Job Opening: Regional Project Manager, FLEGT Project, WWF-Greater Mekong
WWF-Greater Mekong – on the ground in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam – is working to conserve the region’s biodiversity and build a secure and sustainable future for people and wildlife. WWF has a long history of engagement in the Greater Mekong. We helped establish conservation programmes in Thailand in the early 1980s, have been active in Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam since 1990, and most recently established a presence in Myanmar in 2013. WWF-Greater Mekong works with government, industry and civil society partners to ensure that, as the region develops, it doesn’t squander the natural riches that so many depend on, and that drive its economic future. We aim to support the countries of the region in realising their shared vision of a poverty-free and ecologically-rich Greater Mekong.
WWF-Greater Mekong has established the regional FLEGT project “Common Access to the VPA Process in Laos and Vietnam” to strengthen local capacity for multi-stakeholder development and implementation of Voluntary Partnership Agreements (VPAs) in Laos and Vietnam. VPAs are bilateral treaties between the European Union and a trading partner aimed at improving forest governance and ensuring the legality of wood exports to Europe. Vietnam is currently negotiating a VPA, and Laos is about to launch negotiations for one. WWF is supporting VPAs as a way for both Laos and Vietnam to meet their goals to conserve existing natural forests and increase forestry’s contribution to green economic growth.
The project, which is due to start in April 2014 and will run for four years, is financed by the European Union through a grant from the Thematic Programme for Environment and Sustainable Management of Natural Resources, including Energy (ENRTP). It is organised around six main outputs, at the core of which is capacity building and awareness raising for more informed and inclusive participation in VPA processes. The objective of these interventions is to ensure that the VPAs in Laos and Vietnam explicitly and adequately account for the needs and interests of smaller, weaker stakeholder groups such as civil society organisations, forest-dependent communities, and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
The Regional Project Manager will lead the regional and national project teams, and will be responsible for the timely achievement of the project’s objectives in accordance with donor contractual requirements and WWF standards, policies and procedures.
Base location: Vientiane, Lao PDR/ Hanoi, Vietnam
Key requirements:
- Master’s degree or higher in forestry, natural resources management, environmental governance, trade and development, or a related field
- Good understanding of forest governance and trade issues, including regulatory and market instruments to control illegal logging such as FLEGT/VPAs, EU Timber Regulation, US Lacey Act, public procurement policies, certification, etc
- Knowledge of FLEGT-related processes, initiatives and support institutions in the Greater Mekong region
- Knowledge of the social, political and institutional context for forest conservation in the Greater Mekong region
- Good understanding of development partnerships, fundraising, donor strategies and cooperation relations in the Greater Mekong region
- Knowledge of project management principles and best practices, including M&E approaches and quality assurance
- At least 5 years of experience in managing international development or conservation projects, 2 years of which should be in the Greater Mekong region
- Experience in leading multicultural teams based in different countries
- Experience in managing projects or programmes with diverse funding inputs, including government aid agencies and private sector donors
- Experience in managing or facilitating multi-stakeholder processes in forestry, natural resources management or a related field is an advantage
How to apply:
A detailed Job Description [1] for this position can be found at WWF’s website: www.panda.org/jobs [2]. Interested candidates should email a curriculum vitae and cover letter (both in English) to [email protected] [3], stating the position title in the subject line of the email. All application documents should be named as Document_Yourfullname.
Deadline: Open until filled
Only short-listed candidates will be contacted for interviews.
“WWF is an equal opportunity employer and committed to having a diverse workforce.”