Junior Advisor, Project Development & Standards at the Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ)

The Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH (German Agency for International Cooperation) is an international enterprise owned by the German Federal government, operating in many fields across more than 130 countries.

In Nigeria, GIZ’s portfolio includes among others, a programme to support the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in its regional integration goals. The programme aims to strengthen sector-specific capacities in the areas of Peace and Security, Customs and Trade as weir as Strategic Management and Organizational Development in the ECOWAS Commission.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Junior Advisor, Project Development & Standards

Vacancy No.: 069
Location: Abuja, Nigeria
Organization: Nigeria Energy Support Programme (NESP)

Background
GIZ. Solutions that work

• As a service provider in the field of international cooperation for sustainable development and international education work, we are dedicated to shaping a future worth living around the world. GIZ has over 50 years of experience in a wide variety of areas, including economic development and employment promotion, energy and the environment, and peace and security.
• The diverse expertise of our federal enterprise is in demand around the globe – from the German Government, European Union institutions, the United Nations, the private sector and governments of other countries. We work with businesses, civil society actors and research institutions, fostering successful interaction between development policy and other policy fields and areas of activity.
• Our main commissioning party is the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). The registered offices of GIZ are in Bonn and Eschborn. Our approximately 23,500 employees, almost 70 percent of whom are national personnel, work in a round 120 countries (July 2020) GIZ has worked in Nigeria since 1974.
• Since 2004, GIZ has maintained a country office in the capital city Abuja. Currently, 464 national and regional employees, 66 international employees, 6 integrated experts, and 3 development advisors are working in the country (June 2022).

Programme

• The Nigerian Energy Support Programme (NESP) is co-funded by the European Union and the German Government and implemented jointly by Federal Ministry of Power and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ). It aims at enabling and fostering investments in a domestic market for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency and improve access to electricity in Nigeria.
• As part of the programme and in close collaboration with its public and private partners, the unit “Enabling Environment for RE and EE Investments” aims at strengthening quality delivery and control mechanisms to enhance an enabling market environment for the application of and investments in RE and EE.
• This unit also implements activities with the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) and the growing network of training partners to operationalise a national certification scheme for clean energy courses. This also includes implementing activities with Federal Ministry of Power (FMP), Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Investments (FMITI), Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Federal Ministry of Finance (FMF), Federal Ministry of Environment, Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency, business associations as well as the private sector.
• The programme is currently supporting the Federal Ministry of Power and other relevant public and private stakeholders with the development of a Strategic Action Plan for the environmentally friendly and safe disposal of used batteries as well as standards and labelling framework for RE/EE equipment in Nigeria.
• NESP aims to develop a more regulated and standardised market that encourages further investments into the RE/EE sector.

Responsibilities and Tasks
Responsibilities

• The Junior Advisor will jointly work within the Unit on Enabling Environment for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Investments and the Advisor, Capacity Development & Private Sector Collaboration on the implementation of cross cutting activities related to review and development of standards (including competency standards) for a more regulated and standardised market that encourages further investments into the RE/EE sector.
• You will also be responsible for supporting the team in organising training related activities and related projects including blendedlearning platforms.

Tasks
Under the direct supervision of the Head of Unit the Junior Advisor, Project Development & Standards will:

Support the development of Competency Standards, Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Standards and Labeling Framework:

• Re-validation of RE/EE training competency standards and support content development for training
• Facilitating and steering the technical committee on the development of RE/EE standards.
• Coordinating market compliance surveys on standards and labels for RE/EE equipment.
• Coordinating with COREN, SON and ECOWAS on harmonisation and creating awareness for developed standards and labels.
• Organising inventory studies of efficient and inefficient lighting and cooling appliances in the Nigerian market including market transformation campaign to phase out inefficient appliances.

Support the development of a blended learning platform for RE/EE:

• Work with subject matter experts to improve training content and pilot this blended-learning course according to the target audience’s training needs
• Create engaging learning activities and compelling course content for selected RE/EE course
• Support the creation of visual, audio and interactive learning tools.
• Ensure content matches established objectives while structuring content and activities for optimized learning.

Support the development of a Strategic Action Plan for the Environmentally Friendly and Safe Disposal of Used Batteries in Nigeria:

• Reviewing existing regulation on battery collection, transportation and recycling in Nigeria.
• Supporting compliance of the regulation on battery collection, transportation and recycling in Nigeria.
• Supporting the upgrade of Waste Battery Management Facilities in Nigeria.
• Developing database for recycled batteries and facilities including exported batteries.

Activity Coordination:

• Organising field missions and events (for NESP local partners and/or consultants incl. workshops, consumer education, awareness campaigns, meetings, study tour, trainings, etc).
• Support capacity building for key partners including Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN), Federal Ministry of Environment, National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency, Standards Organisation of Nigeria and Importers of Electrical Appliances.
• Supporting project planning, implementation and coordination of activities (incl. ToRs for consultants, concepts, budgeting, review of consultants’ invoices, sector studies and reporting).
• Reviewing project’s operational plan periodically to ensure that proposed activities are meeting specified outputs in line with the project’s indicators.

Overarching tasks:

• Knowledge management of the work results (organize and update project documentation, filing, data base).
• Ensure communication and visibility of the results in line with NESP’s Communication and Visibility Plan/Strategy.
• Support in the planning, monitoring and evaluation of Unit activities (incl. drawing up monitoring/progress reports).
• Establish collaborations with public and private partners including the Federal Ministry of Environment, Federal Ministry of Works, National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency, Standards Organisation of Nigeria and Importers of Electrical Appliances.

General Obligations:
The Junior Advisor:

• Is familiar with all components of the programme, concepts and status of implementation and knows the corresponding experts and staff;
• Represents the interest of the GIZ-assisted measure and always acts on its behalf;
• Carries out important tasks for the programme, even if these are not explicitly cited in the job description;
• Performs other duties and tasks at the request of the management.

Required Qualifications, Competences and Experience
Education:

• A University Degree in Energy Studies, Electrical Engineering, Business Administration, Economics or any relevant field of study. A Master’s Degree is an added advantage.

Professional Competencies and Experience:

• At least 2 – 4 years of relevant experience in the energy sector with demonstrated ability in implementing renewable and energy efficiency projects.
• Knowledge of renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies.
• Familiar with renewable energy and energy efficiency stakeholders in Nigeria.
• Familiar with procedures for standards development is regarded as an asset.
• Hands-on project management experience and ability to efficiently manage numerous activities simultaneously, a flair for problem-solving and an ability to self-navigate through complex bureaucratic environments.

Other knowledge, additional competences:

• Fluent written and oral knowledge of English. Knowledge of local languages would be an asset.
• A very good working knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint.
• Experience with internet-based information and blended learning platforms including other aspects of digitalization would be an asset.
• Ability and willingness to travel regularly to any region in Nigeria (including seaports and land borders).

Salary
According to GIZ salary scale for Band 3

Application Closing Date
8th August, 2022