GERES recruits 01 Kjuongo Project Manager

GERES recruits 01 Kjuongo Project Manager

Recruiting Organization

Created in 1976, GERES – Group for the Environment, Renewable Energies and Solidarities – is a non-profit organization, whose actions aim to improve the living conditions of the poorest populations and to support the energy transition, by implementing projects that reduce energy poverty, preserve the environment and limit climate change and its consequences. The association deploys development engineering and specific technical expertise in partnership with communities and local stakeholders. GERES places its priorities in those of the 2030 Agenda and in particular SDGs 7 and 13, on universal access to energy and the fight against climate change, as well as in the Sustainable Energy for All initiative (SE4All). Today, 200 employees lead more than 50 innovative sustainable development projects in Africa, Asia and Europe-Mediterranean.

In Southeast Asia, GERES has over 20 years of experience in providing locally adapted, affordable and transferable energy solutions, with a focus on wood and biomass energy, to improve the resilience and the livelihoods of rural communities, empower local stakeholders and contribute to the sustainable management of natural resources.

Project description

In the context of climate change and strong pressure on Cambodian forest areas and natural resources, the project aims to support the development of a sustainable, legal and traceable woodfuels (namely wood and charcoal) sector in Cambodia. To achieve this goal the project will engage with all relevant stakeholders such as local communities and communes, relevant government institutions primarily the Forest Administration (FA) of the Cambodian Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, and the Cambodian Ministry of Environment. Moreover, the project will also involve private professional actors including charcoal producers, commercial plantations, and will try to reach out to garment brands and their suppliers (which currently consume large amounts of non-sustainable wood).

This project builds on previous lessons learned from and achievements of two different three-year projects, SEFED and CEMAATERR Cambodia. These achievements include engagement with all actors, initiation of sustainable local planning, forest harvesting and community tree plantations, development of a mobile digital platform supporting the exchanges between all direct contributors in the sector and of a logistics and marketing platform for sustainable charcoal.

Over a period of 2 to 3 years, the project is also aimed at developing, shaping, testing, organising, formalizing and demonstrating viable models (altogether technical, legal, administrative, organisational and financial) to supply sustainable woodfuels (firewood and charcoal) for domestic, artisanal and industrial energy use.

In partnership with a social business coordinating the logistics and marketing of charcoal supply and delivery, the project should interact as a facilitator with the various actors involved (in production, exploitation, transformation, control/authorization/supervision, transport, marketing, …). It should also contribute developing the capacity of national, local and community (from forest communities and community protected areas) institutional actors, managers of protected areas, charcoal producers.

Mission and objectives

Under the responsibility of GERES Country Representative in Cambodia, CEMAATERR II / KjuonGo Project Manager is responsible for the following tasks:

1. Manage project activities:

• Develop, follow up and review the roll-out of activities according to the project’s objectives and milestones
• Support the design, implement and adapt the project strategy, in consultation with relevant stakeholders, in order to complete planned activities and achieve the expected results
• Act as the GERES focal point for the management of internal and external consultancies and contracts within the project
• Provide technical and methodological support to the team (with the assistance of GERES specialists and external technical experts if needed), to design, pilot the implementation of different plantation and related value-sharing models, assess the potential for scale up
• Designing a rigorous, comprehensive and participatory M&E framework of project activities
• Monitor achievements of field activities, check quality, take corrective actions when needed, ensure deadlines are met and results are achieved following the plan
• Support and facilitate the integration of project results, achievements, procedures and lessons learned in other GERES’ projects and, when relevant, into national policies and strategies.
• Collect information from the team, draft internal and external reporting documents and ensure timely reporting to the Cambodia Country Representative and CEMAATERRII Program Manager for donor’s submission
• Organize the archiving and the project knowledge management system

2. Manage project-related partnerships:

• In collaboration with the Cambodia Country Representative, the Quality and Partnerships Manager, and when relevant the local Policy Advisor, contribute to defining or refining the frame of project-related partnerships, and ensuring appropriate reporting and follow-up with key partners
• Ensure technical coordination and manage daily collaboration with direct project partners
• Facilitate partnership relations, under the direct supervision and guidance of the Country Representative in strategic matters

3. Supervise the administrative, logistical and financial management of the project

• In collaboration with the Cambodia Country Representative, develop the operational framework, including the division of responsibilities among stakeholders, in accordance with the donors’ rules
• Inform and train the project team about logistical, administrative and financial procedures and ensure compliance with these procedures
• Anticipate and update financial needs for the project activities, supervise and assist the project team in the execution of the budget allocated to field activities
• Contribute to the preparation of financial reports in collaboration with the local Finance and HR Manager and the HQ Finance Controller
• Identify opportunities to mobilize additional funding

4. Manage the project team:

• Plan and prioritize team activities
• Coordinate and lead the team around the objectives of the project
• Manage recruitment processes, ensure team’s training, oversee team’s working time, carry out staff evaluations …)
• Develop skills and support the development of team members
• Ensure the well-being of the team and adequate working conditions

5. Participate in communication and external representation at project level:

• Participate to NGOs and/or donor-led technical working groups, to create synergies and gain knowledge with completed, existing and/or incoming similar projects
• Facilitate communication and visibility actions related to the field implementation of the project according to donor requirements (pictures, testimonies, field visits…) and recommendations of the headquarters communication department
• Support GERES visibility and network building
• Upon request from the Country Representative or the Regional Director, represent the project towards institutional partners and donors.

6. Contribute to the development of GERES activities in his/her field of intervention:

Provide ad-hoc support to the Country Representative by:

• Monitoring how the local context of the project evolves over time
• In connection with the country strategy, supporting the identification of relevant funding and partnership opportunities in GERES’ sectors of interest
• Identifying needs and opportunities for the development of new activities and projects
• Providing technical inputs and insights for the design of new projects, activities or innovations
• Contributing to writing concept notes and project proposals
• Contributing to country strategy design
• Building on and mainstreaming best practices and lessons learned from the field, ensuring sound knowledge management