Nigeria Energy Lead - SEED Program at Rocky Mountain Institute

Job code: 1000040
Locations: Abuja or Lagos, Nigeria
Job Type: Contract Position

Position Overview

• RMI is seeking a talented and experienced Nigeria Energy Lead to support RMI’s work to improve and expand energy access and cost-effective use of distributed energy resources in Nigeria. This professional will play a leading role in programmatic efforts in Nigeria, with the opportunity to also support work on the energy transformation across sub-Saharan Africa.
• The Energy Lead will firmly establish the organization as an independent thought and implementation leader by driving energy transitions from traditional and often polluting and expensive energy infrastructure to clean, affordable, and resilient energy resources.
• This position reports to the Nigeria Country Manager of RMI’s SEED program and collaborates closely with the program’s leadership to execute RMI’s programmatic strategies in Nigeria.
• The Energy Lead will engage with all members of the SEED team to develop content, share learnings, and clearly communicate in-country developments to non-Nigeria-based teammates to shape country strategy and support adaptation to local needs.
• The ideal candidate will be based in Nigeria, although they may initially be based in the U.S. The Energy Lead will serve as RMI’s primary representative to stakeholders in Nigeria, including leaders from across government, development partners, and the private sector.
• They will also support project work across Nigeria, including by providing technical expertise, content development, and potentially management of small teams. The Energy Lead may also play a role in pursuing funding, through philanthropic, government, and collaboration revenue.
• RMI has a well-established reputation and extensive capabilities in designing and executing collaborative problem solving and solution scaling teams. We seek a highly creative, entrepreneurial yet deeply and broadly experienced energy professional to join our team and shape the fastest growing energy sectors in the world.
• This is a full-time contractor position with an initial contract term of 12 months.

Specific Roles and Responsibilities

• Contribute to project execution and lead workstreams across a variety of topic areas
• Build and manage relationships with key senior stakeholders in Nigeria
• Develop new ideas for achieving programmatic goals to ensure large-scale impact in Nigeria
• Support conversations with prospective and existing donors and funders
• Synthesize research and lessons learned to influence key stakeholders
• Collaborate with the Country Manager and across all levels of the SEED team to support project selection and planning, and to develop the organization’s expertise and reputation in energy systems in Nigeria
• Build RMI’s network and identify new projects, and shape and deliver collaborative efforts with governments, development partners, and the private sector in sub-Saharan Africa
• Serve as a subject matter expert and thought leader to develop innovative approaches for holistic energy system development, new business models for energy and energy service providers, and respectfully challenge current approaches
• Identify and shape specific program initiatives and projects, likely in combination with other senior professionals, focusing on topics such as national-level energy planning, minigrid cost reduction, energy efficiency for increased access, and targeted capacity building
• Demonstrate organizational leadership, helping set a culture of impact, accountability, and entrepreneurship
• Travel up to 25% of the time, including occasional travel within sub-Saharan Africa and to RMI’s offices in the United States

Supervisory Responsibilities:

• Initially an independent contributor, with potential expansion to supervise local staff.

Minimum Qualifications

• Undergraduate Degree from a well-respected university
• Multiple years of energy work experience with an emphasis on energy efficiency and renewable energy
• Independent work style, comfortable self-managing multiple priorities and workstreams concurrently, with the ability to drive projects forward despite ambiguity
• Proven track-record of delivering against deadlines and reliably delivering outcomes
• Excellent interpersonal communication abilities in written, verbal, and presentation forms, demonstrating humble confidence
• Proficient with Microsoft Office, including experience writing reports, building decks, and developing spreadsheet models

Preferred Qualifications:

• Graduate Degree in Science, Engineering, Policy, Economics, or other relevant field
• Deep understanding of energy systems on a technical, financial, and political basis, ideally grounded with experience in developing economies
• Established network in Nigeria’s energy sector, particularly with senior stakeholders working on off-grid and renewables
• Ability to engage with leaders from local and international partners in a respectful and appropriate manner, including eloquent and compelling speaking and writing
• A strong creative streak with proven ability to find new and impactful approaches, influence others’ thinking, and demonstrate entrepreneurial leadership
• Ability and interest in working with colleagues across a broad range of energy-related topics in sub-Saharan Africa and developing economies worldwide.