Project Administrative and Grant Officer, Explore, RECOFTC Main Office, Bangkok

At RECOFTC, we believe in a future where people live equitably and sustainably in and beside healthy, resilient forests. We take a long-term, landscape-based and inclusive approach to supporting local communities to secure their land and resource
rights, stop deforestation, find alternative livelihoods and foster gender equity. We are the only non-profit organization of our kind in Asia and the Pacific. We have more than 35 years of experience working with people and forests and have built trusting relationships with partners at all levels. Our influence and partnerships extend from multilateral institutions to governments, private sector and local communities. Our innovations, knowledge and initiatives enable countries to foster good forest governance, mitigate and adapt to climate change, and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations 2030 Agenda.
RECOFTC is inviting candidates to apply for the position of Project Administration and Grant Officer for RECOFTC’s initiative Explore. The successful applicant will be based in RECOFTC’s main office in Bangkok, Thailand. The contract duration is for 24 months with a possibility of extension subject to funding availability and satisfactory performance. The position is for Thai nationals only.

Background
Explore is a research network and community of practice dedicated to expanding and applying knowledge on forest landscape governance in Southeast Asia. The initiative is funded by the Swedish International Cooperation Development
Agency (Sida) and implemented together with the Center for International Forestry Research and World Agroforestry (CIFOR-ICRAF), in collaboration with universities, research institutes, governments, civil society organizations, local communities, and the private sector in Southeast Asia. Explore provides funding and training to researchers, universities and research institutions to improve their ability to conduct quality and transformative action research leading to more equitable, community-oriented forest landscape governance.
Explore was launched in October 2020. The initiative envisages three implementation phases with a timeline of 10-12 years. The second phase of implementation runs from October 2022 to September 2027. The main objective for this phase is to ensure that innovative and well-designed implemented research is widely used by key stakeholders, including to support informed policy and decision making at landscape, national and regional levels.

Specific tasks and duties
The Project Administration and Grant Officer works as a member of RECOFTC’s Program Coordination and Technical Service team, and under the supervision of the Explore Program Coordinator. The Administration and Grant Officer provides support in recording and monitoring Explore awarded grants, including fund installments and balance of the grants managed by Explore. The officer oversees grant administration to ensure that grant recipients are aware and follow Explore grant administration guidelines, RECOFTC’s administration standard and Sida’s requirements.

Specific tasks and duties include:

• Oversee all administration of the grants managed by Explore in consultation with Explore’s Program Manager and Program Coordinator, RECOFTC’s Grant Manager and Corporate Services team to ensure that grant recipients aware and comply with program guidelines, RECOFTC’s policies, and donor’s requirements
• Support the development and update of Explore grants’ management system, including input, maintain and update data
• Develop and update Explore grant internal control, include guidelines for grant recipients on administrative aspects
• Develop grant contract agreement and work closely with the finance officer to facilitate grant fund transfer to the grant recipients
• Provide necessary administrative and financial advice and support to grant recipients
• Prepare formal agreement with the Explore Program Advisory Committee (PAC) and National Advisory Committee (NAC) members, partners and consultants, as well as monitor, and follow up on all project correspondences and contract administration
• Maintain regular contact and communications with project partners and provide support on specific administrative matters such as visa, procurement, logistic
• Maintain regular contact and communication with CIFOR and Explore members and provide support on administrative and financial matters
• Provide logistic arrangement and support for Explore’s events and activities, as well as for staff traveling on duty
• Procure goods, services and assets for the program in compliance with donor’s and RECOFTC’s policies and procedures
• Work with relevant Accounts and Administrative Officer in RECOFTC country offices to ensure that they can support the grant recipients in administration and logistical arrangement
• Support the development and implementation of the capacity development program for all grant recipients to ensure they have the capacity to adhere to Explore Program’s Guidelines, including reporting on use of grants
• Maintain database of researchers, grant recipients and mentors, as well as consultants working for the project
• Design, manage and maintain electronic and paper filing systems for Explore according to RECOFTC standard procedures for documentation and knowledge management
• Monitor and follow up on project’s correspondences both internally and externally
• Prepare report on Explore grant mechanisms, documents and other key deliverables for the Explore donors
• Coordinate and communicate with other units at RECOFTC Main Office and country offices, regarding of administrative and logistics matters for the project activities
• Perform other duties as assigned by the Explore Program Manager and Program Coordinator

Qualifications and experience
The Project Administrative and Grant Officer will have the following qualifications and experience:
Essential

• Bachelor’s degree in business administration, finance management or related fields
• At least five years’ experience in administration role, with financial management and monitoring responsibility
• Experience in working with international non-profit organizations
• Ability to prioritize, plan and organize work with minimum supervision
• Ability to work in multidisciplinary teams and cross-cultural environments
• Strong computer literacy, particularly with programs in Microsoft Office
• Excellent Thai language skills and fluency in verbal and written English
• Thai nationality only

Desirable

• Experience in contracting and administering consultants such as obtaining visas, making travel arrangements, processing invoices
• Experience in project and/or program administration and information management
• Knowledge of SAP system
• Experience of working with diverse donors and being familiar with their procedures and requirements related to financial reporting and monitoring
• Understand broad concepts of community forestry/natural resource management

RECOFTC’s core values
At RECOFTC, our core values are the foundation of our culture and guide all our
work. In addition to job specific skills and experience, the applicant should possess
the following characteristics, attitudes and skills:

• Embrace innovation
• Adapt to and learn from challenges
• Collaborate with partners and stakeholders
• Nurture commitment, responsibility and ownership
• Prioritize sustainability
• Cultivate participation, social inclusion and gender equity