Cities and Infrastructure for Growth Zambia
Position: Centre for Sustainable Energy Modelling (CSEM) Establishment Advisor
Location: Lusaka, Zambia
Contract Duration: Part-time through March 2026
Cities and Infrastructure for Growth Zambia (CIGZambia):
CIGZambia is a United Kingdom Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) funded technical assistance programme that supports Zambia’s transition towards a more sustainable, inclusive, and climate-resilient energy sector. Working closely with the Ministry of Energy, ZESCO, ERB, and IDC, CIGZambia provides independent technical advice and institutional support to strengthen energy system planning, implement electricity sector reforms, and mobilise investment aligned with Zambia’s Integrated Resource Plan (IRP).
Our work is structured across two core workstreams:
- Energy System Planning through the Centre for Sustainable Energy Modelling (CSEM) – institutionalising long-term energy planning capacity, data systems, and modelling tools.
- Open Access Reform and ISMO establishment – supporting the Government to design and launch a transparent, investor-friendly system and market operator that safeguards the public interest.
One of the key outcomes of the IRP (Integrated Resource Plan) was agreement on the need to institutionalize energy planning through establishing the Centre for Sustainable Energy Modelling (CSEM) with several key responsibilities, including:
- Offering prompt, high-quality, data-driven policy advice to the Government on energy-specific issues.
- Providing regular updates and adjustments to the IRP to reflect emerging trends in the energy sector, including the rapid growth of renewable energy technologies.
CIGZambia’s ultimate objective is to help unlock the $11.6 billion in energy sector investments identified in the IRP by 2030, ensuring universal access to reliable, affordable power while protecting social and climate priorities.
About the Role
Following CIGZambia’s submission of the CSEM Business Case to the Ministry of Energy, In September 2025, the Ministry approved establishment of the Centre for Sustainable Energy Modelling (CSEM). The establishment of a national energy planning, forecasting, and modelling centre, the CSEM, is critical for Zambia's ability to address current and future energy demands. The establishment of the CSEM aligns with Zambia’s Vision 2030 and National Development Plans, which emphasize sustainable economic growth, poverty reduction, and climate resilience. The Government of the Republic of Zambia (GRZ) has prioritized universal access to clean, reliable, and affordable energy through the approval of the (IRP) for the Zambian Electricity Sector. The IRP serves as a strategic blueprint to align the country’s energy sector with National Development Plans over the next three decades. By supporting energy planning that balances other long-term national priorities, CSEM will help to reduce Zambia’s carbon footprint while ensuring social and economic progress. CSEM will be pivotal in ensuring the effective implementation of the IRP, providing robust energy planning, data-driven policy advice, and technical guidance to enable Zambia’s transition to a sustainable energy future.
Reliable and affordable energy is essential as Zambia scales up industrial-scale agriculture, agro-processing, and mining activities. CSEM will ensure that energy planning aligns with the demands of these industries to foster industrial growth and increase economic output.
The consultant will lead the entire process of establishing and operationalising the CSEM. The consultant will work under the direct supervision of the CSEM Lead (IRP Project Lead). At the time of recruitment for this role, support from CIGZambia to the Ministry of Energy and ZESCO to institutionalise the IRP has been ongoing for approximately a year, including the development of models for longer-term energy system planning, a task which will be embedded within the CSEM. In this period, CIGZambia and sister programmes (e.g., Climate Compatible Growth – CCG) have been providing advisory support to government energy sector institutions and developed various models. These efforts use Antares linear models for transmission/generation optimisation, PowerFactory dynamic modelling for transmission/generation feasibility and OSeMOSYS models for broader energy system modelling.
Specifically, the consultant will:
1. Responsibility 1: Lead the establishment of the CSEM. Tasks include:
- Develop and execute a detailed CSEM Implementation Plan, including all necessary documentation and presentations to support operationalisation.
- Lead institutional setup activities including governance, staffing, and infrastructure.
- Develop and recommend CSEM implementation models with pros and cons, only as needed to support operationalisation.
2. Responsibility 2: Lead Resource Mobilisation and Stakeholder Engagement. Tasks include:
- Pitch the CSEM to both state and non-state actors including cooperating partners for anchor and project activity funding.
- Support due diligence processes including a data room.
- Negotiate and develop funding agreements for the CSEM.
- Lead communication about CSEM and its impact to state and non-state actors, including cooperating partners.
- Lead stakeholder engagement meetings and workshops to build consensus and trigger action to establish and operationalize CSEM.
- Develop documents and presentations needed to support the establishment and operationalisation of CSEM.
Skills and experience
- Advanced degree in Business Administration, Business Development, Project Management, Marketing, or a related field.
- Master of Business Administration Degree (MBA) preferred.
- Proven professional experience in establishing Institutions from the ground up.
- Proven professional experience in business development and high-level stakeholder engagement with state and non-state actors.
- Proven professional experience in developing necessary documents and presentations for the establishment and operationalisation of a new institution.
- Proven professional experience in the Zambian energy sector will be an added advantage.
- Strategic thinking
- Strong negotiation and communication skills
- Excellent relationship-building skills
- Excellent project management skills
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills for reporting and presentation.
Key Deliverables:
D1: Develop a fundraising strategy for the CSEM
D2: A feedback report from targeted stakeholder engagements. Including a recommendation on preferred funding partners.
D3: Progress negotiations with preferred partners, including collaboration agreements.
D4: Develop necessary slide decks and documents for the establishment and operationalisation of the CSEM.
Applications:
Please send your CV and Cover Letter to admin@cigzambia.org. For application to be considered, subject line in the email must be completed as follows: CSEM Establishment Advisor – Candidate Last Name, First Name.
Deadline for Applications: November 12, 2025
