Energy Sector Investment Lead

Position Summary & Job Purpose

Tetra Tech is searching for an Energy Sector Investment Lead (ESIL) for the anticipated USAID Enhancing Development through Energy in East and Central Africa (EDE ECA) Project. The ESIL will leverage his/her experience of mobilizing capital into African energy sector opportunities, for both on-grid and off-grid opportunities. The position is a five-year fixed-term appointment with benefits and is contingent upon contract award.

Position Responsibilities

• Unlock new energy sector investments in the region by:
  • working closely with public and private sector partners, including project developers, national utilities, lenders and investors;
  • identifying key transaction obstacles, and working creatively to overcome such barriers by bringing the full Power Africa toolkit to situations;
  • initiate and structure new financing solutions, leveraging new trends in sustainable finance (e.g., green bonds, climate finance);
  • working at sector level to create a conducive, enabling environment for the sector to flourish; and
  • overseeing targeted technical assistance efforts to remedy market failures preventing individual or portfolios of projects from closing
• Manage, supervise and coordinate technical services and activities in Eastern and Central Africa (ECA)
• Effectively integrate guiding principles in the design, implementation and evaluation of activities and programs, including environment, social, climate change, and gender and social inclusion, monitoring, evaluation and learning aspects
• Participate and assist in setting up and undertaking periodic reviews sponsored or requested by clients

Essential KSA's Required (experience, Skills, Education, Certification Etc.)

• Bachelor’s degree in business administration, law, engineering, economics, finance, policy, or a related field.
• 8-10 years’ experience in emerging or frontier markets (ideally East Africa), focused on mobilizing capital into power, infrastructure, energy access, or utility opportunities
• Prior experience managing a team of subject matter experts and/or a team of transaction advisors
• Experience working on both on-grid and off-grid (decentralized) energy opportunities
• Familiarity with relevant regional and national policies, strategies, laws and regulations aimed at unlocking climate-resilient pathways to net-zero power systems
• Familiarity with utility unbundling and energy sector restructuring
• Familiarity promoting gender equality and social inclusion in the energy sector
• Excellent interpersonal, diplomacy, and leadership skills, including the ability to manage high-level relationships

Valued But Not Required KSA's

• Master's degree in business administration, law, engineering, economics, finance, policy, or a related field.
• Experience with cross-border power trade, and power pools
• Experienced promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment in the energy sector
• Experience in nascent energy themes including green mobility, hydrogen, and battery storage