A2 / D6 (G7)/ A2L /C5 (SEO) Head of Climate change, Ethiopia, and African Union

at British Embassy Addis Ababa
Location Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Date Posted July 13, 2021
Job Type Full-time
Currency ETB

Description

Background

FCDO pursues our national interests and projects the UK as a force for good in the world. We promote the interests of British citizens, safeguard the UK’s security, defend our values, reduce poverty and tackle global challenges with our international partners.

We place emphasis on how we lead and behave towards each other, how we make decisions and how we get the job done to deliver our cultural statement:

  •  We put respect and kindness first. We are inclusive, we get to know each other, and value our diversity and the contribution we each bring. We are fair, act with integrity, and tackle inequality and unacceptable behaviour. We work together and take responsibility to solve problems.
  •  We draw on the expertise, insight and diverse perspectives of people across the FCDO, Her Majesty’s Government (HMG), and beyond. We use the best available data and evidence. We are open to challenge and take a long-term approach. We are transparent about the rationale for decisions and smart about taking and managing risks.
  •  We are agile and alert to emerging opportunities. We encourage learning, innovation and use of data and digital. We are all clear on what we are expected to deliver and support each other in doing so. We look to reduce duplication and unnecessary process. We are committed to transforming both the FCDO and the way HMG delivers international policy.

Description of Team/ Division

The British Embassy in Ethiopia is looking for a motivated individual to help drive forward the UK government’s strategy on climate and natural resources management in Ethiopia and at the Africa Union.

Climate Change and natural resource management is a key theme within the UK’s new strategic approach to Sub-Saharan Africa. While Africa has historically contributed little to the causes of climate change, it is one of the world’s most climate vulnerable regions. The consequences of climate change are already being seen across Sub-Saharan Africa and these are likely to become more severe over the coming decades. With over 60% of Africans directly dependent on agriculture for their livelihoods, dealing with the consequences of climate change will be critical to achieving increased prosperity and security in the region. Currently, 2/3rd of Sub-Saharan Africans lack access to electricity and as population and economies grow, demand for reliable, affordable energy will increase. We want to see the region develop sustainably, leap frogging to become low carbon economies, with natural resource management that protects globally significant carbon sinks whilst providing increased prosperity and opportunity for Africans.

Ethiopia

Ethiopia is one of Africa’s most populous and poorest nations with over 23% of its 105 million population under the poverty line. Whilst Ethiopia has experienced high levels of economic growth and development over the last 10 years the majority of the population is still dependent on rain fed agriculture. The impact climate change will have on Ethiopia on the next few years threatens to reverse the development gains it has made and threatens its future prosperity and stability.

The Government of Ethiopia has ambitious plans to tackle climate change and increase the population’s access to sustainable energy and water supplies. It is a pioneer in Climate Resilient Green Economic (CRGE) development, adaptation and adopting nature based solutions. The UK sees Ethiopia as a key partner for delivering a COP 26 outcome that will advance the Paris commitments. The UK Ethiopia Climate and Environment Partnership Agreement was signed in January 2021 to support Ethiopia in its green ambitions Ethiopia is the UK’s largest aid programme.  Climate and environment is considered in some of FCDO’s programmes but there is potential to mainstream climate across more of our work, and maximising the whole UK footprint.

This post will play an important role in working across the UK government departments in Ethiopia and shift the way they address and advocate around climate change issues in Ethiopia. The UK in Ethiopia wants to consider  climate change in everything we do  to maximise any opportunity there is to reduce causal factors,  minimise its impact and build a resilient Ethiopia that will be able to sustain shocks in the future.

Africa Union

The African Union Commission (AUC) is headquartered in Addis Ababa and works with its 55 Member States to deliver ‘an integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa’.  In the past, our engagement with the AU has largely focused on peace and security issues, but that is now changing.  The UK’s new strategic approach to Africa, and the recently signed AU-UK strategic partnership, has spurred on a much broader relationship including on climate change, natural resource management and renewable energy development.    The AU itself also has ambitious plans for every member state to have a disaster risk reduction strategy, and on Green COVID- recovery, and to bolster Africa’s voice in key climate negotiations.

The post holder will shape UK engagement on climate and energy with the AUC, mapping existing AU climate and energy initiatives, identifying opportunities for expanding UK support and influencing policy development at a continental level.  This will require a sound knowledge of key policy and programmatic principles, and ability to work in a highly political setting, and the ability to develop a broad network to shape thinking within the AUC.

The successful candidate will work with a small cross embassy team on climate including a junior climate adviser and be supported by the two regional climate advisers in East Africa. The successful candidate will be part of the Climate Resilience and Humanitarian programme team and part of the AU team in the embassy s/he will be line managed by the Head of the AU team.

BE Addis Ababa has a wide range of teams delivering and enabling delivery of HMG’s Africa Strategy.  We have agreed an Embassy-wide commitment to spending 10% of our time on “corporate objectives”.  The Embassy is supportive of personal development and inclusiveness. We work as one team, with respect and kindness, towards shared cross HMG objectives in our new Embassy county Business Plan

Main Tasks

Ethiopia

The purpose of this role is to strengthen the UK’s leadership and HMG’s offer on climate and the environment in Ethiopia by supporting the implementation of Ethiopia’s CRGE strategy and by encouraging Ethiopia to act as a role model in the region. The candidate will be the key interlocutor with government, partners and the UK COP Unit to position Ethiopia to deliver climate diplomacy and a successful COP 26 outcome. S/He will provide strategic policy advice and support  the embassy’s programme teams and  other government departments working on climate and the environment in Ethiopia to ensure that all UK ODA and activities are aligned to the Paris agreement and support the delivery of Ethiopia’s Nationally Determined Commitments.

African Union

Support the Africa Union to advance the climate change agenda, as part of implementing our AU country plan. Lobby, influence and support the implementation of the AU’s Green Recovery Action Plan, working with wider AU team. This work should support both HMG’s wider climate objectives in Africa, and also develop climate/energy as a key plank of our wider growing relationship with the AU. You should join up bilateral HMG efforts with the multilateral space, acting as a multiplier.

Across both areas, the post holder will be expected to engage directly with senior level decision makers in the Ethiopian Government and the African Union, setting out UK priorities in a persuasive and engaging manner.  They will have the freedom to work with a high degree of autonomy, but with support and guidance from across the embassy.

Key responsibilities

Ethiopia

  • Provide policy advice, evidence and analysis to help leadership advocate with the Government of Ethiopia/partners: leading a climate change strategy for the mission to deliver on the Climate Partnership and COP priorities.
  •  Improve donor government coordination on climate and environment through co-chairing the Government’s CRGE Forum and engagement on COP.
  • Support programme teams and SROs to incorporate climate into their programme designs, delivery, risk management and monitoring. Help the mission optimise potential synergies across departments and programmes to maximise impact.
  • Facilitate HMG departments and programmes working on climate and the environment in Ethiopia to deliver a joined up effective UK offer and comms on climate in country.
  • Support Ethiopia in the international arena and to access greater international climate financing. Provide evidence and analyses to support Ethiopia develop and deliver advocacy messages to regional governments and in international fora that advances the climate change agenda.

African Union

  • Track existing AU and other continental efforts on climate and energy, identifying opportunities for future UK partnership
  • Develop a broad network of key climate contacts within the AU Commission and the FCDO network, understanding and influencing the AU policy debate
  •  Identify opportunities for Senior official and Ministers to support and enhance the UK brand on climate. Leverage the wider Whitehall climate network to build support for AU and african action.
  • Advocate for the AU in Whitehall, identifying risk and opportunities for climate/energy/environment to support our wider aim of strengthening the UK/relationship.

Civil Service behaviours

  • International - Engaging Internationally
  • Behaviours - Seeing the Big Picture
  • Behaviours - Leadership

The FCDO is committed to equal opportunities in its staffing policy and does not discriminate on the grounds of race, gender, age, religion, sexual orientation or disability. Selection will be on merit.

Reporting line: UK’s representative to the African Union

Contract: 2 years fixed term contract

Salary:    A2 (83,903.33 – 143,305.42 birr per /month)

A2L (63,557,33 – 101,229.42 birr per /month)

Job Requirements

Expected competencies:

  •  Candidates should be able to clearly demonstrate in their application examples of the following behaviors:

Essential skills

  •  Candidates will be assessed against:

Essential:

  • Demonstrated networking skills in an international setting
  • Proven ability to deliver policy advice for decision makers
  • Previous experience of working on climate, and environmental issues

Desirable:

  • Work experience in Africa or a multilateral organization

 

Applying Instructions

Candidates need to complete the Application Form. The full JD, applications instructions and supporting documents can be found at:

https://www.gov.uk/world/organisations/british-embassy-addis-ababa/about/recruitment  

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