Senior Mini-Grid & GIS Technical Expert at Mercy Corps

Purpose / Project Description

• Energy 4 Impact is seeking an internationally experienced Senior Mini-Grid & GIS Technical Expert to support the Nigerian Energy Support Programme(NESP III) in the development of off-grid renewable energy projects.

The Program / Department / Team

• Energy 4 Impact is Mercy Corps’ platform for shaping market systems in clean energy access. We work at the intersection of policy and institutions, enterprise growth and finance, ecosystem coordination, and evidence and market intelligence.
• Our comparative advantage lies in blending the advisory capabilities of a specialist firm with the geographic presence and community reach of an NGO. We translateprogrammeinvestment into strategic, market-credible solutions: building the conditions under which private investment flows into previously high-risk energy access markets.

Consultant Objective

• The Senior Mini-Grid & GIS Technical Expertwill provide high level engineering, planning, and technical advisory services for mini-grid project development, including GIS-based site identification, system design, and preparation of technical documentation.

Consultant Activities
The Consultant will undertake the following responsibilities:

• Lead GIS-based site identification, mapping, and spatial analysis for mini-grid development.
• Conduct techno economic assessments, including demand estimation, load profiling, and PUE opportunity analysis.
• Develop system designs, distribution network layouts, powerhouse siting, and technical specifications.
• Prepare and review BoQs, engineering drawings, tender documents, and technical guidelines.
• Conduct technical due diligence on mini-grid developer submissions and project proposals.
• Support the development of technical guidelines, regulations, and manuals for the Nigeria off-grid sector.
• Provide capacity building to local experts, government agencies, and developers.
• Collaborate with NESP advisors and local consultants to ensure high-quality deliverables.
• Contribute to progress reports, meeting summaries, and stakeholder engagement sessions.
• Introduce advanced geospatial analytics (e.g., least cost electrification modelling, remote sensing) to enhance projectselection.
• Develop standardized templates for mini-grid technical documentation to streamline future NESP processes.
• Provide advisory support on climate resilient infrastructure design and innovations for grid reliability.
• Support the creation of a mini-grid knowledge repository for NESP, consolidating tools, templates, and lessons learned.

Consultant Deliverables
The Consultant will deliver the following:

• A complete geospatial assessment report including mapped mini‑grid candidate sites, spatial datasets, analytical layers, and GIS files supporting site prioritization.
• An enhanced geospatial modelling output integrating least‑cost electrification modelling, remote sensing, and advanced analytics to strengthen siteselectionand planning.
• A techno‑economic analysis package containing demand estimates, load profiles, PUE opportunity assessments, and financial viability modelling for proposed mini‑grid sites.
• A set of engineering design documents covering mini-grid system sizing,distributionnetwork layouts, powerhouse siting, and detailed technical specifications for each assessed site.
• A technical documentation bundle comprising reviewed and validated Bills of Quantities, engineering drawings, tender documents, and technical guidelines aligned with GIZ/NESP standards.
• A due diligence evaluation report assessing the technical soundness, feasibility, and compliance of mini‑grid developer submissions and project proposals.
• A technical guidance package contributing to national guidelines, regulations, and manuals for Nigeria’s off‑grid sector, developed in collaboration with NESP and government partners.
• A capacity building report documenting training sessions, materials, participant feedback, and competency improvements among local experts, government agencies, and developers.
• A set ofreviewed and quality‑assured deliverables produced jointly with NESP advisors and local consultants, demonstrating coordinated technical input and consistency across work packages.
• Contributions to periodic progress reports, meeting summaries, and stakeholder engagement notes reflecting technical inputs, decisions, and follow‑up actions.
• Aclimate resilience advisory note outlining design recommendations, infrastructure adaptations, and innovations to improve mini‑grid reliability under climate stressors.
• Aknowledge repository package consolidating tools, templates, datasets, case studies, and lessons learned for long‑term use by NESP and sector stakeholders.

Required Experience & Skills
Education:

• Master’s Degree (or equivalent) in Electrical Engineering, Renewable Energy Engineering, Power Systems Engineering, or related field.

Professional Experience:

• General: Minimum 12 years of professional experience in the energy sector.
• Specific: At least 10 years of experience developing renewable energy mini-grid projects totaling ≥5 MW combined capacity.
• Demonstrated experience using GIS tools (ArcGIS, QGIS, etc.) for site identification and planning.
• Minimum 5 years developing technical guidelines, regulations, or manuals for the energy sector.
• International experience: At least 7 years in at least two countries with economies in transition outside West Africa.
• Regional experience: At least 5 years of professional experience in West Africa, including a minimum of 1 year in Nigeria.
• At least 5 years of experience working on development cooperation projects.

Languages:

• Excellent command of English (C1 level, CEFR).

Additional Information:

• Timeframe / Schedule: This assignment will take no longer than 35 days between May 2026 to December 2027, subject to performance and fund availability throughout this period.
• The Consultant will report to: The consultant will report to the Senior Technical Analyst, Energy 4 Impact.
• The Consultant will work closely with: TheTeam Leader, the MEL and Reporting Expertother technical and finance experts in the project, experts from implementing partner, the government counterparts, the finance and operations team.