Senior Officer: REnew Pacific Project Lead
OVERVIEW
The Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) in Vanuatu is seeking a Senior Officer to lead the implementation of the 'Empowering Rural Communities of Vanuatu through Renewable Energy Solutions' project in Vanuatu, funded by the Australian government, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), through the REnew Pacific fund and co-financed by the British High Commission (UK FCDO).
The project aims to improve energy access in rural communities by installing solar photovoltaic (PV) systems that provide essential services: Solar Water Pump Systems (SWPS) will deliver affordable, clean water without emissions, while solar PV stand-alone systems will power schools and health centers, improving education outcomes and enhancing healthcare services. The project will incorporate Gender, Disability, and Social Inclusion (GEDSI) principles throughout its lifecycle to ensure vulnerable groups are included. Previously, GGGI Vanuatu successfully implemented Phase I (Enhancing Resilience to climate change through solar power-driven access to water in rural areas of Vanuatu's Outer Islands) and Phase II (Scaling-up Climate Resilience through Solar Power-Driven Access to Water) of the Project which resulted in the installation of 37 SWPS in the rural areas that enabled over 20,000 beneficiaries from rural areas in Vanuatu to access water through SWPS.
This position will play a key role in leading project implementation, cross-cutting activities, and ensuring alignment with Vanuatu's national climate goals. The Senior Officer will lead the Project team and the engagement with government ministries and key stakeholders to deliver outcomes efficiently across multiple initiatives.
POSITION SUMMARY
The Senior Officer will be responsible for leading, managing and implementing the project, ensuring quality and alignment with national strategies, GGGI objectives and the donor requirements. This role requires strong stakeholder engagement skills to ensure effective communication of the project outcomes to the donors and key stakeholders, broad understanding of climate change, project development, and investment mobilization.
The position will encompass leading a hybrid team of consultants and GGGI staff, including administrative personnel and experts from GGGI's country and regional teams, managing all project management tasks and processes (including but not limited to budget, expense, and donor reporting), and managing stakeholder engagement with project beneficiaries and government focal partners.
PURPOSE
Reporting to the Vanuatu Deputy Country Representative, the Senior Officer is responsible for the implementation and technical oversight of projects within the defined scope, budget, and plan.
S/he will coordinate with technical specialists and focus on technical issues related to conducting activities and national-level project management, overseeing both internal and external project updates and reporting processes, tracking progress, identifying and measuring risks, and implementing corrective actions as necessary. The responsibilities will include, but are not limited to:
Lead effective and efficient delivery of the REnew Pacific-funded 'Empowering Rural Communities of Vanuatu through Renewable Energy Solutions', including the full project management cycle, monitoring and evaluation. Oversee development of the procurement, M&E, GEDSI plans in collaboration with the GGGI staff and regional sector specialists. Manage a team of internal and external experts, consultants, and implementation partners. Monitor and evaluate project activities and the performance of the project team members, and act as a key point of technical advice and escalation for problem solving within the context of output delivery. Build and maintain relationships with stakeholders and provide regular reports to showcase the project's success to stakeholders. Maintain a flexible and adaptive management approach to accommodate evolving needs and priorities across different initiatives. Ensure compliance with GGGI and donor reporting requirements. Contribute to the scale-up of the project to a broader level.
ENGAGEMENT
Regularly engage with key government ministries โ including the Ministry of Climate Change (MCCA), Ministry of Education (MoE), Ministry of Health (MoH), Department of Energy (DoE), National Green Energy Fund (NGEF), and Department of Water Resources (DoWR) โ and other relevant stakeholders to communicate project activities and ensure alignment with national priorities. Liaise consultations with key stakeholders to validate project activities and ensure alignment with national development strategies. Liaise with other developing partners to explore synergies to enhance the delivery of project activities. Engage with specialists and leads in GGGIโs Pacific Regional Office and Headquarters for technical support, review, and quality assurance.
DELIVERY
Lead project implementation, including planning, scheduling, and budget monitoring, to ensure timely and on-budget completion. Develop detailed work plans with clear milestones and deliverables for each project outcome. Lead the hiring and oversee external consultants to ensure high-quality deliverables for specific project outputs. Provide analytical and technical expertise, ensuring quality control and alignment of project activities with national climate goals, while incorporating stakeholder feedback to maintain high-quality outputs. Develop action plans and manage risks as they develop. Implement a monitoring and evaluation framework to track project objectives. Ensure compliance with GGGI and donor reporting requirements by preparing and submitting regular progress reports, annual reports, and project completion reports for multiple donors. Ensure successful completion of the project deliverables detailed in the Project Agreement. Oversee implementation of the independent project evaluation and audit. Lead the preparation of the next phase of the project through designing and preparing full funding proposal, donor coordination, and resource mobilization.
REQUIREMENTS
QUALIFICATIONS
A Masters in Science, International Development, Climate Change, Civil or Environmental Engineering, or a related field. At least 5-7 years of experience in project management, project development, resource mobilization, project implementation, ideally in climate change, sustainable development, or related areas. Proven experience in implementing projects funded by international organizations or donors is preferred. Minimum 2 years of professional experience outside of home country. Strong understanding of climate change adaptation and mitigation and project development processes. Knowledge of Vanuatuโs government regulatory processes and system is an advantage. Proven experience in engaging with diverse stakeholders, including government officials, international donors, private sector actors, and local communities. Proven working experience and engagement with the Vanuatu government is required, including Ministry of Climate Change (MCCA), National Green Energy Fund (NGEF), Department of Water Resources (DoWR), Department of Energy (DoE) and other government stakeholders. Experience or knowledge in implementing similar projects related to solar and renewable energy and water supply is an advantage. Fluency in English and excellent report writing skills are essential,
FUNCTIONAL
Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English, with a demonstrated ability to prepare high-quality project documents, presentations, and reports. Excellent command of additional UN languages is desirable. Knowledge of Bislama is desirable. Ability to anticipate challenges, propose solutions, and adapt plans to evolving circumstances. Must be proactive, with strong organizational and problem-solving skills. Ability to lead cross-functional teams, facilitate effective collaboration, and foster a supportive and inclusive working environment.
CORPORATE
Understand and actively support GGGIโs mission, vision and values. Promote an organizational culture of trust, transparency, respect and partnership. Excels at problem solving, asks questions and seeks support when needed, shares easily information and knowledge with others both internally as externally. Manage emotions and stress positively, builds rapport and resolves conflict easily. Strong ability to work independently and/or remotely, while maintaining productivity. Excellent English oral and written communication skills; including public speaking.WORKING CONDITIONS
This is an X9, an international grade level in GGGI's salary scale. Determination of base salary is subject to the candidate's experience, academic background, and internal equity. GGGI provides 15% of base salary towards a retirement plan/long-term savings, 27 days of annual leave, and private health insurance that covers dental and vision.
GGGI is committed to providing a work environment that is sufficiently flexible to accommodate diverse life-cycle challenges and assist Staff members to achieve a better balance between work and personal/family commitments, thus ensuring high performance, long-term productivity, and well-being of Staff members.
The chosen candidate is expected to be based in Port Vila, Vanuatu, and will report directly to the Deputy Country Representative (also based in Port Vila). Please note that the commencement of this position is contingent upon the availability of funding and is for a period of two years, with the potential for extension by an additional year, subject to funding.
Child protection โ GGGI is committed to child protection, irrespective of whether any specific area of work involves direct contact with children. GGGIโs Child Protection Policy is written in accordance with the Convention on the Rights of the Child.