The Covenant of Mayors in Sub-Saharan Africa (CoM SSA) represents the regional chapter of the Global Covenant of Mayors (GCoM), the world’s largest alliance of over 13,000 cities and sub-national governments committed to ambitious climate action. Through CoM SSA, local authorities across Sub-Saharan Africa make voluntary political commitments to implement climate and energy strategies aligned with long-term goals for climate change mitigation, adaptation, and equitable access to sustainable energy. To date, over 380 cities in the region have joined the initiative.

The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) supports CoM SSA through its current implementation phase (Phase IV), which aims to significantly scale the initiative’s impact by enhancing access to finance for climate-resilient urban infrastructure. GIZ works in close collaboration with selected CoM SSA cities to strengthen climate-resilient urban planning and to provide targeted technical assistance for infrastructure project preparation. This includes advisory services for financing, private-sector engagement, and the integration of inclusive, participatory planning approaches, particularly in energy transition, urban resilience, and adaptation to climate change.

Programme Structure

CoM SSA is co-funded by the European Union (EU), the German Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the Spanish Agency for International Development (AECID) and is co-implemented by GIZ, the Agence Française de Développement (AFD), Expertise France (EF), and the Agencia Española de Cooperación Internacional para el Desarrollo (AECID). BMZ's contribution is commissioned through the GIZ Multi-Donor Platform Climate-Resilient Infrastructure Investments in Cities (CIVIC), including the CoM SSA and the C40 Cities Finance Facility (CFF). The CIVIC platform supports cities in advancing inclusive, climate-smart infrastructure by fostering international partnerships and leveraging public and private investment for resilient urban development.

GIZ implements CoM SSA Phase IV in collaboration with national and local stakeholders in four focus countries—Cameroon, Ghana, Kenya, and Nigeria. The GIZ CIVIC–CoM SSA team operates from Brussels, Berlin, Bonn, and in-country offices across the focal countries, ensuring close coordination between local implementation and global policy dialogue.

For our office in Brussels, we are looking for an Advisor (m/w/d) - Country operations Management

YOUR TASKS

This is an exciting position to work transversally and across the programme implementation of four countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, requiring a strong balance between strategic coordination and technical oversight, ensuring that CoM SSA interventions are effectively delivered and contribute to the programme’s broader impact.

The Country Operations Management Advisor will coordinate country interventions within the CoM SSA programme, ensuring that activities are aligned with programme objectives and tailored to country-specific needs, while the in-country teams remain responsible for implementation. Additionally, the advisor will join the CIVIC monitoring, Evaluation, and Reporting team to contribute to annual reporting to BMZ and the EU. The role also involves supporting the Head of Program in strategic programme development and implementation oversight.

Key Responsibilities:

• Programme Coordination & Oversight: Ensure coherence across interventions in Kenya, Cameroon, Nigeria, and Ghana, guiding and supporting country teams while aligning with programme goals. Including the quality assurance of country operational plans.

• Technical Backstopping & Advisory: Provide strategic and technical oversight for climate-resilient urban development, including project preparation for infrastructure investments.

• Contract & Implementation Management: Co-lead the management of a large international contract for urban mitigation and adaptation interventions, while supporting country teams in the selection, contracting, and supervision of consultants and implementing partners.

• Monitoring, Evaluation & Reporting: Actively contribute to CIVIC’s M&E and reporting structures, ensuring comprehensive documentation of project progress and annual reporting to BMZ and the EU.

• Stakeholder Engagement & Financing: Foster collaboration with financial institutions, private sector actors, project partners, GIZ country offices, and development partners to strengthen implementation and unlock financing opportunities.

• Strategic Programme Development: Support the Head of Program in refining CoM SSA’s strategic direction by reflecting on implementation experiences, identifying opportunities, and enhancing programme positioning within the urban development sector.

YOUR KNOWLEDGES

• Academic Background: University degree in a relevant field (e.g. economics, environmental or natural sciences, climate change, urban development, or equivalent).

• Professional Experience: Minimum six years of experience in managing or implementing complex, multi-stakeholder projects, preferably in climate mitigation, adaptation, or urban development within an international development context.

• Project & Financial Management Skills: Proven ability to coordinate across multiple countries, manage budgets, oversee contracting, and ensure compliance with donor and organisational requirements.

• Technical Expertise: Strong understanding of climate-resilient urban development, infrastructure finance, and project preparation. Experience in mobilising finance for adaptation and mitigation projects is a strong asset.

• Governance & Policy Knowledge: An advantage is familiarity with climate governance frameworks and financing landscapes, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa.

• Stakeholder Engagement: Ability to build impactful partnerships with development finance institutions, private sector, public sector, and civil society to drive climate action. An existing network in this sector is a plus.

• Cross-Cultural Competence: Experience working in diverse cultural settings with the ability to navigate complex stakeholder environments and integrate inclusive, gender-responsive approaches. Willingness and flexibility to travel to partner countries.

• Strategic Thinking & Problem-Solving: Strong analytical skills, a proactive, solution-oriented mindset, and the ability to troubleshoot challenges in dynamic environments.

• Communication & Reporting Skills: Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English. Intermediate German is an asset, and knowledge of French or other languages spoken in focal countries is advantageous.

• Development Cooperation Experience: Familiarity with GIZ’s implementation modalities, EU-funded programmes, EU Global Gateway Investment Agenda, and international development frameworks is advantageous.

WHAT WE OFFER

We offer a temporary contract with GIZ in Brussels under Belgian law (PC200). The position will be remunerated according to the level of experience. In addition to the legal holidays, you will receive 5 extra days of holiday per calendar year, as well as lunch checks, health insurance for hospitalization, the reimbursement of a monthly ticket for Brussels public transport and the possibility for home office in accordance with our respective policy.

HOW TO APPLY

Applicants are asked to submit their updated CV in English, copies of your university degrees and all references you consider to be relevant (no more than three – name, e-mail and phone contact included) together with a one-page cover letter to the attention of Yodit Zeggay.

Please send the application to comssa@giz.de

The subject line must contain the following: “Name, first name. Advisor – Application Country Operations Management”.

If you are not an EU citizen, proof of the legal right to work in Belgium must be attached to your application.

We apologise and ask for understanding that due to the high number of applications, only short-listed candidates can be contacted. 

We look forward to hearing from you!

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