Project Officer (Retainer)

Background Information - Job-specific

Sustainable Energy for All has a global mandate to accelerate progress on the energy transition in emerging and developing countries. Hosted by UNOPS, we work at the intersection of energy, climate and development, partnering with governments and organizations worldwide to end energy poverty, double energy efficiency, significantly expand renewable energy and combat climate change.

Our vision is a world where everyone, everywhere, can lead a dignified life on a healthy planet, powered by sustainable energy. We promote this vision by pushing for higher ambitions, stronger policies, greater finance flows, increased localization and green jobs, and faster results toward an energy transition that leaves no one behind.

Former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon launched the Sustainable Energy for All initiative in 2011. Since then, our CEO has served as the UN Secretary-General's Special Representative for Sustainable Energy for All and Co-Chair of UN-Energy.

The Integrated Energy Access Planning team aims to develop and scale best practices for energy access planning from both a technical and an institutional perspective by:​

• Developing strong partnerships with governments, development partners, private sector, and academia​

• Setting replicable country planning examples​

• Filling sectoral data and knowledge gaps with context-appropriate innovations​, methodologies, and tools

• Building planning capacity in governments and the Global South

  SEforALL is supporting the Unidade Integrada de Planificação e Coordenação de Electrificação (UIPCE) within the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources of Mozambique (MIREME) to sustainably achieve its energy planning mandate with the implementation of an Integrated Energy Access Planning framework. Integrated Energy Access Planning (IEP) is a framework designed to help governments use planning as an effective decision-making and coordination tool to accelerate energy access. IEP is needs-driven and focuses on identifying planning needs and equipping governments with sustainable skills and tools that are fit-for-purpose, without advocating for any specific modeling or data management tool.

  The Mozambique IEP project runs from Q2 2024-Q2 2027, and is designed to:

  • Develop UIPCE technical capacity on an ongoing basis

    • Provide coherent, flexible, long-term support across multiple energy access planning initiatives using geospatial data analytics and techno-economic modelling, including electrification and demand side planning such as productive use of energy or clean cooking integration.

      • Leverage collaboration with other projects/initiatives under the coordination of the UIPCE

        • Ensure replicability, transparency and documentation of all planning outputs and results

          The Integrated Energy Access Planning project is coordinated by the UIPCE with support from SEforALL, and involves close collaboration between MIREME, FUNAE, EDM, the World Bank, Enabel, GET.Transform, and other development partners supporting the UIPCE in its mandate.

          Functional Responsibilities
          

          Under the direct supervision of the Senior Officer, Energy Planning, the purpose of this role is to support the coordination and successful delivery of the Integrated Energy Planning project in Mozambique, and the expansion of SEforALL activities and on-the-ground footprint in Mozambique. This is a retainer (part-time short term consultancy) role, expected to contribute an average of 12-15 days per month.

          Summary of Key Functions

          Project Implementation Support

        • Collaborate with the SEforALL project team, the UIPCE, and other key stakeholders to ensure coordinated efforts and a seamless flow of information.

      • Provide insights on project design and implementation to ensure alignment with local needs and priorities.

    • Contribute to institutional support to the UIPCE according to the needs of the project.

  • Assist with data collection, results and approach validation, the organization of meetings and events, or other project activities to support effective project implementation.

• Proactively support the team to anticipate and resolve challenges that may arise during project execution, ensuring the smooth delivery of SEforALL's activities.

Contribute to the identification and development of opportunities for collaboration to ensure that planning outputs effectively support coordination, policy dialogue, and data-driven decision-making.

Stakeholder Engagement and Communications Support

Support engagement with both internal and external stakeholders to ensure a shared understanding of project objectives, requirements, and outputs.

Participate in key meetings and forums on behalf of SEforALL.

Support communication with external stakeholders in Mozambique seeking information or collaboration.

Support the team to facilitate engagement with government agencies (MIREME, FUNAE, EDM, ARENE and others), development partners, and the private sector to advance the SDG7 agenda and SEforALL's contributions.

Collaborate with the SEforALL partnerships and technical teams to explore and develop opportunities for expanding the organization's initiatives in Mozambique.

Contribute to the promotion of SEforALL's activities both internally and externally through communication efforts in collaboration with the organization’s communications team

Support development, public, and private sector partners to identify and advance new investment and project opportunities that support the implementation of the Integrated Energy Access Planning framework and other SDG7 priorities.

Occasional travel within Mozambique or internationally, as dictated by project or organizational requirements, is foreseen.

A First Level University Degree (Bachelor’s Degree) in energy, business management, policy, economics, engineering, or a related field is required.

An Advanced University Degree (Master’s Degree or equivalent) in energy, business management, policy, economics, engineering or a related field is an asset and may compensate for some years of experience. Work Experience

A minimum of 2 years of direct experience in the Mozambican energy sector with a focus on energy access is required.

Demonstrated experience engaging with key energy sector stakeholders, such as government agencies, development partners, and private sector actors is required.

Specific experience in energy planning, geospatial data analytics, off-grid electrification, clean cooking, or productive use of energy (PUE) deployment is desirable.

Experience coordinating or working in complex multi-stakeholder projects is an asset.

Language

Fluency in English and Portuguese is required.

Working knowledge of another UN language is an asset.

Please note that UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes.

Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.

Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process, which involves various assessments.

UNOPS embraces diversity and is committed to equal employment opportunity. Our workforce consists of many diverse nationalities, cultures, languages, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities. UNOPS seeks to sustain and strengthen this diversity to ensure equal opportunities as well as an inclusive working environment for its entire workforce.

Qualified women and candidates from groups which are underrepresented in the UNOPS workforce are encouraged to apply. These include in particular candidates from racialized and/or indigenous groups, members of minority gender identities and sexual orientations, and people with disabilities.

We would like to ensure all candidates perform at their best during the assessment process. If you are shortlisted and require additional assistance to complete any assessment, including reasonable accommodation, please inform our human resources team when you receive an invitation.

Terms and Conditions

For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post.

For retainer contracts, you must complete a few mandatory courses ( they take around 4 hours to complete) in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS. Refreshers or new mandatory courses may be required during your contract. Please note that you will not receive any compensation for taking courses and refreshers. For more information on a retainer contract here.

All UNOPS personnel are responsible for performing their duties in accordance with the UN Charter and UNOPS Policies and Instructions, as well as other relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, all personnel must demonstrate an understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a manner consistent with UN core values and the UN Common Agenda.

It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential personnel. Recruitment in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.