Project Officer - Samoa Capacity Building Initiative for Transparency Project

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. 

BACKGROUND

GGGI's program in the Pacific supports green growth and climate action across different sectors in five GGGI members countries - Fiji, Kiribati, Papua New Guinea, Tonga and Vanuatu - as well as other partner countries in the Pacific. GGGI has been supporting the Pacific Islands Countries (PICs) in strengthening climate transparency systems and building capacity to meet reporting requirements under the Paris Agreement and Enhanced Transparency Framework (ETF).

The Capacity Building Initiative for Transparency (CBIT) project in Samoa is part of a broader regional effort to support PICs in meeting the ETF requirements under the Paris Agreement. The project is executed by GGGI in partnership with the Government of Samoa and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF).

The CBIT project, aimed to strengthen the climate transparency system and enhance national capacity for ETF implementation, will be carried out in close coordination with existing and ongoing initiatives, including the Nationally Determined Contribution, National Adaptation Plan, Biennial Transparency Report/ National Communication processes.

Key components of the Samoa CBIT project include:

• Establishing institutional arrangements for effective coordination and oversight of transparency-related functions;
• Strengthening national GHG inventory systems aligned with the IPCC guidelines;
• Enhancing systems for monitoring and reporting on NDC implementation, including mitigation and adaptation actions;
• Strengthening the mainstreaming of climate change planning and climate transparency into national planning and policy frameworks;
• Providing targeted training and capacity-building programs for government officials and technical staff involved in climate reporting;
• Fostering long-term capacity development in climate reporting and transparency by building national capacity through education institutions.

POSITION SUMMARY 

We are seeking a motivated national Project Officer to support the execution of the Capacity Building Initiative for Transparency (CBIT) project in Samoa. The Project Officer, under the guidance of Samoa Climate Change and GEF Division under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, will work closely with the Senior Program Officer – MRV and NDC to coordinate national planning, execution, monitoring, and stakeholder engagement to achieve three key outcomes: strengthened institutional arrangements for ETF reporting, improved GHG inventory systems and MRV frameworks, and enhanced national awareness and capacity to meet ETF requirements.

This role is critical in ensuring timely delivery of project outputs, effective coordination with government and partners, and alignment with national climate priorities and transparency commitments and national climate governance, including the NDC Taskforce.

PURPOSE

Reporting directly to the Senior Program Officer and under the guidance of the Samoa Climate Change and GEF Division under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, the role will coordinate the timely and effective delivery of the Samoa CBIT project activities. The role will support national planning, implementation, and monitoring of project outputs, working closely with a hybrid team of national consultants, government officials, and regional experts. The Project Officer will be responsible for day-to-day project coordination, supporting the delivery of national-level outputs, and ensuring compliance with institutional and donor requirements.

Key responsibilities include:

• Coordinate the development and implementation of the national CBIT project workplan and deliverables in accordance with established timelines and budget.
• Monitor progress of national activities, identify risks or delays, and coordinate with the Senior Program Officer and stakeholders to resolve implementation challenges.
• Maintain accurate project documentation and records to support transparency and knowledge sharing.
• Support the regional program lead to ensure efficient resource allocation and disbursement planning by drafting budgets for program implementation.
• Coordinate the work of national consultants and ensure alignment of their outputs with project objectives.
• Coordinate the preparation of national reports, inputs to donor reporting, and knowledge products.
• Support the planning, organization and facilitation of national stakeholder meetings, workshops, and training sessions.
• Support logistical and administrative tasks related to in-country project delivery.
• Support procurement and contracting of local consultants and service providers in coordination with GGGI’s finance and administration team.
• Ensure that project activities comply with GGGI’s internal policies and procedures, including gender and social inclusion principles.
• Coordinate and contribute to project visibility and outreach efforts by developing and delivering communication materials in collaboration with the regional/HQ communications team and the government partner.
  
  

ENGAGEMENT

The Project Officer will:

• Serve as the national coordinator for the Samoa CBIT project, representing GGGI in interactions with government stakeholders, including national climate governance such as the National Climate Change Council, national experts, civil society, private sector and other partners as required.
• Maintain strong relationships with the Samoa Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and other relevant government ministries and agencies involved in climate transparency.
• Facilitate coordination among national and regional stakeholders such as SPREP and SPC to ensure smooth implementation and stakeholder buy-in.
• Support regional learning and knowledge exchange activities by contributing national inputs and participating in joint events with other Pacific CBIT countries.
• Support dissemination of project progress and results to national stakeholders and the public.
• Contribute to awareness-raising and capacity-building activities on climate reporting and transparency.
  
  

DELIVERY

The Project Officer will coordinate the delivery of the Samoa CBIT project’s national-level outputs, including:

• Establishment of institutional arrangements for coordinating climate reporting, data sharing and ETF implementation, supporting Samoa in transition to BTR reporting
• Development and institutionalization of a national GHG inventory system for strengthening sector-level MRV systems, aligned with IPCC guidelines.
• Design and piloting of systems to monitor and report on NDC implementation, including mitigation and adaptation.
• Coordination of training programs for government staff and national experts on GHG inventories, MRV, and ETF.
• Facilitation of peer-to-peer exchanges and partnerships with other countries and technical institutions.
• Support for integrating climate transparency into national policy and planning frameworks and climate instruments.
• Contribute to monitoring, evaluation, and reporting of project progress against agreed indicators.
  
  

REQUIREMENTS

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in environmental science, public policy, climate change, development studies, or a related field.
• Minimum 5 years of relevant experience in project coordination, climate policy, MRV/GHG inventory systems, including IPCC guidelines or ETF reporting, or related areas.
• Demonstrated experience in stakeholder coordination and government engagement, preferably with MNRE or other line ministries.
• Strong organizational and project management skills.
• Excellent communication skills, including the ability to draft high-quality written outputs.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and familiarity with online collaboration and reporting tools.
• Fluency in English is required; proficiency in Samoan is highly desirable.
• Must be a Samoan citizen or legally authorized to work in Samoa.
• Experience working in the climate change or development sector in the Pacific region or with Samoa’s national climate reporting processes is an asset.

WORKING CONDITIONS

The Project Officer is an X8, national grade level in GGGI's salary scale. For X8 national grade, the base salary starts from USD 22, 020. Determination of base salary is subject to candidate's experience, academic background and internal equity. GGGI provides 15% of base salary towards 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. Previous applicants need not re-apply.