About the Organisation
JETA is a pan-African non-profit initiative led by African organisations, lawyers, and policy experts working to accelerate the transition to clean, reliable, and accessible energy that benefits all across the continent. The JETA Initiative is housed at Natural Justice and provided technical and financial support by Earthjustice. The Initiative comprises an advisory board of policy and legal experts to provide strategic advice and a steering committee of African organisations to provide overall programmatic and financial direction. Further, the Initiative is building a broad community of practice across the continent with the requisite legal knowledge and expertise to demand that the transition to clean energy be just and focused on all people on the continent.
This role will be part of the African Climate Legal Fellowship Programme (ACLFP), a pilot initiative aimed at bringing experienced lawyers to the environmental public interest sector in Africa and providing pathways for new talent to enter the public interest sector. In addition to the JETA placement, Fellows will be part of a broader cohort benefiting from mentorship, coaching and leadership development, training in environmental and climate change law and science, and a network of likeminded lawyers in Africa. Travel within Africa for a launch convening will also be required. IREX, a global non-profit that has supported more than 50,000 Fellows over 50 years, will implement the fellowship and provide ongoing support to you and your nonprofit organization.
About the Job
The Just Energy Transition Africa (JETA) Initiative seeks an Energy Transition Legal Fellow with a technical and policy background and experience in renewable energy law and regulation. The successful candidate may be based at the Natural Justice office in Nairobi or Cape Town or work remotely. The Energy Transition Legal Fellow will join a team of lawyers working to advance a just transition from dirty fossil fuels to clean energy in key countries across Africa. The successful candidate will work with public interest lawyers, non-governmental organizations, various local and national government departments, and other allied institutions to assist the legal team to advocate for the development of regulatory frameworks for – and to remove obstacles to – the accelerated deployment of clean, renewable energy.
Key Responsibilities
Identify and engage in advocacy for legal and regulatory reform on energy law and electricity market regulation, and environmental law as appropriate, with key partners and allies.
Provide comments and make submissions on relevant law, regulation, and policy proposals, reforms, and amendments.
Support relevant legal cases and respond to inquiries of partners and relevant stakeholders. Provide technical advice to partners, affected communities, and other relevant stakeholders.
Build and maintain collaborative relationships with allies, co-counsel, clients, and JETA partners in multiple countries in support of program goals.
Deliver presentations and organize and conduct training workshops and meetings.
Collaborate and coordinate with NGO partners, academic and government allies, technical experts, and community-based movements to develop and implement legal advocacy and litigation strategies to advance renewable energy deployment.
Identify, build, and maintain networks and/or partnerships with relevant stakeholders from government, civil society groups, the private sector and academics.
Support the JETA team to develop and implement effective strategies to advance the clean energy transition in various local, national and regional contexts, and support the legal teams with national and regional energy policy and regulatory analysis to identify opportunities for positive reform.
Requirements
Bachelor’s degree in law. A post-graduate degree in energy policy, energy transition or a related field is desirable.
A minimum of three to four years of demonstrated work experience in clean energy issues and energy regulation and policy. For example, in electricity market development and regulation, electricity procurement and contracting, transmission expansion, etc.
Proficiency in working with technical experts and experience working in interdisciplinary teams.
Excellent oral and written communication skills.
Initiative, good judgment, ability to think critically and problem solve, and a strong work ethic.
Ability to work independently and in collaboration with partners and staff and develop and maintain partnerships with technical experts, community-based or other grassroots groups.
Ability and willingness to travel internationally as needed.
Enthusiasm for researching local policy and regulatory contexts.
Demonstrated awareness of and sensitivity to the needs and concerns of individuals from diverse cultures, backgrounds, and orientations.
The ideal candidate should also have experience working in several African countries and professional fluency in English; fluency in French is desirable but not required.
License to practice in a jurisdiction in Africa/ the jurisdiction in which the candidate resides is desirable, but not required.
Must be legally eligible to work in the candidate's country of residence in Africa.
To apply
To apply, email your application by Friday 23rd August to tracy@actionappointments.co.za
