Overview
The Pooled-fund on International Energy (PIE) is an international grant-making and strategy platform hosted by the European Climate Foundation. PIE collaborates with foundations, re-granting organizations, and civil society partners to promote clean energy and phase out coal and gas within a just transition. The core mission is international and transnational efforts to achieve carbon-free power sectors globally by 2040 and to accelerate decarbonization in the iron and steel industries. The role focuses on identifying and working with partners to co-develop strategies, make grants, convene actors and initiatives, and build forward-looking grantmaking strategies based on robust facts and analysis. The Head of Energy Strategy in North Africa will report to the Director of the Africa portfolio.
Responsibilities
Lead and co-develop strategic frameworks and manage the implementation of PIE's Africa workstream, in collaboration with the program team and re-granting partners. Coordinate with regional and international partners to ensure alignment with core themes and regional priorities. Manage and potentially supervise team members, primarily consultants or Advisors supporting the Africa work.
* Strategic development – Formulate and recommend a technical energy strategy for Africa with a focus on North Africa, addressing campaigns, communication, technology innovation, transition, and economic drivers. Define countries part of the annual strategic focus and five-year plans.
* Grantmaking and implementation – Lead execution of the relevant part of the PIE 5-year strategy and its grantmaking in coordination with the Africa team; ensure alignment with regional climate foundation partners; support funders’ initiatives and oversee grantmaking with the PIE operations and ECF finance teams, including monitoring and evaluation.
* Strategy advising and intelligence – Liaise with philanthropic foundations to advise on North Africa (and/or MENA) strategy, prepare grant proposals, and align foundation engagement; oversee consultants delivering the strategy and develop a data-driven approach to inform PIE and partner plans.
* Team management – Oversee performance and wellbeing of direct reports where applicable.
* External relations – Build and maintain relationships with civil society, labor, business, and government actors; support cross-regional networking across regional climate foundations; represent the program externally as needed.
* Research and convening – Commission impactful research and organize stakeholder engagements; convene and cultivate a field of partners as co-developers of strategy and maintain productive relationships with grantees and partners.
Experience and qualifications
* At least 5 to 8 years of relevant experience in driving change through public campaigning, advocacy, network mobilization, or related roles in agencies, businesses, or government.
* Ideally includes exposure to campaigning and communication strategies.
* University degree or equivalent.
* Proficiency in Arabic (C1 level) is required. Knowledge of North African dialects is an advantage.
Essential knowledge
* Understanding of the energy sector and how energy policy or system setups operate.
* Advocacy and campaigning experience and/or diplomatic and government insight; familiarity with how NGO campaigning impacts policy processes.
* Climate politics and policy understanding; regional knowledge of North Africa is desirable but not essential.
Skills and competencies
* Strong written and verbal communication in Arabic and English; ability to crystallize complex issues into clear strategy documents.
* Excellence in strategic thinking and translating strategy into implementation.
* Self-management and organizational skills to operate effectively with limited supervision.
What we offer
* Opportunity to work within a dynamic international team with a rigorous approach to impact.
* Access to a network of partners with deep grantmaking and strategy development expertise.
* Flexible, self-managed approach to day-to-day work.
Location
This is a flexible, home-based role. The successful candidate should be able to operate effectively within North African business days and working hours.
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