Market Regulatory Officer

Terms of Reference and Scope of Services

A_BACKGROUND:

The West African Power Pool (WAPP) or Système d’Echanges d’Energie Electrique Ouest Africain (EEEOA) was created by the highest decision-making authority of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) at the Conference of Heads of State and Government of the Member States held in Lomé, in December 1999. The Headquarters of the WAPP Secretariat is in Cotonou, Republic of Benin.

The ECOWAS strategic objective being implemented by the West African Power Pool (WAPP) is based on a dynamic vision of integrating national power grids into a unified regional electricity market, so that such a mechanism would, over the medium and long term, ensure to the ECOWAS citizens access to adequate power quality at an affordable price, and enhance the economic development of the Member States including industrialization growth, Health and Education improvement, Poverty Reduction, various Employment Opportunities Creation, etc…

To achieve its vision of operationalizing a unified regional electricity market, the WAPP Information and Coordination Centre (WAPP ICC), a Department within the WAPP Secretariat has been designated to perform the functions of a System Market Operator (SMO) responsible for coordinating the reliability of the WAPP Interconnected Transmission System (WAPPITS) made up of the power systems of fourteen (14) ECOWAS Member Countries and administration of the regional electricity market.

To this end, the WAPP Secretariat with the support of World bank within the Project “WAPP Côte d’Ivoire Interconnection and operationalization of the ECOWAS Regional Electricity Market” intends to reinforce staffing of the ICC Department by filling key various vacant positions including that of a MARKET REGULATORY OFFICER. The successful candidate will be joining the current team in the Information and Coordination Centre (ICC) as it prepares to operationalize the ECOWAS regional electricity market.

B_PROFILE AND SCOPE OF SERVICES OF THE EXPERT:

The minimum qualifications and the functions of the position are defined hereafter:

Job Summary:

The Market Regulatory Officer is responsible for:

1. Coordination of market activities relating to access to regional interconnections, and to regional balancing;
2. Organization of consultations with stakeholders;
3. Provision of technical assistance to meetings and workshops with TSOs, generators, customers, etc.;
4. Integration and implementation of projects into the division's operational processes;
5. Setting requirements to maintain the adequate knowledge and skills of the Market Operators in accordance with the division’s activities;
6. Support coordination and cooperation with the Regional Regulator (ERERA) in relation to implementing electricity market reviews or investigations;
7. Other tasks as assigned.

Essential Duties:

1. Report on the progress of assigned projects;
2. Lead projects relating to new market rules, or to changes to existing rules;
3. Manage the implementation of projects in tools and processes;
4. Contribute to the preparation of opinions and recommendations Report describing the problems experienced by the SMO in the implementation and application of the Market Rules, and complementary procedures. This report will be submitted by the SMO to ERERA, all Participants and the domestic TSOs;
5. Depending on the projects:

• prepare action plans and monitor their implementation,
• collect from market participants need for changes to the market rules,
• lead or contribute to analysis of proposed rule changes,
• write requirement expectations memo or specifications,
• participate in internal or regional working groups,
• contribute to business facilitation by writing operating procedures and conducting training courses.

6. Responsible and accountable for the follow-up of the ICC implementation “best-practices” policies, procedures, processes, priorities with elaborated action plan in coordination & cooperation with the Customer and Market Division  team;

7. Collaborate with other ICC Divisions to identify and resolve issues to help create a flexible and efficient organization;

8. Other duties as assigned.

Delegation:

Exercise the following delegated mandate or responsibilities:

1. Represent the ICC before external authorities and relevant representations in relation to assigned tasks;
2. Work closely with external parties (TSOs, members utilities, regulators, customers, stakeholders, partners, etc.) in developing market system enhancements.

Minimum Qualifications / Skills and Knowledge Required:

Education: Degree in Engineering, Economics, Law, Business Administration, Political Sciences or related technical field (master’s degree in these fields is an added advantage, in particular in Law or Economics);

Years’ Experience:

5 years of experience in the related field

Experience & main skills:

1.  High level knowledge of the organization and stakeholders of the ECOWAS electricity market (Regulators, TSOs, etc.);
2. High level analytical and synthesis capabilities;
3. Knowledge of and ability to interpret the WAPP electricity market rules, procedures, policies;
4. Experience as project manager;
5. Experience related to ECOWAS electricity market (Task Force, working group, committee, etc.);
6. Know-how to lead and coordinate a working group, etc.;
7. Excellent interpersonal skills;
8. Ability to work at operational and executive levels;
9. Good understanding of ERERA procedures
10. Excellent oral and written communication skills.

Preferred:

Experience related to electricity regulatory affairs,

Experience related to national or regional regulatory institutions and regulatory consultations

Language:

Sound oral and written communication skills in English or French with a good working knowledge of the other language

C_REPORTING OBLIGATIONS

The MARKET REGULATORY OFFICER 's services includes the preparation and timely submission of quality reports and documents, written in English and/or French as required by the supervisor. He/she will also contribute to the preparation of quarterly and annual reports of the Customers and Market Division and the ICC Department activities.

D_COMMITMENT PERIOD

The duration of the initial Contract extends from the date of signature for a period of two years. On an annual basis, the WAPP Secretariat shall conduct a review of the Consultant’s performance to monitor the continuation of the good and efficient execution of the Contract. At the end of the initial Contract, an extension will be awarded to cover the outstanding execution period of the funding project subjected to the validity timeframe/extension of the funding project with West African Power Pool (WAPP), the availability of funds and the satisfactory appraisal of the Officer’s performance.

The Consultant's services will be carried out at the WAPP Secretariat in Cotonou.

E_LINE MANAGEMENT

The MARKET REGULATORY OFFICER will be placed under the functional authority of the Department of Information and Coordination Centre (ICC) of the WAPP Secretariat, during the execution of the assigned mission as presented in the following Structure:

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