Energy Planner and Climate Change Specialist (12/24 PTA) at British High Commission

Main purpose of job:

Background:

This position will serve as a secondment into the Secretariat of the constituted Presidential Climate Commission (PCC). The PCC is an independent, multistakeholder body established by and led by President Cyril Ramaphosa, the Chairperson. The PCC is a key stakeholder for the British High Commission and wider stakeholders such as the International Partners Group on issues such as the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) between the SA and the UK, US, Germany, France and the EU. It oversees and drives South Africa’s transition, answering directly to the President – it has the potential to accelerate or slow progress, with its focus on the social impacts. UK’s priority is to support the former (acceleration) while ensuring it is just and leaves no one behind (CPD COP26 priority).

Programmatically, the PCC has been supported by South Africa-UK PACT with a technical assistance study. The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) are undertaking a project focussed on “Energy Sector Decarbonisation Pathways for net-zero carbon by 2050’’ on the PCC’s behalf. South Africa-UK PACT supports the PCC on climate policy implementation and operationalisation.

As a partner, South Africa-UK PACT supports the PCC with securing the technical inputs that will be so influential in terms of it making headway across its mitigation portfolio. The constituency make-up of the PCC (from business, labour, civil society, parliament and academia) brings together divergent views on priority around the just transition, and the technical input from the Secretariat (and specifically from its mitigation-focussed work) are pivotal for using empirical, evidence-based rationale to draw consensus across its commissioners

Role Description:

The purpose of the secondment and the main function of the post holder will be to manage, plan and coordinate research towards the implementation of a just transition in South Africa and to support the PCC Secretariat functions.  This role will specifically support energy planning but will be engaged in the PCC’s mitigation portfolio as a whole and operate on a senior technical and strategic level within the PCC Secretariat. 

The post holder will be employed by the British High Commission in Pretoria and work from the PCC Secretariat which is located at the offices of the National Economic Development and Labour Council (NEDLAC), in Rosebank, Johannesburg.  

The post holder will have a line manager within the PCC who will allocate and supervise the secondee’s duties and will also manage the secondee’s performance accordingly. Within the British High Commission, the secondee will be line managed by the South Africa-UK PACT Secondment Lead.

The post holder will be locally recruited and must have the authorisation to reside and work in South Africa.

Roles and responsibilities:

Support & oversee the PCC’s Energy Planning Programme (35%)

•  Analyse the various energy planning activities, projects, programme and research outputs in South Africa and inform the programme of work for the PCC
• Coordinate a series of events to introduce energy planning to a broader range of stakeholders; and to get their input and feedback into critical issues of energy planning
• Develop technical papers for Energy Planning in support of the PCC; and the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy, Integrated Energy Plan (IEP) processes

Facilitate the development of South Africa’s recommendation report on Energy Planning and Governance (35%)

• Develop the PCC Energy Plan and Governance Recommendations report as part of the secretariat in support of the commissioners
• Develop advocacy material for a net-zero energy system for the purpose of dissemination and advocacy
• Ensure that commissioners and the public have the opportunity to comment on the PCC recommendations
• Coordinate technical discussions with key stakeholders to provide technical inputs into the research outputs for the PCC

Project management support of the PCC mitigation portfolio and supporting and advising the administration of the secretariat (30%)

• Provide project management support to the mitigation team within the PCC secretariat
• Coordinate consultations across stakeholders
• Provide support toward convening of key stakeholder and expert meetings
• Provide technical input and expertise into a range of PCC projects

Essential qualifications, skills and experience 1 

We are looking for a proactive self-starter, able to work well and have a flexible approach to work whilst under pressure and excellent interpersonal and communications skills to build strong relations within the High Commission and PCC, with the following:

• Degree in Energy Engineering, Climate Change, Economics or Development Economics
• 6 years senior managerial experience in a relevant field
• Knowledge of environmental and development issues (globally, regionally, locally)
• Proven competence in the area of or international trends and developments on climate change.
• Extensive knowledge of climate change mitigation and energy services issues, including legal and policy frameworks and other barriers, the economics and technical requirements of low carbon development, carbon finance etc.
• Ability to manage and plan for activities, including projects and policy matters
• Ability to develop, interpret and apply policies, strategies and legislation
• Sufficient knowledge of specific computer software packages and efficient use of associated hardware  

Language requirements: 

Language: English

Level of language required: Excellent