Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW), New Delhi
Programme Lead – Technology, Finance and Trade (Cooling - Servicing Sector and R&D)

Terms of Reference

At CEEW, we are deliberate about what we stand for (and what we don’t stand for!) as an employer. So, if the below description strikes a chord, we would love to hear from you!

At CEEW, we build careers in public policy

• We offer strong visionary leadership – with emphasis on research and impact at scale​
• We actively promote leadership by initiative​
• We celebrate talent and ambition​
• You will be surrounded by smart ambitious people who will challenge you and help you grow​
• You will learn faster than your peers in other organisations​
• Curiosity and irreverence, as well as responsibility, come together at CEEW​
• You will get above-market remuneration​
• We provide a safe space for all​
• At CEEW, your life is your example for others​

Designation offered: Programme Lead – Technology, Finance and Trade - Implementing India Cooling Action Plan (servicing and R&D sectors)

Reporting to: Senior Programme Lead

Location: New Delhi

Purpose

We seek to hire a programme lead with extensive research and team management experience, with an active interest and competent understanding of climate policies and strategies, to build upon the ongoing work at CEEW on enabling sustainable cooling access to the Indian population, enhancing competitiveness in associated industrial sectors, as well as phasing down hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) in India. Phasing down HFCs is a critical technology challenge that can contribute to mitigating upto 0.5°C of global warming. India was the first country in the world to draft a comprehensive national cooling plan in 2019. The plan was the culmination of years of analysis done across different end-use sectors for climate-friendly cooling. The Council was one of the architects of this seminal document, contributing important chapters on the air conditioning service sector and research and development in sustainable cooling. The recommendations to reform the servicing sector and research and development initiatives were based on research findings remain the focus of our enquiry and strategic support to the Government of India. Since the publication of the national cooling plan, The Council has been assiduously working to implement some of these recommendations as part of a consortium of research organisations.

This position holder will lead the team in creating knowledge products based on policy and regulatory analysis and primary research, as well as extensive stakeholder interaction and strategic outreach. She/he will be responsible for the project delivery to the funders including project management detail, and will be a crucial addition to the existing young and dynamic team at CEEW. The individual is expected to design and conduct research assessments using both primary and secondary data. She/he would conduct quantitative and qualitative research, including data analysis, statistics, survey design, stakeholder interviews and engagement, and would support the advancement of the research and policy engagement under the sustainable cooling for climate programme. Experience in project management, team building, and excellence in conducting research would be necessary. In addition to the duties and responsibilities outlined below, the incumbent should be prepared, as and when necessary, to take on additional responsibilities and respond to events and developments that cannot be anticipated easily.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

Research: Project level

• Lead research in the programme area as a principal investigator. Guide and provide relevant inputs to the research.
• Lead research activities regarding the implementation of goals identified in the India Cooling Action Plan (servicing sector and R&D)
• Lead funder-relationships and project management deliverables
• Identify market barriers and challenges in streamlining an effective refrigerant transition in India vis-à-vis the servicing sector and its formalisation 
• Assess and improve existing methodologies for researching regulatory frameworks to implement servicing sector targets and improving the R&D ecosystem in India for cooling
• Research and design business models and policy/regulatory frameworks to enhance uptake of sustainable cooling technologies in India
• Identify key barriers to R&D in India’s cooling sector to enhance indigenisation/Make-in-India, and increase access to sustainable cooling solutions across the country
• Develop, lead and leverage stakeholder participatory research to engage with the target research subjects to refine project objectives, research scope, and build capacity.
• Develop and lead primary surveys and questionnaires and to collect, collate and analyse responses using different statistical and econometric approaches.
• Develop research outputs in various forms such as publications, journal papers, reports, op-eds, and articles.

Research: Programme level

• Keep a tab on the technological developments in the cooling sector
• Initiate and lead relationship building with subject matter experts and conduct stakeholder consultations to improve the quality of research
• Be self-motivated to constantly build on her/his knowledge about the cooling sector
• Conduct regular literature and methodological reviews and keep a tab on current debate/ research on HFC phase-down and regulatory approaches in national and global context.
• Keep a tab on the policy developments in India and across key countries of the world on HFC phase down, cooling demands, refrigerant production/procurement, and the servicing sector at large.
• Undertake regulatory analysis for issue relevant to India Cooling Action Plan supporting CEEW’s research and advisory activities.
• Keep a tab on the Montreal Protocol and climate related negotiations and undertake analysis related to positions of major countries and their implications for India.
• Conceptualise innovative ideas to better understand the strategies and actions of different nations towards HFC emission mitigation as well as negotiations.
• Generate knowledge content – blogs, policy briefs in regular intervals.
• Engage with other stakeholders, represent CEEW and attend conferences and sessions, relevant to climate policy and HFCs.
• Direct or delegate tasks to juniors for specific projects and geographies.
• Develop research outputs in various forms such as publications, journal papers, reports, op-eds, and articles.
• Work with senior researchers on conceptualising new projects (as and when needed) and support revenue generation for new projects.
• To participate in relevant conferences, workshops, training programmes as necessary to communicate research findings and gain insights on new research in focus areas.
• Support efforts to use new media platforms for the wide dissemination of CEEW's work and, in turn, closer engagement with the wider community.

Shortlisting Criteria

Education

• Master’s or post-doctoral degree with specialisation in energy or environment in relevant disciplines, such as economics, finance, public policy, international relations, physical sciences, etc
• A strong research background, including an understanding of experimental and analytical research
• Quantitative skills including econometric analyses, and/or qualitative skills for policy analysis and development of policy frameworks

Business Experience

• Minimum 6-8 years of relevant work experience
• Strong track record of project assistance and timely delivery of outputs
• Experience in dealing with public and private institutions

Main Skills

• Superior analytical abilities, effective oral and written communication skills are a necessary prerequisite
• Ability and willingness to work in a dynamic environment
• Ability to work on own initiative and communicate effectively as a team member.
• Ability to analyse information and present in a clear and accurate manner both verbal and written.
• Ability to write formal and factual reports, identifying key issues.
• Willingness to show initiative in order to handle unforeseen challenges
• Ability to work in multicultural teams

Compensation

Competitive compensation – commensurate to the experience and matching the best of standards adopted by industry or other similar organizations for similar roles.

Application Process

CEEW is an equal opportunity employer, and the selection process does not discriminate on the basis of age, gender, caste, ethnicity, religion, or sexuality. Female candidates are encouraged to apply.

We review applications on a rolling basis. Interested applicants are advised to apply at the earliest possible.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. We appreciate your interest.