Head of Demand Forecasting Unit/ Lead Economist – System Planning and Research Department – Middle Street

The opportunity awaits qualified results-oriented professionals who are interested in joining our team within the System Planning & Research Department – Middle Street. Interested candidates with the requisite qualifications and experience are invited to apply for the impending vacant position of Head – Demand Forecasting Unit/ Lead Economist. 

Under the general direction of the System Planning & Research Manager, the incumbent will be responsible for developing robust and up-to-date forecasts of electricity demand, peak demand, potential sales, etc., as well as contributing to the processes of identifying the expected detailed requirements on various parts of the Company’s Network. The principal responsibilities of the Head of Demand Forecasting Unit/Lead Economist are premised on the followings Key Outputs and Responsibility Areas.

KEY RESPONSIBILITY AREAS: 

1. Effectively lead the team – the Demand Forecasting Unit, which is responsible for the country’s electricity/power demand forecasts.
2. Predominantly assist the overall team (the System Planning & Research Department) in reaching and maintaining company’s mandate: ‘to provide reliable, affordable, and quality (electric) utility services to all…’, which is in compliance with the Government’s Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) 2030 – ‘Objective 2: Stimulate Future Growth through Clean Energy …’; and the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2030 – ‘Goal 7: Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all’.
3. Conduct research and document findings relevant to the energy and power/electricity sector to aid the company’s development and expansion plans and projects.
4. Interface and build rapport with the relevant Government Agencies, Private Sector, and International Funding, Energy and Economic Agents.
5. Administer and manage the data collection process; and in extreme cases, assist with the collection of information.
6. Monitor and assess market and regulatory developments including news reports and external reviews.
7. Develop, manoeuvre and monitor the operations of the macroeconomic and energy databases, forecasting models and methodologies, and the technical framework – to produce short-, medium- and long- term forecasts of electricity demand, peak demand forecasts, risk scenarios, and load analysis output, generation requirements, electricity sales, maximum demands on individual substations, system losses, and expected purchases from Independent Power Producers (IPPs) – for the use in budget preparation, regulatory filings, and planning.
8. Identify, develop, and maintain a suitable set of econometric models, and periodically update and consistently improve the forecasting framework. Ensure that forecasts properly account for distributed energy resources and new technologies and policies (e.g. energy efficiency, demand response, electric vehicles, PV, storage, etc.).
9. Analyse and produce reports including assessments of forecasting accuracy and sources of variance.
10. Perform economic cost-benefit analyses and prepare reports for project investments.
11. Provide electricity demand-forecasting inputs to GPL’s Development & Expansion (D&E) Program and other planning activities, inclusive of financial planning.
12. Prepare presentation on forecasting results and present/deliver to stakeholders: company’s executive, the Ministry of Finance, and the Office of the Prime Minister.

COMPETENCY PROFILE: