Project Officer, Nigeria (Retainer)

UNOPS is an operational arm of the United Nations, supporting the successful implementation of its partners’ peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world. Our mission is to help people build better lives and countries achieve sustainable development. UNOPS areas of expertise cover infrastructure, procurement, project management, financial management and human resources. 

UNOPS Global Portfolios bring together a range of expertise to help partners deliver impact worldwide. With hubs in New York, Geneva and Vienna, and expert teams operating across regions, we lead complex, multi-regional initiatives that advance sustainable development, peacebuilding and climate action.

We work in close collaboration with the UN family, governments and other local and international partners. Our work ranges from supporting mine action in some of the world’s most fragile and conflict-affected contexts, to expanding access to healthcare and clean water, to helping protect the environment.

From Geneva, UNOPS strives to facilitate the achievement of the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), by working with governments, other United Nations (UN) agencies and partners. 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.

UNOPS provides quality services, integrated solutions and management support to UN agencies, initiatives and partners in a strategic, cohesive, cost-effective and results-oriented manner. Geneva is also home to UNOPS Europe and Central Asia Regional Office.

Sustainable Energy for All has a global mandate to accelerate progress on the energy transition in emerging and developing countries. Hosted by UNOPS, we work at the intersection of energy, climate and development, partnering with governments and organizations worldwide to end energy poverty, double energy efficiency, significantly expand renewable energy and combat climate change.

Our vision is a world where everyone, everywhere, can lead a dignified life on a healthy planet, powered by sustainable energy. We promote this vision by pushing for higher ambitions, stronger policies, greater finance flows, increased localization and green jobs, and faster results toward an energy transition that leaves no one behind. 

Former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon launched the Sustainable Energy for All initiative in 2011. Since then, our CEO has served as the UN Secretary-General's Special Representative for Sustainable Energy for All and Co-Chair of UN-Energy.

As part of the Global Portfolios Office, UNOPS Geneva provides comprehensive solutions in secretariat hosting, operational support, and fund management. We manage global programmes, including the Water, Environment and Climate (WEC) Portfolio, offering project management, procurement, HR, and financial services. Geneva hosts the secretariats of nine global partnerships focused on health (RBM, Stop TB, ATscale), nutrition (SUN), water/sanitation (SHF), sustainable energy (SEforALL) humanitarian leadership (GELI), urban development (Cities Alliance), and disaster displacement (PDD). We also provide fund management for EIF and UN Water, and operational support to Geneva-based partners like the Global Fund and UNHCR.

This position is located within the Energy Solutions Unit of SEforALL in the Energy Planning Team. The objective of the Energy Planning team is to support global progress on SDG-7 and SDG-13, particularly in developing and emerging economies. The team supports developing countries to develop their comprehensive Energy Transition and Investment Plans that take a whole-of-economy approach, covering key sectors such as power, transport, industry, buildings, and agriculture. The team works closely with governments, development finance institutions, private sector investors, and other stakeholders to accelerate the mobilization of capital for clean energy projects and programs.

Under the supervision of the Senior Officer, the Project Officer will provide specialist expertise and overall effective coordination in the development and implementation of the Nigeria Energy Transition and Investment Plan (ETIP), including the strategic mobilization of investments. 

The Project Officer will interact closely with and provide cross-support to the Government of Nigeria through relevant government agencies where required, serving as a primary liaison to SEforALL. The incumbent will report directly to the Senior Officer, Energy Transition Policy and Governance, SEforALL, ensuring high-level alignment between national policy objectives and international investment frameworks.

1. Strategic Coordination & ETIP Implementation

• Provide primary coordination and technical support for all operational phases of the Nigeria Energy Transition and Investment Plan (ETIP), ensuring workstreams are aligned with national net-zero targets.
• Serve and coordinate multi-stakeholder engagement while acting as the functional bridge between the Government of Nigeria, private sector actors, and development partners to harmonize the implementation of the Regional Demand-Supply Model.

1. Investment Mobilization & Pipeline Development

• Develop financial structuring through investment requirements and recommendations on financial models to curate the National Energy Projects Inventory (NEPI), ensuring projects meet strict viability and market-readiness criteria.

• Collaborate with stakeholders to promote capital scaling and liaising with global and local financial stakeholders to design blended and local currency financing instruments, specifically aimed at scaling capital flows into the NEPI-vetted project portfolios.

1. Market Development & Value Chain Localization

• Engage with industry associations and parastatals to identify and catalyze local renewable energy manufacturing opportunities, mapping out the value chain requirements to establish Nigeria as a regional hub for RE components.

• Facilitate high-level investor dialogues with global manufacturers to promote the Special Economic Zones (SEZ) programme, driving industrialization through strategic investment matching.

1. Demand Stimulation & Sectoral Engagement

• Drive the integration of national programs by aligning technical engagements with key agencies, such as the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), to stimulate market demand and accelerate the growth of emerging energy sectors.

• Lead investor dialogues focused on removing regulatory bottlenecks and supporting the design of public financing mechanisms to de-risk the Nigerian energy sector.

Required:

• A First Level University Degree (Bachelor’s Degree) in Renewable Energy, Climate Policy, Energy, Natural Resource Management,  Economics, Public Policy, or a related field is required.

• An Advanced University Degree (Master’s Degree or equivalent) in Renewable Energy, Climate Policy, Energy, Natural Resource Management,  Economics, Public Policy or a related field is an asset and may compensate for some years of experience.

Desired:

• Professional certification in Project Management (e.g., PMP, PRINCE2) or Sustainable Finance.

Required:

• A minimum of two years of relevant work experience in the energy, minerals, and investment sectors.

• Demonstrated experience in stakeholder engagement within the energy, manufacturing, and investment sectors.

• Proven coordination and relationship-building capabilities in a professional setting.

• Experience using energy analysis tools and frameworks (e.g., GIS mapping, LCOE analysis, and Results-Based Management) to assess project viability and alignment with investment standards.

Desired:

• Relevant experience working with or providing technical support to Nigerian government agencies such as the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) or the Ministry of Power/Petroleum/Minerals.

• Practical experience in developing investment pipelines, curating project inventories (like the NEPI), or designing blended finance/local currency instruments.

• Experience working within a multilateral organization, international NGO, or a Secretariat-style environment (e.g., UN, World Bank, AfDB).

• Experience supporting complex projects using structured methodologies (e.g., PMP, PRINCE2), including coordinating with government institutions, development partners, and private sector stakeholder.

• Please note that UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes. 
• Please note that 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. 
• Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process, which involves various assessments. 
• UNOPS embraces diversity and is committed to equal employment opportunity. Our workforce consists of many diverse nationalities, cultures, languages, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities. UNOPS seeks to sustain and strengthen this diversity to ensure equal opportunities as well as an inclusive working environment for its entire workforce. 
• UNOPS evaluates all applications based on the skills, qualifications and experience requirements outlined in the vacancy announcement. We are committed to considering all candidates in a fair and transparent manner, and we value diverse perspectives and experiences, including those of women, indigenous and racialized communities, individuals with diverse gender identities and sexual orientations, and people with disabilities.
• We would like to ensure all candidates perform at their best during the assessment process. If you are shortlisted and require additional assistance to complete any assessment, including reasonable accommodation, please inform our human resources team when you receive an invitation.

• 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.