Project Manager - Green Economy in the Philippines

Mission description

Drawing on successful experience in international cooperation project management, the project manager will ensure the supervision and operational implementation of activities carried out within the framework of the "Philippines Green Economy” project.

He/she will be responsible for the following tasks:

Intervention strategy and operational project management
The project manager oversees the definition and implementation of the project's intervention strategy with the support of technical experts, regional teams, the project officer at headquarters, and in close cooperation with partners in the Philippines. He/she ensures the planning and implementation of activities entrusted to Expertise France, which include the following responsibilities:

Driving the definition and implementation of the project's operational strategy, conducting technical and budgetary planning with the support of technical experts, regional teams, and in close collaboration with partners in the Philippines.
Identifying expertise needs and ensuring the mobilization of companies, public and private experts, and implementation partners.
Coordinating, guiding, and monitoring the work of companies, experts, and implementation partners with the support of regional technical assistance teams.
Preparing for and participating in steering committees and regional technical committees.
Ensuring the internal and external quality and coherence of the project, particularly with other ongoing programs in the intervention areas.
Providing regular reporting to the project officer at Expertise France headquarters.
Weekly exchanges will take place between the management and coordination team and Expertise France headquarters. The project manager also ensures the definition and implementation of activities and tools related to the communication and visibility strategy and the monitoring and evaluation system through the supervision of communication and M&E officers. He/she is also responsible for ensuring compliance with Expertise France procedures, including procurement and financial execution.

Management of the project team
The project manager is responsible for the coordination and supervision of the management and coordination team based in Manila. Their specific responsibilities include:

Facilitating steering meetings with technical experts and regional officers: planning and coordinating activities between the regional and national levels, identifying priority actions, scheduling for regional teams, etc.
Organizing and planning team activities in Manila and ensuring effective coordination with regional technical assistance teams.
Delegating and guiding the implementation of activities at the programme-level
Supervising the project team: mobilization/evaluation, workload management, activity planning, organizing team meetings, etc.
The project manager is also responsible for the team's safety. They ensure compliance with Expertise France's security rules and may receive support from the logistician in this task.

Global coordination of the project and communication with all stakeholders
The project manager will ensure regular communication with the Department of the Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), the European Union Delegation (EUD), as well as other implementation partners. The specific responsibilities include:

Facilitating the development of a common vision within the project and supporting the ownership of this vision by all technical and financial partners.
Ensuring the smooth flow of information between the stakeholders
Providing regular updates on the project's progress to the EUD, and relevant ministries.
Ensuring the implementation of consultation mechanisms and the involvement of all stakeholders.

Project or context description

Contextual elements

The economic dynamism of the Philippines has created significant gains in poverty reduction, with poverty rates dropping by over 50% in the last decades. The rapid growth of the middle class and domestic consumption in the Philippines, however have contributed towards significant levels of waste which the country is unable to manage.

Already one of the most climate vulnerable countries in the world, the Philippines seeks to secure its long-term socio-economic outlook by integrating more inclusive and sustainable models of development. To this end, the Philippines has recognized the importance of transitioning towards a circular economy, aiming to minimize waste, promote resource efficiency, and create a closed-loop system where resources are reused, recycled, or regenerated.

The circular economy approach involves the following facets:

Reducing waste generation: Implementing waste management strategies such as recycling, composting, and waste reduction measures to minimize the amount of waste produced.
Promoting resource efficiency: Encouraging the efficient use of resources through sustainable production and consumption practices, as well as adopting technologies and processes that optimize resource utilization.
Encouraging circular business models: Supporting and promoting businesses that adopt circular principles, such as product redesign, remanufacturing, repair, and sharing economy models.
Enhancing recycling and waste management infrastructure: Improving recycling facilities, waste segregation systems, and promoting proper waste disposal practices to facilitate the recycling and recovery of valuable resources.
Fostering collaboration and partnerships: Encouraging collaboration between government agencies, private sector stakeholders, academia, and civil society to drive innovation, knowledge-sharing, and collective action towards a circular economy.
By transitioning to a circular economy, the Philippines aims to achieve sustainable and inclusive growth, reduce environmental impacts, create new economic opportunities, and improve the well-being of its people while preserving and restoring the country's natural resources.

The project

The purpose of the Green Economy Programme is to support the Philippines’ transition towards a green economy, including circular economy, reducing waste and plastic, as well as to increase energy efficiency and renewable energy deployment to support climate change mitigation.

 The action tackles three main levels:

Establishing a Policy Dialogue Platform at central government level to facilitate policy formulation, improve city to city collaboration through supporting the development of a National Circular Economy Strategy and Roadmap, extend dialogue to promote renewable energy/energy efficiency and to apply the dialogue’s outcomes (linked to Specific Objective 1 of the action);
Working with Local government units (LGUs) to define and implement circular economy, climate change and energy policies with a human rights and gender - responsive perspective, including outreach and support of local business and civil society (linked to Specific Objective 2 of the action);
Enhancing engagement of the private and financial sectors into the circular waste economy creating better conditions for private sector investment by supporting business driven waste reduction strategies and circular solutions in the production process (linked to Specific Objective 3 of the action).
The principal beneficiary of the project is the Department of the Environment and Natural Resources. Steering Committees with other state actors will be defined for each level of the action. 

Place of implementation

The programme will be implemented from the Expertise France office in Manila. Travel will be expected on an ad hoc basis to oversee pilot projects implemented in non- Metro Manila LGU’s.

The team

The steering and coordination team, based in Manila, will be responsible for overseeing the activities delegated to Expertise France. Their responsibilities include (i) defining and implementing the intervention strategy, (ii) building and managing the project team, including short-term expertise, (iii) implementing the communication and visibility strategy, as well as the monitoring and evaluation system, and (iv) handling the project's administrative and financial management.

This team will be composed of (indicatively): a project manager (subject of the call for applications), a deputy project manager, an M&E officer, a communication officer, an administrative assistant, an administrative and financial manager, a procurement manager, and long-term technical experts. These technical experts will support the team leader in defining and implementing project activities and will cover various thematic areas, including green economy and green financing, public-private-partnerships in waste management, gender, etc.

The project manager will also be supported by a project officer based at the Expertise France headquarters in Paris. Weekly exchanges will take place between the headquarters and the office in Manila.

Required profile

The Project Manager should meet the following profile:

Master’s degree or higher in the fields of international cooperation, project management, law, sustainable development, or other relevant fields related to the program's themes.
Excellent knowledge of the project cycle and project management tools.
Demonstrated management skills in a multicultural context.
Ability to work in a team and diplomatic approach.
Adaptability, flexibility, and excellent leadership.
Proficiency in office tools (Advanced Excel, Word, PowerPoint, etc.).
Analytical skills and ability to synthesize information.
Excellent written and oral communication skills.
Initiative, sense of responsibility, and strong attention to detail.

The Project Manager should have the following professional experience:

At least 7 years of professional experience in implementing international cooperation projects and programs.
At least 5 years of professional experience in a supervisory role leading teams of more than 8 people and/or managing project offices.
Specific experience in projects related to the following themes: local economic development, sustainable development, or any other relevant subjects related to the program's themes.
Professional experience in the Philippines or ASEAN region would be a considerable advantage.

Additional information

Location of the mission: Manila, Philippines, with regular travel expected throughout the country.

To apply for this position, please supply the following:

CV
Motivation Letter
References
Deadline for application: 2023/08/11.