Principal Industry Specialist at World Bank Group

Duties and Responsibilities:

The roles and responsibilities of the position will include but not be limited to:

• Support the development of new hydropower projects in Africa, and worldwide, and lead their technical appraisal to identify strengths and weaknesses to support IFC’s decision-making process.Such appraisals include site visits, supervision of consultants, review of major contracts (PPA, EPC, FSA, O&M and concession) and presentation of key operational and capital assumptions for incorporation in financial models undertaken by investment staff.
• Work with country and sector teams to generate ideas about new Hydropower investment opportunities, new products and platform businesses by leveraging sector-specific data analysis, stress-testing various operating models, dialogue with stakeholders, and information sharing across the WBG.
• Work with the World Bank to identify and implement sector and regulatory reforms that are needed to unlock hydropower opportunities for private investment, including leveraging the Bank’s lending program.
• Support portfolio management: review technical aspects of IFC's portfolio of hydropower investments, including field inspection as necessary, assist in resolving operational weaknesses and provide advice for project enhancements to both internal and external clients.
• Contribute to sector work (e.g., identify market trends, develop and implement sector strategies and new initiatives to respond to business needs and grow the pipeline of projects). 
• Maintain and build hydropower sector knowledge and support best practice knowledge-sharing.
• Connect global and regional teams, ensure solutions and knowledge flow across IFC and the wider WBG, and promote adoption of new approaches and best practices.
• Liaise with client's technical staff, project engineers and lenders' engineers.
• Hire and supervise specialized engineering consultants as necessary.

Selection Criteria

• Advanced degree in a relevant engineering discipline (e.g., hydraulics, hydrology, civil engineering, etc.).
• At least 15 years in the hydropower industry in positions of increasing responsibility in the private sector and emerging economies.
• Successful track-record in the technical aspects of development, financing, construction, operation, maintenance and rehabilitation of hydropower projects, ideally with extensive experience of integrating technical, environmental and social aspects of projects to achieve a sustainability and bankability. 
• Up-to-date knowledge and expertise on the economics of hydropower generation, including of its capital costs and operating parameters, supply and demand and other market dynamics, and its integration with other sources of renewable energy generation, especially wind, solar, storage and biomass.Knowledge of deregulated market operation and tariff calculation is a plus.
• Significant work experience in the private sector and emerging economies.Operational experience and experience as lenders' engineer is a plus. 
• Strong interpersonal skills, ability to interact effectively with clients and colleagues from various cultural backgrounds.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English and French.Portuguese is a plus.