1 TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR THE CONNECTIONS OFFICER-PIU
1.1 Background
The Government of Uganda (GoU) has received funding from the World Bank for the implementation of the Electricity Access Scale-up Project (EASP) to be implemented over a period of five (5) years. EASP will support GoU’s efforts to increase access to electricity for households, refugee and host communities, industrial parks, commercial enterprises and public institutions. This is intended to spur socio-economic transformation, in line with Uganda’s Vision 2040, the National Development Plan (NDP III), Electricity Connection Policy (ECP) 2018 and to meet the Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG 7) of achieving universal energy access by 2030. EASP activities will build on earlier Government initiatives in the energy sector, to support the expansion and strengthening of the electricity distribution network, scale-up service connections within the network, and increase access to off-grid electricity in refugee settlements and their host communities (outside the existing electricity distribution network), and to clean cooking services and technologies.
The Electricity Access Scale up Project (EASP) will contribute to supporting the realization of the ECP objectives and will be implemented on an Investment Project Finance (IPF) approach. The EASP will be implemented by two main entities, namely the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development (MEMD) and the Uganda Energy Credit Capitalisation Company Limited (UECCC). The two main entities will implement closely with the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development (MoFPED), Office of the Prime Minister (OPM), Ministry of Education and Sports (MoES), Ministry of Health (MoH), Ministry of Water and Environment (MoWE), Ministry of Local Government (MoLG), Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF), Ministry of Works and Transport (MoWT), electricity distribution Service Providers, and other relevant sector stakeholders to implement the various project activities.
A Project Implementation Unit (PIU) will be established at the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development (MEMD) to implement activities relating to grid expansion and connectivity, including scaling up of last-mile connectivity while supporting the necessary network expansion and strengthening through construction of grid extensions, upgrades, and intensification. Grid extension will involve investments in MV and LV network, together with the necessary transformer installations, to enable connection of households and high-priority areas such as industrial parks, commercial consumers, and public institutions. For industrial parks, the project will finance construction of internal distribution networks and MV networks required for connection of the parks to the main transmission system. The PIU at MEMD will also be responsible for expansion of the enabling infrastructure that is critical to increase access to electricity within Refugee Hosting Districts (RHDs), including implementation of last-mile connection of household, commercial, industrial, and public institution consumers within the RHDs.
In order to support the effective and efficient implementation of activities for electricity connections under the EASP, MEMD seeks to engage the services of a Connections Officer, to be assigned to the MEMD-PIU, to provide electricity service connections under the EASP.
1.2 Objective of the Assignment
The Connections Officer will support the roll out and implementation of last mile electricity connections under the EASP project in alignment with the GoU’s Electricity Connections Policy (ECP). The Officer will support the planning, implementation, coordination, monitoring and supervision of last mile electricity service connections to ensure that the targets under the EASP are achieved in a timely manner.
1.3 Scope of Work
The scope of work will include but is not limited to the following:
i. Coordinate and supervise implementation of last mile electricity service connection activities by the Electricity Service Providers and consultants and contractors engaged under the EASP to support implementation of connections within the electricity Service Territories and ensuring clear liaison with refugee stakeholders for implementation in RHDs.
ii. Provide support in the preparation of sub-projects and activities aimed at scaling up electricity connections.
iii. Prepare monthly and quarterly project performance reports and annual work plans, monitoring plans and budgets in relation to the connectivity component.
iv. Plan for availability of adequate quantities of quality connections materials to meet projected connection targets under the EASP;
v. Identify challenges faced by Electricity Service Providers and other consultants and contractors engaged under the EASP and support them to resolve the issues in a timely manner in order to meet the set connection targets.
vi. Obtain connection data from Service Providers, Independent Verification Agents and other relevant sources, verify its accuracy, and update the connections database. The Connections Officers will be required to work closely with the MEMD GIS unit and Database Specialist to maintain an up-to-date and accurate database for all electricity connections.
vii. Analyse connection data and information to establish connection trends and recommend interventions necessary to accelerate access scale-up.
viii. Supervise Independent Verification Agents to ensure that connections made are paid for by Government;
ix. Support the effective management of the delivery, storage, local distribution, and reconciliation of materials for service connections by the Material Logistics Service Provider who will be engaged by MEMD under the project.
x. Perform any other duties that may be assigned by the Senior Connections Officer-PIU provided these duties contribute to achieving the development objectives of the EASP project.
1.4 Person Specifications
a) Qualifications
i. Bachelor of Science Degree in Engineering (Electrical/ Power Systems) from a recognized University/Institution.
ii. Master’s Degree in one of the following fields: Electrical Engineering, Power Systems/Power Economics, Renewable Energy, Energy Systems, Project Planning & Management, Business Administration from a recognized institution is an added advantage.
iii. Registration with the Engineers Registration Board will be an added advantage.
b) Experience
i. At least three (3) years of relevant professional experience in project implementation in the electricity supply industry in an electricity utility or equivalent experience.
ii. Specific experience in the implementation of electricity access projects financed by GOU and Multilateral/Development Financial Institutions such as the World Bank, ADB, AFD, KfW, China Exim Bank or equivalent will be an added advantage.
c) Competencies
i. Technical
a. Planning, organizing and coordinating
b. Analytical skills and Strategic thinking
c. Monitoring and Evaluation skills
d. Information and communication technology
ii. Behavioral
a. Communicating effectively
b. Ethics and Integrity
c. Self-control and stress management
d. Concern for quality and standards
1.5 Duration of the Assignment
The assignment shall be for a period of eighteen (18) months, renewable subject to satisfactory performance.
1.6 Reporting Obligations
The Connections Officer shall report to the Senior Connections Officer-PIU.
1.7 Duty Station
The Connections Officer will be based in the offices of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development, Kampala, Uganda, with travels to project implementation areas / sites for monitoring or as and when the need arises.