Energy Specialist

The UNOPS Global Portfolios Office (GPO) brings together diverse expertise to help partners deliver impact worldwide. With hubs in New York, Geneva, and Vienna, and expert teams operating globally, GPO leads multi-regional initiatives that advance sustainable development, climate action, and peacebuilding - including in some of the world’s most challenging environments. By leveraging our collective expertise and global networks, GPO supports UNOPS’ strategic priorities and the Sustainable Development Goals across more than 130 countries. We work closely with major global partners - including governments, international financial institutions, and UN agencies - to deliver a wide range of services, such as project management, fund management, hosting services, and HR support.

From Geneva, UNOPS facilitates the achievement of the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), working with governments, other United Nations (UN) agencies and partners by providing quality servces, integrated solutions and management support through strategic, cost-effective and results-oriented approches. This includes supporting platforms and hosting high-profile, flagship initiatives and funds focusing on health, nutrition, water and sanitation, sustainable cities, environment, energy, climate and trade. UNOPS is a recognized resource for the UN system in Geneva – from fund management and oversight and advisory services, to providing hosting solutions to a range of global initiatives, as well as operational support to partner organizations.

From Geneva, UNOPS facilitates the achievement of the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), working with governments, other United Nations (UN) agencies and partners by providing quality servces, integrated solutions and management support through strategic, cost-effective and results-oriented approches. This includes supporting platforms and hosting high-profile, flagship initiatives and funds focusing on health, nutrition, water and sanitation, sustainable cities, environment, energy, climate and trade. UNOPS is a recognized resource for the UN system in Geneva – from fund management and oversight and advisory services, to providing hosting solutions to a range of global initiatives, as well as operational support to partner organizations.

The Global Platform for Action on Sustainable Energy in Displacement Settings (GPA) is the global initiative aiming to ensure SDG 7—access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all—is inclusive of displacement and fragile contexts. The GPA enables collective action for delivery at scale by generating shared intelligence, shaping policy and funding agendas, mobilising resources, and orchestrating collaboration among humanitarian, development, government, private sector, financing, and community actors. It is guided by a Board and Advisory Group of key energy, climate, humanitarian and development partners. Hosted by the UNOPS, the GPA Secretariat implements its shared objectives by collaborating with a global network of over 100 partners

Reporting to the  Head of the GPA Secretariat, the  Energy Specialist on this assignment  will focus on delivering technical expertise and operational support to advance the GPA’s strategy rollout, area-based energy planning, and country-level execution. The Specialist will contribute technical inputs to advocacy, communications, and website alignment plans; assist in adapting and documenting area-based energy planning tools for displacement contexts; support the operational design and procedures of the Technical Assistance Facility (TAF); and draft actionable country coordination frameworks to strengthen GPA's impact across Kenya, Ethiopia, and Uganda.  

1. Advocacy, Visibility and Strategy Implementation

• Review and provide recommendations on the GPA 2026–2029 Strategy rollout and advocacy action plan, working with the Policy and Communications Advisors to identify priority activities, stakeholder engagement opportunities and implementation requirements from an experienced practitioner’s view point. 
• Assess existing GPA advocacy, communications and visibility approaches  and recommend practical improvements to strengthen coordination, effectiveness and strategic positioning 
• Provide substantive content inputs for the GPA website redevelopment and refinement of core messaging to ensure alignment with the 2026–2029 Strategy from an experienced practitioner’s view point.

2. Area-Based Energy Planning

• Review existing area-based energy planning methodology, from displacement and last mile contexts and identify opportunities to strengthen the methodology for displacement settings, including from a scalability and practical application standpoint. 
• Contribute to refining methodological guidance notes, stakeholder engagement workflows, and prioritization criteria for country-level application in close coordination with GPA technical leads and partners.
• Collate technical inputs, case studies, and field lessons learned to support the practical testing and scalability of area-based planning frameworks.

3. Technical Assistance Facility and In-Country Coordination

• Review and provide input into the ongoing design of GPA's Technical Assistance Facility (TAF), focusing on its scope, service offer, delivery model and operational requirements from an experienced practitioner's view point. 
• Review existing in-country coordination arrangements in priority countries (Kenya, Ethiopia and Uganda), identifying opportunities to reduce duplication, strengthen collaboration and clarify institutional responsibilities from an experienced practitioner's view point. 
• Support defining priority actions for in-country coordination, TA, evidence generation and partnership mechanisms for testing the TAF in specific sub-regions of priority countries (Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda), and outlining possible funding and delivery partners for later stages of the TAF.

Expected Outputs

• A draft action plan for GPA’s Strategy rollout, advocacy and stakeholder engagement, including priorities and practical outputs for website redevelopment, core messaging, communications and visibility
• A refined area-based energy planning methodology.  
• Recommendations for initial TAF delivery and defined list of funding and supporting partners for later stages of TAF delivery.  
• An action plan for strengthening GPA’s engagement in Kenya, Ethiopia and Uganda  

Work Time

This role is  at 80% work time

Required

• An Advanced University degree (Masters degree or equivalent) preferably in one of the following: Engineering, Development Studies, International Business, Sustainable Energy or other equivalent is required. 

• A first level university degree (Bachelors degree or equivalent) in the related fields with additional two (2) years of experience may be accepted in lieu of the Masters degree.

Required

• A minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in energy access  for the humanitarian and/or development sectors.

• A proven track record supporting planning methodologies and toolkits for displacement or last-mile settings. 

• Experience designing or supporting the design, coordination, or operational delivery of  technical assistance facilities and multi-partner energy programs in Sub-Saharan Africa, with direct operational exposure in Kenya, Ethiopia, or Uganda. 

• Experience with working on, or contributing to, advocacy, policy analysis  and operational delivery of sustainable energy in humanitarian contexts, and with multi-stakeholder partnerships (UN, NGOs, private sector, governments, or donors)

• Strong understanding of the humanitarian–development–peace nexus and sustainable energy access challenges in displacement and fragile contexts.

• Excellent organizational and project management skills, with experience in results-based planning and monitoring.

Desired

• Experience in delivering energy and environment initiatives in humanitarian response.

• Familiarity with global energy access frameworks (e.g., SDG7, SEforALL, Global Compact on Refugees, Humanitarian Energy Compact).

• Ability to work effectively across cultures and time zones, demonstrating adaptability and initiative in a fast-paced environment.

• UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes. 
• UNOPS will at no stage of the recruitment process request candidates to make payments of any kind.
• Applications to vacancies must be received before midnight Copenhagen time (CET) on the closing date of the announcement. Applications received after the closing date will not be considered. 
• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and invited to proceed to the next stage of the selection process, which may include various assessments. 
• UNOPS embraces diversity and is committed to equal employment opportunity. Our workforce consists of a wide range of nationalities, cultures, languages, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities. We strive to sustain and strengthen this diversity, fostering an inclusive working environment where all personnel are treated with respect and have equal access to opportunities.
• UNOPS evaluates all applications based on the skills, qualifications and experience outlined in the vacancy announcement. We are committed to a fair and transparent selection process and welcome diverse perspectives, including those of women, indigenous and racialized communities, individuals of diverse gender identities and sexual orientations, and persons with disabilities.
• We are committed to enabling all candidates to perform at their best during the assessment process. If you are shortlisted and require support or reasonable accommodation to complete any assessment, please inform our human resources team upon receiving your invitation.
• UNOPS has zero tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA), sexual harassment, and other forms of abusive conduct, including discrimination, abuse of authority, and harassment. To uphold these standards, background checks are conducted for all final candidates to help ensure that individuals with a history of such conduct are not hired. By applying for a position with UNOPS, candidates acknowledge and consent to these verification processes.
  

• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post. 
• For retainer contracts, you must complete a few mandatory courses (they take around 4 hours to complete) in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS. Refreshers or new mandatory courses may be required during your contract. Please note that you will not receive any compensation for taking courses and refreshers. For more information on a retainer contract here. 
• For more details about the contract types, please click here.
• All UNOPS personnel are responsible for performing their duties in accordance with the UN Charter and UNOPS Policies and Instructions, as well as other relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, all personnel must demonstrate an understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a manner consistent with UN core values and the UN Common Agenda. 
• It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential personnel. Recruitment in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.