical areas.
Specific Aim of the Mission
The implementation of the UNHCR Global Strategy for Sustainable energy defines the main aim of the mission. This will include providing continuous technical support on all issues related to clean cooking energy access & environmental impact on UNHCR operations and develop/disseminate best practice guidance on these topics.
Mission Objectives
Technical backstopping on clean cooking fuels and technologies and environmental impact assessments
Collaborate with all technical specialists in the GTH in the areas of shelter, settlements, and WASH to ensure an integrated approach
Further contribute to the GTH by finding cross-cutting elements related to integrated sustainable service delivery through links with Swiss universities/institutions
Guidance and development of tailor-made remote training material (technical videos, e-learning courses) on clean cooking & environmental impact
Responsibilities
Technical Assistance and Field Support
Carry out technical field missions to selected country operations identified by UNHCR and facing specific technical challenges in the field of clean cooking energy access and environmental protection requested by country operations and regional bureaus.
Provide technical advice (in the field or remotely) for refugee households and infrastructure on clean cooking access and environmental protection (e.g. reforestation) in conjunction with partners and local governments.
Analysis of potential cooking fuels, including value chains and technology produce appropriate and sustainable cooking fuels locally and at the required scale preserving the natural resources
Identify the potential of community models for the sustainable production and harvesting of local cooking fuels, barriers and opportunities for displacement settings; develop the models applicable for the context
Develop business scenarios to produce and/or supply cooking fuel in the selected settings, and identify market barriers and opportunities for displacement settings
Conduct surveys, interviews and assessments on cooking fuel and cooking technology access across selected priority refugee camps and settlements using state of the art UNHCR data collection and indicator standards.
In close consultation and collaboration with UNHCR, support countries and regional bureaus to compile programmes including relevant policy, legal frameworks, economic, environmental and social factors that impact the viability of cooking energy access and environmental protection
Identify and suggest opportunities for Persons of Concern (PoC) in terms of training, labor market insertion, and income generation (entrepreneurship) associated to the solutions proposed, included but not limited to cooking stoves, supply chain of fuel for cooking, operation and maintenance of cooking technologies, green jobs related to clean cooking access and fuel (technologies included, but not limited to LPG, ethanol, biogas, renewable biomass, electric)
Undertake technical analyses, feasibility studies of the preselected site for the implementation of clean cooking access projects and environmental protection activities, indicate if the sites/infrastructures are adequate and provide recommendations.
Support approved projects implementation, including tendering processes of technical items, and tendering of services in the cooking energy sector in close collaboration with relevant UNHCR colleagues
Coordination and Strategic Partnerships
Support UNHCR efforts to scale-up of validated cooking energy access solutions within refugee contexts, and when needed advocate with governments and include the host communities.
Monitoring and Knowledge Management
Review of existing literature and studies and review of experiences and lessons learned from cooking fuel projects worldwide supplied to displacement settings, studies, and data to support the missions and the diagnosis, avoiding duplicated work, and point out at gaps and possible improvements on the documents.
Continued support in developing and rolling out (field testing) energy guidelines/SOPs
Evaluate the feasibility of clean cooking fuel and technology solutions for a given refugee camp or centre, with a focus on readily available or easily collectable data/information and including
a financial and/or economic analysis (lifecycle cost, cost-benefit analysis).
Contribute to the project's implementation monitoring frameworks
Research
Plan, oversee, coordinate and remotely support studies carried out in UNHCR operations by consultants and energy and environment specialists
Collate evidence on best practice for energy solutions which are appropriate: low cost, durable, provide livelihood opportunities, capture/produce value products, scalable and fundable
Propose and adapt cooking energy innovative solutions including novel R&D activities conducted by the academia partners.
Training and Capacity Building
Develop of training materials for remote capacity building, such as videos and e-learning materials
Organise webinars, meetings, trainings on topics related to cooking energy in humanitarian contexts
Document and disseminate best practice learning developed by field mission and support information sharing
Profile
Experience
Advanced knowledge and experience in energy engineering, chemical engineering, environmental engineering or related fields, with proven and referenced experience in field applications within the humanitarian context, with 5 years of experience.
Demonstrated experience of minimum 5 years in organising and conducting training activities and lecturing in the field of energy and environment
Expertise in planning, implementation, monitoring and reporting on the specific challenges as related to access to clean cooking energy and environmental assessments in the humanitarian contexts.
Proven ability to deal with multiple tasks in a courteous and service-oriented manner in a demanding working condition that often has short deadlines.
Exposure to UNHCR mandate, its priorities and principles.
Essential requirements
Advanced University Degree in Project Management, Energy Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Mechanical Engineering or relevant related field.
Excellent knowledge of English (written / oral / comprehension), French desirable
Personal Characteristics
Ability related to analytical and creative thinking for rapid solutions.
Good communicator with strong interpersonal and negotiations skills to deal with persons of
various cultural and educational backgrounds.
Strive to live up to high ethical and professional standards.
A team player with service-oriented attitudes.
Mission location
Home based with potential travel to the field TBD
Assignment:
The assignment takes place within the framework of the Swiss Humanitarian Aid Unit (SHA). The seconded expert receives a SHA-contract from the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs for the duration of the deployment.
This position is exclusively open to Swiss citizens (or Lichtenstein) or holder of a valid working permit (C permit) in Switzerland. Candidates who do not fulfil this condition will not receive response.
Please send your application until 26.04.2021 to:
Lotti Roth
Lotti.roth@eda.admin.ch
Federal Department of Foreign Affairs FDFA
Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation SDC Humanitarian Aid
Field Resources H
Effingerstrasse 27
3003 Berne