Climate Policy Advisor at Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ)

The Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH (German Agency for International Cooperation) is an international enterprise owned by the German Federal government, operating in many fields across more than 130 countries.

In Nigeria, GIZ's portfolio includes among others, a programme to support the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in its regional integration goals. The programme aims to strengthen sector-specific capacities in the areas of Peace and Security, Customs and Trade as weir as Strategic Management and Organizational Development in the ECOWAS Commission.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Climate Policy Advisor

Vacancy No: 068B
Location: Abuja
Organization: GIZ Nigeria, CORE, AGSYS and ClimA Programmes

Background
GIZ. Solutions that work.

• As a service provider in the field of international cooperation for sustainable development and international education work, we are dedicated to shaping a future worth living around the world.
• GIZ has over 50 years of experience in a wide variety of areas, including economic development and employment promotion, energy and the environment, and peace and security.
• The diverse expertise of our federal enterprise is in demand around the globe - from the German Government, European Union institutions, the United Nations, the private sector, and governments of other countries.
• We work with businesses, civil society actors and research institutions, fostering successful interaction between development policy and other policy fields and areas of activity.
• Our main commissioning party is the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).
• The registered offices of GIZ are in Bonn and Eschborn.
• Our approximately 23,500 employees, almost 70 percent of whom are national personnel, work in around 120 countries (July 2020)
• GIZ has worked in Nigeria since 1974. Since 2004, GIZ has maintained a country office in the capital city Abuja. Currently 466 national and 63 international employees, 37 regional staff, 4 integrated specialists and 3 development workers are working in the country (January 2025).

The Project
Sustainable Agricultural Systems and Agricultural Policy" (AgSys):

• The global project "Sustainable Agricultural Systems and Agricultural Policy" (GP AgSys) supports partner countries in transforming their agricultural systems toward sustainability.
• The goal is to ensure food security while respecting planetary boundaries, which requires a fundamental shift in current agricultural practices and policy frameworks.
• At the country level, AgSys builds on existing partnerships and innovations from German and international development cooperation, adding policy advice at both state and federal levels.
• At the global level, contributions are linked to regional exchange formats and supported by expertise from global knowledge hubs, thereby enhancing the feasibility of reform efforts and aligning them with global agendas.

Carbon Offsetting Rice Emissions" (CORE):

• The "Carbon Offsetting Rice Emissions" (CORE) is being implemented by the Global Fund for the Promotion of Innovation in Agriculture (14Ag) in partnership with Olam Agri.
• The project aligns with Nigeria's agricultural transformation agenda, working closely with relevant ministries and institutions.
• The innovation focuses on leveraging partnerships with local agricultural cooperatives, civil society organizations, research institutions, extension agencies, farmers' associations and financial stakeholders to drive sustainable impact on GHG emission reduction.
• CORE helps smallholder rice farmers benefit from reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions through climate-friendly practices. It also supports developing and submitting carbon credit methodologies for low-emission rice farming.

Driving ambitious climate action in agri-food systems" (GP ClimA):

• The global project "Driving ambitious climate action in agri-food systems" (GP ClimA) advances the transformation of agricultural and food systems to address hunger and enhance climate action.
• It focuses on strengthening ambitious climate commitments within the agricultural sector, aligned with key international frameworks including the Paris Agreement and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
• Particular attention is given to supporting the development and implementation of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and the Sharm el-Sheikh Work Programme, which promotes climate action in agriculture and food security.
• The project aims to enhance institutional, strategic, and financial frameworks as well as at regional and global levels to elevate the ambition and effectiveness of climate mitigation policies.

Responsibilities and Tasks
Responsibilities:
The advisor will work for the CORE country measure Nigeria (10%), the GP AgSys country measure Nigeria (40%) as well as for the GP ClimA country measure Nigeria (50%).

• The Advisor will be responsible for:
  • Leading the policy and technical dialogue with the goal to enhancing climate action in agri-food systems in collaboration with the project partners Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (FMAFS), Federal Ministry of Budget and Planning (FMBP), Federal Ministry of Environment (FME), and relevant authorities (e.g. The National Council on Climate Change) as well as international partners within the GP ClimA project.
  • Supporting the projects partners FMAFS, FMBP and FME in effectively developing the policy environment for carbon markets in agriculture, with a particular emphasis on rice emissions under the CORE project.
  • Co-leading the implementation of the GP AgSys Output 1 "Transformative Agricultural Policy" and Output of the GP AgSys project related to transformative agricultural policies (with focus integrating sustainable climate policies into the agricultural development agenda) in collaboration with the project partners and in coordination with another policy advisor, who focuses on integrating sustainable food policies the agricultural development agenda).
  • Co-leading the implementation of the GP AgSys Output 4 "Harmonising financial contributions" with the aim of transforming the national funding landscapes and opening up access to additional funding and contributions to support the reform agendas (with focus on international and national climate finance). Output 4 will be implemented in coordination with another policy advisor, who focuses on agricultural finance).
  • Developing and driving new lines of policy processes for climate relevant agri-food system transformation, especially those aligned with sustainable financing mechanisms and climate-smart practices.
  • Coordination with other national and international stakeholders in the sector in relevant forums such as the Agriculture Donor Working Group (ADWG) and the National Forum on Agriculture, Cooperative Affaires or Climate Change.
  • Facilitating cross-sectoral collaboration between the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (FMAFS), Federal Ministry of Budget and Planning (FMBP), Federal Ministry of Environment (FME), and other key ministries to foster coherent policy frameworks.
  • Actively strengthening synergies and thematic linkages between AgSys, ClimA, and CORE in the context of Nigeria's agricultural transformation agenda.
  • Supporting inter-ministerial cooperation and ensuring alignment of state and federal policy efforts for sustainable agri-food system transformation.
  • Engaging in strategic communication and knowledge exchange with policy stakeholders, national platforms, and international partners.

Tasks:
Advising partner institutions:

• Assists and monitors the work of the Steering Committee on Food System Transformation under the FMBP in implementing the "National Pathways to Food System Transformation Document" in close cooperation with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
• Advises and supports the FMAFS in the development of legal texts (proclamations, directives etc.), policies and strategies related to agri-food system transformation.
• Advises and supports the development and implementation of crop or sector specific policies and/or strategies, such as the National Potato Strategy.
• Advises and supports other projects of the GIZ cluster with their strategic and policy interventions with the FMAS and other federal ministries.
• Advises the FMAFS on effective inter-ministerial cooperation with the Federal Ministry of Budget and Planning (FMBP) - and specifically its Steering Committee on Food System Transformation - as well as with the Federal Ministry of Environment (FME) as well as on effective cooperation with the federal states on agri-food system transformation.
• Advises any partner organizations of the AgSys project on how to effectively use national forums such as the National Council on Agriculture to express their interests and further the agri-food system transformation agenda.
• Supports any other initiative of the project or cluster related to transformative agricultural policy or harmonization of financial support for agri-food system transformation.
• Supporting the advancement of sectoral climate policies in agricultural and food systems, particularly by increasing ambition and promoting evidence-based decision-making.

Networking and cooperation:

• Represents the three projects in national platforms and external events, upon request and in close coordination with the project manager.
• Fosters relationships with senior-level staff in partner ministries, government agencies, and donor networks.
• Establishes and maintains excellent working relationships with senior staff of the FMAFS and other relevant ministries as well as agencies and state governments.
• Leads or contributes to the development of knowledge products (e.g., policy briefs, publications, presentations) to support strategic advocacy.
• Networks proactively with international experts and policy advisors of other country measures of the global programme and uses this network proactively for the achievement of the project objectives.
• Engages in south-south cooperation and exchange on political and policy levels, particularly when relevant for scaling innovations or best practices.
• Collaborates closely with other colleagues on cross-cutting themes (gender, civil society, financing) to amplify joint impact.

Management & Coordination:

• Plans and implements activities of output 1 "Transformative Agricultural Policy" according to the project proposal and orientations from the project manager, cooperation with the other policy advisor as well as in cooperation with the project's political and implementation partners.
• Manages and monitors workstreams under the policy advisory mandate for ClimA and CORE, including budget planning and reporting in line with GIZ procedures.
• Proactively suggests and supports communication and PR activities (incl. social media posts).
• Ensures delivery of outputs and integration of activities within overall project frameworks and logframes.
• Coordinates contributions to project steering mechanisms and reporting processes.
• Documents lessons learned and knowledge exchange across AgSys, ClimA, and CORE, utilizing platforms like MS Teams and the GIZ Integrated Data Application (IDA).

Other duties / additional tasks:

• Prepares and reviews input for strategic and operational planning of all three projects.
• Prepares and updates when necessary the project implementation agreement in cooperation with the project manager and assures a smooth communication and agreement with the political partner.
• Monitors the partner contributions as agreed in the implementation agreement.
• Supervises the preparation of regular steering meetings with the political partner according to the steering structure.
• Engages in cluster-wide working groups and contributes to the strategic development of agri-food system transformation initiatives.
• Supports the project manager in any additional tasks required, especially during critical policy or political engagement phases.

Required qualifications, Competences and Experience
Qualifications:

• Master's degree or higher in environmental, economic, political, legal sciences, environmental policy, development studies, agricultural economics, climate law/policy, or a closely related field (PhD preferred).

Professional experience:

• Minimum 10 years' professional experience in energy, economy, legal, financial or environmental sector related to advising on climate change in Nigeria, preferably combined with professional experience in agriculture.
• Minimum 5 years in an advisory role focused on climate change policy or agriculture policy.
• Expertise at the interface of agriculture, food systems and climate change, particularly in areas such as climate-resilient agriculture, adaption and mitigation in agri-food systems, or sustainable land use is an asset.
• Excellent knowledge of the institutional landscape and legal and regulatory framework in the area of climate change in Nigeria. • Extensive professional network in the Nigerian public institutions.
• Proven leadership in interministerial cooperation and national policy processes.
• Demonstrated experience managing complex multi-stakeholder processes and driving coherent strategies.
• Familiarity with international climate frameworks (e.g.,
• UNFCCC, NDCs, Paris Agreement) and their relevance to agri- food systems.
• Experience advising on or supporting development of carbon market mechanisms is a strong asset.
• Track record of gender-sensitive and inclusive policy development is preferred.
• Proven ability in mobilizing local communities and implementing local adaptation initiatives.

Other knowledge, additional competences:

• Strong interpersonal and diplomatic skills, capable of working across political levels.
• Proficient in digital collaboration tools and standard MS Office applications.
• Proven ability to work independently and collaboratively in dynamic settings.
• Strong public speaking and communication skills; comfortable representing projects in high-level forums.
• Willingness to increase knowledge on GIZ's rules and
• procedures and apply them independently in procurement and other processes.
• Willingness to learn in a highly independent manner and to deepen technical knowledge on agri-food systems transformation globally and in contexts beyond Nigeria.
• Willingness to work collaboratively in a close-knit team with flat hierarchies.
• Willingness to perform any tasks required by the management beyond the scope of this job description.
• Clear and diplomatic communication (oral and written) • Ability to communicate adequately with interdisciplinary/multi- institutional teams (units / research organizations, NGOs and Governmental agencies, farmers, their organizations, and donors)
• Team worker and constructive attitude in case of difficulties or conflicts
• Capacity of reflection of own work and willingness to learn.
• Developed attitude and awareness of service delivery.
• Business fluency in English is vital. Knowledge of local languages would be an advantage.

Salary
According to GIZ Salary Scale for Band 4.

Application Closing Date
5th September, 2025.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should send their CV and letter of motivation as a single document with complete contact details to: recruitment-nigeria@giz.de using the Job Title and Vacancy Number as the subject of the mail.

Note

• GIZ is an equal opportunities employer committed to diversity. All qualified candidates, regardless of disability, age, sex, ethnicity, race, and religion are encouraged to apply.
• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.