Energy Specialist at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO-UN)

Job ID: 1900888
Location: Maiduguri, Borno
Organizational Unit: FAO Nigeria - FRNIR
Type of Requisition: NPP (National Project Personnel)
Grade Level: N/A
Duration: 11 months renewable

Organizational Setting

• The crisis in Nigeria, located mainly around the Lake Chad Basin, is a complex emergency characterized by food insecurity, violence and displacement. Furthermore, subsistence-based livelihoods are impacted upon by climate-induced desertification, drought, receding lake/water stress. The FAO Lake Chad Strategy 2017-2019 includes ensuring sustainable and equitable access to resources and services as well as sustainable growth of livelihood opportunities are therefore critical priorities.
• FAO has received support to implement a programme on Safe Access to Fuel and Energy (SAFE). Given that more than 90% of people in Borno State depend on firewood of charcoal for meeting daily cooking needs, FAO activities include distributing of fuel-efficient cookstoves to vulnerable people, supporting local livelihoods through training in technical/business aspects of stove production, and increasing energy supply through Community-Based Forestry Management interventions. The main objective is to address immediate needs of the most vulnerable people in the short term and to increase the resilience of these people in the longer term.

Reporting Lines:

• The Energy Specialist reports to the FAO Representative (FAOR) in Nigeria under the direct supervision of the Deputy FAOR based in Maiduguri. She/He will work closely with the Head of Programme and in close collaboration with national and international consultants in the project team,

Technical Focus:

• The Energy Specialist will focus on the issue of Safe Access to Fuel and Energy (SAFE), both on the energy demand and energy supply side.
  

Tasks and Responsibilities

• Support the development and implementation, of energy-related activities in the FAO Northeast Nigeria programme, including support to recently established fuel-efficient cookstove production centers, to distribution campaigns of fuel-efficient cookstoves
• Contribute to the development, monitoring, evaluation and capitalization of Community-Based Forestry Management interventions
• Contribute to effective and timely Post-Distribution Monitoring and evaluation of energy-related activities
• Support the set-up of pilot interventions for alternative/innovative energy technologies, such as briquetting, biogas, etc.
• Contribute to the development of communication materials to promote the FAO Safe Access to Fuel and Energy (SAFE) approach
• Support the development of concept notes and proposals to include energy-related activities
• Maintain good working relations with the relevant Borno State Ministries (Environment; Agriculture) and with other humanitarian actors active in improving energy access
• Support the SAFE Working Group (a coordination body under the Food Security Sector, led by FAO) with organization of meetings, workshops, information sharing and development of guiding materials on energy access in Northeast Nigeria
• Support any other required tasks

Minimum Requirements

• Master's degree in Energy, Environmental Science and/or Sustainable Development.
• At least 5 years of relevant working experience in the field of energy, environmental science and/or sustainable development.
• Working experience in humanitarian settings is desirable.
• Knowledge of hausa, kanuri will be an asset.
• National of Nigeria.

FAO Core Competencies:

• Results Focus
• Teamwork
• Communication
• Building Effective Relationships
• Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement

Technical/Functional Skills:

• Good knowledge of the energy situation in the Northeast States of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe
• Experience in implementation of energy-related activities in an emergency setting
• Experience in community-based and participatory approaches
• Excellent Microsoft Office software skills
• Excellent communication skills, in relation to local people and beneficiaries, government partners, NGO and other humanitarian actors, private sector and civil society
• Strong willingness to undertake regular deep field missions.
• Experience with internationally funded projects will be an added advantage.
• Knowledge of at least one of the major languages (Kanuri and/or Hausa) spoken in the northeast states of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe is highly desirable.