Advisor (Strategic Communications and Engagement)

The Nigeria BOGA (Beyond Oil and Gas Alliance) Fund Programme supports Nigeria’s economic diversification beyond oil and gas by generating evidence-based insights, strengthening institutional capacity, facilitating stakeholder engagement, and supporting the development of policies and investments that advance a just and inclusive energy transition.

Led by the National Council on Climate Change (NCCC) on behalf of the Nigerian Government, with support from APRI - Africa Policy Research Institute, the programme seeks to strengthen Nigeria’s transition planning through research, policy dialogue, stakeholder engagement, and embedded technical support. A key component of the programme is the provision of technical and advisory support to the NCCC to strengthen climate leadership, coordination, stakeholder engagement, communications, and implementation of programme priorities.

Important: please only submit your application via the Google Form. 

The Advisor will be based primarily with the National Council on Climate Change (NCCC) and provide day-to-day support to NCCC leadership on the implementation of the Nigeria BOGA Fund Programme and related energy transition priorities, with a particular focus on strengthening the strategic engagement, communications, coordination, and executive support functions of the Office of the Director General. The role will strengthen the effectiveness of the NCCC, particularly the Office of the Director General, by ensuring NCCC leadership is consistently equipped with high-quality briefing materials, presentations, speeches, talking points, stakeholder intelligence, communications products, and decision-ready information to support institutional leadership, engagement, and influence.

Working closely with NCCC departments, APRI, programme partners, and external stakeholders, the Advisor will help coordinate priority engagements, support strategic communications and visibility, facilitate stakeholder relationships, identify opportunities that advance programme objectives, and translate technical outputs into clear, actionable products for senior decision-making.

The Advisor will serve as a trusted focal point supporting NCCC leadership engagements across government, development partners, private sector actors, civil society, and international stakeholders, while ensuring effective coordination, communication, and follow-through on programme priorities.

Key Responsibilities

Executive Support and Strategic Advisory

• Prepare high-quality briefing notes, speeches, talking points, meeting briefs, presentations, decision memos, correspondence, and other materials.

• Support NCCC leadership in preparing for high-level meetings, engagements, events, and strategic discussions.

• Translate technical outputs, research findings, and programme deliverables into concise, decision-ready products for leadership and stakeholder engagement.

• Provide strategic advice and recommendations on programme priorities, stakeholder engagement, and emerging opportunities.

• Support NCCC leadership in tracking key commitments, decisions, and follow-up actions arising from engagements and programme activities.

• Provide strategic communications support for the programme, ensuring clear, consistent, and impactful messaging.

• Develop key messages, media briefs, event briefs, speaking notes, FAQs, communication products, and post-event materials.

• Support media preparedness and stakeholder communications around priority programme activities and engagements.

• Identify opportunities to enhance programme visibility and positioning across national, regional, and international platforms.

• Work closely with the NCCC and Programme Partner Communications Team to strengthen visibility of programme outputs and achievements and support timely communications around key events and milestones.

• Serve as a key liaison between NCCC, APRI, programme partners, government institutions, development partners, private sector actors, academia, labour organisations, and civil society stakeholders.

• Coordinate stakeholder engagement activities, consultations, bilateral meetings, policy dialogues, and partnership opportunities.

• Maintain stakeholder maps, engagement plans, meeting trackers, and follow-up actions.

• Support coordination with programme partners, steering committee members, technical advisors, and other key stakeholders.

• Identify strategic engagement opportunities that strengthen programme influence, partnerships, and impact.

• Support integration of programme activities into NCCC priorities, plans, and implementation processes.

• Track programme progress, key milestones, risks, opportunities, and stakeholder commitments.

• Support preparation of programme reports, implementation updates, briefing packs, and partner coordination materials.

• Maintain systems for programme documentation, knowledge management, institutional learning, and information management.

• Support monitoring of relevant developments across climate policy, energy transition, economic diversification, and related sectors to identify implications for programme implementation and stakeholder engagement.

• Master's degree or equivalent in Communications, Public Policy, International Development, Political Science, Public Administration, Economics, Energy, Climate Change, Journalism, International Relations, or a related field.

• Minimum of 3 years of relevant professional experience in strategic communications, public affairs, stakeholder engagement, executive advisory, programme management, government relations, development communications, or related fields.

• Demonstrated experience supporting senior government officials, executive leadership, development partners, or high-level policy and stakeholder processes.

• Experience working across government, development, private sector, civil society, or international cooperation environments.

• Knowledge of Nigeria's climate, energy transition, economic diversification, and public policy landscape will be an advantage.

• Excellent writing, research, analytical, communications, and presentation skills, with a demonstrated ability to develop executive briefings, speeches, reports, presentations, and strategic communications products for senior decision-makers.

• Strong stakeholder management, strategic communications, and programme coordination skills, with proven ability to build relationships, manage competing priorities, exercise sound judgement and discretion, and deliver high-quality results under tight timelines.

Interested candidates should submit the following during the application. Shortlisted candidates will be invited for a competency-based interview.

• CV (maximum 4 pages)

APRI is an equal opportunity employer. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. APRI reserves the right to close this recruitment process early if a suitable candidate is identified.

APRI - Africa Policy Research Institute is an independent, nonpartisan institute researching key policy issues affecting the African continent. Its goals are to provide input to the German and EU policy-making processes on Africa and options on key policy issues to African stakeholders.

To achieve this, APRI taps into the expertise of African intellectuals, scholars, and networks, collaborating with a wide range of organizations at home and abroad to conduct policy research that looks beyond prevailing narratives and transcends disciplinary hegemonies to center Africa. Its outputs include reports, policy briefs, and short analyses, with the goal of expanding to other innovative ways of disseminating its work.