Project Officer

Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) is the largest business-led non-governmental organization (NGO) in the Philippines, established in 1970 to lead the private sector's efforts in poverty reduction. Founded by 50 business leaders, it encourages companies to fulfill their corporate social responsibility (CSR) by pooling resources and expertise to support sustainable development.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

The Water Alliance is a multi-sectoral partnership initiated by the business sector with a strong commitment to create solutions to impending water problems in the country. It provides a platform for collective action where private sector can support the Philippine government's agenda in water security and contribute to the realization of the UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6, which aims to ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.

JOB SUMMARY

Co-coordinates the day-to-day operations of the Water Alliance Secretariat and supports the implementation of the Alliance's work plan and funded projects. The Senior Program Officer serves as National Coordinator, and is accountable for the design, management and conduct of the Alliance's activities; the Program Officer complements this by taking charge of coordination with members and participants, where appropriate, logistical and documentation requirements, and compliance with PBSP internal procedures, so that activities run as designed and commitments to members and funders are met on time and in full.

PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Multistakeholder Coordination and Member Engagement (45%)

Under the direction of the Senior Program Officer, who serves as National Coordinator of the Water Alliance, and with the other members of the Water Alliance Secretariat:

1. Maintains the Secretariat's communication channels with members, handling routine correspondence, following through on commitments made, and maintaining an up-to-date record of member organizations and their focal persons.
2. Co-coordinates the convening of the Alliance's governance bodies — the Core Group, the Assembly of Members, and ad hoc working groups of members — including scheduling, invitations and confirmations, preparation and circulation of agenda and meeting materials, minutes, and follow-up on agreed actions.
3. Coordinates the participant and logistical requirements of the Annual Water Forum, the Assembly of Members, peer learning sessions and other Alliance activities — venue and suppliers, invitations and registration, speaker and participant liaison, materials, on-site coordination and post-activity documentation — following the design and direction discussed with the Senior Program Officer.
4. Supports the Alliance's strategy, planning and monitoring activities by co-organizing consultations, consolidating member inputs, and preparing drafts and documentation towards a 5-year network strategy containing a Theory of Change, Results Framework and Governance Framework, and a regular work plan and budget.
5. Maintains internal communications allowing for an active, vibrant and engaged platform of multisectoral members, including member advisories or newsletters, where appropriate, and maintain a calendar of activities.
6. Supports resource mobilization by preparing and packaging concept notes, proposals and partner briefs co-developed with the Senior Program Officer.

Operations (40%)

In support of the Senior Program Officer, who is accountable for the conduct of activities and the delivery of the Alliance's funded projects, coordinates compliance with administrative and financial procedures and coordination with PBSP support services units:

1. Supports tracking implementation of the project work plan and budget — monitoring activities, milestones, deliverables and expenditure against plan, and alerting the Senior Program Officer early to delays, gaps and variances.
2. Co-implements activities to design and propose a package of services on Water Demand Management, together with its business model and marketing strategy, and coordinates the conduct of Water Demand Management trainings, which may require travel outside Metro Manila.
3. Co-implements activities to design and propose a funding facility for water security.
4. Leads the procurement of goods and services required for the implementation of the Alliance agenda and project work plans, in accordance with PBSP policy.
5. Ensures that Water Alliance submissions to the PBSP Finance Unit meet compliance requirements — preparing cash advance requests, liquidations, contracts, memoranda, and other documents before they are filed.
6. Co-writes narrative and financial progress reports for funders, for management and for monthly internal meetings, documenting updates, results and lessons learned.
7. Liaises with PBSP support services units — Corporate Affairs for communications and knowledge products, Business Development for grants, donations and other sources of funding, and Shared Services Departments/Units for compliance — so that Alliance requirements are anticipated and met.

Knowledge, Documentation and Others (15%)

1. Coordinates the production of the Alliance's knowledge products, including the water security outlook or best practice paper, case studies and multimedia, managing schedules, inputs from writers and reviewers, and clearance through to publication.
2. Documents Alliance activities — meetings, trainings, fora and learning sessions — and maintains the Secretariat's records, contact database, shared files and social media presence.
3. Attends to requests outside the role's regular function, such as attendance in meetings relevant to the Water Alliance or, more generally, to collective impact or multistakeholder platforms, with prior agreement with the Senior Program Officer and approval of the CIP Manager.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATION

Education: Bachelor's Degree in Development Studies or in Social Sciences with a strong socio-economic development orientation; postgraduate study in development, public policy, environmental management or a related field is an advantage.

Experience: At least 5 years of work experience in the development sector, including demonstrated experience supporting donor-funded projects — work planning, budget monitoring, procurement, liquidation and donor reporting — and in convening or servicing multi-stakeholder groups; some familiarity or experience in water or natural resource governance and/or management preferred.

Other / Special Skills: Excellent verbal and written communications, coordination and documentation skills, and social media savvy; strong organizing and event management ability; at ease coordinating with senior executives and their staff across business, government, academe and civil society; comfortable with budgets, spreadsheets and compliance requirements, with the discipline to keep deadlines and records without close supervision; able to work independently and to exercise judgment on what to decide and what to escalate.