Terms of Reference (ToR) for Communication Specialist (with Finance Experience) for Africa Minigrids Program (AMP) in Somalia
Job Description
Terms of Reference (ToR) for Communication Specialist (with Finance Experience) for Africa Minigrids Program (AMP) in Somalia
1. Background
The Ministry of Energy and Water Resources (MoEWR) of Somalia is committed to increasing access to reliable and sustainable energy, particularly in rural areas. As part of this effort, MoEWR is implementing mini-grid projects aimed at electrifying underserved communities. The Africa Minigrids Program (AMP), supported by UNDP and funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), plays a central role in these initiatives by improving the financial viability of mini-grid projects and promoting commercial investment in renewable energy.
AMP’s objective is to reduce costs related to mini-grid implementation, promote innovative business models, and increase commercial capital flows into the sector. The project’s success depends on effective stakeholder engagement, clear communication, and alignment with the broader energy sector goals in Somalia.
To support the implementation of Component 3 of the AMP, which focuses on innovative finance mechanisms and stakeholder engagement, the Ministry of Energy and Water Resources seeks to hire a Communication Specialist with expertise in finance. This consultant will lead the stakeholder engagement process, develop promotional materials, and provide critical input into the financial landscape of the mini-grid sector in Somalia.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
The Africa Minigrids Program (AMP),
The Africa Minigrids Program (AMP) is a country-led regional technical assistance program for minigrids, active in an initial 21 African countries. It is led by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) with funding primarily from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and implemented together with Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) and the African Development Bank (AfDB), linking up with a wide array of minigrid stakeholders in Africa and beyond.
AMP’s overall objective is to increase access to electricity by improving the financial viability and promoting scaled-up commercial investment in renewable energy minigrids. The program is focused on minigrids cost-reduction, across hardware costs, soft costs, and financing costs, and innovative business models for minigrids. With lower costs, minigrids will be more financially viable, commercial capital flows will increase, and end-users will benefit from lower tariffs and expanded service.
The AMP program has two main elements: a cohort of national projects and a regional project.
1. An initial 21 national projects[1], each with a common architecture consisting of five components: (i) policy and regulations, (ii) business model innovation with private sector, (iii) innovative finance for minigrids scale-up, and (iv) digital, knowledge management, and (v) M&E.
2. A regional project acting as the knowledge, advocacy and coordinating platform for AMP. This will be achieved through a suite of knowledge tools, technical and operational expertise and support, communities of practice, and promoting innovative digital approaches for minigrids cost reduction.
The AMP national project in Somalia;
As part of the UNDP-supported, GEF-financed Africa Mini-grids Program (AMP), the AMP in Somalia seeks to “support access to clean energy by increasing the financial viability, and promoting scaled up commercial investment, in low carbon mini-grids in Somalia, with a focus on cost reduction levers and innovative business models”. The baseline situation is characterized by a low electrification rate (35%), the lack of electricity grid infrastructure, and the predominance of and reliance on diesel mini-grid systems, owned and operated by private Electricity Service Providers (ESPs), charging remarkably high tariffs. The project strategy corresponds to the unique nature of the energy sector in Somalia, and the AMP’s concentration on clean energy, by focusing on digital transformation and institutionalization of ongoing initiatives to expand the adoption of solar PV technologies, and promote hybridization of existing diesel minigrid systems as a financially viable path to driving down tariffs and reducing GHG emissions in Somalia.
This is achieved through supporting the Government on the national and sub-national levels with: (1) operationalizing existing mini-grid policies and regulations through digital transformation, including performing techno-economic analyses, designing tools for tariff calculation, and supporting the institutional capacity building of the mini-grid public sector; (2) implementing pilot project(s) to showcase the benefits of hybridization and remote telemetry of performance monitoring and consumption tracking, as well as establishing and capacitating mini-grid industry associations to encourage and strengthen private operators and developers, and introducing academic programs to build private sector capacity to design, operate, maintain and manage solar and hybrid mini-grids; (3) assessing previous and ongoing financing schemes to develop operational guidance and offer training support to stakeholders in the domestic financial sector; and (4) running an effective M&E, QA and KM systems to oversee and guide project implementation
2. Objectives of the Consultancy
The purpose of this consultancy is to support the AMP project team in planning and conducting stakeholder consultations, engagement meetings, and activities, as well as develop promotional and awareness-raising materials related to the implementation of Component 3. The consultant will be responsible for analyzing the financial landscape of the mini-grid sector in Somalia and developing communication strategies that promote the project’s objectives.
3. Scope of Work
The Communication Specialist will be responsible for the following tasks:
1. Stakeholder Engagement:
o Plan and facilitate stakeholder consultation meetings, ensuring the involvement of relevant national and international stakeholders, including government bodies, private sector actors, and development partners.
o Conduct interviews and discussions with key stakeholders to understand their perspectives on rural electrification, financing mechanisms, and energy access.
o Develop and implement a communication strategy to engage stakeholders and maintain ongoing dialogue with key players in the mini-grid sector.
2. Promotional and Awareness-Raising Materials:
o Design and produce promotional materials (brochures, infographics, and reports) to raise awareness about AMP’s objectives and the benefits of mini-grids in Somalia.
o Develop content for newsletters, press releases, and social media campaigns to promote AMP activities and results.
o Ensure all communication materials align with the project’s branding and messaging standards and are tailored to relevant target audiences.
3. Market and Financial Analysis:
o Conduct a market analysis focusing on rural electrification plans, opportunities for resource mobilization, national capacity for managing funding programs, and remittance flows/policies/trends.
o Analyze the financial ecosystem, including the political dynamics influencing energy investments in Somalia.
o Identify fintech solutions for international payments and how these can support the financial sustainability of mini-grid operations.
o Produce a comprehensive report that offers insights into the financial aspects of the mini-grid sector, complementing the findings and recommendations from the Distributed Renewable Energy Investment (DREI) analysis.
4. Coordination and Facilitation:
o Serve as the primary point of contact between the AMP consulting team and national stakeholders, ensuring effective coordination and smooth communication between parties.
o Organize and lead meetings, workshops, and conferences with stakeholders to ensure the alignment of project activities with the goals of Component 3.
o Facilitate feedback from stakeholders and incorporate their input into project planning and implementation.
5. Support to International Consultants:
o Work closely with the international consultants involved in Component 3, supporting them with local insights, data collection, and coordination of field missions.
o Provide inputs and recommendations to the consulting team based on stakeholder feedback and market analysis findings.
4. Deliverables
The Communication Specialist will be expected to deliver for the following deliverables:
1. Stakeholder Engagement Plan: A comprehensive plan outlining the schedule of consultation meetings, key stakeholders to engage, and communication channels to be used.
2. Promotional Materials: A set of promotional materials (brochures, reports, infographics, etc.) that effectively communicate the project’s objectives and progress.
3. Market and Financial Analysis Report: A detailed report analyzing the rural electrification landscape, financing opportunities, remittance flows, and fintech solutions for mini-grid projects in Somalia.
4. Stakeholder Engagement Summary Report: A report summarizing the outcomes of stakeholder consultations, highlighting key insights, and recommendations from stakeholders.
5. Final Communication Strategy: A long-term communication strategy for AMP, focused on maintaining ongoing stakeholder engagement and promoting mini-grid financing opportunities in Somalia.
5. Duration of the Consultancy
The consultancy will be carried out over a period of four months, with the possibility of extension based on project needs and performance.
[1] Participating countries are organized in 3 cohorts: Cohort 1 – Angola, Burkina Faso, Comoros, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Eswatini, Madagascar, Malawi, Nigeria, Somalia, and Sudan; Cohort 2 – Benin, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Sao Tome and Principe, and Zambia; Cohort 3 – Burundi, DRC, and Liberia.
Skills and Qualifications
. Required Qualifications
The ideal candidate should possess the following qualifications:
Education: Advanced degree in communications, public relations, finance, energy policy, or related field.
Experience:
Minimum 5 years of professional experience in communications or stakeholder engagement, with a focus on finance, energy, or development sectors.
Proven experience in developing promotional materials and managing communication strategies.
Demonstrated knowledge of rural electrification, mini-grid projects, and renewable energy financing models.
Skills:
Excellent communication and writing skills in English (knowledge of Somali is a plus).
Strong analytical skills, particularly in finance and market analysis.
Ability to engage with diverse stakeholders, including government agencies, development partners, and private sector actors.
Experience working in fragile or conflict-affected contexts is preferred.
7. Reporting and Supervision
The Communication Specialist will report to the Director of Energy at Ministry of Energy and Water Resources of Somalia and will work closely with the UNDP AMP Project Manager, the international AMP team, and other key stakeholders. Regular updates and progress reports will be required throughout the consultancy.
How to apply
Interested candidates should submit a detailed proposal outlining their key expert’s qualifications, relevant experience, proposed methodology, and preferred payment option(s) to africanminigridproject@gmail.com cc: dg@moewr.gov.so energy@moewr.gov.so by submission deadline of 15th October 2024.
Confidentiality:
All information provided to the consultant during the course of the consultancy shall be treated as confidential and shall not be disclosed to any third party without prior written consent from MoEWR.
