Project Coordinator

Workplace Circumstances

• Environment: Office
• Languages: English, Khmer
• Location: Phnom Penh

Position Summary

Objective of the Assignment

The Project Coordinator will support the PPCA project preparation team in understanding and navigating the AFD project cycle, and will coordinate the exchange of information, documents, and decisions between PPCA, MEF, MPWT, AFD, and other relevant stakeholders, so that the project progresses smoothly from identification to appraisal, approval and implementation.

Working Arrangements

The Project Coordinator will be based jointly at Phnom Penh Capital Administration (PPCA) and at the AFD Phnom Penh office, with the reporting arrangement and time split between the two locations to be agreed at contract start. The assignment will require regular travel within Phnom Penh for meetings with MEF, MPWT, AFD, and other stakeholders, and may occasionally require domestic site visits and/or missions.

The Project Coordinator will be employed under a contract with AFD.

Duration and Level of Effort

The Project Coordinator will work full-time for a 12-month contract, renewable upon evaluation by AFD.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Become familiar with AFD mandate in Cambodia and specifically with AFD key intervention principles in the water and sanitation sector, and become familiar with AFD project cycle, procedures and documentation requirements ;
• Support the PPCA project preparation team in understanding the AFD project cycle, procedures, and documentation requirements at each stage (identification, appraisal, approval, and implementation).
• Coordinate with MEF, MPWT, AFD, and other relevant stakeholders (including JICA and other development partners active in the wastewater sector) to understand and align project preparation activities and timelines.
• Support the drafting, review, and consolidation of project preparation documents (e.g. feasibility studies, technical and institutional assessments, safeguards documentation, procurement plans) in coordination with consultants, PPCA and AFD. Build support for the project within PPCA, including through advocacy with senior management on the importance and strategic benefits of developing wastewater services in Phnom Penh, the project’s objectives and implementation requirements.
• Foster ownership of the project among PPCA project team and senior management, through knowledge-sharing and informal training on wastewater management.
• Organize, prepare agendas for, and follow up on coordination meetings with key projects stakeholders (PPCA, AFD, consultants, when necessary MEF and MPWT), ensuring action points are tracked and closed out at every project stage.
• Monitor project preparation milestones against the AFD project cycle and flag risks, bottlenecks, or delays to PPCA and AFD management in a timely manner.
• Support PPCA's understanding of, and compliance with, MEF's standard operating procedures for externally financed projects during the preparation phase.
• Support donor coordination and harmonization efforts with other partners engaged in wastewater/sanitation initiatives in Phnom Penh, to avoid duplication and promote complementarity.
• Prepare briefing notes, talking points, presentations, and correspondence for PPCA leadership and AFD as required.
• Draft minutes of meetings, identification/appraisal documents, and other coordination documents.
• Perform any other tasks relevant to project coordination as requested by PPCA and AFD.

Languages

• Khmer - Fluent is required
• English - Fluent is required
• French is preferred

Qualifications

• Master's Degree in environmental, or water/sanitation engineering, project management / governance topic, or a related field

Work History

• Project coordination and implementation in a multi-cultural environment, preferably in the water/wastewater or relevant urban infrastructure sectors for 10 years as a minimum

General & Technical Skills

• Prior experience working on projects financed by European or other development partners is strongly preferred, particularly experience with the project cycle – identification/appraisal/implementation.
• Demonstrated experience working with Cambodian government institutions, ideally MEF, MPWT, and/or municipal or capital administrations.
• Experience coordinating multi-stakeholder processes involving government agencies, development partners, and technical consultants.
• Sound technical knowledge of wastewater management and/or urban sanitation infrastructure. Knowledge of nature-based solutions is a plus.
• Working knowledge of MEF's standard operating procedures for externally financed projects, covering project preparation, procurement, safeguards, and implementation.
• Familiarity with development partners' project cycles, appraisal requirements, and procedures (or a demonstrated ability to learn and apply them quickly). Familiarity with AFD procedures is a plus.
• Familiarity with environmental and social safeguards frameworks applicable to donor-financed infrastructure projects is an asset.
• Fluency in Khmer and English (spoken and written) is required. Working knowledge of French is a plus.

Soft Skills

• Strong coordination and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to engage effectively across government, donor, and government counterparts.
• Excellent interpersonal, communication, and diplomatic skills.
• Strong report writing and drafting skills in both technical and administrative contexts.
• Ability to multi-task and manage competing priorities under time pressure.
• Ability to work autonomously with minimal supervision, while keeping supervisors and counterparts well informed.
• Cultural sensitivity and adaptability in navigating cross-institutional and cross-cultural working environments.
• Proficiency with standard office and project-tracking software (MS Office; project management tools an asset).
• Sound judgment, discretion, and integrity, given the coordinator's position between PPCA and AFD.