Consultant as Project Operations Assistant (Jambi based)

Program Overview

Within our Food, Land, and Water (FLW) Program, we envision critical ecosystems such as forests and peatland across Indonesia to be governed fairly and sustainably. We believe sustainable land use management is key for Indonesia to meet its climate goal, in line with keeping the global climate target below the 1.5 degree Celcius warming threshold, while providing sustainable livelihoods to forest-dependent communities and conserve biodiversity in the landscape. We intend to achieve this through safeguarding the remaining forest and peatland from deforestation, degradation, and fragmentation; maintaining forests and peatland quality through sound stewardship; and restoring degraded ecosystem to improve its productivity, conservation value, and ecosystem services.

Southeast Asia Climate and Nature-based Solution (SCeNe) Coalition

WRI Indonesia has joined with 7 other NGOs to form the Southeast Asia Climate and Nature-based Solution (SCeNe) Coalition in recognition of the scale of action required, the time-bound opportunity for impact and the risks to people and nature if we do not act collaboratively to speed up and scale up design and implementation of high-integrity and high- quality NbS. The extensive experience of these environmental NGOs in the development and execution of NbS offers a powerful, shared platform to inform and influence this rapidly growing sector. In the first three years, the Coalition will focus on three inter-connected workstreams that together will scale NbS in the region: i) define the opportunities of where ‘triple benefit’ NbS investment should be made; ii) showcase high-integrity projects to inspire others; and iii) support national and local organizations to access carbon finance and secure funds for conservation.

The SCeNe Coalition is aimed to develop Triple Benefit Tools and Website for Southeast Asia Climate and Nature-based Solution (SCeNe) Coalition. Triple Benefit Tool will help to identify the high impact of future NbS opportunities, ensuring a targeted pipeline of NbS supply that focuses on geographies with the highest conservation, social development and carbon potential. This tool will also help to validate triple benefit quality, giving the projects additional scientific credibility; to ensure finance is flowing transparently; and to increase ecosystem participation.

RIMBA Project

WRI Indonesia is currently supporting the Ministry of Agrarian Affairs and Spatial Planning/National Land Agency (ATR/BPN) in implementing the RIMBA Ecosystem Connectivity project in three forest landscape clusters in Riau, Jambi, and West Sumatra. This project aims to develop the framework and pilot implementation of Payment Watershed Services (PWS) for forest ecosystem enhancement throughout the crucial RIMBA Corridor in Jambi. The research will focus on water governance and policies and the development of financing model for jurisdictional PWS. On specific sites such as Kerinci, Sungai Penuh, and Merangin, we will conduct socio economic research on Willingness to Pay (WTP) and Willingness to Accept (WTP) on water ecosystem services for household’s basis and business scale integrated with hydrology modelling and econometric valuation. This research is crucial for creating informed, effective, and equitable environmental policies and practices. This will also provide valuable insights into the economic, social, and behavioral aspects of water resource management, helping to balance the needs of ecosystems with those of communities and other relevant stakeholders.

Furthermore, capacity building for water multi-stakeholders must be prioritised at indicated locations. This will employ an action learning methodology, commencing with thorough stakeholder mapping and a Training Needs Assessment (TNA). The capacity building seeks to promote PWS as a sustainable economic model and to implement Participatory Land Use Planning (PLUP). The implementation in Social Forestry (SF) areas will be modified in accordance with the SF strategy particularly concerning forest protection and restoration. A map of potential SF may be required to strengthen PWS and PLUP.

Job Highlight

The Project Operations Assistant is responsible for overall finance, operations, and administrative support of RIMBA Project to ensure the project implementation complies with the contractual agreement and maintain its report accountability.

The Project Operations Assistant will report directly to Project Operations Specialist for RIMBA Project, while coordinating closely with Project Operations Officer for policy and procedure guidance, and collaborate with the Operations and project team for day-to-day activities. This position will be based in Jambi, with office-flex working arrangement and travel requirement as needed. In support of WRI's DEI commitment, you are responsible for actively participating in these collaborative efforts by integrating equity into your work, our workplace, and the organizational culture.

What You Will Do

Finance Administration (60%)

• Process payment of all bills from vendors including consultants, expense reimbursements, and cash advance requests. Undertake follow-up with clients, suppliers, and partners as needed.
• Record all financial transactions in expenditures logbook.
• Monitor outstanding cash advances, ensure advances are settled per WRI’s timeline, review advances settlement reports prior to further processing with the Finance and Accounting departments.
• Manage outstanding filing system and documentation of RIMBA.
• Complete an accurate recording/reconciliation of operational control/tracking against projects on budget, fund, travel expenses and petty cash, these works will coordinate closely with Project Operations Specialist and Finance Department.
• Support audit and regular financial report by ensuring all documents/information required by the auditors are available and tagged properly.
• Provide data support during the audit process.
• Support in planning and reviewing budgets and expenditure as necessary under supervision and direction from Line Manager
• Reviewing travel claims/expense reports, reimbursements, participant agreements, orders, and any other relevant financial documentation.
• Support in the preparation of project expense reports under supervision and direction from Line Manager

Operational (35%)

• Provide optimum support to Project Operations Officer in managing back-office activities in regional Jambi pertaining to RIMBA projects.
• Ensures functionality of operations including coordinating document flow and organization, purchasing supplies, arranging travels and events, equipment and facilities, and communication; supports with project needs to provide events and meeting coordination across the organization.
• Preparing, maintaining, monitoring, and improving the operational systems, processes, procedures and records in accordance to the contractual agreement and WRI Indonesia’s policy–specifically, support better management reporting, information flow and management, and organizational planning.

Occasional Significant Duties (5%)

• Day to day assistance of other jobs in the Operations unit, as and when required
• Significant other duties as assigned by Project Operation Officer

Required Qualifications:

• Willingness to be based in Jambi throughout contract period
• Bachelor's degree in a related field, preferably with coursework in organizational and/or business support (finance, accounting).
• Minimum 3 (three) years of full-time work experience in a relevant field, with operation management, administration, and/or financial management experience.
• Direct hands-on experience in financial administration
• Detail-oriented and organized thinker who can juggle multiple competing priorities.
• Ability to learn new system and software applications that are used by WRI Indonesia
• Proficiency in English and Bahasa Indonesia on both verbal and written communication
• Ability and willingness to travel as assigned.
• Legally able to work in Indonesia.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience working within multi-stakeholder/inter-sectoral groups such as government, private, civil societies, and other stakeholder engagement.
• Familiarity with sub-grant management protocols and policies among local CSOs and international donors.

Duration

This position is expected to start immediately for a contract period up to 31 December 2025.

Deliverables

1. Establish a filing system and maintain a regular update for all project’s implementation activities

2. Produce minutes meeting as assigned

3. Administrative documents to support the project team in organizing a meeting, FGD, webinar, site visit, and other activities are produced and reported in a timely manner

4. Monthly consolidated report on deliverables progress, achievement, and lesson learned that include but not limited to:

5. Invoice and cash advance submission progress that include reminder for invoice and/or cash advance submission, review and ensure all required document and/or information is provided according to the procedure, approval process and further payment process to Human Resources and Finance Department

Terms of Payment

Daily rate-based consultant with maximum 18 (eighteen) working days per month.

Contract Arrangement

Individual consultancy contract (Part-time, limited term)

What we offer

• Consultant rate that is commensurate with experience and skills
• Travel insurance for both domestic and international for any travel duty as assigned by WRI Indonesia
• Access to the WRI global network
• A workplace that strives to put diversity and inclusion at the heart of our work

Must have authorization to work in Indonesia to be eligible for this position.

Final candidates might be required to take a writing test and to produce two writing samples when needed.

How to apply: In order to be formally considered, please submit an updated resume and cover letter through WRI career portal.

Application close: 1700 (DKI Jakarta local time), 24 August 2025. We will close the advert earlier when the best candidates are identified at earlier dates.

This is a locally engaged position; Indonesian nationals are encouraged to apply.