Senior Associate, UN Energy

Background about SEforALL

Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL) is an international organization working with leaders in government, the private sector and civil society to drive further, faster action toward achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG7), which calls for universal access to sustainable energy by 2030, and the Paris Agreement, which calls for reducing greenhouse gas emissions to limit climate warming to well below 2° Celsius (and striving for 1.5° Celsius).  

Achieving these goals will require a radical rethink of the way we produce, distribute and consume energy. SEforALL is at the heart of this foundational shift to ensure no one is left behind. Drawing on data and evidence, we identify a critical path to success in achieving SDG7.  

The 8th UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon launched the Sustainable Energy for All initiative in 2011. Now an independent organization, we maintain close links with the UN, including through a relationship agreement, partnerships with UN agencies and with SEforALL’s CEO acting as the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative (SRSG) for Sustainable Energy for All and Co-Chair of UN-Energy. These roles include advising the UN Secretary General and his staff on issues relating to sustainable energy and the implementation of SDG7 and supporting the coordination of sustainable energy issues in the United Nations system.  

The ambitions of SDG7 are extraordinary. Aiming to achieve them in the context of the Paris Agreement on climate change involves transformation at a scale never undertaken before. Swift action must be taken by leaders in governments, private sector companies, institutions, financiers, development banks, unions, communities, entrepreneurs and civil society. As we enter the final decade to achieve SDG7, SEforALL has strategically chosen to strengthen global agenda-setting while expanding its activities to an engagement model that prioritizes data-driven decision-making, partnerships with high-impact countries and implementation on the ground. SEforALL’s current three-year business plan outlines “results offers” that scope out our planned interventions and demonstrate to our funding partners the impact of their support

Objectives of REMI department

The Renewable Energy Manufacturing Initiative (REMI) – launched at Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week 2023 (ADSW) – aims to drive investment and mobilize action in countries to scale up renewable energy manufacturing capabilities. This international Initiative will help drive the financial, technical, and socioeconomic investments required to unlock the continent’s potential for up to 1.2 Terawatts of clean energy, 14 million new jobs and 6.4% growth in GDP by 2050.

REMI is supported by a strategic partnership between Sustainable Energy for All, the African Climate Foundation, Bloomberg Philanthropies, ClimateWorks Foundation, and the Chinese Renewable Energy Industry Association. The Initiative also launched the Africa Renewable Energy Manufacturing: Opportunity and Advancement report at ADSW. The report – supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies, the African Climate Foundation, and the ClimateWorks Foundation – analyzes Africa’s renewable energy manufacturing landscape, highlights pathways to accelerate a homegrown renewable energy industry, and provides a roadmap to help bridge the gaps and achieve a just, equitable, and green energy transition in Africa.

Purpose/Objective of the Role

Support the implementation of the Renewable Energy Manufacturing Initiative program.

Main Duties and Tasks of the Role

The main duties and tasks of the role include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Support external engagement and coordination with REMI partner organizations, including the private sector, financing institutions, think tanks and governments.
• Assist in the development of knowledge products, including undertaking primary and secondary research and drafting.
• Support organizing virtual and in-person events, including technical workshops, high-level roundtables and webinars.
• Support the team in scheduling and coordinating meetings and workshops, preparing and circulating meeting agendas and minutes and drafting correspondence.
• Support Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning processes, including tracking progress across programs and activities and facilitating knowledge capture and dissemination.
• Assist in communications and outreach activities, including website management and dissemination of REMI events, knowledge products and key messages.
• Other tasks and duties as may be required.

Specific Competencies for the Role

• Completed university degree in Public Policy, International Relations, Finance, Engineering or related field.
• A minimum of five years of experience in the sustainable energy sector with a focus on administrative services, economic analysis and project management is required.
• Experience with client-relations management and multi-stakeholder engagement.
• Demonstrated excellent analytical and research skills.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English are required. Fluency in additional languages is added benefit.
• Experience in creating newsletters using Mailchimp.
• Previous experience with the UN, governmental agencies or other international organization is an asset.
  Familiarity with energy access, transition or topics related to Sustainable Development Goal 7 is highly desirable.

General Competences for the Role

• Innovation and Adaptability: Has proficient skills in innovation and adaptability. Is open and easily adapts to evolving circumstances as well as helps others in doing so.
• Resilience and Emotional Intelligence: Has proficient knowledge in the concepts of resilience and emotional intelligence. Is able to remain calm in challenging situations, to cope with setbacks, is responsive to the emotions of others and maintains a high level of performance.
• Analytical and Strategic Thinking: Has a proficient level of analytical and strategic thinking skills. Gathers and processes demanding information, develops innovative solutions and contributes to methods and procedures for standard tasks to cross-functional work groups.
• Collaboration and Partnership: Demonstrates proficient initiative and abilities to collaborate and form partnerships in own area of responsibility. Identifies, builds, develops and maintains long-lasting partnerships and actively creates positive team spirit.
• Lead and Empower: Demonstrates initiative and role model behaviour in leading and empowering others. Takes responsibility for own work activities and personal actions and carries out the commitments agreed upon.
• Political and diplomatic understanding: Has a proficient level of political and diplomatic understanding.
  Communicating information: Has expert skills in communicating information and uses the skills effectively in own scope of work and regularly in others’ work.
• Research and Analytics: Has advanced skills in research and analytics.
• Project Management: Has proficient skills in project management. Plans and organises their own work in support of achieving the team’s objectives.
• Client Orientation / Striving for Excellence: Has proficient skills in client orientation and achieving excellency in work delivery.

Our Values – please refer to our core values as defined here: https://www.seforall.org/who-we-are/staff/our-values.

Salary information: SEforALL has adopted its own salary scales corresponding to the SEforALL grading system. The minimum yearly salary for this position is EUR 52,370. The actual salary offer will be determined within the scale depending on the successful candidate’s qualification and experience, and applying the principle of internal equity. In addition to the base salary, SEforALL staff receive a benefits package that includes contribution to pension, contribution to health insurance & homeworking allowance.

Additional Considerations

SEforALL offers exciting high-impact assignments, a collegial and creative work environment, and the opportunity for committed professionalsto thrive and grow within flat hierarchies and in the pursuit of an inspiring mission. 

SEforALL provides competitive compensation packages at its locations in Vienna, Washington DC and New York City, and flexibility and result orientated modern workplace arrangements.
Qualified female candidates and candidates from developing countries are strongly encouraged to apply.
Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
SEforALL reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a level below the advertised level of the post.
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