Program Director – Thailand

Position description

• Senior leadership role in a leading regional climate action organisation
• Drive the country program strategy to accelerate clean energy transition
• Bangkok based, would suit strategic local leader with climate/energy expertise

The Organisation
  
Tara Climate Foundation is a philanthropic climate foundation dedicated to fostering a future where Asia’s unwavering commitment to climate action paves the way for just, thriving, and resilient societies. Tara’s team of over 40 experts operates in East, Southeast and South Asia, excluding India and China.
  
Tara’s mission is to support a diverse group of partners to accelerate Asia’s energy transformation and champion climate action. Tara plays three main roles in the region: Grantmaker, collaborating closely with mission-aligned foundations and philanthropists, working to accelerate Asia’s energy transition and climate action.
  
As a convenor, Tara cultivates networks between business, civil society, and government throughout and beyond Asia. As a local and regional expert, Tara funds thorough research and analysis to address knowledge gaps, stay abreast of emerging trends, and craft evidence-based strategies to advance its mission.
  
Since establishing its headquarters in Singapore in 2021, the foundation has provided grants to more than 300 organisations across the region. Over the last two years, Tara has experienced significant growth, expanding its funding base to include more than a dozen philanthropic foundations.

Benefits & Culture

• Work with an expanding, dynamic international climate team with passion
• A flexible work environment and a space to learn the sector and players
• A collaborative, fun and thriving results-focused team, driven by mission, living their values 
• Competitive compensation and benefits with opportunities for travel
• Flexibility over working hours to accommodate global time zones

  
The Role

Reporting to the Regional Director Southeast Asia, the Program Director, Thailand leads the development and implementation of the country strategy, in consultation with relevant Tara team members and partners. Holding overall responsibility for the country program, the role develops resource requirements, budget plans and forecasts, and scans the country’s political, energy, and economic environment for emerging threats and opportunities, keeping the ecosystem and senior management updated. Other key responsibilities are to:

• Manage the country grants portfolio and budget and develop and advise grantees
• Strategically develop, coordinate and support a robust ecosystem of diverse partners
• Build strong and trusting partnerships and lead donor stewardship and proposal development
• Demonstrate Tara values and lead, mentor, and professionally develop the team 

Qualifications

Skills Required
  
Excited by the prospect of working for a dynamic and fast-growing international organisation, you have substantial senior experience in program strategy and implementation and outstanding networking skills that help drive systemic change via your private sector and government relationships.
  
As a native Thai speaker, you have engagement experience with renewable energy groups and associations and/or you have engaged with leading multinational corporates on energy issues. You bring significant partnerships and grants management expertise, or transferable experience, and have an excellent understanding of the politics and economics of the energy transition in Thailand.  Your experience ideally includes successful collaborations with relevant government agencies, corporates, NGOs, and think tanks.  
  
You also offer:

• 10+ years’ experience gained in relevant NGOs, donor agencies, or from energy/finance sectors
• Thailand and general energy system literacy; good understanding of climate change interlinkages
• Experience coaching and developing high performing team members 
• Demonstrated ability to develop strategy and translate it into impactful implementation   
• Proven understanding of the role that civil society organisations play 
• Success building trusting stakeholder relationships across diverse sectors and cultures  

Application instructions

If you would like to leverage your strategic program leadership expertise to drive climate action in Thailand, and you can meet the skills and experience required, please submit your resume and cover letter, addressing the skills required, quoting #1294603 or call Lois Freeke at NGO Recruitment in Melbourne, Australia on +61 (0)3 8080 8978 to have a candidate information pack emailed to you.

Please note there is no formal closing date for this role, if you are interested we would encourage you to apply as soon as possible.

NGO Recruitment values equitable recruitment practices and is committed to representing candidates reflective of the diverse organisations and communities we work with. We welcome and encourage applications from all backgrounds, ages, and identities, and are happy to adjust our recruitment process to support accessibility needs. If you are interested in this position and have most of the skills or experience we are looking for, please go ahead and apply.