Energy and Climate Program Manager, Mekong Safeguards

Location: Thailand
Deadline: October 15, 2022

The Asia Foundation’s Thailand office seeks an energy and climate program manager (ECPM) to support the USAID and Australia Mekong Safeguards Program (Mekong Safeguards) on sustainable energy planning and climate initiatives activities. The ECPM is required to have technical expertise in program management, coordination with government and relevant stakeholders, subcontractor management, and knowledge or understanding of energy planning and climate change. The initial period of this role is 8 months, with the possibility of extension. S/he will report directly to the deputy chief of party of Mekong Safeguards.

The USAID and Australia Mekong Safeguards Program is a five-year, $10.6 million project working with major banks, governments, and developers in Thailand, Vietnam, Lao PDR, Cambodia, Myanmar, and China on large energy and transportation infrastructure investments to strengthen environmental and social standards and adopt clean technologies in Southeast Asia’s Lower Mekong region. The program is an exciting opportunity to support new and improved ways governments, financiers, developers, and CSOs can invest and build sustainable energy and transportation infrastructure.

Responsibilities

The energy and climate program manager’s role will focus on managing energy and climate programs for Mekong Safeguards and provide technical input to the current landscape and/or policy direction and trends for the energy sector on clean energy planning. The main counterparts will be the Ministry of Energy (MOEN) of Thailand and the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) but may also include other ministries such as the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE), and other entities relevant to energy and climate. The scope of work includes:

• Scope the requirements and needs from MOEN on current energy directives, particularly for clean energy carbon neutrality goals.
• Coordinate with counterparts and Mekong Safeguard (including subcontractors) to organize meetings and/or events (virtual, in-person, or hybrid as appropriate), follow up with work progress, and collect data required for analysis.
• Manage the progress of the technical assistance activity by monitoring the work progress, subcontractor deliverables, and schedules, including the quality of work to be presented to counterparts and donors.
• Prepare presentations and materials for the meeting including any preliminary informal discussion with counterparts as part of preparations. The position may also require representing Mekong Safeguards to present in meetings/events on energy and climate activity including work progress.
• Establish and foster relationships with key points of contact from counterparts and relevant entities to strengthen and deepen collaboration between counterparts, Mekong Safeguards, USAID, and DFAT.
• Provide insights and advice on the local landscape for energy and climate in the region as well as identify and determine an appropriate individual point of contact, departments, or responsible entity in relevant ministries in Thailand (with an initial focus on MOEN and EGAT) to support Mekong Safeguards activities.

Qualifications

• More than 10 years of experience in environmental management, especially in the energy or climate field in the Southeast Asia region.
• Experience in stakeholder engagements with a successful track record for collaboration with government entities and utilities in the past 5 years.
• Experience and understanding of sustainable energy planning and climate change initiatives and recent trends in the Mekong subregion.
• Extensive experience with program/project management with government counterparts.
• Experience with international donors such as USAID and/or DFAT preferred.