Power Africa Energy Program Advisor

Jefferson Consulting Group is seeking a Energy Program Advisor to support Power Africa. This is a remote position.

The consultant will provide technical guidance and support to Power Africa's Energy Office (EO). EO directly oversees several large-scale regional and sub-continent wide mechanisms intended to deliver against ambitious power generation and energy access goals to advance development in sub-Saharan Africa. Split between South Africa and the United States, EO staff manage the majority of the Coordinator's Office's USAID-funded technical implementation mechanisms, including the four major sub-regional awards and the Healthcare Electrification and Telecommunication Alliance (HETA). The EO leads on Ending Energy Poverty and Accelerating a Carbon-free Future DOs under the 2022 Results Framework, sits on the South Africa Just Energy Transition Partnership Working Groups, and provides technical leadership on energy issues for Power Africa's Coordinator and broader senior management team, as well as for Missions across the continent.

A Senior Energy Program Advisor is needed to support both strategic and programmatic functions of Power Africa, namely: influencing and implementing high-level US foreign policy objectives such as the energy investments along the Lobito Corridor, and Power Africa partnership objectives such as furthering the African Union's Continental Power System Master plan, etc. The Energy Advisor would provide energy sector expertise to support Power Africa's USAID-funded program operations and management, guiding EO's programming in the energy sector, including policy/regulatory strengthening, on- and off-grid-connected infrastructure planning, regulation, finance, and development; and would lend their thought leadership to furthering Power Africa's engagement with development partners such as the African Union Development Agency, the African Development Bank, the World Bank; and interagency partners such as MCC, DFC, and USTDA.

Fulfilling this roles requires strong technical credentials, as well as an understanding of USAID's program cycle and business operations, demonstrated interpersonal skills, and experience engaging with senior staff within USAID, development partners, private sector partners, across the Interagency (including USTDA, DOS, DFC, FCS, Treasury, etc.) and with host country counterparts.

The Energy advisor will report to the EO Office Director or designate. The position will be located remotely with anticipated travel expected 10% of the time.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include, but are not limited to:

• Advise Power Africa and its partners on strategic priorities related to the African energy sector.

• Working in collaboration with the Power Africa Transmission and Distribution Team, Beyond-the-Grid Team, and across the Power Africa Energy Office, support the development and effective management of energy programming.

• Guide energy related interventions across the EO portfolio, with a particular focus on Transmission and Distribution and/or Nigeria - related programming.

• Staff at least one regional working group to both guide implementation and management of USAID programming in that region and influence use of PACO tools in that region.

• Engage with other relevant offices across the Power Africa Coordinator's Office and USAID missions continent-wide.

• Guide the strategic and programmatic roll out of interventions in support of increasing capacity and utilization of Power Pools and toward implementation of the African Union's Continental Power Systems Masterplan.

• Draft and/or edit reports, briefing papers, talking points, blogs, newsletter articles, journal articles, and social media input as needed.

• Prepare presentations (in PowerPoint and other presentation applications) for the Coordinator's Office or for meetings and events for a wide range of internal USG and external audiences.

• Help develop and respond to information requests and reporting requirements, including EO operational and implementation plans, taking into account Administration/Interagency priorities.

• Provide advisory support to EO-related TECs and award kick-offs

• Coaching and mentoring EO staff on Transmission and Distribution or other energy related areas as requested.

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE SKILLS, EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE:

Education: Completion of a Master's Degree, or the local equivalent in Engineering, Finance, Business Administration, Economics, Physical or Natural sciences, International Relations, or similar from an accredited university, is required.

Prior Work Experience: A minimum of seven years of progressively responsible job-related professional level experience related to energy and/or development assistance fields is required. Experience must have provided the opportunity for the development and writing of sectoral and project documents, project design and performance, program planning, and implementation. At least two years of this experience should be in development-related work in the African power sector, or for other donor agencies or private-sector institutions. Experience should include performance monitoring, and/or the analysis and interpretation of large amounts of data.

Post Entry Training: Familiarization training in USAID-specific procedures, regulations, and methods, and orientation to working from a donor-Agency perspective, will be provided. The Advisor will be required to serve as a program/project/activity manager, and formal COR/AOR training and formal certification will be provided. Training to maintain professional capability in the field, and other courses offered for professional USAID staff, as appropriate; and, courses, seminars, conferences, and other activities in fields related to the function and needed to maintain and update professional qualifications may be provided as they become available, subject to availability of funds