Provincial Project Officer - Enga Province

This vacancy announcement will recruit a provincial project officer for the Climate Resilient Green Growth project. The successful candidate will be willing to relocate and be based in Wabag Town, Enga Province.

The successful candidate will work on a project titled Climate Resilient Green Growth (CRGG), which is being delivered in partnership with PNG’s Climate Change and Development Authority (CCDA) and funded by Australian Government. While the objective of the CRGG project is to support the Government of PNG in planning, designing, and financing climate change adaptation activities. The project will deliver 3 inter-related components in 3 provinces (to be selected): (1) integrating climate resilient green growth principles into provincial plans and budgets; (2) identifying and preparing CRGG projects in the provinces, including the mobilization of project finance; and (3) identifying new financing options to further enable CRGG projects.

The Provincial Project Officer will be based in Enga Province of PNG. The Provincial Project Officer has a dual role, s/he is responsible for provincial coordination of the GGGI work and the management of the related government and stakeholder relationships while at the same time applying conceptual knowledge in support of project/component design and delivery. S/he works closely with the GGGI Country Representative in PNG to provide a wide range of operational and technical support internally (i.e. within the GGGI PNG Country team) as well as to GGGI’s government counterparts, such as CCDA and DFAT. In particular, the Officer plays a critical role in the delivery of the project’s outputs by acting as the focal point for all matters concerning Enga province. The roles of the Officer will include:

• Building and maintaining good relations with provincial officials, businesses, NGOs, and communities involved in the project
• Work closely with the Enga Provincial Administration to mainstream CRGG priorities into the provincial development plans and budgets of Enga Province
• Performing operational and technical tasks including organizing provincial meetings / workshops, producing analytical briefs and reports and conducting site visits.
• Supporting GGGI staff and consultants, by collecting data and any information necessary to prepare bankable project proposals to mobilise climate financing
• Proactively gathering information and staying up to date on all major developments in the province pertaining to the project (and communicating them to the GGGI Country Representative)

The successful candidate will have a good understanding of provincial and district administration structure and governance in PNG and be familiar with the operational and technical aspects of projects on green growth , sustainable development  and climate change in general. Also, since the position will be based in Enga Province - away from the rest of the team in Port Moresby – s/he must be comfortable working independently, progressing activities and taking initiative without day-to-day supervision.

PURPOSE

• Be the focal point to the relevant provincial government counterparts and be responsible to develop and maintain good and effective relationships and collaboration;
• Be responsible for stakeholder engagement in the relevant province;
• Be responsible for provision of sound and timely support to the local government in line with the programme;
• Support GGGI’s work performed at the national level and carry forward GGGI's work within the province;
• Implement a specific part of a project, monitor budget, and seek strategic direction from the GGGI Country Representative.
• Compile thorough case studies and other illustrative materials which give practical guidance to project development.
• Support the development and implementation of one or multiple component(s) /workstream(s) within a country program and provide technical input to deliver a portfolio of services under the guidance of a supervisor.
• Create visibility of the organisation in the relevant province as a trusted advisor to Government of Papua New Guinea.

ENGAGEMENT

• Acquire information/knowledge by participating in the assessment of program needs and resources to assist in program design, development and implementation.
• Engage in stakeholder consultations and support facilitation of discussion between investors, government and various stakeholders.
• Apply technical skills to acquire and analyze relevant information/knowledge from a variety of sources which are often difficult to access, in support of delivery of a good quality output.
• Understand project methodologies and be capable of providing a wide range of contributions in support of delivery of components/workstreams in the country program.

DELIVERY

• The position understands the project cycle and is able to organize his/her analytical work to ensure that deliverables are provided in a timely manner to support subsequent work and consistent with the workplan and project cycle.
• Assess delivery issues and works with national counterparts to build common understanding and coordination on project activities.
• Work closely with GGGI teams and experts (in PNG and globally), government organisations, civil society and development partners  and external consultants and firms, to ensure the design and delivery of a high-quality and timely collaborative program, consistent and integrated with the national and local level PNG program work and aligned to GGGI's overall vision.
• Assist PNG Country Representative to develop project models that align with CRGG priorities and can be promoted for financing to investors and donor communities

REQUIREMENTS

QUALIFICATIONS

• Advanced academic degree in the field of (Agricultural / Biological / Civil / Mechanical / Electrical / Environmental) Engineering, (Agricultural / Biological / Environmental / Hydrological / Plant) Sciences, Mathematics, Statistics, or Economics or Social Sciences and/or another relevant area.
• 3-5 years of experience or its equivalent in the field of green growth, sustainable development, or climate change.
• Overall understanding of the concept of green growth and climate change vulnerability in the context of small island countries.
• Knowledge on national and provincial development, climate change and environmental policies and projects, social and environmental safeguards, inclusive development and/or other relevant technical areas
• Experience in developing and implementing development policies and strategies on the ground, including working with provincial administrations to plan for and implement economic development policies and projects; Experience in project management and procurement.
• Experience in day-to-day engagement with Government ministries / agencies and other stakeholders (private sector, NGOs, communities).
• Experience working with communities, particularly indigenous peoples and integrated village development;
• Experience of requirements and procedures of international financing institutions, bilateral donors/organizations or multilateral organizations.
• Experience working and/or living in the province highly preferred.
• Experience in design, preparation and/or implementation of small-scale income-generating activities is an advantage.
• Flexibility, responsiveness, and ability to manage multiple activities to tight deadlines
• Demonstrated ability to work in multidisciplinary teams; has stakeholder engagement, client relationship, and consensus building skills;
• Fluency in English and excellent report writing skills are essential.

FUNCTIONAL

• Leadership, team work, and creative problem-solving abilities.
• Ability to work independently while following agreed work plans and instructions.
• Excellent multi-cultural literacy and interest in being a part of an international team working in an evolving and entrepreneurial environment.
• Excellent communication (both written and oral) and facilitation skills.
• Innovative thinker, able to see opportunities across different sectors/disciplines.
• Anticipate and provide necessary technical and content-based support.
• Willingness to relocate to Enga province and ability to travel within the province and to Port Moresby when needed

CORPORATE

• Understand and actively supports GGGI’s mission, vision and values.
• Promote the best use of public resources.
• Promote an organizational culture of trust, transparency, respect and partnership.
• Process and share information easily.
• Manage emotions and stress positively, builds rapport and resolves conflict easily.
• Promote creativity and innovation among staff.
• Be able to lead where needed and support the Country Representative to make sound decisions.

Child protection – GGGI is committed to child protection, irrespective of whether any specific area of work involves direct contact with children. GGGI’s Child Protection Policy is written in accordance with the Convention on the Rights of the Child.