Sustainable Special Economic Zones 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. 

GGGI is seeking a competent Officer, Sustainable Special Economic Zones (SSEZs), referred to herein and after as SSEZ Officer. The SSEZ Officer is responsible for policy, technical, analytical and operational support for the planning, design and implementation of SSEZs initiatives that promote bioeconomy opportunities, integrate Nature-based Solutions (NbS), and strengthen green value chains. S/he works closely with country teams and partners to track implementation milestones, coordinate external consultants, and organize stakeholder dialogues in accordance with GGGI project cycles and donor agreements. 

PURPOSE 

The purpose of the position is to provide integrated policy, technical, analytical, and operational support for the development and implementation of sustainable SEZs aligned with priority value chains and emerging bioeconomy opportunities. The SSEZ Officer will: 

  • Support the development and implementation of policies, strategies, regulations, guidelines, standards, and institutional frameworks for sustainable SSEZs. 

  • Apply green cities and sustainable urban development principles to the planning, design and management of SEZs and their surrounding communities. 

  • Provide technical, analytical and operational supportand quality assurance throughout SSEZ planning, design, development, and implementation. 

  • Supervise and monitor implementation against approved plans, technical requirements, milestones, budgets, quality standards, and sustainability objectives. 

  • Support the technical design of smart, centralized utility networks, including automated water-recycling loops, shared clean energy microgrids, and specialized waste-processing facilities tailored for bio-industrial tenants. 

  • Support the eco-industrial master planning and spatial zoning of the SSEZ in compliance with OPAZ and Environment Authority standards, physically segregating value-chain processing infrastructure from sensitive Dhofar ecosystem zones while safeguarding vital groundwater catchments 

  • Provide technical oversight of consultants, studies, feasibility assessments, master planning, designs, business cases, market assessments, and other technical assignments. 

  • Ensure that feasibility studies, master plans, business cases, environmental and social assessments, infrastructure designs and other technical assignments are coherent, evidence-based and aligned with the overall Sustainable SSEZ development vision. 

  • Integrate Nature-based Solutions and ecosystem-based approaches into SSEZ planning, infrastructure, resource management, climate resilience, and surrounding landscapes. 

  • Strengthen linkages between SSEZs, producers, processors, research institutions, technology providers, investors, logistics providers, and domestic and international markets. 

  • Identify implementation of constraints and recommend policy, technical, institutional, financial, or market-based solutions. 

  • Promote good practice, innovation, knowledge sharing, and continuous improvement in sustainable SEZ development. 

  • Identify implementation risks, technical gaps, and opportunities for improvement and recommend appropriate corrective measures. 

  • Manage the technical aspects of assignments undertaken by consultants, including preparation of terms of reference, procurement support, inception and progress reviews, quality assurance, and acceptance of deliverables. 

  • Support the promotion of bioeconomy-based industries and value-added products within and around SSEZs to translate targeted value-chain priorities into practical SSEZ development opportunities. 

ENGAGEMENT 

  • Work closely with relevant ministries, departments, agencies, SSEZ authorities, regulators, and local governments on policies and programs related to ARISE Program SSEZsdeliverables. 

  • Engage research institutions, universities, innovation centres, technology providers, and private companies to identify opportunities for bio-based products and processes. 

  • Advise government institutions and senior decision-makers on policies, strategies, regulatory frameworks and institutional arrangements required for Sustainable SEZ development. 

  • Facilitate stakeholder consultations and participatory processes during planning and implementation. 

  • Facilitates linkages between SEZ enterprises and producers, aggregators, processors, distributors, retailers, exporters, and international markets. 

  • Participate in multidisciplinary technical teams responsible for SSEZ planning, development, infrastructure, utilities, environmental sustainability, and climate resilience. 

  • Engage with developers, utility providers, engineering firms, environmental specialists, and other technical stakeholders to resolve implementation issues. 

  • Engage with consultants at various stages of the pre-assignments, during the assignments, and post-assignments to monitor their performance against agreed scope, schedule, quality standards, and deliverables. 

  • Represent the organization in technical meetings, workshops, conferences, consultations, and inter-agency working groups
 
DELIVERY
  • Provide technical and analytical inputs into policies, strategies, legislation, regulations, guidelines, standards, and institutional arrangements governing sustainable SSEZ development. 
  • Lead the technical development of SSEZ concepts, including spatial planning, master planning and development frameworks. 
  • Provide technical oversight, review, and provide technical clearance on key outputs and deliverables throughout preparation and implementation of SSEZ-related commitments. 
  • Deliver eco-industrial spatial zoning frameworks and master plans that segregate high-throughput bio-processing facilities from sensitive ecosystem buffers, ensuring strict bio-security compliance and protection of critical water resources. 
  • Advise on policy and regulatory measures that can incentivize green investment, resource efficiency, circular production, renewable energy, sustainable infrastructure and nature-positive development. 
  • Encourage innovation, research-industry linkages and technology transfer within SEZ ecosystems. 
  • Integrate climate-risk assessments and adaptation measures into SEZ master planning and investment decisions. 
  • Ensure that sustainability solutions are technically appropriate, economically viable and capable of being maintained over the long term 
  • Identify implementation risks, constraints and opportunities and recommend corrective actions. 
  • Support coordination between government, developers, consultants, contractors, and other implementation partners. 
  • Develop / contribute to Terms of Reference, scopes of work, technical specifications, evaluation criteria, and support procurement and selection of appropriate technical expertise. 
  • Review and provide consolidated comments on consultant deliverables and recommend acceptance, revision, or rejection where appropriate. 
  • Provide strategic and technical direction to consultants throughout assignments, review and quality-assure consultant methodologies, reports, plans, designs, assessments and recommendations. 
  • Participate in technical review missions, site visits and implementation monitoring activities. 
  • Prepare technical reports, progress updates, briefing materials and recommendations for management and stakeholders. 
  • Capture lessons learned and translate them into improved policies, standards and approaches for future SSEZ developments. 
REQUIREMENTS
 
QUALIFICATIONS 
  • Advanced university degree (Master's or equivalent) in Urban and Regional Planning, Sustainable Development, Environmental Management, Engineering, Industrial Development, Infrastructure Planning, or another relevant discipline. 
  • At least 6 years of relevant professional experience, including a minimum of 5 years of experience in SSEZs, industrial parks, green cities, sustainable urban/industrial development, infrastructure, investment development or related fields. 
  • Demonstrated experience working on complex, multidisciplinary development programs and coordinating technical specialists and consultants. 
  • Experience in an international, national government, development-finance, consulting, private-sector or comparable development environment is desirable. 
  • Experience in developing policies, strategies, frameworks, master plans or implementation programs. 
  • Demonstrated experience managing and technically supervising consultants and multidisciplinary technical teams. 
  • Demonstrated understanding of green cities, sustainable urban planning, and resilient infrastructure. 
  • Knowledge or practical experience related to the bioeconomy, circular economy, or sustainable production systems is highly desirable. 
  • Experience working with government institutions, development partners, private-sector stakeholders and/or investors. 
  • Strong analytical, project management, communication and stakeholder management capabilities. 
  • Ability to work across technical disciplines and translate complex technical concepts into practical policy and implementation recommendations.
FUNCTIONAL  

  • Strong understanding of the principles and practical requirements of SSEZ and ability to apply green-city principles to SSEZ development. 

  • Ability to analyze policy, legislative, regulatory, and institutional frameworks affecting SSEZ development and to translate policy objectives into implementable deliverables. 

  • Advanced understanding of the planning, development and operation of SEZs and industrial/economic development zones, including their policy, spatial, infrastructure, economic and institutional dimensions. 

  • Ability to translate development objectives and evidence into practical policies, strategies, standards, guidelines and implementation frameworks. 

  • Ability to lead multidisciplinary technical processes, establish clear objectives and deliverables, resolve technical issues and maintain overall coherence between different workstreams. 

  • Strong ability to prepare terms of reference, manage technical assignments, review consultant outputs, identify quality gaps and ensure that deliverables meet agreed technical and strategic requirements. 

  • Ability to establish effective relationships across government, private sector, development partners, technical experts, communities and other stakeholders and to build consensus around complex development initiatives. 

  • Ability to communicate complex technical issues clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences, prepare high-quality analytical and policy documents, and influence decision-making at senior levels. 

  • Ability to identify emerging technologies, products, business models and development approaches and assess their potential contribution to competitive, sustainable and resilient SSEZs. 

CORPORATE  
  • Understand and actively support GGGI's mission, vision, and values. 
  • Promote an organizational culture of trust, transparency, respect, and partnership. 
  • Excel at problem solving, ask questions and seek support when needed. 
  • Share information and knowledge with others both internally and externally. 
  • Manage emotions and stress positively, build rapport, and resolve conflict easily. 
  • Strong ability to work independently and/or remotely, while maintaining productivity. 
WORKING CONDITIONS 

This is G8 grade level in GGGI's international salary scale, details of which can be found in the GGGI Staff Rules on GGGI’s website. In addition, for international hires, GGGI offers a competitive expatriate package that includes a 20% annual base salary expatriate allowance, relocation support, and financial assistance for children's education. Eligible staff also receive annual home leave travel support, health insurance, GGGI provides 15% of base salary towards retirement plan/long-term savings , 27 days of annual leave, flexible work arrangements, and contributions towards private health insurance that covers dental and vision. The appointment is for 24 months, renewable, subject to satisfactory performance and budget availability. 

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 commitments and personal and family commitments, thus ensuring high performance, long-term productivity and well-being of Staff members. 

For more information on GGGI's terms and conditions (allowances, health care, education etc.) please familiarize yourself with GGGI's Rules and Regulations that can be found here: https://gggi.org/policy-documents/.

 
Child protection – GGGI is committed to child protection, irrespective of whether any specific area of work involves direct contact with children. GGGI’s Child Protection Policy is written in accordance with the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
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