System Planning Expert, Energy Sector

About Allied Talent Partners

Allied Talent Partners (ATP), a Three Cairns Group initiative, is a mission-driven, not-for-profit talent marketplace focused on solving the human capital bottlenecks slowing down sustainable development efforts in emerging economies, with an initial focus on Africa. ATP connects vetted, experienced, context-relevant professionals to high-impact opportunities in energy access and sustainable development – strengthening local capacity and fuelling economic vitality. We specialize in fixed-term, deliverable-driven engagements – from interim leadership and generalist projects to niche technical expertise – handling project scoping, talent vetting and matching, contracting, payroll, and compliance so that our clients can focus on impact.

Role Overview: System Planning Expert, Energy Sector

To strengthen long-term planning, reliability, and investment coordination within Sierra Leone’s power sector, the client is seeking a System Planning Expert, Energy Sector to provide technical leadership and advisory support on power system planning and development. The Expert will support national institutions in improving generation, transmission, and distribution planning processes, ensuring alignment with national electrification goals, renewable energy targets, and least-cost development pathways. The role will contribute to strengthening analytical capacity, improving data-driven decision-making, and supporting preparation of integrated resource and network development plans. This assignment forms part of the client’s institutional capacity-strengthening approach and aims to enhance sustainable power sector development aligned with national energy priorities. Sierra Leonean nationals are strongly encouraged to apply.

Role and Responsibilities

• Power Sector Planning & Technical Advisory Support: Provide technical advice to government counterparts and utilities on power system planning methodologies and best practices. Support development or refinement of national generation expansion plans and transmission and distribution development strategies. Contribute to integrated resource planning processes, including least-cost power development pathways. Advise on planning approaches to integrate renewable energy and variable generation sources into the grid.
• Load Forecasting & Demand Analysis: Support preparation or refinement of national and regional load forecasts based on economic, demographic, and sector growth assumptions. Review and strengthen demand forecasting methodologies and underlying data assumptions. Provide analytical inputs to align projected demand with generation and network investment planning.
• Generation & Network Planning: Support assessment of generation capacity needs, reserve margins, and reliability requirements. Advise on optimal sequencing of generation investments, including conventional and renewable technologies. Support transmission network expansion planning, grid stability considerations, and loss reduction strategies. Contribute to distribution planning to improve reliability, access expansion, and service quality.
• Data, Modelling & Analytical Tools: Support development or strengthening of system planning models and analytical tools. Provide guidance on use of software tools for generation expansion planning, load flow analysis, and system optimisation. Strengthen data collection, management, and validation processes for planning purposes. Promote adoption of evidence-based planning approaches within national institutions.
• Stakeholder Coordination & Integration: Support coordination among the Ministry of Energy, utilities, regulators, and development partners on system planning priorities. Facilitate technical discussions to ensure alignment between planning outputs and investment programming. Engage with PPP and investment teams to ensure planning outputs inform project preparation and procurement.
• Monitoring, Learning & Knowledge Support: Support tracking of implementation progress against approved system development plans. Contribute to preparation of technical reports, briefing notes, and presentations for senior leadership. Document lessons learned and planning challenges to inform continuous improvement of sector planning processes.
• Capacity Building & Institutional Strengthening: Provide on-the-job advisory support to strengthen system planning capacity within relevant institutions. Develop practical guidance materials, templates, and reference tools for planning processes. Deliver training sessions on load forecasting, generation expansion modelling, and transmission planning. Promote knowledge transfer to ensure sustainability of technical expertise within national institutions.

Key Outputs

• Inception Report outlining understanding of the assignment, proposed methodology, stakeholder engagement plan, key risks and assumptions, and detailed workplan.
• Technical inputs to national power sector planning frameworks and methodologies.
• Load forecasting and demand analysis notes.
• Generation expansion and transmission development planning recommendations.
• Analytical tools, modelling outputs, and technical briefs.
• Periodic progress reports and briefing notes.
• Capacity-building materials and workshop outputs.
• Completion Report summarising achievements, lessons learned, and recommendations.

Requirements

Experience Required:

• Minimum 8 years of progressively responsible professional experience in power system planning, generation expansion modelling, or transmission and distribution planning.
• Demonstrated experience supporting power sector planning in low- or middle-income country contexts.
• Experience working with utilities, ministries, regulators, and development partners.
• Proven experience using power system modelling tools and analytical software (e.g., PSS/E, DIgSILENT, HOMER, or similar).
• Experience integrating renewable energy into grid planning and expansion strategies.

Technical Requirements:

• Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Energy Systems, Power Systems Engineering, or related field.
• Strong understanding of generation expansion planning, load forecasting, and grid integration of renewable energy.
• Knowledge of reliability standards, reserve margin calculations, and transmission and distribution planning methodologies.
• Familiarity with donor-funded energy programmes is an asset.

Other Skills:

• Strong analytical and quantitative skills.
• Ability to translate complex technical analyses into clear recommendations for policy and investment decision-making.
• Strong interpersonal and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Ability to prepare clear technical reports and presentations in English.

Working Arrangement

Location: Freetown, Sierra Leone

Travel: Periodic domestic travel

Terms Of Agreement

Start Date: To be confirmed (expected April 2026)

Contracting Period: 12 months, with possibility of extension subject to performance and funding availability.

Key skills/competency

• Power System Planning
• Generation Expansion Modelling
• Transmission Planning
• Distribution Planning
• Renewable Energy Integration
• Load Forecasting
• Data Analysis
• System Optimisation
• Stakeholder Engagement
• Capacity Building