Terms of Reference - Job Description: Credit and Financing Officer

Job Title : Credit and Financing Officer

Component : Central Renewable Energy Fund
Duty Station : AEPC Kathmandu, Nepal with frequent travel to remote parts of the country
Reporting to : Sr. Policy and Planning Officer and Focal Person of CleanStart Program
Responsible to : Executive Director, AEPC, Focal Person of CleanStart at AEPC and
CleanStart Programme Manager at UNCDF

1. Overall Purpose and Background

UN Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) has developed CleanStart that aims to assist poor
households and micro-entrepreneurs to obtain access to sustainable, low-cost clean energy
through microfinance. This programme will support 18 Financial Service Providers (FSPs)
across six countries in Asia and Africa to build capabilities to provide clean energy
financing, backed by a policy environment and energy supply chain that is focused on
reaching the poor. For more information http://www.uncdf.org/en/cleanstart

CleanStart (2012-2017) will deliver through four outputs:

• Finance for Clean Energy to strengthen capabilities of 18 MFIs to provide microfinance

for clean energy to low-income households and micro-entrepreneurs;
• Technical Assistance for Clean Energy to remove barriers to the successful deployment
of those renewable energy technologies and services for which the selected MFIs will
provide microfinance;
• Global Knowledge and Learning to enhance understanding and awareness globally of
the potential for microfinance to scale-up access to clean energy and make available the
tools and knowledge needed to scale-up access to clean energy beyond the project; and
• Advocacy and Partnerships to create an enabling policy and business environment to
expand microfinance for clean energy.

Nepal is one of the first CleanStart countries in Asia. The CleanStart Business Plan for Nepal
(endorsed in September, 2012) guides the implementation of CleanStart in the country.
CleanStart will technically collaborate with the Alternative Energy Promotion Centre
(AEPC), the National Executing Agency for renewable energy promotion in Nepal. Areas of
collaboration include subsidy distribution, brokering partnerships between financial and
energy service providers, quality assurance, advocacy and monitoring and evaluation. This
programme will be implemented within the framework of the National Rural and Renewable
Energy Programme (NRREP) being implemented through AEPC and supported by the GoN
and various Development Partners.

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 Particularly for Nepal, four financial institutions have been selected by CleanStart, on the
basis of their business plan. The institutions, called the financial services providers (FSPs)
will actively lend in the RET sector. The required technical support, particularly in brokering
partnerships between financial service providers and energy companies as well as developing
a sustainable energy supply chain for technologies financed, will be provided by AEPC.
FSPs will receive performance based grants from the CleanStart Programme.

The Credit and Financing Officer will actively contribute to delivering the results as
described in the CleanStart Business Plan for Nepal and the grant agreement between AEPC
and UNCDF. The Credit and Financing Officer is expected to work with the Assistant
Director, Planning/Policy, AEPC, who will also be the Focal Person for CleanStart in AEPC.
The Officer will also work closely with the CleanStart Programme Implementation Unit
based in Bangkok, Thailand. The Officer will assist in the implementation of the activities of
AEPC for the CleanStart Programme, facilitate linkage between FSPs and the technical
services providers (TSPs), and support the monitoring and reporting of the programme.

2. Main Tasks
2.1 Support the overall implementation of activities as per the schedule in the CleanStart
Business Plan, the Grant Agreement between AEPC and UNCDF and any annual detailed
work-plan for the project:
a. Support to financial service providers in the selection of appropriate renewable
energy technologies, technology partners, piloting and implementation;
b. Hire local experts for agreed activities as per the business plan, including drafting
terms of reference, contracting and briefing on assignments;
c. Provide administrative assistance to expert teams during country visits (e.g. logistics,
arranging meetings, organising workshops and field visits);
d. Facilitate partnership building between financial service providers and partner energy
companies;
e. Serve as first point of contact for CleanStart’s partners for any queries or information
requests;
2.2 Monitoring
a. Liaise regularly with FSP and ESP partners to monitor implementation progress,
potential risks and opportunities;
b. Monitor level of quality assurance provided by partner energy companies (e.g.
installation, after-sales service);
c. Visit pilot areas and monitor field-level activities;
2.3 Compare AEPC figures provided on RET technologies financed by CleanStart FSPs and
compare these with figures provided directly by FSPs to CleanStart. Coordinate the
CleanStart programme with technical support subcomponents of the NRREP:
2.4 Liaise closely with NRREP subcomponent units to identify synergies;
2.5 Prepare/share regular updates on CleanStart progress and reporting to the NRREP
Steering Committee;

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 2.6 Assist the Central Renewable Energy Fund as required and where relevant;
2.7 Create linkage among financial institutions, regulators, private sectors, development
partners and other relevant stakeholders such that CleanStart is implemented in an
efficient manner:
2.8 Assist in organising annual review meetings and/or national dialogue on clean energy
financing (can be done within NRREP framework plan);
2.9 Regularly share latest developments of the NRREP with CleanStart partners;
2.10 Report regularly to the global CleanStart Programme Implementation Unit and the
UNCDF Financial Inclusion Coordinator based in Nepal:
2.11 Prepare quarterly and annual narrative and financial progress reports on the activities
implemented by AEPC (as stipulated in the grant agreement between AEPC and
CleanStart);
2.12 Collect the quarterly and annual reports from FSP partners and provide the CleanStart
Programme aggregated quarterly and yearly performance analysis (quantitative and
qualitative);
2.13 Provide brief but regular updates to the CleanStart Programme Implementation Unit and
the UNCDF country office on NRREP’s latest developments, progress, day-to-day
management issues, risks and lessons learned;
2.14 Ensure proper correspondence, report production and maintenance of records and
financial management as prescribed in the grant agreement;

2.15 Evaluation:
Provide necessary support when UNCDF conducts various types of evaluations;

2.16 Coordination:
a. with AEPC/NRREP/CREF administration, technology and financial service
providers;
b. with relevant institutions in administrative matters relevant to the UNCDF Business
Plan for Nepal and the Annual Work Plan for Nepal activities;
c. with UNDP RERL and its pilot projects.
2.17 Participate in the activities conducted by UNCDF;
2.18 Support the Focal Person of CleanStart at AEPC;
2.19 Perform any other duties as may be determined from time to time by the Executive
Director, AEPC or his nominated representative during his absence.

3. Qualifications and Selection Criteria

• Education – minimum requirement is at Master level in Business Administration,
Finance, Economics, Banking, with experience in Renewable Energy financing
• Minimum 5 years of similar experience

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 • Conversant in utilisation of computer applications including Microsoft Office package
(including excel);
• Excellent communication and presentation skills;
• Excellent interpersonal skills and proven track record in team work;
• Fluency in spoken and written Nepali and English; and
• Relevant work experience from financial sector development and working with
programmes financed by development partners will be added advantages.

4. Terms and Conditions of Employment

• Annual contract with the possibility of extensions up to three years subject to
performance, and not beyond the actual project duration;
• The salary and other benefits will be as per the Nepal's Business Plan of the Clean Start
Programme, UNCDF, as covered under the grant agreement between AEPC and UNCDF.
The salary will be negotiable, but consistent with the guidelines as per the NRREP
programme.

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