Senior Infrastructure Consultants

Location: Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Vietnam

Program area: Environmental Resilience

Deadline: July 2, 2021

The Asia Foundation’s Thailand office is seeking multiple qualified, talented senior infrastructure consultants (Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia) for work under USAID Mekong Safeguards. We are seeking proactive specialists able to rapidly, and knowledgeably source, identify and validate project infrastructure project opportunities. This will require skills, resources and networks that enable access to information on large energy and transportation infrastructure projects, financing data, origination data, developer firms, government counterparts, and current phase of construction.

The senior infrastructure consultants (Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia) support crucial work under USAID Mekong Safeguards, operating under a unique strategic regional collaboration initiative between the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). The senior infrastructure consultants report directly to the chief of party.

USAID Mekong Safeguards is a five-year project working with major banks, governments, and developers in China, Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, and Myanmar on large energy and transportation infrastructure investments to strengthen environmental and social standards and adopt clean technologies in Southeast Asia’s Lower Mekong Subregion. The program is an exciting opportunity to support new and improved ways governments, financiers, developers, and CSOs can invest and build sustainable energy and transportation infrastructure. Through the USAID-DFAT collaboration, the size of the program is $10.6 million.

The consultant can be based in any of the following countries: Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia; remote-based international also a possibility.

Responsibilities

Collect data on and develop accurate landscape of ongoing and planned energy and transportation infrastructure projects, both in-country and transboundary, in the Lower Mekong Subregion (includes Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam).
Work with colleagues to identify and validate specific infrastructure projects that are positioned to receive USG technical support on strengthening environmental and social standards within the projects planning, financing and/or deployment.
Work with colleagues to engage validated project stakeholders, including developers, financiers, communities, and relevant government officials, to acquire support approval and shape scope of technical assistance resulting in strengthened ESG standards and practices.

Requirements

At least 10 years of experience in one or more Lower Mekong Subregion countries work related to energy and/or transportation infrastructure research.
Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Engineering, Economics, Development or similar; master’s degree preferred.
Fluent English speaking, reading and writing; knowledge of Thai or Lao desirable.
Demonstrable experience with infrastructure project origination, financing, or feasibility studies. Implementing experience with environmental, social impact assessments preferred.
Demonstrably strong networks in infrastructure sector in Lower Mekong Subregion countries, including with banks, government regulators, utilities, rail authorities, port authorities, etc.
Strong attention to detail, demonstrable research capacity, and experience in Lower Mekong Subregion country infrastructure highly preferred.
Experience working for multilateral development bank, construction bank, public utility, or transportation sector preferred.
Ability to work under pressure and against hard deadlines.
Experience working in Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia or Lao PDR is preferred.
Women are highly encouraged to apply.

HOW TO APPLY

Interested applicants should submit a cover letter and CV by July 2, 2021 to poonsook.pantitanonta@asiafoundation.org with the position title listed in the subject line. The Asia Foundation is an equal opportunity employer, EOE/M/F/D/V. No phone calls, please.