Embassy Jobs – Sector Specialist: Green Economy – Department for International Trade at British High Commission (BHC)
Job Title: Sector Specialist: Green Economy – Department for International Trade
Organization: British High Commission (BHC)
Duty Station: Kampala, Uganda
Salary: UGX 13,792,022/= monthly
Office Notice No.: 11/20 KPL
About US:
The British High Commission is the diplomatic liaison office that aims to develop and maintain close bilateral relations with Uganda, in accordance with British government policies. The British High Commission is responsible for the political relationship between the UK and Uganda, and we provide advice and guidance on political and governance issues. BHC provides assistance and documentary services to British nationals in Uganda. The UK Trade and Investment Section provides assistance to both British and Ugandan businesses.
Job Summary: The Sector Specialist: Green Economy – Department for International Trade will join a dynamic network of committed trade officers working to support Africa’s exciting economic growth and position at the heart of the future world economy. This is an exciting time to join DIT Africa, as we continue to expand our resources to deliver on the ambition of our current Government to be Africa’s trade and investment partner of choice.
Key Duties and Responsibilities:
- The Department for International Trade in Africa wants to mainstream a ‘Green Economy’ approach into all its work across Africa. This means supporting in all our priority sectors of activity the commercial, regulatory and investment solutions for Africa that help to reduce the contribution of carbon in their economies.
- You will support our Green Economy Sector Director in Ghana with the development of a plan to guide the DIT network across the continent. That support will contribute your expert understanding of how low carbon interventions can be made in each economic sector and how they might be applied in an African context.
- You will also closely vet DIT’s other sector plans and work with the Sector Directors to ensure that planned activity in Africa is contributing the most it can to low carbon transition and green growth. You will advise on technologies, on regulatory frameworks, and on financing structures (like Green Finance) to support change and improvement.
- At the core of your role you will develop close understanding for African needs and the viability of different approaches to carbon reduction. You will bring a commercial perspective to this work trying to find the areas where commercial, investment or regulatory intervention could help. This will be in complement to other actors for the British Government, with whom you will forge close working relationships, whose primary interests in e.g. climate resilience and/or emissions reductions will align. You will work to understand the contribution of International Climate Finance, DFID and other programmes, so that DIT can support while also adding value in its commercial and trade policy sphere.
- You will forge close relationships with African regulators, developers and companies such that you can interpret their needs and develop solutions with and for them. You will then be able to translate those to officials less familiar with the sector and possibly to UK and international companies too. You will look for all opportunities to encourage transition to low carbon technologies, and will seek to help Africa find the regulatory and tariff structures to incentivise that change. You will seek, first and foremost, to progress their plans and assist in their capability, but you will have a good knowledge of international best practice to contribute.
- Your aim will be to help African energy decision makers understand where a commercial green economy application could deliver on or raise their ambition. You will not be so concerned with aligning African plans to UK solutions, but it would help to understand UK capabilities, public and private, especially in the area of research and innovation. For this you would make connections to the UK’s innovation centres and support work that could have mutual benefit in bringing ground-breaking techniques to Africa.
- Your role will be advisory, but you would be expected to show a clear contribution to relationship development with African developers, to a ‘greening’ of our plans in every sector, and to the upskilling of our network as they better understand how to target solutions for African needs.
Qualifications, Skills and Experience:
- The applicant for the British High Commission (BHC) Sector Specialist: Green Economy – Department for International Trade job must hold a Postgraduate degree or undergraduate degree and other relevant professional qualification or experience.
- At least six years’ experience working in the renewable energy, green economy or related fields
- Experience of working in or with government departments, NGOs, and similar institutions
- Proven track record of cross-team collaboration
- A positive, resilient, flexible and adaptable “can-do” attitude that can see way through challenges.
- Knowledge of, and a keen interest in the green economy and its applicability to Africa
- Knowledge of African markets and/or African sustainable development.
- Language: Fluent English.
- Competencies: Seeing the Big Picture, Collaborating and Partnering, Achieving Commercial Outcomes, Engaging Internationally
Desirable qualifications, skills and experience
- Understanding of UK Export Finance and Development Finance, although training will be provided.
How to Apply:
All suitably qualified and interested candidates who wish to join the British High Commission in the aforementioned capacity should apply by clicking on the link below.
Deadline: 19th August 2020