Knowledge Sharing Manager, Renewable Energy at C40 Cities

Position Description:

• The South African Clean Energy Project is entering its second phase with the focus now on accelerating the South African Just Energy Transition through enabling implementation, delivering actions, building City leadership and supporting scaling through strategic energy sector South-South collaborations.
• This two- year project, supporting the five C40 Cities South African cities (City of Cape Town, City of Ekurhuleni, eThekwini Municipality, City of Johannesburg and City of Tshwane), will advance South African C40 Cities’ capabilities to lead the transition to clean and reliable energy systems by increasing the uptake of renewable energy. This project will help capacitate cities to drive the just energy transition by leveraging transformational regulatory and market reforms and accelerate decarbonisation through expanding implementation of onsite and offsite clean energy sources. Through South-South collaboration, the project supports scaling of city-level climate action by sharing lessons and technical expertise on energy efficiency, demand management, and renewable energy deployment.

The primary objectives are:

• Improve climate governance in cities: Reduce regulatory complexity, increase technical capacity, and unlock financing constraints to enable implementation of effective and inclusive energy actions.
• Accelerate renewable energy adoption: By enabling planning, procurement, and with technical assistance to support the transition to clean energy sources, municipalities can accelerate decarbonisation, advance implementation efforts, and achieve Just Energy Investment Plan (JET-IP) goals, ensuring equitable outcomes for all. Cities will actively shape energy markets through harnessing and influencing regulatory reforms and participating in electricity markets.
• Build inclusive energy systems and strengthen municipal leadership: Through inclusive planning, community engagement, and public participation, the programme will promote public support and stakeholder collaboration. Integrated approaches to grid infrastructure and affordability will help ensure fair access to clean energy, while managing grid defection risks, maintaining cross-subsidisation, and expanding service to informal settlements. Enhanced governance and capacity building efforts will support municipal leadership in delivering equitable, climate resilient energy solutions.
• Support scaling through strategic sector collaborations: Through South-South collaboration, the program supports scaling of city-level climate action by sharing lessons and technical expertise on energy efficiency, demand management, and renewable energy deployment.

Responsibilities:

• Reporting to the Head of Energy Strategy & Implementation, the Knowledge Sharing Manager will be responsible for day-to-day implementation of this next phase of the project. They will be supported by the Renewable Energy Technical Adviser and will also work closely with the Head of South-South Collaboration, Africa to bring in expertise from global cities and maximise the impact of the project across other cities in Africa.
• The Knowledge Sharing Manager will need to be an experienced and proactive individual, able to manage their work independently and make the most of a complex portfolio in a high-profile area of C40’s work. They will join a team of dynamic C40 staff and will be connected to leading cities around the world. They need to be passionate about working with a diverse range of cities to find practical solutions to climate change, particularly around renewable energy and building energy efficiency.

Specific responsibilities include:

• Support the Renewable Energy Technical Advisor in the delivery of the South African Renewable Energy project. This will include working with the South African cities and external consultants to implement the project activities. This will require budget management and reporting. 
• Convene as and when required in-person and virtual meetings for the South African cities, including developing agenda content and managing logistics, for capacity building activities, exchange of information during the project implementation but also to learn about best practices, experiences and lessons learnt on topics related to renewable energy. 
• Contribute to funder reporting about the grant activities, progress and outcomes achieved.
• Contribute to briefings to C40 senior management and funders on the grant budget, key performance indicators, milestones and deliverables, ensuring they are on schedule. 
• Lead the communications and stakeholder management activities. Liaise with the global networks of the energy & buildings team to collect global knowledge on renewable energy sourcing and share the examples with South African cities, and manage relationships with South-African stakeholders.
• Co-lead the development of the knowledge strategy: Identify opportunities for the development of knowledge sharing materials and peer-to-peer learning opportunities on topics related with renewable energy and its links with green job creation, air quality improvement and increased resilience. 
• Contribute to fundraising activities to expand support to more cities and for the provision of additional technical assistance. 
• Pro-actively collaborate with colleagues in the Energy & Buildings team, Air Quality in Climate Solutions and Networks team and the Africa Regional team and in C40, including Climate Action Implementation, Research and Knowledge Management, Regions, City Diplomacy, Business Engagement, Finance and Communications and Events teams.
• Other duties as assigned.

Person Specification:

• Experience of developing and/or implementing renewable energy policies, programs or projects, especially in South Africa e.g. related to municipal procurement of renewable energy, preferably across multiple cities.
• Knowledge of global best practices and different approaches to support cities in decarbonising their energy systems and promoting renewable energy generation and procurement and influence the energy supply at local and national scales, required.
• Experience in developing knowledge sharing products addressed to technical and non-technical audiences in topics of renewable energy and its links with green job creation, air quality improvement and increased resilience.
• Experience in developing, delivering and reporting on programme plans, including contract and budget management.
• Experience in managing contracts and ensuring the timely submission of project deliverables by project teams.
• Experience of developing and implementing policy and strategy required, preferably through working in or with city governments.
• Fluency in English essential; fluency in another language spoken in a C40 city preferred.
• Basic skills in qualitative and quantitative data management (Basic excel skills).
• Strong written and verbal communication skills essential, including proven ability to deliver compelling messages, develop briefings for senior leaders, and facilitate in-person workshops as well as virtual meetings or webinars;
• Strong problem-solving, interpersonal and strategic thinking capabilities coupled with an outcome, delivery-oriented approach required;
• International experience particularly working across different cultures, languages and time zones.
• Proven strong understanding of political dynamics in cities and local governments, and of strategic and technical needs of city leaders.

Other Requirements:

• Applicants must already have the right to work in South Africa. Moderate travel will be required as part of the role. This position has to be based in South Africa.