Background
The African Climate Foundation (ACF) is the first and only African-led climate change re-granting organisation on the continent. Through a combination of grant making, fellowships, transformational research, technical assistance, coalition building and advocacy the ACF seeks to support interventions at the nexus of climate change, and development that have the greatest potential to deliver long-term socio-economic transformation and inclusive development.

The JET PMU

The JET PMU operates as a high-impact delivery unit, driving the Just Energy Transition (JET) through strategic coordination, agile execution, and results-driven implementation. Focused on accelerating project pipelines, mobilising resources, problem solving and fostering collaboration, the PMU bridges policy and action.

About the role

As part of the MOU signed between the African Climate Foundation (ACF) and the Just Energy Transition Projects Management Unit (JET PMU); the ACF agreed to provide resources to the JET PMU to enable the JET PMU to fulfil its mandate pursuant to the JET PMU’s terms of reference. This includes the secondment of technical experts across all relevant disciplines to support the agenda of the JET PMU.

The Portfolio Lead: Mpumalanga provides strategic and operational support to the Mpumalanga Green Cluster Agency (MGCA) and the Mpumalanga provincial government as they establish and drive their roles in South Africa's just energy transition.

The MGCA is the Lead Institution for the Mpumalanga JET Portfolio and is still in the process of building its operational capacity. A central part of this role is helping the MGCA become the effective, credible institution it needs to be — managing project pipelines, coordinating stakeholders, and fulfilling its monitoring and reporting responsibilities.

Alongside this institutional support work, the role carries direct responsibility for:

• Building a credible pipeline of just transition projects and programmes that move the provincial economy, communities, and workers away from dependence on coal.
• Sourcing and facilitating fit-for-purpose financing for those projects — through the JET Funding Platform, DFIs, international partners, and other sources.
• Working with the ACT IP Desk on investments in communities and the regional economy affected by the planned closure of five coal-fired power stations.
• Ensuring that Mpumalanga's JET progress is accurately tracked within the national JET Monitoring and Evaluation Framework and the JET Investments Register.

The incumbent will spend significant time working in Mpumalanga, with regular engagement with the JET PMU in Johannesburg.

This role will be seconded to the JET PMU and will work under the direction of the Manager: JET Portfolios.

Key Deliverables:

Building Institutional Capacity

• Support the MGCA to manage its secretariat function for the Mpumalanga JET and Climate Change Coordinating Committee and Forum, driving multi-stakeholder engagement and decision-making.
• Support the operationalisation of the MGCA — including its project pipeline management, MEL systems, and data infrastructure.
• Support the Mpumalanga provincial government in fulfilling its JET roles.

Programme and Project Management

• Develop a programmatic approach and investment plan to unlock effective JET investments across the province.
• Ensure alignment with the ACT IP Desk on strategies and operations supporting communities affected by Eskom coal station closures.
• Work with the Lead Institution and stakeholders to ensure effective planning, execution, and monitoring of projects delivering JET outcomes.

Mobilising and Deploying Funding

• Work with implementing partners to identify and prepare eligible JET programmes and projects for investment.
• Facilitate grant matchmaking through the JET Funding Platform.
• Facilitate engagements with public and private sector financiers to help developers access investment resources.
• Work with international JET partners to ensure the JET Investments Register accurately reflects pledged and deployed financing for Mpumalanga, avoiding duplication of effort.
• Track and analyse the Mpumalanga JET project pipeline through the JET Investments Register.

Stakeholder Engagement

• Foster MGCA and ACT IP collaboration with community-based organisations, civil society, and trade unions to develop programmes addressing local JET needs.
• Ensure inclusive participation of local communities in JET initiatives, integrating their insights into project planning and implementation.
• Strengthen relationships with government agencies, the private sector, and development partners to align efforts and maximise impact.
• Work with the JET PMU communications team to prepare campaigns that proactively address JET needs in the province.

Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting

• Track and report on Portfolio progress and impact against defined performance indicators.
• Develop and implement monitoring frameworks for Mpumalanga projects in collaboration with the JET PMU's MEL team.
• Ensure the MGCA's data systems align seamlessly with the national JET Investments Register.
• Provide regular reports to the Manager: JET Portfolios and suggest improvements based on performance evidence.

Who we are looking for

This is a rare combination of skills and experience. We are looking for someone who brings:

Roots and relationships in Mpumalanga

• You understand the province's political economy, its key institutions, and its communities. You have — or can quickly rebuild — working relationships with the actors who matter: the MGCA, provincial government departments, municipalities, Eskom, local DFIs, community structures, and trade unions. Candidates based in or willing to relocate to Mpumalanga will be strongly preferred.

Investment and financing experience

• You have practical experience mobilising financing for development or infrastructure projects — including working with DFIs, blended finance instruments, grants, and concessional loans. You can speak the language of financiers and translate it for project developers and community stakeholders.

Programme and project management depth

• You have at least 10 years of experience managing complex, multi-stakeholder development programmes — ideally including work that sits at the intersection of economic development, community impact, and institutional capacity building. You can design a programme and manage its delivery through others.

Just transition and coal community understanding

• You understand what the closure of coal power stations means for workers, communities, and local economies — and you have thought seriously about what a genuinely just transition requires. Direct experience working with coal-affected communities, mining towns, or comparable industrial transition contexts is a significant advantage.

Stakeholder range and relational credibility

• You can engage with equal credibility at a DFI investment committee, a provincial government planning meeting, a trade union consultation, and a community hall gathering. You build trust across very different institutional cultures without losing your own judgment.

Language

• Fluency in English and at least one of the indigenous languages of Mpumalanga — isiZulu, siSwati, isiNdebele, or Sepedi — is essential. Proficiency in additional languages of the province is a significant advantage.

Qualifications

• A Master's degree in Development Studies, Economics, Public Policy, Finance, or a related field. Equivalent professional experience and demonstrated expertise will be considered.

Start date: Position available immediately

Location: Mpumalanga, South Africa

Contract duration: 12 months, consisting of 2 x 6-month renewable contracts

Closing date: 20 March 2026

For further information about the ACF, visit www.africanclimatefoundation.org.

Should you not hear back from us by 30 April 2026, please consider your application to be unsuccessful.

The ACF strives to be an equitable organisation with a team which reflects the diversity of Africa.

In compliance with the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA), The ACF assures all applicants that any personal information provided during the recruitment process will be treated with the utmost confidentiality and used solely for recruitment purposes. Your privacy and data security are of paramount importance to us. By applying for this position, you consent to the collection, processing, and storage of your personal information for recruitment-related activities only. The ACF is committed to safeguarding your privacy and maintaining the trust you place in us.