Project Coordinator at the West African Power Pool (WAPP)

Location: Cotonou, Benin Republic
Department: Department of Planning, Investment Programming and Environmental Safeguards (PIPES)
Position Type: International recruitment
Contract Type: Permanent Contract
Reports to: Head of Division, Planning, Projects Studies and Financing

Job Summary

• The Project Coordinator shall be mainly responsible for preparing pre-investment studies for priority projects identified in the WAPP Master Plan for the purpose of implementing them within the required time frame.
• The Project Coordinator reports to The Head of Division, Planning, Projects Studies and Financing.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities
The Project Coordinator’s key tasks shall be:

• Participating in identifying WAPP power facility projects and prioritizing their implementation;
• Preparing funding requests with Donors for conducting pre-investment studies of proposed power projects;
• Preparing the Terms of Reference (ToR) for the recruitment of Consultants for the purpose of conducting pre-investment studies and ensuring their coordination;
• Participating in the selection process for the Consultants in charge of carrying out the pre-investment studies;
• Coordinating data and information collection pertaining to the pre-investment studies in the concerned countries and/or utilities;
• Reviewing the reports submitted by the Consultants and preparing the relevant comments;
• Coordinating the release of reports on various pre-investment studies and the collection of comments with the stakeholders;
• Update the indicative development plans for WAPP priority projects;
• Ensuring the monitoring and timely delivery of pre-investment study reports;
• Organizing feedback meetings and coordinating the participation of all the stakeholders to the projects;
• Updating information relating to the studies’ progress report in the WAPP database, as well as the funding requirements and sources of funding;
• Drafting quarterly activity reports and other specific activity reports on activities and status of projects under study;
• Organizing and actively taking part in monitoring and consultation meetings for projects at the preparation stage;
• Coordinating the establishment and activities of focal points within concerned utilities and/or countries;
• Preparing and providing presentations on the progress report of WAPP Priority Projects;
• Performing such other duties that may be assigned by the Head of Division, Planning, Projects Studies and Financing.

Requirements
Education:

• B.Sc in Electrical Engineering and Master of Science Degree in Electrical Engineering are required. Master in Project Management would be an asset.

Professional Years’ Experience:

• Minimum seven (7) years’ experience in the field of power system planning and a good knowledge of international donors’ procurement procedures.

Language:

• Fluent in English or French with a working knowledge of the other language.

Age:

• Candidates should not be over 50 years old at the point of recruitment.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Required
The applicant shall have:

• A good experience in the drafting and the definition of investment programs for sub-regional and regional projects in West Africa;
• Proven competence in the management and/or coordination of power infrastructure projects, preferably on a regional scale;
• Broad knowledge in funding request and projects folders preparation including Terms of Reference for pre-investments studies;
• Advanced skills in utilizing financial models and financial costs estimates for power infrastructure projects;
• Capacity to work within a short time frame, in a challenging environment;
• Ability to perform tasks effectively as a team member in a multicultural environment, with a minimum of supervision;
• Excellent negotiation and conciliation qualities;
• Sound knowledge of IT tools and Microsoft Office applications, in particular Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Project, E-mail (electronic mail) and Internet;
• Good written and oral communication skills with capacities to convey information in an accurate and concise way;
• Strong organizational skills with capacities to plan efficiently workload and perform various tasks simultaneously.

Remuneration/Condition

• The position is on Grade P4 of the WAPP Secretariat Pay Scale. The starting point will depend on the qualifications and experience of the incumbent.
• The WAPP Secretariat offers a competitive compensation packages comparable to those offered by similar regional/international organizations.

Particular Conditions of Work:

• Possible extended working hours and under pressure