Project Officer, Thailand Office

Deadline for application: 30 April 2026

RECOFTC is an international nonprofit organization working towards a future where resilient communities with respected rights thrive in forest landscapes that they manage sustainably and equitably. We take a long-term, landscape-based and inclusive approach in supporting local communities to secure their land and resource rights, stop deforestation, find alternative livelihoods and foster gender equality. We have almost 40 years of experience working with people and forests and have built trusting relationships with partners at all levels. As a trusted, honest broker, we occupy a distinct position as an international organization that supports, informs and brings together governments, communities, businesses, academia and civil society organizations. Our innovations, knowledge and initiatives enable countries to foster good forest governance, mitigate and adapt to climate change and achieve the UN Global Goals.

RECOFTC operates in the Asia-Pacific region, with country programme offices in Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand and Viet Nam.

RECOFTC is seeking a Project Officer for “Strengthening Governance and Inclusivity in Community-based Mangrove Management in Southern Thailand Project” based at RECOFTC Thailand Office in Bangkok. The duration of the contract will be for 9-month with the possibility of extension, subject to funding availability and satisfactory performance.

Project background

Thailand’s mangrove forests, covering 1.7 million rai across 24 coastal provinces, are facing severe ecological and governance challenges. Despite being vital ecosystems for biodiversity and local livelihoods, mangrove areas have declined by over 96,000 hectares since 1961, primarily due to land use change, coastal erosion, and unsustainable development. The Andaman coastal provinces: Ranong, Krabi, Phang Nga, and Trang, are priority areas for conservation, holding over half of the country’s remaining mangrove forests.

 The project will support at least 18 Community Forest (CF) leaders, particularly women and youth (aged 20–35), from 6 CFs in Krabi and Phang-nga province. The project covers three key outputs:

1. Evidence-based advocacy to influence policy.
2. Establishing a Mangrove Community Forest Learning Hub with capacity-building resources.
3. Developing six Community Forest Management Plans (CFMPs) and preparing them for the CF registration process.

Close coordination with local civil society organizations (CSP) and the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR), as the key government agency responsible for mangrove management, is a core strategy of the project. These partnerships will support site selection, community engagement, and the development of the Learning Hub. Through inclusive approaches, the project will strengthen community-led forest governance and promote CFMPs and policies that enhance biodiversity, climate resilience, and gender equality

Tasks and duties

The Project Officer will be based at the RECOFTC Thailand Office in Bangkok and report directly to the Project Manager. The Project Officer will be responsible for coordinating the capacity development elements of the project, including delivering training and coordination with stakeholders. The Project Officer will also support project administrative, communication, and stakeholders’ engagement, conduct occasional field work with project beneficiaries, and ensure the project’s deliverables meets its objectives, and expected results as outlined in approved scope of works. The Project Officer works in close collaboration with other program and project staff in Thailand Office, as well as the RECOFTC main office team.

 Specific tasks and duties include:
a)  Design and deliver capacity development elements

• Develop community profiles and collect other related information needed for supporting the community forest management planning.
• Facilitate the Learning Center and Learning process development with representatives from DMCR, local CSOs, and academia.
• Facilitate and lead capacity building activities and meetings with targeted communities and key stakeholders with respect to gender equality and social inclusion in the project
• Work with the Field Officer to support local communities to complete the training assignment and monitoring of the training results
  
  

b) Project monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL)

• Support the Project Manager to monitor progress towards stated activities and outputs mentioned in the project’s implementation plan and logframe, and adjust the project plan as needed for ensuring the successful implementation of the project 
• Manage and monitor the project's financial situation to ensure that the budget is spent effectively as planned 
• Support the Project Manager to collect feedback and monitor project progress, including participate in RECOFTC Thailand’s regular meetings 
• Together with the Project Manager and other project staff prepare the project’s progress report, including narrative report, financial report and support documents according to the donor requirements in timely manner 
• Document and archive important project data and documents for supporting the MEL 
• Cultivate participation, gender equality and social inclusion
• Provide inputs for RECOFTC’s internal MEL process to capture lessons learned, outputs, and outcomes achieved within a specific period  

c)  Partnership and communication

• Support the Project Manager to liaise and develop networks with CSOs, academia and government agencies for information exchange, strategic operations, and networking 
• Represent RECOFTC in meetings, public events, and networking related to the project 
• Engage in advocacy with government and non-government sectors at all levels 
• Maintain contacts with key local stakeholders and any potential partners who may be interested in collaborating and supporting the project 
• Work with the communication team to document project results and develop communication products and enhance project’s outreach and disseminate key achievements and lessons learned to wider audiences  

d)  Others

• Work on budget advance and settlement, including travel authorization and administration for the activity implementation with the support from Administration and Accounting Officer 
• Maintain quality traceable records and project information in a project data storage system 
• Work with other team members to integrate cross-cutting initiatives and ensure coherence at a program level 
• Perform relevant tasks as assigned by the Country Director 

Qualifications and experience

The Project Officer should have the following essential qualifications and experience:

Essential 

• A bachelor’s degree or equivalent in coastal and marine resource management, forestry science, natural resource management, or related fields 
• At least five years of working experience in managing development projects in natural resource management, preferably in community-based mangrove forest management 
• Good knowledge of mangrove conservation, related policies and issues, including those linked to climate change, and livelihood development in Thailand 
• Demonstrate experience in applying gender equity and social inclusion (GESI) approaches in project implementation 
• Experience in coordinating and facilitating diverse stakeholders, with strong skills in  community engagement 
• Experience in training design and deliver participatory training sessions
• Experience with project management methodologies, tools and processes 
• Proficiency in English, with good computer literacy
• Good report writing and presentation skills
• Willingness and ability to travel frequently within Thailand, and work in multi-stakeholders, cross-cultural environments
• A Thai national

Desirable

• Master’s degree in coastal and marine resource management, forestry science, natural resource management, or related fields.
• Ability to work beyond one’s primary role, adapt to changing needs and take initiative to enhance work quality.
• Result-oriented mindset, with the ability to prioritize tasks, manage competing demands and meet tight deadlines.
  
  

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 
• Nurture commitment, responsibility and ownership 
• Collaborate with partners and stakeholders 
• Commit to sustainability 
• Cultivate participation, gender equality and social inclusion
• Prioritize well-being  

Commitment to RECOFTC policies and procedures 

At RECOFTC, we uphold the highest standards of integrity, transparency and responsibility in all our operations. Our policies and guidelines are designed to ensure a safe, inclusive, sustainable and ethical environment for our staff, partners, consultants and the communities we serve.

All staff, consultants and contractors engaged by RECOFTC are required to comply with RECOFTC’s policies and procedures while performing their roles with RECOFTC.

How to apply
Interested candidates are invited to submit their CV and a cover letter. The cover letter should explain why the candidate is suitable for the position, include salary expectations, and provide the current contact details of three referees, including recent supervisors. Please apply by clicking "Apply Now"
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. RECOFTC offers a competitive compensation package.
For more information about RECOFTC, please visit our website at https://www.recoftc.org/
RECOFTC is committed to non-discrimination and equal opportunity. Applicants will not be discriminated against based on ethnicity, religion, age, nationality, physical disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, colour, marital status, medical condition, or any other classification protected by RECOFTC's values and code of conduct. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified disabled applicants to participate in the application process. If you require special accommodation, please inform RECOFTC's Human Resources in writing at the time of application. The successful candidate will be selected based on merit. RECOFTC strongly encourages women to apply.