Ethiopia Country Coordinator

Power Africa Empowering East and Central Africa (EECA) Activity

Research Triangle Institute (RTI) has over 60 years experience assisting governments, communities, and the private sector. As a not-for-profit, independent research institute based in North Carolina, USA, RTI has roughly 6,000 employees with global experience implementing international development projects. RTI's Sustainable Growth & Resilience (SG&R) technical unit within the International Development Group brings together RTI experts and capabilities across food security, agriculture, energy, environment, water, governance, and economic opportunity. SG&R will leverage RTI's experience designing and delivering multisectoral programming and technical solutions to respond to climate change, build resilience, and promote economic growth around the world.

Project Description

The USAID funded Empowering East and Central Africa (EECA) program will increase the availability of and access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and clean energy in East and Central Africa with a focus on ending energy poverty, accelerating a carbon free future, and bolstering energy sector investment and innovation. EECA will support the accelerated connection of more East and Central African homes, businesses, and institutions to reliable electricity and increase its productive use; reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the energy sector by supporting cleaner electricity generation and just energy transitions; and increase energy sector investment, working in partnership with East and Central African governments to improve the enabling environment for the energy sector.

Position Description

The Ethiopia Country Coordinator will be based in Ethiopia and will work with government institutions, energy sector entities, private sector, development partners, and relevant civil society groups and NGOs. This position will oversee and manage all activities for the program in assigned countries. The Ethiopia Country Coordinator is expected to provide energy sector technical support and serve as coordinator and champion for project activities being led by other divisions of our project team for both on and off-grid energy activities. They will supervise Ethiopia Off-Grid Specialist and report to the East Africa Regional Lead.

Specific Responsibilities:

• Support energy sector entities and decision-makers to advance their energy strategic and economic growth goals in both on and off-grid power development.
• Support planning of clean generation and transmission expansion, particularly those infrastructure projects essential to regional integration
• Track and monitor power transaction developments towards financial close and commissioning and building relationships with power development entities throughout Ethiopia.
• Provide technical assistance to utilities as they improve performance, build staff capacity to evaluate bids, review project designs, build shadow financial models, and review PPAs.
• Provide support as they densify their grid connections and facilitate faster, cheaper utility connections
• Strengthen the capacity of the Energy Regulator to develop and establish fair and robust regulatory processes
• Report weekly to EECA leadership and routine reporting to USAID and ad hoc reports on progress

Required minimum qualifications and experience.

• Bachelors degree and 12 years of experience, masters degree and 10 years of experience, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Minimum of 5 years of relevant experience in the power sector with a focus on public policy, sector regulation, utility turnaround and improvement, and IPPs.
• Demonstrated strong connections with the Ethiopian government's energy sector institutions.
• Good writing and communication skills in English.