Deloitte is seeking candidates for a Legal Advisor for Nepal Hydropower Development Project (NHDP), a five year USAID funded project. Applicants with Nepali citizenship are preferred.  

Project Description
The goals of NHDP are to expand access to modern, high quality hydropower services for the citizens of Nepal and to realize the potential for Nepal’s hydropower exports in South Asia. The project will accomplish this by facilitating private sector investment in hydropower resources in Nepal in an environmentally and socially sustainable manner. In addition, the project will support the restructuring of the electricity sector to create viable, efficient national power services and promote expanded electricity trade between India and Nepal.

The expected long-term results of the NHDP Project are:

• Improved economic growth, job creation, and quality of life.
• Strengthened economic relationships with Nepal’s neighboring countries, and improved balance of payments due to electricity sales.
• Greater energy security due to enhanced domestic generating capacity and integration with the Indian market.
• A lower carbon generation future for both India and Nepal

Objective
The Legal Advisor will support transaction and local compensation work streams for the NHDP project. He/she will work directly with team members communicating its findings to USAID.  

The proposed development of hydropower projects will require legal assistance with facilitating the transaction, as well support with understanding local compensation and local legal structures. Projects of this magnitude and economic significance involve both public and private sector support from a variety of governmental, multi-lateral, and commercial institutions. Accordingly, there will be a need to understand the legal concerns from a variety of entities and from diverse stakeholder groups. Local legal knowledge and experience will be critical to moving Nepal’s hydropower transactions forward. 

Deliverables, Tasks and/or Outputs
Key responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Analyze the roles, duties and obligations of existing stakeholders and licensees in the Nepalese electricity sector.
• Analyze relevant Nepalese and Indian legislation and regulation.
• Advice on the legislative and regulatory process in Nepal and on relevant legal duties for regulatory agencies and government ministries.
• Advise on the legislative and regulatory process in Nepal in relation to local compensation and local legal structures.
• Support PDAs, PPAs, transmission agreements and other project documents to be written to international financial community standards.
• Advise on general private sector, governmental, and NGO legal issues.
• Provide legal capacity building to IBN as required and directed by the Senior Legal Infrastructure Advisor

Deliverables may include:

• Summary reports on work
• Contributions to project deliverables
• Presentation materials for formal trainings 

Qualifications/Requirements

• The Legal Advisor should have the following qualifications: 
• Minimum of five years’ relevant professional experience  
• Minimum of three years working in the areas of energy is preferred 
• Previous experience advising on hydropower transactions is preferred
• Previous experience advising on cross border transmission line transactions is preferred 
• Minimum of Juris Doctor Degree or equivalent
• Experience working with USAID, IFIs, government, and private sector institutions is preferred