Vacancy announcement

Position: Project Coordinator, Strengthening Governance and Inclusivity in Community-based Mangrove Management in Southern Thailand Project, RECOFTC Thailand

Deadline for application: 29 August 2025

RECOFTC is an international nonprofit organization working towards a future where resilient communities with respected rights thrive in forest landscapes that they manage sustainably and equitably. We take a long-term, landscape-based and inclusive approach in supporting local communities to secure their land and resource rights, stop deforestation, find alternative livelihoods and foster gender equality. With almost 40 years of experience, we have built trusting relationships with partners from communities, governments, businesses, academia and civil society organizations. Our innovations, knowledge and initiatives enable countries to foster good forest governance, mitigate and adapt to climate change and achieve the UN Global Goals. 

We operate in the Asia-Pacific region, with country offices in Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand and Viet Nam.

RECOFTC is seeking a Project Coordinator for the “Strengthening Governance and Inclusivity in Community-based Mangrove Management in Southern Thailand” project, based at the RECOFTC Thailand Office in Bangkok. The position is full-time, with an initial contract of 14 months and the possibility of extension, subject to funding availability and satisfactory performance. An offer of employment will be made only upon confirmation of project funding. 

Project background

Mangrove forests in Thailand, covering approximately 1.7 million rai across 24 coastal provinces, are critical ecosystems that provide biodiversity, climate resilience and livelihoods for local communities. However, these ecosystems face mounting pressures from land use change, coastal erosion and unsustainable development. Since 1961, Thailand has lost over 96,000 hectares of mangroves. The Andaman coastal provinces — Ranong, Krabi, Phang Nga, and Trang — retain over half of the country’s remaining mangroves and are priority areas for conservation. 

Community Forestry (CF) is a proven nature-based solution for mangrove restoration and climate adaptation. Yet, under the Community Forest Act of Thailand, mangrove CFs lack formal recognition, resulting in unclear tenure, insecure resource rights and limited access to CF-related benefits. In 2023, the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR) recognized 99 community-managed mangrove forests under its ‘Mangrove Forest for Communities’ initiative —73 of them in the four priority provinces — but these sites remain outside the existing CF legal framework. 

Women and youth play critical roles in mangrove protection but are often excluded from formal decision-making. Leadership roles are typically dominated by older men, limiting diversity of perspectives and hindering the integration of science, technology and inclusive solutions in CF Management Plans (CFMPs).  As a result, many CFMPs do not adequately address the needs of different user groups or respond to emerging climate and biodiversity challenges.

To address these issues, the project will support at least 18 CF leaders, particularly women and youth aged 20–35, from six CFs in the four target provinces: Ranong, Krabi, Phang-nga and Trang. Sites will be identified through field surveys and community consultations. The project will directly benefit around 600 community members who depend on these forests for their livelihoods. 

It will deliver three main outputs: 

1. Evidence-based advocacy to influence policies 
2. Establishment of a Mangrove Community Forest Learning Hub for knowledge exchange and capacity-building 
3. Development of six CFMPs and preparation for their registration under the CF framework 

Collaboration with local civil society organizations (CSOs) and close coordination with DMCR, the government agency responsible for mangrove management, are central to the project’s strategy. These partnerships will guide site selection, foster inclusive community engagement and ensure effective development and use of the Learning Hub. 

Through a gender-responsive and participatory approach, the project will strengthen community-led forest governance, enhance biodiversity conservation, improve climate resilience and promote equitable participation in policy-making processes. 

Tasks and duties

The Project Coordinator will be based at the RECOFTC Thailand Office in Bangkok and will report directly to the Country Director. The Project Coordinator will be responsible for coordinating all aspects of project management, including planning, implementation, monitoring, evaluation and learning, and reporting. The Project Coordinator will also support project administration, communications and stakeholder engagement, conduct occasional field work with project partners and communities and ensure that the project’s deliverables meet its objectives and expected results as outlined in the approved scope of work. 

The role requires close collaboration with programme and project staff in RECOFTC Thailand, as well as colleagues from RECOFTC Main Office.

Specific tasks and duties include: 

a) Project planning and implementation 

• Prepare detailed project work plans, budgets, and monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL) mechanism in line with donor and RECOFTC requirements.
• Oversee and implement project activities according to the work plan, in consultation with the project team and relevant stakeholders.
• Prepare budget requests and develop terms of reference for activities, securing approvals from the Country Director.
• Coordinate with project participants, partners and relevant organizations to organize project activities and events.
• Facilitate and lead capacity-building activities and stakeholder meetings, ensuring gender equality and social inclusion are integrated into all activities. 
• With the support of the Capacity Development and Research Coordinator, manage the project’s research component and supervise the Research Assistant to ensure timely delivery of results. 
• Serve as the project focal point, representing RECOFTC in meetings and events, and building strong working relationships with government agencies, CSOs and communities to enable effective activity implementation and service delivery. 

b) Project monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL)

• Track and assess progress against the implementation plan and project logframe, making adjustments when necessary to ensure timely and effective delivery of results.
• Oversee and monitor project finances to ensure that expenditures are aligned with the approved budget and work plan.
• Facilitate regular meetings with the project team and stakeholders to review progress, gather feedback and address challenges, including participation in RECOFTC Thailand’s regular coordination meetings.
• Prepare timely and high-quality progress reports, including narrative, financial and supporting documents, following donor requirements.
• Maintain organized and traceable records of project information, data and MEL documentation.
• Provide inputs to RECOFTC’s internal MEL processes to help capture lessons learned, achievements and measurable outputs and outcomes. 

c) Partnerships and communication

•  Build and maintain strong networks with CSOs, academia and government agencies to facilitate information exchange, strategic collaborations and networking.
• Represent RECOFTC in relevant meetings, public events and professional networks linked to the project’s objectives. 
• Engage in advocacy with government and non-government sectors at local, provincial and national levels.
• Maintain regular communication with key stakeholders and explore opportunities for strategic partnerships to support and scale up project outcomes.
• Work closely with RECOFTC’s communications team to document project results, produce communication materials and promote achievements and lessons learned to wider audiences.

d) Other duties

• Maintain accurate, high-quality and accessible records of project activities, finances and outputs in RECOFTC’s data management system.
• Collaborate with other team members to integrate cross-cutting themes, ensuring programmatic coherence.
• Perform other tasks as assigned by the Country Director. 

Qualifications and experience

 The Project Coordinator should have the following essential qualifications and experience:

 Essential

• A bachelor’s degree or equivalent in coastal and marine resource management, forestry science, natural resource management or a related field
• At least five years of proven experience in managing development projects in natural resource management, preferably in community-based mangrove forest management
• Strong knowledge of mangrove conservation, relevant policies and issues in Thailand, including those linked to climate change and livelihood development 
• Demonstrated experience in applying gender equality and social inclusion approaches in project planning and implementation 
• Proven ability to coordinate and facilitate diverse stakeholders, with strong skills in community engagement
• Good understanding of the southern Thailand livelihood context
• Experience with project management methodologies, tools and processes
• Proficiency in English and Thai, with strong computer literacy
• Excellent report writing, communication and presentation skills
• Strong teamwork and networking abilities
• Willingness and ability to travel frequently within Thailand and work in multi-stakeholder, cross-cultural environments
• A Thai national 

Desirable 

• A master’s degree in coastal and marine resource management, forestry, natural resource management, or a related field
• Ability to work beyond one’s primary role, adapt to changing needs and take initiative to enhance work quality
• Knowledge of databases and online applications for project management, MEL and enterprise resource planning 
• Results-oriented mindset, with the ability to prioritize tasks, manage competing demands and meet tight deadlines

RECOFTC’s core values

At RECOFTC, our core values are the foundation of our culture and guide all our work. In addition to job-specific skills and experience, the applicant should possess the following characteristics, attitudes and skills: 

• Embrace innovation 
• Adapt to and learn from challenges 
• Nurture commitment, responsibility and ownership 
• Collaborate with partners and stakeholders 
• Commit to sustainability 
• Cultivate participation, gender equality and social inclusion 
• Prioritize well-being  

Commitment to RECOFTC policies and procedures  

At RECOFTC, we uphold the highest standards of integrity, transparency and responsibility in all our operations. Our policies and guidelines are designed to ensure a safe, inclusive, sustainable and ethical environment for our staff, partners, consultants and the communities we serve.  

All staff, consultants and contractors engaged by RECOFTC are required to comply with RECOFTC’s policies and procedures while performing their roles with RECOFTC.  

How to apply

Interested candidates are invited to submit their CV and a cover letter. The cover letter should explain why the candidate is suitable for the position, include salary expectations and provide the current contact details of three referees, including recent supervisors. Please submit your application by clicking here.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. RECOFTC offers a competitive compensation package. 

For more information about RECOFTC, please visit our website at https://www.recoftc.org/

RECOFTC is committed to non-discrimination and equal opportunity. Applicants will not be discriminated against based on ethnicity, religion, age, nationality, physical disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, colour, marital status, medical condition, or any other classification protected by RECOFTC's values and code of conduct. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified disabled applicants to participate in the application process. If you require special accommodation, please inform RECOFTC's Human Resources in writing at the time of application. The successful candidate will be selected based on merit. RECOFTC strongly encourages women and members of Indigenous or ethnic communities to apply.