POSITION SUMMARY: 

Under the supervision of the Head of Programs, the Project Leader will provide overall strategic, operational, technical and financial leadership for the Digital Economy Package for the Philippines (DEP), funded by the European Union and implemented by Expertise France. 

He/she will be responsible for the effective delivery of all project objectives, ensuring coherence across all activities led by Expertise France and in alignment with the EU-Philippines cooperation priorities, the Global Gateway strategy, and the Philippine Development Plan 2023–2028.

The Project leader will also be representing the project to national authorities (notably PhilSA, DOST-ASTI DICT ) and the EU Delegation, and supervising the project team in Manila.

MISSION DESCRIPTION: 

Under the authority of Expertise France headquarters, the supervision of the Head of Programs and in coordination with the EU Delegation in Manila, the Project Leader will ensure the overall coordination and management of the DEP action. He/she will lead a multidisciplinary team of international and national experts and ensure strategic alignment, operational coherence, and financial compliance across all components of the project.

1.    Strategic leadership and representation

• Provide overall strategic leadership and ensure that the Action’s objectives, activities, and results are consistent with EU and Philippine priorities;
• Represent the project to the EU Delegation, partner ministries, and national institutions, ensuring visibility and high-level dialogue;
• Maintain strategic coordination with other components of the DEP and EU-funded programmes (e.g. CopPhil, SCOPE, ARISE+);
• Ensure that the project contributes to policy dialogue and the sustainability of digital infrastructure and governance reforms.

2.    Strategic and Operational project implementation

• Define the project's strategic and operational orientations in consultation with all parties, respecting the contractual framework;
• Prepare the workplan and oversee the planning, implementation, and monitoring of activities across all components ensuring complementarity and consistency between infrastructure, data access, and business capacity-building components;
• Lead and coordinate the work of the project team based in Manila to ensure the team effectively implements the project's strategic orientations;
• Mobilize technical expertise (identification of needs, planning, drafting TORs, organizing missions, ensuring the quality of deliverables submitted by all experts);
• Coordinate technical assistance, feasibility studies, and investments in collaboration with PhilSA, DOST-ASTI, and other institutional stakeholders.
• Ensure timely delivery of outputs and outcomes according to the approved work plan, logical framework, and performance indicators;
• Ensure budget planning aligns with operational planning and supervise financial execution in compliance with EU and Expertise France procedures;
• Supervise procurement team on infrastructures with technical support
• Oversee the preparation and quality assurance of all technical, contractual, and financial reports to the European Commission in coordination with the Head of Programs,

3.    Stakeholders’ engagement and institutional relations

• Strengthen relationships and manage partnerships with government institutions (PhilSA, DOST-ASTI, DICT), academic and research networks (PREGINET), and private sector partners;
• Facilitate coordination with international and regional stakeholders (ESA, GÉANT, ASEAN regional bodies) to foster synergies and knowledge exchange in line with the project objectives;
• Support visibility, communication, and outreach activities in line with EU guidelines, ensuring effective engagement of public, private, and research actors;
• Organize and oversee the Steering Committee (SC) and Operational Committee (OC, ensuring these governance bodies are as constructive and effective as possible in achieving project results;
• Promote knowledge sharing and best practices in digital infrastructure management, Earth Observation data use, and innovation ecosystem development.

4.    Team leadership, monitoring and reporting

• Lead the recruitment of the team, as well as external expertise, in compliance with the agency's procedures.
• Under the supervision of the local “Head of Programs”, lead and supervise the Digital Economy Package Project Management Unit (PMU) composed of approximately 5 technical staffs based in EF offices and a support team (Administrative, financial, outreach, MEAL)
• Ensure smooth coordination among PMU and HQ;
• Ensure the team successfully executes activities by managing their workload;
• Set objectives for team members and evaluate their performance;
• Support the team in their roles;
• Foster a collaborative work environment, monitor and support staff performance and capacity development;
• In close collaboration with the Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning (MEAL) expert, ensure the establishment of a monitoring and evaluation system.
• Ensure effective monitoring, evaluation, and risk management mechanisms in line with the project’s logframe and baseline study;
• Guarantee the coherence and integration of cross-cutting priorities (gender, youth inclusion, environmental sustainability, and governance).

KEY ADVANTAGES OF THE POSITION:

• Strategic mission at the core of EU–Philippines cooperation
• High-level visibility with government institutions, space agency, and international partners
• Work on cutting-edge topics: digital infrastructure, satellite data, connectivity, innovation ecosystems
• Multicultural, interdisciplinary working environment
• Potential mobility opportunities within Expertise France / AFD Group