Senior Consultant - Policy Advisory

Consultant Environment Finance & Economy

Overview

Support South Africa's G20 Presidency on energy transition policies

You have:

• Minimum 7-10 years of professional experience in energy transitions, climate policy, sustainable development, or multilateral environmental processes.
• Demonstrated expertise in policy advisory roles and technical support in international energy and climate governance.
• Experience in South Africa's development sector with a strong understanding of national policy frameworks and priorities.
• Fluency in written and spoken English is required.
• Prior engagement with G20 processes, AU initiatives, or other high-level multilateral forums is highly desirable.

Contract

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Result of Service

A successful G20 ETWG process under South Africa’s G20 Presidency, advancing energy transition priorities, fostering commitments to just, affordable, and inclusive energy transitions, and ensuring alignment with regional and global sustainability objectives. The consultant will provide high-level strategic, analytical, and technical support to the ETWG in the following ways: • Regular technical, documentation, and coordination support to achieve the objectives of South Africa’s G20 Presidency, ensuring alignment with the broader priorities of the African Union (AU) and key multilateral processes. • High-quality technical outputs, including policy briefs, background notes, strategic papers, and communication materials, to support informed decision-making and enhance South Africa’s positioning in G20 discussions. • Improved coherence and synergies between ETWG priorities and other G20 working groups, fostering an integrated and strategic approach to South Africa’s leadership in the energy transition agenda. • Stakeholder engagement and facilitation support, ensuring meaningful collaboration with G20 members, international partners, financial institutions, and the private sector through preparatory and main ETWG meetings • Long-term impact and legacy development, ensuring that South Africa’s G20 Presidency leaves a sustainable blueprint for energy transition policies, connecting G20 outcomes with global platforms such as COP 30 and Africa’s energy security agenda.

Work Location

Pretoria

Expected duration

9 months

Duties and Responsibilities

The Policy Advisory Consultant will support the South African G20 Presidency in advancing the priorities of the Energy Transitions Working Group (ETWG) and provide technical input for the development and implementation of the ETWG workplan. This support will align with South Africa’s G20 priorities and broader multilateral environmental processes. The consultant will also provide substantive assistance for ETWG meetings, including preparatory discussions with partners, stakeholders, and other working groups to accelerate progress on the ETWG objectives. The consultant will report to SANEDI, which serves as the ETWG secretariat. Advise on policy positioning to strengthen South Africa’s leadership in the Energy Transitions Working Group (ETWG), ensuring alignment with global energy transition priorities and Just Energy Transition principles. • Develop high-level strategic papers outlining South Africa’s G20 Presidency vision for energy transitions within the G20, positioning it as a leader in the global shift towards clean energy. • Synthesize global trends in energy transitions and provide insights on South Africa’s positioning within the broader G20 framework. • Support DEE in shaping South Africa’s long-term energy transition legacy by ensuring key G20 outcomes are linked to initiatives such as COP 30 and Africa’s energy security agenda. • Facilitate cross-ministerial coordination, ensuring that South Africa’s energy transition policies are integrated across relevant government agencies, including DMRE, DFFE, Treasury, and the Presidency. • Engage with international partners, financial institutions, and private sector actors to explore financing opportunities for South Africa’s energy transition agenda. • Support DEE/SANEDI in liaising with G20 Sherpas and Energy Ministers to ensure alignment and South Africa’s leadership on energy transition priorities. • Conduct in-depth policy analysis on global best practices in renewable energy, financing mechanisms, and industrial decarbonization to inform South Africa’s contributions to the G20 ETWG. • Prepare technical reports summarizing key energy transition challenges, opportunities, and policy recommendations. • Monitor progress on energy transition commitments within the G20 and track international best practices that could be adapted to South Africa’s context. • Develop knowledge products and briefing materials to sustain momentum on energy transition discussions beyond South Africa’s G20 Presidency. • Draft key interventions and ministerial statements for South African representatives at G20 meetings, ministerial discussions, and high-level summits. • Coordinate with UN agencies (UNEP, UNDP, IRENA, and other key bodies) to align South Africa’s G20 energy transition efforts with multilateral initiatives.

Qualifications/special skills

First university degree in a field related to energy policy, sustainable development, climate change, geography, environmental economics, or a related discipline. Minimum 7–10 years of professional experience in energy transitions, climate policy, sustainable development, or multilateral environmental processes. Prior engagement with G20 processes, AU initiatives, or other high-level multilateral forums is highly desirable. Demonstrated expertise in policy advisory roles, stakeholder engagement, and technical support in international energy and climate governance. Extensive experience in research, policy analysis, and drafting of technical reports, position papers, and strategic documents. Proven ability to engage with governments, international organizations, financial institutions, and private sector stakeholders on energy transition issues. Experience in South Africa’s development sector is required, with a strong understanding of national policy frameworks and priorities. Familiarity with the regional political landscape and environmental challenges is essential for effective engagement and policy alignment.

Languages

Fluency in written and spoken English is required.

Additional Information

Not available.

No Fee

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.

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Added 1 year ago - Updated 1 year ago - Source: careers.un.org