Short-Term Consultancy: Energy Sector Expert for the Performance Evaluation of the USAID Urja Nepal Program

Short-Term Consultancy: Energy Sector Expert for the

Performance Evaluation of the USAID Urja Nepal Program

Who we are

At Itad, we work to make international development as effective as possible to improve more lives. We have done so since 1984. This means giving organizations the information and insight they need to make development work smarter and produce better results. It is complex, meticulous monitoring and assessment work involving many different stakeholders across many different scenarios – exactly the kind of challenge on which we thrive. We work with governments, non-profits, universities, foundations, and the private sector to support organizational learning and program adaptation across a wide variety of international development contexts. To learn more about Itad, please visit our website: www.itad.com

Location 

Kathmandu with some travel outside of Kathmandu to other provinces for data collection.  This position is only open to Nepali citizens.

Estimated Start Date and Level of Effort 

• Estimated to start end of August or early September 2024
• Level of effort is estimated to be around 35-40 days

Overview of Evaluation 

USAID Learning for Development Activity is a five-year contract with USAID/Nepal to provide monitoring, assessment, learning, knowledge management, and strategic communications services to the Mission. The USAID Learning for Development Activity is implemented by Bixal and Itad.

Under USAID Learning for Development, Itad is seeking an Energy Sector Expert for an anticipated performance evaluation of the USAID Urja Nepal program. The performance evaluation will encompass assessing the project outcomes and accomplishments, government engagement and efficiency of the project management structure. The USAID Urja Nepal project, a five-year initiative running from August 2020 to August 2025, aims to support the Government of Nepal in establishing effective regulatory and technical operational systems and policies to develop and strengthen the country's energy sector.

The anticipated performance evaluation of the USAID Urja Nepal Project aims to evaluate the project outcomes, effectiveness, and efficiency in achieving its goal of establishing a viable and stable energy sector in Nepal and support USAID with evidence to inform the design of future activities working in the energy sector. The performance evaluation will employ a qualitative approach including desk review and Key Informant Interviews.

Itad is seeking an Energy Sector Expert for the performance evaluation. The consultancy will run from late August or early September 2024 to June 2025. The expected Level of Effort is around 35-40 days (estimated).

Duties and responsibilities

The energy sector expert will be responsible for contributing a deep understanding of Nepal’s energy sector and ensuring this is reflected in the evaluation design and all deliverables, liaising with government on behalf of the evaluation team, contributing to written deliverables and analysis, conducting interviews, and other tasks as needed.  The energy sector expert should be senior level with a strong background in Nepal’s overall energy sector and local context.

Responsibilities include:

• Participate in the evaluation process, ensuring the effective collection, analysis, and reporting.
• Provide subject matter expertise related to the energy sector in Nepal, including relevant regulatory and policy aspects, technical operational systems, as well as private sector engagement
• Lead in identifying key stakeholders and liaising with government officials 
• Assist with developing the methodological approach, including an Inception/Design Report at the onset of the assessment ensuring the energy technical components are addressed
• Undertake desk review and participate in primary data collection 
• Design and oversee the implementation of data collection tools, ensuring their validity and reliability in capturing relevant information
• Liaise with the Learning for Development Activity team, government agencies, local partners the private sector, and other stakeholders to ensure their involvement
• Analyze and interpret evaluation data, identifying trends, patterns, and key findings
• Prepare comprehensive evaluation report and deliverables
• Assist with dissemination activities

Qualification Requirements 

• 7+ years’ experience in the field of evaluation in renewable energy sector of Nepal 
• An advanced degree in renewable energy or related field 
• Qualitative research/evaluation experience 
• In-depth knowledge of the energy sector in Nepal, including the regulatory and policy aspects
• A good network of energy-related stakeholders in Nepal including the government 
• Experience conducting analysis and preparing reports on similar topics
• Ability to speak and write in English 
• Must be a Nepalese Citizen 

If you are interested in this consultancy, please email your CV that includes your daily rate in USD to NepalRecruitment@itadinc.com with the subject line ‘Application for Energy Sector Expert” by July 19, 2024. This position is only open to Nepali citizens, and women are encouraged to apply. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Itad is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, colour, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, or protected veteran status.