Asia Pacific Project Management Office Manager

Asia Pacific region

This position location is flexible within the TNC Asia Pacific region, in countries where TNC may hire staff, with a preference for Hongkong and Indonesia (through our local partner) with no sponsor relocation and support for immigration and visa.

The Nature Conservancy’s mission is to protect the lands and waters upon which all life depends. As a science-based organization, we create innovative, on-the-ground solutions to our world’s toughest challenges so that we can create a world in which people and nature thrive. We’re rooted in our Mission and guided by our Values, which includes a Commitment to Diversity and Respect for People, Communities, and Cultures. Whether it’s career development, flexible schedules, or a rewarding mission, there’s lots of reasons to love life #insideTNC. Want a better insight to TNC? Check out our TNC Talent playlist on YouTube or on Glassdoor.

Our goal is to cultivate an inclusive work environment so that all our colleagues around the globe feel a sense of belonging, and that their unique contributions to our mission are valued. We know we’ll only achieve our Mission by hiring and engaging a diverse workforce that reflects the communities in which we work. In addition to the requirements in our postings, we recognize that people come with talent and experiences outside of a job. Diversity of experience and skills combined with passion is a key to innovation and a culture of inclusion! Please apply – we’d love to hear from you. To quote myriad TNC staff members, “you’ll join for our mission, and you’ll stay for our people.”

The Asia Pacific Project Management Office Manager (AP PMO Manager) will play a pivotal role in supporting the Director of Conservation Systems and Project Management, Asia Pacific (“the Director”) in delivering strategic initiatives aimed at enhancing and maintaining the region’s conservation project management capabilities. This position will ensure the efficient establishment, implementation, and ongoing improvement of key project management processes, tools, and standards, supporting conservation teams across the region to apply best project management practices consistently. The PMO Manager will help streamline quality assurance for project oversight, foster collaboration, and contribute to building a high-performance project management culture throughout the organization.

Under the overall direction of the Director, also working closely with colleagues from global, regional and country-level teams, the AP PMO Manager will be responsible for assisting in the establishment and management of the regional Project Management Office, ensuring that project management standards are promoted and consistently applied across all the conservation projects in the region. The role will focus on standardizing project management practices and supporting project managers in country-level teams to adhere to best practices in project delivery and partnership management, including donors, project approvers, implementation partners, and beneficiaries. The PMO Manager will work closely with the Director to ensure smooth implementation of the Highly Effective Teams (HET) framework, the adoption of Smartsheet as the project management tool for the region, as well as the use of other organization-wide systems like the Hub (TNC’s custom online conservation results reporting system.) He/she will also manage a community of practice for project managers to facilitate knowledge sharing and continuous improvement.

RESPONSIBILITIES & SCOPE

• Assist the Director in developing, testing, and implementing regional project management standards and best practices, including the crafting of a manual detailing minimum project management standards and reporting protocols.
• Support the roll-out and adoption of Smartsheet and the Highly Effective Teams (HET) project management framework.
• Coordinate the work of cross-functional teams toward achieving specific outputs and milestones outlined in the PMO’s annual work plans, enhancing regional PM systems and capacities.
• Streamline project portfolio reporting and individual project oversight by preparing regular reports to the Director on project delivery, PMO work plan implementation, and the progress on achieving those specific outputs and milestones, integrating feedback to enhance PMO services and support.
• Provide ongoing guidance, training, and support for project managers and their line-managers.
• Set up and manage regular check-ins with project managers/ line managers as required.
• Establish and maintain a Project Management Community of Practice, organizing regular calls/meetings and fostering an environment of collaboration and improvement.
• Serve as surge capacity by assuming the role of Acting Project Manager for projects as needed, ensuring continuity and effective management during critical periods or staffing gaps.
• Travel occasionally, working flexible hours as needed.

Are you looking for work you can believe in? At TNC we strive to embody a philosophy of Work that You Can Believe in where you can feel like you are making a difference every day. We’re looking for someone with strong experience in leading a diverse, multi-disciplinary team.

The ideal candidate should have exceptional communication and collaboration skills and experience designing, organizing, and directing complex projects. This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to the ongoing mission of conservation by directing and shaping the work of our Asia Pacific team!

• Bachelor’s degree and 5 years related experience or equivalent combination.
• Coursework or other training on project management principles.
• 2 years of project management experience or 1 year acting as a project lead.
• Experience in developing and implementing project management frameworks and best practices.
• Experience in managing and tracking multiple projects.
• Experience in managing project teams and working with cross-functional staff.
• Experience in managing scheduling and financial aspects of small to large projects that range from short to long term.
• Experience in using project management techniques and tools such as Smartsheet.
• Willingness to work across time zones as needed.

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Certification in project management (e.g., PMP).
• Multi-lingual skills and multi-cultural or cross-cultural experiences.
• Effective communication skills via presentations, conversations, and documents.
• High attention to detail.
• Proactive, analytical, and adept at problem-solving and decision-making.
• Proficiency in analysing and synthesizing complex data from multiple sources into a coherent and accurate summary.
• Ability to work in partnership with all levels of staff in a collaborative or advisory role to champion process-focused initiatives and implement plans to transition the organization to an improved state.
• Strong interpersonal and organizational skills, with the ability to build relationships and facilitate collaboration across diverse teams and multiple projects.
• Ability to understand complex situations, analyse them using a systematic approach, and identify patterns and connections between situations that are not inherently obvious.
• Expert knowledge of current and evolving technology and tools related to business process management.
• Ability to work well in a highly matrixed, decentralized, and collaborative organization.
• Experience with organizational change management principles and techniques.
• Familiarity and knowledge related to conservation or a non-profit environment.

Since 1951, The Nature Conservancy has been doing work you can believe in protecting the lands and waters that all life depends on. Through grassroots action, TNC has grown to become one of the most effective and wide-reaching environmental organizations in the world. Thanks to more than 1 million members, over 400 scientists, and the dedicated efforts of our diverse staff, we impact conservation throughout the world!

The Nature Conservancy offers a competitive, comprehensive benefits package including health care benefits, flexible spending accounts, 401(k) plan including employer match, parental leave, accrued paid time off, life insurance, disability coverage, employee assistance program, other life and work wellbeing benefits. Learn more about our benefits at in the Culture Tab on nature.org/careers.

We’re proud to offer a work-environment that is supportive of the health, wellbeing, and flexibility needs of the people we employ!

To apply for job ID 55741, submit your materials online by using the Apply Now button at https://careers.nature.org/ by 11:59 PM EST on October 22nd, 2024. Need help applying? Visit our recruitment page or contact applyhelp@tnc.org.

The Nature Conservancy is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Our commitment to diversity includes the recognition that our conservation mission is best advanced by the leadership and contributions of people of diverse backgrounds, beliefs and culture. Recruiting and mentoring staff to create an inclusive organization that reflects our global character is a priority and we encourage applicants from all cultures, races, colors, religions, sexes, national or regional origins, ages, disability status, sexual orientation, gender identity, military, protected veteran status or other status protected by law.

The successful applicant must meet the requirements of The Nature Conservancy's background screening process.

Do you have military experience? Visit our U.S. Military Skills Translator to match your military experience with our current job openings!

TNC is committed to offering accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities and disabled veterans in our job application process. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, please send a note to applyhelp@tnc.org with Request for Accommodation in the subject line.

An attractive salary and benefits package is part of TNC’s value proposition to our employees. TNC strives to provide competitive pay and bases salaries on the geographic location of the role committing to being equitable across groups and providing hiring salary ranges when possible.

Since we support flexible and remote work for our employees, many positions have a flexible location within countries where we’re registered as a Non-government Organization and established as an employer. This may mean we’re unable to provide a hiring salary range in the posting for some of our positions. However, candidates invited to be part of our interview process will be provided their location specific range upon request.