Technical Advisor: Trade and Incentives at GIZ South Africa, Lesotho & eSwatini

Background

• South Africa holds a unique position in the global energy transition. With excellent renewable energy potential, established industrial infrastructure, and access to critical raw materials such as platinum, vanadium, chromium, nickel, and manganese, the country is strategically placed to become a hub for green hydrogen and battery value chain (BVC) development.
• The battery and green hydrogen sectors are key pillars in the Just Energy Transition Investment Plan (JET-IP) and the Just Energy Transition Implementation Plan (JET-IP) approved by Cabinet in November 2023. They are vital for decarbonisation, job creation, and the future of the South African automotive industry.
• Despite this promise, challenges remain: uncertain market development, limited capacities, skills gaps, and the need to integrate strong environmental, social, and governance (ESG) standards.
• To address these, GIZ is implementing the H2.SA II/BVC Programme, commissioned by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the European Union, in close cooperation with the South African government. The programme supports policy, private sector cooperation, capacity building, sustainability, and battery value chain development.
• The position of Technical Advisor: Trade and Incentives is embedded in Workstream 5 and focuses on creating framework conditions and supporting international trade for the battery value chain.

Your Contribution
As Technical Advisor: Trade and Incentives, you will:

• Identify, plan, and implement support activities for instruments that strengthen a sustainable South African battery value chain
• Provide policy advice on trade and incentive mechanisms to stimulate and grow the battery and critical raw materials sectors
• Support government partners in planning and implementing incentive measures for sustainable value chain development
• Collaborate closely with other programme components on international trade, ESG integration, and sectoral development
• Conceptualise, manage, and monitor advisory projects, including supervising assignments of national and international consultancies
• Build and manage strong relationships with stakeholders across government, industry, finance, and international partners
• Facilitate knowledge sharing and communication through workshops, seminars, study tours, and other platforms for dialogue

What You Will Need to Succeed
Qualifications:

• A tertiary degree in Economics, Finance, Business Administration, Engineering, or a relevant science degree (B.Sc)

Professional Experience:

• At least 5 years of relevant work experience in public sector policies, trade incentive schemes, project finance, trade promotion, or a combination of these fields
• Demonstrated success in project and process management
• Experience in designing and implementing measures to promote sustainable economic development and value chain growth
• Understanding of international battery value chain trade mechanisms
• Familiarity with South Africa’s energy, renewable, critical raw material, and battery sectors, including policies, strategies, and incentives
• Proven experience in stakeholder engagement across public and private sectors

Skills and Attributes:

• Strong analytical, structured, and methodical working style
• Ability to work independently while contributing effectively to a multicultural team
• Excellent communication and writing skills in English
• Capacity to manage complex partner relations and multi-stakeholder processes