LAO PDR: FOREST FINANCE SENIOR OFFICER

Please note that the deadline is based on Korean Standard Time Zone (KST, UTC+9)

INTRODUCTION TO GGGI

The Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) is a treaty-based international, inter-governmental organization dedicated to supporting and promoting strong, inclusive and sustainable economic growth in developing countries and emerging economies. To learn more please visit about GGGI web page. 

INTRODUCTION

Forests sit at the center of the international environmental agenda and are increasingly recognized as critical to climate mitigation, biodiversity conservation, and sustainable development. In recent years, global commitments including the Glasgow Leaders’ Declaration on Forests, the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), and COP28 outcomes have reaffirmed the urgent need to halt deforestation and accelerate restoration by 2030.

The European Union (EU) has been a global leader on forests and sustainable value chains, including through the European Green Deal, the EU Forest Partnerships, the Global Gateway, and the EU Regulation on Deforestation-Free Products (EUDR).

In this context, GGGI is implementing the Financing for Forests programme, which aims to enhance forest finance ecosystems in Lao PDR, Mongolia, Guyana, and Colombia over five years by piloting and scaling innovative financing instruments and strengthening the enabling environment for sustainable forest investment.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Forest Finance Senior Officer – Lao PDR will lead in-country coordination and be accountable for the delivery, quality assurance, and risk management of Financing for Forests programme activities in Lao PDR.

The role will serve as the primary in-country focal point for counterparts and stakeholders, oversee implementation progress across all three pillars, and ensure that programme outputs are translated into feasible institutional adoption pathways aligned with national priorities.

The Officer will report to the Sustainable Forest Finance Lead – Project Manager, and the Country Representative.

PURPOSE

• Lead and be accountable for day-to-day country coordination and implementation support for Financing for Forests activities in Lao PDR, , including implementation planning, sequencing, and issue resolution.
• Support national counterparts to advance design and implementation of forest finance interventions across all three pillars.
• Ensure country delivery is aligned with the programme logframe, workplan, and governance requirements.
• Ensure delivery quality, compliance, and risk management, aligned with the programme logframe, workplan, governance requirements, and donor expectations.
• Support development of a credible pipeline of forest finance opportunities and institutional adoption pathways.
• Lead structured country inputs into programme reporting, results tracking, and knowledge products, ensuring completeness, evidence base, and consistency with programme outcomes.

ENGAGEMENT

• Lead engagement with national stakeholders including environment/forestry authorities, Ministry of Finance, planning bodies, and relevant regulators.
• Lead country-level engagement with financial institutions and market actors, facilitating dialogue and coordination with the programme technical team.
• Organize and coordinate Country Steering Committee processes, technical workshops, and consultation sessions.
• Manage coordination with consortium partners and service providers at country level.
• Serve as primary in-country focal point for coordination with the EU Delegation, supporting donor engagement and visibility actions as required.

DELIVERY

• Drive implementation of the country workplan, ensuring activities progress from inception to design, validation, and early operationalization in line with agreed milestones.
• Support delivery of country diagnostics and baseline inputs by facilitating access to data, stakeholders, and technical validation with national institutions and partners.
• Support the design and piloting of forest finance mechanisms (fiscal instruments, forest lending solutions, and performance-based revenue models) by mobilizing stakeholders and ensuring local feasibility.
• Drive institutional uptake by supporting government counterparts to translate technical outputs into implementable policy, procedural, and operational steps.
• Lead delivery of financial sector engagement by facilitating structured discussions with financial institutions and relevant market actors to advance bankable pipelines and instrument uptake.
• Lead implementation of capacity building and knowledge activities in-country (workshops, trainings, stakeholder validation sessions), ensuring strong participation and practical relevance.
• Lead monitoring inputs and delivery risk management at country level, documenting progress and evidence, tracking risks, and providing actionable lessons learned to strengthen programme quality and adaptive management.

REQUIREMENTS

QUALIFICATIONS

• University degree (Bachelor’s or Master’s) in Finance, Economics, Public Policy, Forestry, Sustainable Development, or a related field. Postgraduate Degree in related field is preferred.
• Minimum 7 years of relevant professional experience in forest/climate/nature finance, sustainable development programming, or related advisory and delivery roles.
• Full professional proficiency in English and Lao (written and spoken) is required.

FUNCTIONAL

• Strong coordination and delivery skills across government and finance sector stakeholders.
• Good understanding of sustainable finance / forest finance concepts and implementation processes.
• Strong writing and documentation skills (minutes, briefs, summaries, technical inputs).
• Ability to manage multiple priorities while maintaining delivery discipline.
• Strong facilitation skills and confidence engaging institutions at senior technical levels.

CORPORATE

• Demonstrates integrity, professionalism, and accountability in representing GGGI.
• Proactive, solutions-oriented, and able to drive progress under ambiguity.
• Strong collaboration mindset and responsiveness to country and global teams.
• Clear and respectful communicator across institutional cultures.
• Commitment to results and high-quality delivery.

WORKING CONDITIONS 

The Forest Finance Senior Officer is an X9 grade level in GGGI's Country Salary Scale. The determination of base salary is subject to the candidate's experience, academic background, and internal equity. 

In addition to the base salary, the contract includes a 15% contribution toward a retirement or long-term savings plan, 27 days of annual leave, and private health insurance coverage (including 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 deadline for applications will follow the official announcement and is based on Korean Standard Time (KST). Shortlisted candidates may be invited to submit a writing sample or attend a technical interview.