As an international cooperation enterprise for sustainable development with worldwide operations, the government owned Deutsche Gesellschaft fuer Internationale Zusammenarbeit  (GIZ) GmbH operates on behalf of German Ministry of Environment. GIZ has a record of more than 60 years working in Thailand.

 

For the regional project component “Collaborative Actions for Single-Use Plastic Prevention in South-East Asia (CAP SEA)”, implemented in Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia, we are currently looking for a

 

Project Coordinator Thailand

 

Existing production and consumption patterns in Southeast Asian countries are based on a largely linear raw materials economy in which plastic materials are poorly managed and disposed as waste after a short period of use. The widespread use of single-use plastic (SUP) contributes significantly to the entry into and pollution of water and sea. Low raw material prices, counterproductive incentive systems, a lack of awareness and a lack of alternatives are main reasons for the rapidly growing amount of disposable SUP.

Existing voluntary initiatives by industry, trade and services to reduce and properly collect and recycle packaging materials have been limited in their overall impact. Waste management and the related recycling industry are underperforming to solve the problem. Also, SUP prevention business models, such as product service systems (e.g. Cup-as-a-Service), alternative materials (e.g. sea weed based food container) or product stewardship (e.g. deposit refund system) are often niche products with low potential for upscaling, mainly due to market-failures.

However, experiences from other countries show that for scale effects to work in in SUP prevention, such business models need to be embedded in a conducive regulatory framework. Therefore both industry initiatives and SUP prevention business models require strategic government support.

Thailand has recognized that the introduction of circular economy (CE) principles in production and trade along the waste hierarchy (i.e. reduce, reuse, recycle) can be an essential solution and that regulatory and more targeted intervention at local level and cooperation with the private sector are critical to prevent SUP and to prepare the plastic economy for circularity.

From the legislative view-point, the National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA) has been mandated by the National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC) to develop the Circular Economy Pillar of the Bio-Circular and Green economic development strategy of Thailand. One of its workstreams is the development of a circular plastic economy, aligned with the Pollution Control Department’s (PCD) plastic road map and action plan that plans to phase out specific SUP products (e.g. bag, straws, cutlery, cups, etc.) and drastically reduce plastic waste. This is also reflected in the ‘up-stream’ part of the ongoing revision of PCD’s waste management strategy, which calls for substituting SUP products through durable, better repairable and environmentally friendlier alternatives; promotion of the recycled market or business models that encourage plastic recycling or reuse following the concept of circular economy; and public-private partnerships that address the issue of single use plastic and jointly develop solutions.

 

From a private perspective, the government’s regulatory measures open opportunities for new innovative business models. For example, a ban on specific SUP products (e.g. plastic cups) contributes to the viability of Cup-as-a-Service business models that are currently emerging in various countries. Other government measures incentives, such as favoring packaging-free solutions in public procurement, reducing barriers and stimulating post-consumer recycling content in products are translates into supporting a coherent SUP prevention policy.

This project contributes to the reduction of SUP and prepare for re-use of the plastic material stream by developing the government’s capacity to advance the plastic economy framework:

• Plastic CE policy framework, including an (1) up-stream packaging reduction strategy and action plan, (2) a circular packaging legal act;
• Measures for SUP prevention, including an (3) analysis of the plastic market and (4) recommended regulatory, fiscal and economic measures; 
• Design for Recycling, including (4) product criteria and guideline for e.g. beverage container and their (5) mainstreaming with the FMCG industry, as well as a (6) concept paper for sourcing, labelling and use of bio-based, -degradable, -compostable plastics.

At national level participating government agencies and private actors are NSTDA, PCD, the Thai Industry Standard Institute and the Federation of Thai Industry. The project’s secretariat is run by the Thai Environmental Institute (TEI) and international expertise is provided by the German Öko-Institute.

At local level the project supports the Phuket municipality to pilot SUP prevention, comprising the development of a (7) municipal SUP reduction plan, (8) SUP free wet-market/walking street, (9) accommodation industry and (10) malls. Private partners are identified for cooperation.  The pilot will provide proof-of-concept and prepares for scaling by developing (11) guidelines for SUP plans, wet-markets, accommodation industry and malls.

The project component is part of a global project headquartered in Germany. The regional headquarters for South East Asia will be in Bangkok, with similar projects in Malaysia and Indonesia.

The project coordinator Thailand is responsible for:

• autonomously implement activities of the project related to Thailand in close cooperation with TEI, Öko-Institute and other reimplementing partners (i.e. consultants).
• autonomously develop the partner network in Thailand; particularly cooperate and coordinate with relevant government ministries and agencies (NSTDA, TISI, PCD, FTI, etc), other relevant GIZ programmes, development agencies and public, non-governmental, development and private organisations in Thailand;
• autonomously liaise and cooperate with Thailand GIZ country office and realize synergies with bi-lateral and global projects;
• autonomously draft ToR, develop contracting and supervise contract implementation.
• support the development of the implementation strategy, action planning and monitoring of project activities in line with project goals jointly with partners and the management;
• support efficient sustainable knowledge transfer and capacity development.

 

The Project Coordinator Thailand for CAP SEA performs the following tasks:

 

1. Tasks

1. Pilot Project Implementation

The project coordinator

• Coordinate closely with key-stakeholders the overall project implementation
• Build strong relationships, steer and manage the national Steering Committee and Working Groups
• Support TEI to steer and manage the implementation of the pilot project

 

2. Administration

The project coordinator

• coordinates with management to develop admin and project functions within the country, such as communication, reporting lines, internal rules, etc;
• coordinates with management to develop finance functions, such as cash-flow, budgeting, controlling, integrity management, etc.;
• enables collaborative development of action plans, result- based monitoring system and other management tools for the efficient and effective implementation of the project;
• develops autonomous contract and manages with third parties;
• organises the day-to-day operational management of the project within the country: control project implementation and timely provision of deliverables, quality control, facilitation and coordinates of short-term experts, etc;

 

3. Other related tasks

The project coordinator

• closely coordinates and regular communication with the management (i.e. team meeting and Jour Fixe) to consult, reflect and jointly develop the strategic orientation of the project;
• actively contributes to GIZ TH internal coordination/knowledge management structures, such as clusters, relevant working groups, country planning, etc.
• support the management in strategic development of the project, including network development, acquisition of funds, private sector development, etc.

 

2. Required qualifications, competences and experience

Qualifications

• Master’s degree, in a course related to the project/program’s issues, specialisation in a field related to environmental science/ management;
• proven experiences in working for or with GIZ or other international development agencies, preferable coordinating country activities;
• experience with circular economy approaches, ideally upstream single use plastic prevention, also waste management;
• plus 5 years relevant occupational experience in project management, planning and coordination;
• experience in working with Thai government institutions;
• good understanding of sustainable consumption and production in Thailand and CE approaches;
• ability to work independently and to do travels within the country, the region and globally.

 

This will be a fixed-term contract, starting as soon as possible and running until March 2023 with possible prolongation.

 

Please submit your application and CV to chattayada.pattaragulwanit@giz.de. The deadline for applications is April 30, 2021. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

 

With your application please also provide a 2-page short essay on any one of the 2 topics below:

1. What should an UP-STREAM plastic packaging reduction strategy and action plan include?
2. What are options of municipalities to PREVENT single-use-plastics?

 

GIZ Thailand is an equal opportunity employer and actively encourages gender diversity within the company and operations.

 

GIZ Office Bangkok

193/63 Lake Rajada Office Complex, New Ratchadapisek Road, Klongtoey, Bangkok 10110

 

More information about GIZ:

https://www.giz.de/en/html/index.html

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeyVDmQlGbPvlI5Ccob91JQ

https://www.youtube.com/user/GIZonlineT

Contact : chattayada.pattaragulwanit@giz.de

---

ผู้ประสานงาน / Coordinatorผู้จัดการโปรเจค / Project manager