Chiang Rai Jobs Junior Advisor Inclusive Sustainable Rice Landscapes And Rice Straw Valorization Position at GIZ Office Bangkok

As an international cooperation enterprise with worldwide operations, the German government-owned Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH operates on behalf of German ministries, the governments of other countries and international clients to provide tailor-made, cost-efficient and effective services for sustainable development. We are looking for a Chiang Rai-based staff to support GIZ’s work on Sustainable Rice Landscapes and Rice Straw Valorization.

Junior Advisor
Inclusive Sustainable Rice Landscapes and Rice Straw Valorization

Rice is the most important agricultural crop in Thailand, ensuring the livelihoods of a significant share of the rural population and being a critical source of food security across the region. Rice is also a significant source of Greenhouse Gas Emissions (GHG), mainly through methane from flooded paddy as well as the application of mineral fertilizers. The burning of agricultural residues like rice straw and stubble after harvest further exacerbates the problem. At the same time, rice agriculture is also highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, including through increased seasonal variability in weather patterns and a higher frequency of extreme events (e.g. floods, droughts and temperature extremes). In recent decades extreme weather events, such as droughts and floods, have already increased in frequency and impact due to climate change, while smallholder rice farmers often have limited financial means and insufficient technical capacity to adapt.

In addition, Thai rice sector is lack of institution and policy coordination at national and local levels to promote an integrated approach to sustainable rice production, land use planning and sustainable land management for both production as well as environmental outcomes. Farmers have Limited technical knowledge, capacity and incentives for implementing sustainable rice/agriculture production systems at both farm and landscape level. Therefore, Sustainable Rice Landscape Project (GEF-7) has the objective to transform the Thai rice value chain for environmental sustainability by upscaling the Sustainable Rice Platform (SRP) Standard through an Integrated Landscape Management approach.

After the harvesting of rice in Southeast Asia, the straw and stubble often remain in the field to be burned by farmers in order to clear the land for the next crop. This is not good and sustainable for landscape management. In the absence of feasible management methods for these agricultural residues, farmers often resort to burning despite the health and pollution risks involved, and despite losing on opportunity costs for a potential sale or valorization of rice straw. If feasible collection, storage, and processing methods for rice straw and stubble can be established, farmers can tap into this as a potential source of revenue in order to induce a sustainable behavioral change away from burning.

Tasks and responsibilities:

The Junior Advisor will carry out the following tasks:

• Support and coordinate in the implementation of project activities during the project implementation phase such as preparing relevant documents/presentations for (online/physical) meetings, workshops, training events (including on-field)
• Support in project documentation, conduct research and analysis, including in-field visits and engagement with local stakeholders, data collection, minutes. The documents are properly maintained in hard and electronic copies in an efficient and readily accessible filing system, for when required by PSC, UNE, project consultants and other PMU staff.
• Support and backstop external contractors and service providers conducting trainings or studies in the project region. 
• Support in administrative tasks related to the project implementation, including processing of payments and invoices, logistics and related activities.  Keep records of project funds and expenditures at provincial level and ensure all project-related financial documentation are well maintained and readily available
• Visit project locations in Chiang Rai and surrounding areas and liaise with relevant stakeholders, including farmers and farmer organizations, private sector partners, relevant public actors (e.g., Rice Department, Department of Agricultural Extension, and others). Maintain contacts and build up networks with local actors.
• Support in the handover of equipment to local farmer groups or public benefit institutions, including documentation.
• Assist in the development of communication materials for the project such as preparing project factsheet and communication materials, preparing PowerPoint presentations, drafting articles and translation of documents.
•  Assist the Procurement Specialist in issuing, and administering contracts for project subcontracts and consultants
• Assist the Procurement Specialist in administering project-supported grant schemes
• Assist project M&E by assisting the preparation of progress plans and reports
• Support Review project expenditures and ensure that project funds are used in compliance with the Project Document and government financial rules and procedures and with those of GIZ
• Support necessary financial information during project audit(s)
• Support consolidation financial progress reports submitted by consultants and contractors for implementation of project activities
• Any other duty as required by supervisors.

Qualifications:

• At least Bachelor’s Degree in agriculture, Agricultural Development, Agricultural Engineering, Engineering, and Science, Agricultural Economics and Business, Chemistry, Biology, Forestry, Natural Resources or related fields
• 2-3 years of working experience in a position broadly related to the agricultural industry or agricultural development, or forestry or landscape management
• Previous working experience in the rice industry, harvesting, paper or pulp manufacturing industry, or in the fertilizer industry, or forestry or related fields is a strong asset.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Excellent command Thai language (both written and spoken), and at least good English skills (written and spoken)
• Excellent command of MS Office package (Word, Excel and PowerPoint) and Microsoft Teams

Personal attributes and competencies:

• Self-motivated, flexible and resourceful
• Good organizational and conceptualization skill
• Hands-on mentality and detail-oriented work ethics
• Ability to work independently and in a team
• Ability to work under time pressure and meet deadlines with strong attention to consistency, detail, and quality
• Interest and desire to work in a cross-cultural context, climate change mitigation and adaptation and sustainable agriculture value chains.
• Ability to travel and work with several partners and actors.

Applicants are not required to have professional work experience but are encouraged to list all relevant work experience (if any) in their application, as well as interests, skills and knowledge.

Duty station and timeframe:

The staff will be based in Chiang Rai and will travel in Chiang Rai and neighbouring provinces if needed. In addition, the staff will report to GIZ’s Field Office in Northern Region. The position is expected to commence as soon as possible and last until 31 December 2024.

Please carefully read this announcement and submit 1) a CV AND 2) a cover letter in English by click ” Apply Now”