Job Opportunities

Job Opportunity Task Manager - Low-Carbon Innovation Program

Deadline: Midnight EST - Monday, May 25, 2009

Building on infoDev’s business incubation experience, the Department for International Development (DFID) of the UK government and infoDev are launching a Low-Carbon Innovation Program. This program will seek to pilot the concept of ‘low-carbon innovation centers’ in a number of developing countries. The program will not only draw from infoDev’s business incubation experience but also from the experience of the Carbon Trust and other relevant organizations. The aim of the low-carbon innovation center concept is to accelerate the development and commercialization of emerging low-carbon technologies for national, regional or global deployment, thus supporting the transition to low-carbon development pathways in developing countries. The program is intended to help inform the United Kingdom, and other countries in the European Union and elsewhere on the potential for accelerated ‘technology transfer’. The timing of the project is in advance of the Copenhagen Climate Summit in December 2009, and will aim to provide practical examples for future action, including investment opportunities for the Climate Investment Funds and other multilateral initiatives.

Scope of Work

The Task Manager will be a core member of infoDev’s Innovation and Entrepreneurship Program, and will be responsible for the managing the implementation of the Low-Carbon Innovation Program.

The Task Manager will:

Take the lead in implementing the Low-Carbon Innovation Program and will be responsible for the following:

* Overseeing stakeholder engagement in each of the pilot countries and the preparation of a detailed report including recommendations for the design and implementation of low-carbon innovation centers in each pilot country. * This will include identifying a consultant in each of the countries, through a competitive selection process. The Task Manager, with the assistance of the in-country consultant, will organize stakeholder discussions by bringing together all stakeholders with an interest in low-carbon development and identify gaps in the current market through a market assessment and evaluation of existing low-carbon initiatives. * Coordinate the participation of the Carbon Trust expert who will be assisting DFID and infoDev with this program, as well as the facilitating the participation of other international organizations, including donor agencies, operating in each of the pilot countries. * Overseeing the competitive selection of an international expert to undertake an evaluation of the experiences in the UK and across Europe, as well as in the US, and in other countries that have implemented low-carbon innovation programs. * This evaluation will provide a reference for the stakeholder discussions in each of the pilot countries regarding the international experience in designing and implementing similar initiatives. * Aggregating the results of the work completed in the pilot countries along with the international evaluation to prepare a detailed briefing for DFID and other donors ahead of the Copenhagen Climate Summit, including recommendations for future activities. * Working with the infoDev Team and DFID to raise awareness for this program, including reaching out to other international development partners who may be interested in contributing to this program. * Working with the infoDev Team to allocate the budget for this program and ensure that the program delivers the results within the expected timeframe and resource allocations.

Qualifications

* Excellent program management skills and demonstrated experience in managing international projects with activities in multiple countries. * Knowledge of low-carbon technologies and the innovation cycle for taking these technologies from concept to commercialization. * Knowledge of the support mechanisms, including access to finance, research institutions, public policies, that are required for the innovation cycle to produce effective results. * Excellent verbal and written communications skills, and experience working with a variety of stakeholders, including senior government officials and private sector representatives. * Demonstrated ability to take initiative and work independently with limited supervision . * Experience working in a multicultural team and proven ability to build relationships with project partners. * Experience working on entrepreneurship and SME development issues in developing countries, including business incubation. * Masters degree in Business Administration or other relevant fields. * Fluency in English is required and additional language skills are a plus. * At least 5+ years relevant professional work experience.

Expected Scope and Duration of Assignment

* The Task Manager will be hired for 150 days during the period of June through March 2010. During this period the Task Manager would be expected to work full-time on this assignment. * The position will involve international travel and the Task Manager is expected to be based in Washington, DC.

TO APPLY

(Deadline for submission is midnight EST – Monday, May 25, 2009):

* Please send a cover letter and CV to infodev@worldbank.org with the following subject line: “STC- Task Manager – Low-Carbon Innovation Program.”