About Rare

Rare inspires change so people and nature thrive. For 50 years, across 60 countries, we have inspired and empowered millions of people and their communities to shift their behaviors and practices to protect our shared planet. We are a global leader in driving social change for people and nature and believe that the cumulative power of individual and community action is a vital pathway to safeguarding and restoring our shared waters, lands, and climate.  Rare’s organizational culture is results-oriented, and entrepreneurial, and our global programs cover the thematic areas of climate change, fisheries and marine conservation, sustainable agriculture food security, and Green Recovery.

Position Overview

Rare has an immediate need for a Program Implementation Associate to support our Fish Forever program in Palawan, Philippines. The Associate will provide key management support in leading the implementation of the Fish Forever Program In Palawan. They will participate, along with the other Program Implementation Team (PIT) members, in the overall planning, implementation, and review of all projects within the cluster. They will proactively coordinate and work hand in hand with the Shared Services Group (SSG) - Philippines. They will also support technical matters such as Managed Access Area and Reserves (MA +R) management, fisheries policy development and law enforcement, and program monitoring, evaluation, and learning. The Associate will be required to travel to project sites to conduct project planning and related activities based on agreed timelines and scope, mainly in Palawan, if strategic and needed. They will also lead in ensuring partnership, promoting and linking program undertakings with the regional field units of relevant government agencies and other development organizations working in the cluster.

Essential Responsibilities

The Associate, Program Implementation, will exercise independent judgment regarding the following areas of significance:

Program Implementation Support 

• Provide overall operational and administrative support to deliver project strategies, workplans, and budgets, ensuring alignment with approved objectives and intended impact.
• Support the Program Implementation Manager (PIM) and coordinate with Site Implementation Officers (SIOs) on integrated planning, scheduling, and site-level implementation oversight.
• Support the co-development and rollout of cluster behavior change strategies in coordination with the Program Implementation team and implementation partners.
• Assist in implementation monitoring and evaluation (M&E) by coordinating activity documentation requirements and ensuring timely collection of field deliverables (e.g., attendance sheets, minutes, activity reports, photo documentation).

Administrative coordination and logistics 

• Coordinate end-to-end logistics for project activities (e.g., trainings, workshops, community consultations, meetings), including venue arrangements, transport, accommodation, supplies/materials, meal planning, and required local coordination.
• Prepare activity/event plans and corresponding cost estimates aligned with the annual workplan and budget, and ensure logistical readiness in close coordination with SIOs and implementation partners.
• Maintain organized project files (physical and digital), including contracts/agreements, procurement documentation, activity documentation, partner submissions, and other administrative records following internal standards.
• Support procurement and vendor coordination processes (e.g., canvassing support, purchase requests, documentation routing), ensuring completeness and compliance with organizational policies.

Project finance support and budget tracking 

• In coordination with the PIM and with guidance from the Finance Team, provide inputs to annual work planning and budgeting processes (e.g., consolidating field inputs, supporting cost assumptions, and packaging budget information for review).
• Support cash management and expense processing, including preparation of cash advance requests, monitoring of advances, collection and organization of receipts, and timely liquidation/acquittal in line with Rare financial guidelines, systems, and processes.
• Monitor utilization of program funds against the approved budget; maintain a simple budget tracking file and flag potential over/under-spend, timing issues, and compliance risks to the PIM and Finance team.
• Assist implementing partners in preparing and updating work and financial plans, and provide practical guidance on required supporting documents and compliance expectations. 

Knowledge management and data management support

• Maintain accurate and up-to-date implementation progress records by regularly entering and validating activity and results information in the designated tracker/data portal.
• Support project data and knowledge management in coordination with Rare Philippines’ Science team, including organizing datasets, providing data analysis, maintaining clear file structures, applying naming conventions, and supporting basic data quality checks (completeness, consistency, timeliness).
• Compile, curate, and archive key learning documents and evidence (e.g., tools, templates, reports, presentations, datasets, photos) to support internal learning, donor reporting, and toolkit development.

Reporting, documentation, and communications support 

• Participate in program/team meetings; provide timely updates on activity status, administrative/financial progress, emerging risks, and upcoming logistical requirements.
• Assist in developing presentations, reports, briefers, and other materials related to implementation progress and outcomes (programmatic and financial), ensuring information is clear, accurate, and properly documented.
• Capture and document experiences, lessons learned, best practices, and success stories from implementation sites for appropriate internal and external sharing (with proper approvals and data/privacy considerations).
• Support periodic reporting to donors and internal stakeholders by consolidating field inputs and ensuring supporting documentation is complete and well-organized.

Partnership and stakeholder coordination support 

• Support engagement and coordination with communities, LGUs/partner agencies, and other, helping schedule meetings, document agreements, and track follow-through.
• Help identify and track potential partnership opportunities and co-delivery arrangements, including resource leveraging and coordination with assisting organizations.
• Support alliance-building efforts by helping document partner roles, commitments, and risks, and elevating implementation concerns to the PIM/SIOs as needed.

Capacity building support 

• Act as an activity facilitator or resource person as assigned during capacity building sessions, and provide strong administrative/logistical support to ensure smooth delivery with partners.

Other responsibilities 

• Perform other duties as assigned by the PIM in support of Fish Forever program goals and organizational requirements.

Education and Experience 

• Bachelor’s degree in a field relevant to the work.
• At least two (2) years of experience providing support to local government units and strengthening organizational capacities of environmental and fisheries management organizations, community-based people’s organizations, and/or NGOs.
• Demonstrated project management skills in a development or community-based setting.
• Experience in collecting, organizing, and managing project data.
• Experience in biodiversity conservation, marine protected area (MPA) strengthening, and fisheries governance in partnership with local government units, or related experience in community engagement and community development programs.
• Experience contributing to or drafting development/conservation/management plans (e.g., MPA management plans, coastal and fisheries resources management plans, eco-tourism development plans, and related planning documents).
• Strong oral and written communication skills in English; able to translate complex concepts into clear, audience-appropriate messages. Proficiency in Filipino is required; speaking local Palawan languages is an advantage.
• Proficient in common productivity tools (MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
• Experience in event organization and facilitation, including training management and delivery for diverse stakeholders (e.g., LGUs, NGAs, and community-based organizations).
• Demonstrates initiative and sound judgment; able to identify improvements that increase performance, productivity, and efficiency in support of program and organizational goals.
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to build and maintain effective working relationships internally and externally.
• Willingness to be assigned on-site and able to travel within the country as required.
• Additional technical skills such as GIS mapping, graphic design and editing, and audio-visual production are an advantage.

Other Duties

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time.

Rare is an equal-opportunity employer that is committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, color, gender, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, or any other protected characteristic.