Senior Engagement Associate – Distributed Renewable Energy

Purpose

At CEEW, we envision a decarbonised electricity sector in India that provides reliable and affordable electricity services to all. To pursue this vision, we undertake interventions that can lead to accelerated and diversified deployment of renewable energy, socially and environmentally responsible deployment of RE and facilitate a just transition away from fossil fuel-based generation. We generate evidence for change, engage with policymakers to devise and implement policies and programmes, and evaluate the impact of initiatives on the ground.

CEEW seeks to hire a suitable candidate for the Senior Engagement Associate position to lead the teamu2019s implementation efforts to increase the share of distributed renewables (DRE) in the grid . To accelerate the deployment, the candidate needs to build expertise on three fronts nudging the consumer to adopt new technologies, identifying solutions with equitable incentives for stakeholders and facilitating the process with conducive policies and regulations. We are looking for a candidate with a comprehensive understanding of tariff mechanisms, state-level policies and regulations pertaining to distributed renewables, hands-on experience in stakeholder engagement (including discoms, electricity regulators, state governments and developers), a profound understanding of consumer behaviour, and the power market. The candidate will be expected to travel frequently within state and build relationships with key stakeholders, particularly government (both at the central state level) and industry.

Job Duties and Accountabilities

Desirable Outcomes (first year)

Expand the distributed RE programme in at least one state and support in other states.

Conceptualise and execute at least one innovative idea to scale up the adoption of distributed renewable energy ( DRE) in Rajasthan

Primary responsibilities

Lead in accelerating the deployment of rooftop solar in Rajasthan.

Prepare a detailed strategy for targeted consumer outreach outlining the desired outputs and timelines for the campaign.

Effective implementation of the awareness campaign across multiple cities simultaneously and tracking the progress against desired outcomes

Identify innovative ideas to create more foot soldiers for programme implementation in the state and effectively mobilise the team.

Supporting regulatory development and bringing new regulations to the state towards accelerating DRE in the state

Establish partnerships with the private sector to implement ideas on the ground.

Develop and maintain trust-based relationships with key stakeholders, especially with discoms, regulators, state nodal agencies, developers and other research organisations to effectively execute the initiative.

Deepen the relationship in existing states and support the team to build relationships in new states.

Build your profile and network in the state as a sector expert for DRE.

Identify distributed renewable energy deployment issues and opportunities from the stateu2019s perspective to support the team in conceptualising and executing research that can aid policy, regulatory and market-related changes.

Share knowledge and findings on various internal and external platforms based on the research and implementation efforts through presentations, memos, short reports, opinion pieces, etc., with support from CEEWu2019s Outreach team.

Programme Assistance

Lead project implementation in the state by preparing a strategy for consumer outreach, detailed activity plans and timelines, resource planning, and stakeholder management.

Building and maintaining relationships with government (discoms, nodal agency, other key departments), industry and other key stakeholders.

Lead teamu2019s outreach efforts, including organising webinars/physical events, representing CEEW in industry events, and writing op-eds, briefs and reports.

Selection Criteria

Qualification

Masteru2019s degree with a specialisation in renewable energy technologies, economics, public policy or related field.

Sound understanding of Indiau2019s energy markets (specifically grid-connected DRE markets) and policy and regulatory environment.

Strong research background with an adequate understanding of research methods and quantitative skills would be preferred.

Work experience

At least 5-8 years of relevant work experience in policy/industry engagement and project management in e lectricity policy, electricity distribution, and renewable energy.

Strong track record of team and project management, including timely delivery of outputs

Experience in executing on-ground implementation projects would be preferred.

Demonstrable experience in stakeholder engagement at state-level and experience working with public and private institutions within India

Prior experience in writing articles, policy briefs and research reports would be an added advantage.

Key skills

Strong interpersonal and influencing skills

Proficiency in MS-Excel is a must. Understanding of STATA/R/Python and other data visualisation tools would be an added advantage.

Excellent written and oral communication skills

Ability to summarise and communicate the insights/findings in written and oral formats

Proficiency in Hindi and English language