JOB ANNOUNCEMENT
Position Title: Food Systems & Environmental Protection Program Manager
Duty Station: Tonga
Duration: 12 Months subject to available funding for extension
Reporting to: Country Manager
Functional Relationships with: Country Manager, International Programs Director, Director for Knowledge & Learning, Food Systems Program Manager, Food Technical Advisor, Board Members and Live and Learn Tonga Team
Salary Band: 45,000 – 55,000 TOP
ABOUT LIVE & LEARN TONGA
Live & Learn Environmental Education operates in a Network of 14 countries across the Pacific and Asia, working passionately towards an equitable and sustainable world. Each Live & Learn office is autonomous yet interdependent, bound by a Network-wide commitment to developing community resilience around nature-based solutions to food security, climate change, water, hygiene and sanitation, disaster risk reduction and response, gender inclusive and environmental protection. Working across scales, we support government strategies while meeting community needs. We are a localised, collaborative and courageous organisation working with diverse stakeholders, balancing sectoral compliance with flexibility for quick, innovative responses.
POSITION OVERVIEW
We are seeking an experienced and enthusiastic program manager to join our Food Systems and Environmental team. As the Program Manager, you will report directly to the Country Manager and work closely with the Food and Environmental team to deliver food systems initiative and activities related to environmental protection, disaster risk reduction and response, ecosystem restoration & maintenance amongst other related programs across schools & communities in Tongatapu including the outer islands. The Program Manager will engage with and develop meaningful relationships with teams within Live and Learn Tonga to facilitate effective technical support, program delivery and reporting. It is therefore essential that you demonstrate flexibility, exercise cultural and political sensitivity, have outstanding relationship-building skills, and possess the ability to develop and implement creative solutions in collaboration with the country teams and the network support office in a complex operational environment.
Roles and Responsibilities:
1. Program Management
ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
1.1. Design and develop relevant program for food resilient, ecosystem restoration & protection & environmental protection amongst other related thematic areas
1.2. Actively track and document activity progress during implementation phases and reports from Country Teams to provide quality quarterly and annual reports to donor.
1.3. Ensure that Live & Learn approaches and tools are embedded into implementation approaches.
1.4. Manage the coordination of allocated in-country activities and operations relating to the Food and Environmental programs.
1.5 Develop production plan and monthly target for commercial compost and coconut coir & husk.
1.6. Apply adaptive management approaches to activities as new information becomes available and lessons are learned from implementation on the ground.
1.7. Identify and appropriately escalate issues to the Network Support Office and the Country Manager in a timely way, so they can be effectively resolved and their impact on the Program and stakeholders is minimised.
1.8. Monitor and mitigate the Activities identified as risks and keep risk registers up-to-date.
1.9. Manage and maintain your management assets in accordance with contractual requirements and Live & Learn policies.
1.10. Support procurement processes to ensure policy and contract requirements are met in all procurement. Support Live & Learn Tonga Offices on establishing and negotiating contracts with potential suppliers and implementation partners.
2. Stakeholder Management
2.1. Support partnership arrangements with key stakeholders including donors and Government Agencies.
2.2. Maintain good working relationships with appropriate external sector stakeholders.
2.3. Support plans on how and when to involve the activity’s stakeholders in the Program implementation are carried out.
2.4. Use constructive dialogue to mitigate any conflict or communication problems with stakeholders that arise.
2.5 Build and maintain a strong network of working partnerships with all relevant stakeholders
3. Technical Lead
3.1. Lead and coordinate the development of climate resilient approaches associated with the food and environmental programs through collaboration with country teams and the network support office.
3.2. Support collaboration with Media & Communication unit to develop program-related tools and visibility materials
3.3. Contribute to the strategic direction of Live & Learn in terms of technical knowledge around Climate resilient food systems & environmental protection and restoration initiatives.
3.4. Support the development of program design from a technical perspective (climate resilient food systems & ecosystem restoration and protection).
3.5. Provide advice on climate resilient agricultural practices & environmental protection
4. Monitoring and Reporting
4.1. Support processes and tools to monitor activities against the MEL framework.
4.2. Support Program GEDSI focal point to actively track and report on the achievement of GEDSI indicators as required.
4.3. Monitor the activities’ transition and exit plan, to ensure that expected ways to sustain the outputs and outcomes remain feasible.
4.5. Liaise with Finance Team to provide feedback and understanding of Program budgets and expenditure regularly
4.6. Prepare and deliver Program briefing notes whenever requested.
4.7. Support the preparation of reports in line with contractual agreement.
5. Compliance
5. 1. Support the application of Live & Learn Network’s Policies & Procedures including on Environment, Health and Safety, Integrity, Fraud Management, Safeguarding and Child Protection Policies across the Program, as documented in our Good Practice Manual.
KEY SELECTION CRITERIA
Qualifications
Tertiary qualifications (Minimum bachelor’s degree) in Agriculture or Environment or similar degree
Knowledge and experience
- Excellent understanding and/or experience in Food system programs & nature-based positive actions, environmental protection and restoration initiatives in Tonga and the Pacific and/or international climate resilient agricultural practices and standards of more than 2 years for PHD, 5 years for a master’s degree or 8 years for a bachelor’s degree.
- Excellent understanding of the principles of local development practices in the sector, including sustainable and community development.
- Demonstrated understanding and knowledge of policy development and government engagement processes.
- Demonstrated ability to understand and adapt to the cultural contexts of Tonga, including in understanding issues of gender, human rights, development policies, stakeholder engagement, and climate resilience and their application in Tonga
Required skills
- Ability to listen, understand, write, and present effectively at a high level on complex food resilience systems and environmental issues.
- Excellent program management skills, including an ability to plan, cost estimation, managing competing priorities and meet deadlines, across all areas of the program lifecycle.
- Ability to work flexibly and autonomously while coordinating a range of complex tasks and workloads simultaneously and effectively.
- Excellent skills in developing cross-cultural relationships and stakeholder management. Collaborative working style, demonstrating inclusivity, openness, and respect for plurality of perspectives.
- Ability to manage and work well with multiple teams with a diverse range of backgrounds
EMPLOYMENT CONDITIONS
- This is a Full-Time position with flexible work practices available, where appropriate.
- Compliance with Live & Learn Code of Conduct, Child Protection and Safeguarding, Counter- Terrorism, Anti-Fraud and Money Laundering, and all other project and organisational policies.
- Travel both locally and internationally based on project needs.
- Mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations.
- Satisfactory Police, Working with Children, and Terrorism checks are required for all staff working within Live & Learn.
WHAT WE OFFER
At Live & Learn Environmental Education (LLEE) Tonga, we are a team of passionate, diverse and experienced individuals. We are rapidly growing to provide a wide range of relevant expertise from project management, water sanitation and hygiene, climate change, environmental protection, gender inclusive, disaster risk reduction and response and food security. We enjoy a collegial and supportive work culture, with flexible work hours and work-from-home arrangements (when it is applicable). We offer attractive remuneration, including a Salary Packaging scheme, and opportunities for personal and professional growth in partnership with experienced colleagues across the industry.
HOW TO APPLY
To apply, please submit your CV and Cover Letter expressing your motivation and interest in this position, no later than the 5th February 2026 to lata [dot] satini [at] livelearn [dot] org. Application who meets the selection criteria and desired qualifications will be invited for an interview.
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