Tradewater

Asia and the Pacific Program Manager

Location: Bangkok, Thailand

About Tradewater

Tradewater’s mission is to improve the environment and create economic opportunity through the collection, control, and destruction of potent, high-impact greenhouse gases. Tradewater is a deeply mission-driven company that believes that a company committed to cleaning up the environment can be just as successful – if not more so – than a company that achieves its goals without regard to environmental impact.

                                                                                                                 
To date, Tradewater has prevented nearly 5.5 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent from being released into the atmosphere, a key step in the fight against climate change. Much of this impact has come from the identificaiton, collection, and destruction of old refrigerants that are both ozone depleting substances and potent greenhouse gases. Now, Tradewater is scaling its operations in order to prevent more than 3 million tons of CO2e from being released to the atmosphere annually.  Achieving this goal involves identifying, controlling, and destroying potent greenhouse gases around the world and building a diversified market that values the climate benefits Tradewater creates. Equally important is building a dedicated staff of professionals to expand Tradewater’s impact globally. 

The Opportunity

To support its growth around the world, Tradewater is seeking a Program Manager to lead our greenhouse gas collection and destruction projects in Asia and the Pacific region. These projects typically involve finding and procuring old refrigerants at the end of their useful life, and building the systems and partnerships needed to have them safely destroyed according to published carbon offset protocols.

The Program Manager must be someone who speaks fluent Thai and English and is based in Bangkok, but willing and excited to travel throughout Southeast Asia and the Pacific. They will report to the Director of International Programs (who is based in Costa Rica).

Key responsibilities include:

The Program Manager will be responsible for the following activities:

• Manage our ongoing project in Thailand to destroy over 10,000 cylinders of stockpiled refrigerant, in partnership with a local destruction facility and the Thai customs department
• Grow our refrigerant identification and collection activities in Thailand beyond our ongoing project through methods Tradewater has developed in other parts of the world, as well as new and innovative techniques particular to the region
• Develop the systems and tools needed to manage all activities in Thailand and regularly generate carbon offset credits for sale by Tradewater
• Explore other countries in the region to determine where refrigerant identification and collection projects can be established to expand our impact
• Build the infrastructure needed to develop these projects in other countries throughout the region, and manage and supervise all project activities needed to carry out those projects
• Engage and negotiate with stakeholders in all countries in which we operate to ensure regulatory compliance and political support for our activities
• Manage all people and activities so that work is performed according to the documentation and reporting guidelines established by applicable carbon offset protocols and methodologies, and Tradewater operating procedures
• Conduct research on government permits, licenses, and other processes applicable to our projects, including waste management regulations and the international shipment of hazardous waste

• Serve as an ambassador for Tradewater in the region, and provide insight into the geographic, social, economic, and political conditions of each country in which we explore and operate
• Take responsibility for key performance indicators and project budgets and regularly report to the Director of International Programs on progress

Candidate Profile

Candidates must have a bachelor’s degree or equivalent, preferably in international relations, engineering, or environmental studies or science. Candidates must also have a demonstrated ability to work independently in a professional environment and manage complicated, technical projects involving multiple stakeholders.

Candidates must be fluent in Thai and English.

Strong candidates will have at least five years of relevant work experience, which could include a background in such varied areas as project management, procurement, carbon offset development, or refrigerant handling or waste management.

Other qualifications include:

• Strong interpersonal skills and a desire to work collaboratively and proactively with colleagues and external parties
• Exceptional organizational skills and attention to detail
• The determination to find solutions when presented with challenges and obstacles, and a knack for solving problems creatively
• Experience working internationally, across different cultures, and with different stakeholders, ranging from government officials to refrigerant recovery technicians
• Resiliency and flexibility in the face of evolving conditions, and tolerance in the face of bureaucratic processes
• Availability to travel internationally
• Willingness to work atypical hours, when necessary, in order to meet with team members in Costa Rica and the United States
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• An interest in learning new things, from refrigerant composition to international treaties governing hazardous waste
• A results-driven attitude and a desire to achieve ambitious goals
• Aptitude for persuasion and negotiation
• Commitment to Tradewater's mission
• Proven experience working remotely and independently

The Application Process

Tradewater provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to sex, sex stereotyping, pregnancy (including pregnancy, childbirth, and medical conditions related to pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding), race, color, religion, ancestry or national origin, age, disability status, medical condition, marital status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, transgender status, protected military or veteran status, citizenship status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.