ThaiNGO

Vacancy Announcement

Project Coordinator

Innovative Community Livelihoods with Sustainable Financing in

Selected Buffer Zone Village of Huay Kha Kaeng Wildlife Sanctuary

Application deadline: 19 March 2018

The Center for People and Forests - RECOFTC holds a unique and important place in the world of forestry. It is the only international not‐for‐profit organization that specializes in capacity development for community forestry and devolved forest management. RECOFTC engages in strategic networks and effective partnerships with governments, nongovernment organizations, civil society, the private sector, local people, and research and educational institutes throughout the Asia‐Pacific region and beyond. With over 30 years of international experience and a dynamic approach to capacity development—involving research, analysis and synthesis; strategic communication; training and learning networks; and piloting and demonstrating—RECOFTC delivers innovative solutions for people and forests.

RECOFTC is now seeking a Project Coordinator for its Thailand Country Program’s “Innovative Community Livelihoods with Sustainable Financing in Selected Buffer Zone Village of Huay Kha Kaeng Wildlife Sanctuary” Project. The successful candidate will be based at Project Office at Lansak, Uthaithani.  The contract period will be for 12 months, national recruited condition, with the possibility of extension. Expected starting date is on 1^st May 2018 or as early as possible.

BACKGROUND:

The Innovative Community Livelihoods with Sustainable Financing in Selected Buffer Zone Village of Huay Kha Kaeng (HKK) Wildlife Sanctuary in western forest complex, Thailand component is part of the The United Nations Development Programme  (UNDP)’s “Strengthening Capacity and Incentives for Wildlife Conservation in Western Forest Complex” Project. The component is focused on linking sustainable livelihood development in the buffer zone villages with specific conservation outcomes, and improving economic links between the buffer zone and enclave villages and the Wildlife Sanctuary. It will seek to achieve these linkages by promoting incentives (including technical support and grant funding for sustainable livelihoods initiatives, ecotourism development and piloting a REDD+ Wildlife Premium carbon project) for community-based sustainable forest management, environmentally-friendly agricultural practices, nature-based tourism and education and improved wildlife and habitat protection.

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Project Coordinator works as a staff member of the Regional Community Forestry Training Center for Asia and the Pacific (RECOFTC), which is a technical service provider to the project.  Under the direct supervision of the RECOFTC Thailand Country Program (TCP) Community Forestry (CF) Partnership Coordinator, his/her main role is to oversee overall project management, coordinate project  activities in the landscape and ensure that the project would effectively deliver the expected results within the agreed timeline, including maintaining strong partner and stakeholders coordination.

RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES:

The main tasks of the Project Coordinator will include but not be limited to the following:

• In consultation with the TCP CF Partnership Coordinator, take the lead in designing the project implementation strategy according to the project proposal, including budget planning;
• Coordinate with other TCP team members, key  partners in buffer zone of HKK and in Uthai Thani province for implementing Tiger project and support synergies of TCP-RECOFTC interventions in HKK – Uthai Thani landscape;
• Take the lead role in building partnership and maintain effective coordination with key actors  in the project landscape;
• Take the lead role in facilitating the dialogues, consultation forum, meetings with stakeholders in  developing conservation agreement, community forest management plan,  and  community development project proposal based on identified potential livelihood options for fulfilling the landscape objectives;

• Provide capacity building to community and key stakeholders on livelihood development and innovative funding management including technical know-how for 6 pilots on potential products and services in buffer zone of HKK;

• Facilitate field data collection and community based action research on sustainable livelihoods development;

• Develop and deliver participatory monitoring and evaluation work plan  for monitoring progress and financial management of the pilot models, and ensure that results and lesson learnt of the piloting are documented and be able to report back to the project indicators;

• Support in the development of landscape information, database of forest and land use, and CF related information;

• Manage project’s financial resources with prudence and probity, and be fully accountable for expenditures in accordance with UNDP and RECOFTC policies and procedures;

• Assist CF Partnership Coordinator in recording, preparing and submitting project reports;
• Provide and support the documentation and dissemination of lessons learned, innovative knowledge, tools, processes and experiences of good practice of the project;

• Supervise project team member (s), coordinate work plan and division of work within the team to ensure that the project could deliver the expected outputs;
• Perform any other duties as assigned by the CF Partnership Coordinator.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

The Project Coordinator will have the following essential qualifications and experience

Essential:

• A bachelor’s degree or higher in social sciences, community forestry, community based natural resource management (CBNRM), rural development, or related field
• At least 5 years of professional experience in community development work,  natural resource management or environmental conservation field
• Strong work experience in facilitation, coordination and communication
• Experience in working on payment for ecosystem services and/or livelihoods development
• Experience working with multi-stakeholders and communities
• Experience in delivering training or other capacity development activities
• Ability to lead and manage project and the team
• Possess collaborative attitude
• Possess valid driving license
• Thai nationality only
• Willingness to work in the field site with frequent traveling.

General:

In addition to job specific skills and experience, the applicant should possess the following characteristics (including attitudes and skills):

• Interpersonal communication skills, individually and in-groups, with an ability to work as an active member of teams.  This implies flexibility and open-mindedness;
• Hands-on experience and able to work independently with minimum supervision;
• Initiative and ability to make informed independent judgments (which is not inconsistent with an overall team approach);
• Ability to work in a variety of cultural and institutional contexts, with respect to the integrity of difference cultures

Interested candidates are requested to submit their CV and a cover letter, indicating salary expectations and current contact details of three referees, including recent supervisors, to HR@recoftc.org. Please quote the position title in the subject line of the email. Only short-listed candidates will be notified. RECOFTC has a competitive compensation package. However, offers shall be based on salary history, relevant experience and qualifications of the selected candidate.

To learn more about RECOFTC, please visit our websitewww.recoftc.org

Women are strongly encouraged to apply.  RECOFTC is an equal opportunity employer and the successful candidate will be selected based on merit.