Job Description

About the CEEW Centre for Energy Finance

The CEEW Centre for Energy Finance (CEEW-CEF) is an initiative of the Council on Energy, Environment and Water. CEEW-CEF acts as a non-partisan market observer and driver that monitors, develops, tests, and deploys financial solutions to advance the energy transition. It aims to help deepen markets, increase transparency, and attract capital in clean energy sectors in emerging economies. It achieves this by comprehensively tracking, interpreting, and responding to developments in the energy markets while also bridging gaps between governments, industry, and financiers.

The need for enabling an efficient and timely energy transition is growing in emerging economies. In response, CEEW-CEF focuses on developing fit-for-purpose market-responsive financial products. A robust energy transition requires deep markets, which need continuous monitoring, support, and course correction. By designing financial solutions and providing near-real-time analysis of current and emerging clean energy markets, CEEW-CEF builds confidence and coherence among key actors, reduces information asymmetry, and bridges the financial gap.

CEEW-CEF’s focus: analysis and solutions

CEEW-CEF has a twin focus on markets and solutions. CEEW-CEF’s market analysis covers energy transition–related sectors on both the supply side (solar, wind, energy storage) and demand-side (electric vehicles, distributed renewable energy applications). It creates open-source data sets, salient and timely analysis, and market trend studies.

CEEW-CEF’s solution-focused work enables the flow of new and more affordable capital into clean energy sectors. These solutions are designed to address specific market risks that block capital flows. These will include designing, implementation support, and evaluation of policy instruments, insurance products, and incubation funds.

Designation offered:  Director, CEEW Centre for Energy Finance

Reporting to:  CEO, CEEW

Location:  New Delhi

Purpose

The CEEW Centre for Energy Finance is looking for a Director to lead the CEEW Centre for Energy Finance, and further develop its work on financing the energy transition in emerging economies. This is a leadership role and the ideal candidate would create a strategic vision for the role that CEEW-CEF can play in accelerating the flow of private capital into clean energy markets in emerging economies, as well as the experience and expertise to run a multi-disciplinary young team. The role combines strategy, research, team and programme management, communicating to stakeholders, as well as fund raising. 

Specific research skills should include experience in developing financing mechanisms and business models for new energy transition sectors, specifically renewable energy, sustainable mobility and energy storage. Beyond research rigour, experience in project management, understanding of India’s clean energy market, strong analytical skills, and a network and engagement with the financial sector and government stakeholders is essential. 

If your career purpose involves shaping and creating market depth in clean energy sectors in developing economies, then this could be the job for you! 

If people often describe you as ‘grounded’ and ‘committed’ and you bet big on your team, then we would love to hear from you!

If you are a ‘people-person’ who can take along the experienced and the novice in our young and dynamic team, you’re halfway there ! 
 

Technical "must-haves"

Research

• To establish a market reflective research vision in collaboration with the research team
• To conceptualise new research ideas that are aligned with the programme’s objectives
• To develop a series of publications including feasibility and design studies, CEF analysis, market briefs, as well as high-quality, peer-reviewed research papers published in national and international journals
• To extrapolate and verify data provided by analysts/associates, and evaluate, organise and analyse the data using multiple statistical tools
• To keep a tab on the policy developments in India, and provide analytical inputs, comments, and responses as required

Research Management

• Take ownership of the programme and provide supervisory support, oversight, and quality control to all projects
• To develop a coherent and comprehensive narrative for the ongoing projects and how they link with the overall theory of change of CEEW-CEF
• Proactively manage project deliverables, resources within time, and budgets
• Fundraise for new projects, and manage donor relations associated with the programme
• Support effective communication of research outputs, through close coordination with the outreach team, and engagement with wider network of stakeholders
• Manage team members to help them deliver their best; Foster a strong culture of collaboration

Engagement

• To engage extensively with industry actors, investors and financiers, and government ministries and departments
• To present research to key constituencies, advisory bodies, research institutes
• To develop research networks locally, nationally and internationally in support of research programmes
• To develop strong relationships with funders, and strategic partners

Key Expected Outcomes

• Ensure that CEF products and solutions have significant uptake and usability in the market; CEF is the “go-to” centre across a variety of stakeholders
• Cement CEEW-CEF’s brand and position in the market by being the voice for financing the transition to clean energy markets in India and developing countries
• Spearhead and raise funds for the next phase of growth
• Build leadership breadth and depth within the team

Selection Criteria

Education

• Master’s or PhD degree with specialisation in finance, management, engineering, economics, public policy, law or related field
• Should have a strong research background, including an understanding of analytical and experimental research
• Spearhead and raise funds for the next phase of growth
• Familiarity and a high degree of comfort with quantitative skills and analyses

Business Experience

• At least ten to fifteen years of relevant work experience in the field of research, policy engagement and project management, preferably in the area energy policy, and/or renewable energy technologies
• Strong track record of fundraising for market facing research programmes
• Prior experience in managing young, expertise-oriented teams
• Effective project management skills and an emphasis on timely delivery of high-quality outputs
• Experience in dealing with public and private institutions
• Building relationships with collaborators and government stakeholders

Main skills

• Strong management and team building skills
• Deep understanding of the energy and power sector in India
• Deep expertise in financial markets
• Strong analytic skills including quantitative research skills (use of R, Stata, SPSS, Python or such software)
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Relevant publications in peer reviewed journals/book chapters
• Ability to develop long term strategies, and short- and medium-term implementation plans
• Relationship building across stakeholder groups
• Strategic outreach including organising events/meetings
• Desirable: Knowledge of behavioural economics/science

Attitude

• Strong values and a bias towards commitment
• Deep respect for process and governance
• Willing to learn new (research and project management) skills
• Ability to work in an interdisciplinary environment
• Appreciative of a high-paced work environment, and able to deliver under deadlines
• Ability to effectively lead and manage a team while being able to independently drive research
• Striving for rigour in research and quality in work output
• Highly organised and process-oriented
• Ability to build and maintain relationships with donors, industry, government, partners and team
• Forward-looking; ability to ‘anticipate around the corner’
• Ability to not take oneself too seriously

CEEW operates in a dynamic environment and the candidate will be required to show flexibility in undertaking a variety of tasks. While the position is to lead the CEEW Centre for Energy Finance the ideal candidate will work well with other teams, and contribute towards the growth of the institution as a whole. The role will involve domestic and international travel. 

CEEW is an equal opportunity employer. Female candidates are encouraged to apply. CEEW offers a competitive compensation – commensurate to the experience and matching the best of standards adopted by industry or other similar organisations for similar roles. 

Interested candidates are requested to send their applications to jobs@ceew.in with ‘Application –Director, CEEW- CEF’ as the subject line by 11 December 2020. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. We appreciate your interes