Director, Energy Transition Partnership

Job Highlight

Provide strategic leadership and overall management for the Energy Transition Partnership (ETP), focusing on strategy implementation, resource mobilization, and maintaining strong relationships with funders and government partners.

Role Purpose

The ETP Director is responsible for ensuring that the ETP team coordinates action across the overall programme and all activities implemented under its mandate. The Director provides strategic leadership, oversees planning and implementation, leads resource mobilisation efforts, and maintains excellent working relationships with funders and government partners. In addition, the Director is responsible for executing the ETP mandate and for reporting to the Steering Committee on programme results and performance and accounting for the use of funds.

Functions / Key Results Expected

Under the supervision of the UNOPS MCO Director and reporting to the co-Chairpersons of the SC on substantive matters, the ETP Director will be responsible for the following key functions:

• Stakeholder Management
• Establish and maintain strong, trust-based working relationships with the Steering Committee and funders, Governments, current and prospective partners, and other key stakeholders. A top priority is to ensure current funders stay engaged with and continue to fund ETP.
• Lead and coordinate ETP communications with stakeholders, ensuring timely and effective information sharing on programme results, progress and opportunities/risks.
• Provide strategic advice to partners on issues that may affect the achievement of intended outcomes, proactively identifying and addressing potential constraints.
• Ensure effective information flow and coordination between the Programme Steering Committee, the UNOPS MCO Director, and the UNOPS programme team.
• Represent ETP and UNOPS at external events, forums, and high-level meetings, promoting ETP objectives and strengthening partnerships.
• Represent ETP within the UNOPS MCO Senior Management Team (SMT) to support alignment and coordination.
• Oversee ETP performance and achievement of results
• Oversee the ETP team in the implementation of approved plans, delivery of the programme’s outputs, and initiate corrective action where necessary.
• Authorize and monitor individual projects to be delivered directly by the team or by implementing partners.
• Advise the Steering Committee on structures and processes to strengthen ETP’s engagement.
• Identify and manage risks, advising the SC and UNOPS MCO Director of significant variations from agreed plans.
• Oversee the ETP team in the monitoring and evaluation of performance of service providers.
• Monitor progress of the programme at a strategic level and ensure periodic progress and updates are made to the ETP Steering Committee.
• Adherence to UNOPS Policies
• Ensure compliance with UNOPS organizational policy and UNOPS Financial Rules and Regulations.
• Manage the ETP team to ensure performance in the areas of programmatic/technical results delivery, financial management (budget/cash flow/expenditure), work planning and resource mobilization, monitoring and evaluation (M&E), administrative (including regular reporting and audit results) and procurement operations.
• Manage budgets, cash flow and obligations, taking accountability for expenditures against the budget; ensure that deliverables are met and payments to contractors, grantees/ implementing partners and personnel are received on time.
• Understand and manage UNOPS pricing policy and related corporate charges as they apply to ETP.
• Lead and support fundraising efforts
• Provide strategic leadership and hands on support to fundraising and resource mobilization initiatives aimed at scaling up and advancing ETP outcomes and maximizing long term benefits.
• Identify and engage potential donors and partners, developing compelling funding proposals and investment cases, and aligning resource mobilization strategies with ETP priorities and partner interests.
• Coordinate with internal and external stakeholders to leverage co-financing opportunities, diversify funding sources, and ensure that mobilized resources are effectively deployed to scale impact and sustain results over time.
• Regularly report to the ETP Steering Committee on resource mobilization progress, challenges, and opportunities, seeking strategic guidance and support as needed.
• Risk Management
• Drive high-quality, well-informed decisions that align with organizational goals for effective and measurable outcomes.
• Ensure corporate reporting, information flow and appropriate escalation of awareness of emerging risks and topics.
• Champion risk management through a 'tone at the top' leadership approach, promoting alignment with applicable standards and policies.
• Manage risks proactively and address issues effectively, seeking timely responses and escalation of key residual exposures - in alignment with the organization’s risk-taking approach and enterprise risk management requirements.
• Knowledge Management and Innovation
• Contribute to the development and introduction of innovation to ensure UNOPS is continually incorporating best practice approaches.
• Contribute to the dissemination and sharing of best practices and lessons learned for corporate, regional and national development planning and knowledge building.

Education Requirements

Required

• Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) in any discipline with 12 years of relevant experience OR
• Master’s degree (or equivalent) in any discipline with 10 years of relevant experience is required

Desired

• PRINCE2 Foundation and PRINCE2 Practitioner Certificates are an asset.
• Managing Successful Programmes (MSP) Foundation certification is an asset

Required

Experience Requirements

• Relevant experience is work in strategic and managerial leadership roles or related areas.
• At least five (5) years of relevant professional experience at the international level, including demonstrated experience in senior management positions.
• Demonstrated professional experience in supporting or leading energy transition initiatives, such as energy efficiency, renewable energy deployment, electrification, power system modernization, clean fuels, and enabling frameworks (policy, regulation, finance, and governance).
• Proven ability to work across technical, policy, and institutional dimensions of the energy sector, contributing to the design, implementation, or oversight of integrated, sustainable energy programs.
• Proven experience in engaging with high-level stakeholders, such as government officials, donor representatives, representatives of international organizations, etc.

Desired

• Experience of working in multicultural environments or UN system organizations in a developing country is desired.
• Experience in development or humanitarian contexts is desired.