Socheata SOU

Lead the implementation of the ILO components of the UN Joint Program on Decent Employment for Youth in Cambodia (DEY), phase 3. My portfolio focuses on Skills Development, Public Employment Services, the National Technical Vocational Education and Training Policy (NTVETP) and the National Employment Policy (NEP). The implementation approach focuses on technical assistance and institutional capacity building.

Key ministerial partners include the Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training (MLVT), the Ministry of Tourism (MoT), and the Ministry of Social Affairs, Veterans and Youth Rehabilitation (MoSVY).

Project Coordination, Management, and Delivery:

• Develop the work plan for ILO interventions, in close consultations with implementing partners and coordination with other PUNOs and other ILO projects to ensure alignment and synergies.
• Lead the implementation of ILO interventions in close coordination with other ILO projects and other PUNOs to ensure cross-functional collaborations.
• Supervise, guide and coach program staff.
• Supervise national and international consultants.

Technical Assistance and Advisory:

• Design and implement technical assistance and institutional capacity-building initiatives for ministerial and social partners in support of the implementation of ILO interventions, taking into account the transition plans for full national ownership and sustainability.
• Provide technical guidance to national partners in the evaluations of the current NTVETP and NEP and the formulation of new policies.
• Provide strategic direction and mentor to the newly established Program Joint Secretariat.
• Provide technical guidance and conceptualization to another ILO colleague, a member of program team, for interventions related to development and capacity building to Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and business associations with a focus on improving working conditions and productivity.

Financial Management:

• Manage and monitor project budget and prepare budget plans/revisions to ensure timely and effective disbursements.
• Administer partner grants and ensure adherence to ILO financial and administrative regulations and templates. Guide partners on financial and technical reporting requirements.

Monitoring and Evaluation:

• Develop a monitoring framework for the ILO activities and monitor the ILO delivery performance to ensure timely delivery of expected results.
• Support the mid-term review and final evaluation processes of program phase 3.

Communication and Representation:

• Prepare official correspondences, speeches, and media articles related to the ILO components.
• Contribute to joint communication efforts of the program.
• Represent the ILO in meetings and forums at national and international levels with partners and other development organizations, contribute to technical discussions and identify collaboration opportunities.
• Represent the ILO in the implementation, and monitoring of UNSDCF 2024-2028 in pillar 2 on Economic Transformation, and contribute to other pillars, in particular pillar 1 on Human Development and pillar 4 on Social Transformation.

Donor Relations and Reporting:

• Contribute to joint program annual/final narrative and financial reports, progress updates, and ad-hoc reports, ensuring compliance with donor requirements and ILO regulations.
• Liaise with the donor related to project implementation and coordinate donor’ visits.

Partnerships and Resource Mobilization:

• Establish new initiatives and partnerships with stakeholders and other ILO projects, including creating synergies with the projects focused on social protection, TVET, and public employment services.
• Contribute to the development of ILO new projects and ILO resource mobilization efforts in related fields.

Key achievements:

Achievements are in progress, with significant milestones being reached in evaluating the current National Technical Vocational Education and Training Policy (NTVETP) and the National Employment Policy (NEP). These evaluations will guide the formulation of the new policies. The expected outcome of my role in implementing the ILO interventions includes securing decent and productive employment for 1,500 youths, with 50% from the Leaving No One Behind (LNOB) group), including youth with disabilities and youth school dropouts.

Led overall coordination of the United Nations Joint Program on Decent Employment for Youth in Cambodia (DEY), phases 1-2. Key ministerial partners include the Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training (MLVT); the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport (MoEYS); the Ministry of Tourism (MoT); and the Ministry of Social Affairs, Veterans and Youth Rehabilitation (MoSVY). The Participating UN Organizations (PUNOs) include ILO, UNESCO, UNICEF, and UNIDO.

Project development:

• Led the joint design of the program phases 2 and 3 using a Results-Based Management approach, ensuring alignment with youth needs; national priorities; donor priorities; Decent Work Country Program (DWCP); UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF); and UN guidelines for new generation of Joint Programs, with a strong focus on gender and Leaving No One Behind (LNOB), including youth school dropouts from grades 7-12 and youth with disabilities. It also ensured the integration of different UN agencies’ contributions to achieve common objectives. The designs incorporated the transition to full national ownership and sustainability, to be achieved through the provision of technical assistance and the strengthening of institutional capacity.
• Led the ILO’s technical contribution in the design of the program phases 2 and 3, convincing ILO’s role, its offered contribution to the program and value proposition according to its mandate, technical expertise and established partnerships with tripartite partners.
• Led the preparation of joint Project Documents, results framework, and results-based work plans by ensuring integration, synergies, consistency and relevance to expected outcomes/impact and approved budget.

Project Coordination, Management, and Delivery:

• Led the execution of program secretariat functions in close coordination with four PUNOs, the ILO Country Office and Decent Work Technical Support Team, the ILO Regional Office and HQ teams, the UN Resident Coordinator Office (UNRCO), and MLVT.
• Followed up with PUNOs on program delivery, identified problems, and proposed solutions to expedite implementation and meet targets.
• Led reprogramming and reprioritization of ILO interventions to address challenges exacerbated by COVID-19 and coordinated with PUNOs for joint reprioritization proposal to the program Steering Committee.
• Led the implementation of ILO interventions related to Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET); Youth Rights at Work (YR@W) with inclusion of Social Protection; Employment Services; and adolescents and youth participation in policy dialogues, in collaboration with constituents, other ILO projects, and UN members, including UNICEF.
• Supervised, guided and coached program staff.
• Supervised national and international consultants.

Technical Assistance and Advisory:

• Provided strategic direction for inter-agency collaborations and coordinated operationalization of synergies. This included, for example, (i) offering the Basic Education Equivalency Program (BEEP), implemented by UNESCO, for vulnerable adolescents and youth supported by UNICEF, (ii) joint technical assistance provided by ILO and UNICEF to Adolescent and Youth Reference Group (AYRG) to run a series of policy dialogues related to TVET among policymakers and parents.
• Provided technical guidance and conceptualization to PUNOs for activities related to Skills Development, Enterprise Development, Public Employment Services (PES), and Youth Rights at Work (YR@W).
• Offered technical guidance to MoEYS, MLVT and MoT for the implementation of Entrepreneurship Education and YR@W Awareness Raising among Secondary School students and TVET students, and TVET-related interventions (including blended TVET, Recognition of Prior Learning / RPL, and TVET Law) and Entrepreneurship and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) training.

Financial Management:

• Managed and monitored project budget and prepared budget plans/revisions to ensure timely and effective disbursements.
• Administered partner grants and ensured adherence to ILO financial and administrative regulations and templates. Guided partners on financial and technical reporting requirements.

Monitoring and Evaluation:

• Developed monitoring frameworks and monitored the program performance to ensure timely delivery of expected results.
• Supported the mid-term review process of program phase 1 and led the mid-term review of phase 2.

Communication and Representation:

• Prepared official correspondences, speeches, and media articles.
• Led joint communication activities and channels, including the development and implementation of joint communication strategies.
• Represented the ILO and the Joint Program (DEY) in meetings and forums at national and international levels with partners and other development organizations, contributed to technical discussions and identified collaboration opportunities.
• Represented the ILO in the development, implementation, and monitoring of UNDAF 2019-2023 / UNSDCF 2024-2028, in particular in Result Group 2 on Economy.

Donor Relations and Reporting:

• Served as the primary liaison for the program, representing the four PUNOs in all interactions with the donor.
• Prepared consolidated annual/final narrative and financial reports, progress updates, and ad-hoc reports, ensuring compliance with donor requirements and ILO regulations and timely and accurate reporting.

Partnerships and Resource Mobilization:

• Established new initiatives and partnerships with stakeholders and other ILO projects, including creating synergies with projects focused on social protection, TVET, and employment services.
• Led the development and implementation of resource mobilization strategies.

Key achievements:

Awarded as a Gender Champion in the category "Professional Development and Capacity Building" by the ILO ENTERPRISE Department. For program phase 1, the ILO delivered 90% of responsible expected outputs, including secretariat outputs. Phase 2 was approved by the donor and successfully launched in mid-2020. An independent review of the program phase 2 was concluded successfully. The Project Document of program phase 3 was developed with thorough consultations with key relevant partners, through various consultation methods, and inputs from PUNOs; it has been approved by the donor and the government. The program communication channels were established and maintained with regular uploads of communication materials and content. The program secretariat functions for phases 1 and 2 were executed in line with the ToR. The inter-agency collaborations for joint deliveries and synergies among PUNOs have improved remarkably. The TVET Strategic Action Plan 2024-2028 has been developed through ILO technical assistance to MLVT under my technical lead.

Coordinated 2 projects: (1) Community-Based Enterprise Development (C-BED) project; (2) Follow-up on National Employment Policy (NEP) project. Key ministerial partners include the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport (MoEYS); and the Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training (MLVT).

Project Coordination, Management and Delivery:

• Developed and implemented comprehensive work plans for the projects in collaboration with national stakeholders.
• Organized and delivered training sessions with target beneficiaries on Entrepreneurship, Youth Rights at Work (with inclusion of social protection topic), Strengthening Workers' Organizations, and Empowerment of Migrant Workers, in coordination with implementing partners.
• Contributed to the development and customization of ILO’s entrepreneurship training manuals.
• Supervised national and international consultants.

Technical Assistance and Advisory:

• Provided technical support and guidance to partners in planning, executing, and monitoring project activities.
• Conducted regular follow-ups with partners to ensure timely implementation and achievement of projects’ targets.
• Developed, organized and delivered capacity-building initiatives for tripartite constituents on various implementation topics in support of project implementation. The topics included Entrepreneurship Education in Secondary Schools and in Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions, Youth Rights at Work (YR@W), and M&E of the NEP implementation.
• Provide technical guidance to partners in integrating entrepreneurship development into their projects focused on Access to Finance, Women's Economic Empowerment (WEE), TVET, Youth Livelihoods, Agricultural Cooperatives, Strengthening Workers' Organizations, and Migrant Workers' Empowerment.

Financial Management:

• Managed and monitored project budgets, including preparing forecasts and revisions to ensure timely and effective disbursements.
• Administered partner grants and ensured adherence to ILO financial and administrative regulations and templates. Guided partners on financial and technical reporting requirements.

Monitoring and Evaluation:

• Led projects’ M&E activities, including impact and tracer studies related to the entrepreneurship training program, with a focus on WEE and gender.
• Monitored project performance to ensure the timely delivery of expected results.

Communication and Representation:

• Developed communication materials.
• Prepared press releases, official correspondences, and speeches.
• Represented the ILO and the projects in meetings and forums at national and international levels with partners and other development organizations, contributed to technical discussions and identified collaboration opportunities.

Donor Relation and Reporting:

• Contributed to the preparation of the progress and final reports for donors.

Partnerships and Resource Mobilization:

• Established new initiatives and partnerships with stakeholders and cross-functional collaborations with other ILO projects, including creating synergies with projects focused on workers’ activities and cooperatives.
• Contributed to the development of new projects and resource mobilization efforts of the organization.

Key achievements:

The projects disbursed 100% of the project budget. Regarding output deliveries, one project fully met the targets, whereas another one accomplished 80% of its committed deliverables. Four partner organizations (including one Ministry) institutionalized the ILO’s activity-based Entrepreneurship training programs and training tools in their organizational program strategy and implementation plan. Seven new training modules on Entrepreneurship, Youth Rights at Work, and Cooperatives were developed and piloted in collaboration with different units inside the ILO, including the Bureau of Workers’ Activities (ACTRAV) and Cooperatives. 4,642 individuals in Cambodia, mostly young people aged 15-30, were trained by the project partners using different training modules. Cambodia was awarded as a Guinness World Record holder in the Largest Practical Business Seminar.

Managed the transitional day-to-day operations and formulation of the new program “Resilience” of Oxfam in Cambodia (during the restructuring from having many Oxfam affiliates to one Oxfam in Cambodia).

Program Development:

• Supported the development of the new country single-management-structure, and Resilience program structure.
• Prepared annual budget for the program, analyzed budget gaps, and proposed solutions.
• Led the fundraising activities.

Key achievements:

Established the structure of the Resilience program. The program covered different components, including Savings Group, Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR), Climate Change Adaptation (CCA), and Agriculture Value Chain Development.

Two roles: 1) Coordinator of multi-country Saving for Change (SfC) program. Countries covered: Cambodia, Lao PDR, and Timor-Leste. 2) Regional Gender Focal Point for Cambodia, Lao PDR, and Vietnam.

Project Development:

• Led program development, including design, budgeting, Monitoring, and Evaluation Accountability and Learning (MEAL) system, and strategy formulation.
• Led program innovations such as SfC for DRR, CCA, Community Livelihood (mainly connected to agriculture value chains), Health Education, Financial Literacy; Community-Based Enterprise Development, Women’s Leadership, Mobile-Money; and ICT-based program Monitoring and Evaluation and Learning (MEL).

Project Coordination, Management, and Delivery:

• Oversaw the project implementation.
• Managed grants for partners.
• Led the development of training tools and translation.
• Led the development of national advocacy strategy and actions.
• Supervised international and national consultants for studies related to women’s economic empowerment and leadership linking to the power of the savings groups.
• Supervised, coached, and mentored project staff. Evaluated staff performance in accordance with Oxfam America’s established performance management system.

Technical Assistance and Advisory:

• Provided technical guidance to partners on the use of appropriate training manuals, training protocols, reporting (for both financial and narrative reports) and the development of project implementation plans and M&E activities.
• Provided technical assistance to partners on the implementation of SfC project.
• Supported other Oxfam affiliates to set up the SfC program in Lao PDR and Timor-Leste. Intention was to also expand to Myanmar, Papua New Guinea, and Solomon Islands.
• Provided ToT on SfC methodology, Management Information System (MIS), and M&E and assisted in tools adaptation to Oxfam affiliates and partners in the covering countries.

Financial Management:

• Managed, monitored project budget and prepared budget plans/revisions to ensure timely and effective disbursements.
• Reviewed and monitored expenditures of partner grants to ensure compliance with Oxfam's budgetary guidelines and financial regulations

Monitoring and Evaluation:

• Led the development and implementation of program MEAL framework and activities.

Communication and Representation:

• Led the communication activities including producing communication materials, case studies, newsletters, presentations, and press releases.
• Represented the organization and the project in meetings and forums at national and international levels with partners and other development organizations, contributed to technical discussions and identified collaboration opportunities.

Donor Relations and Reporting:

• Contributed to regular reporting and updates to the donor.

Partnerships and Resource Mobilization:

• Contributed to fundraising activities for the program. This included the development and submission of concept notes / proposals.
• Coordinate donor’s visits

Additional Category: Gender Mainstreaming

• Coordinated gender mainstreaming in all program designs and activities of Oxfam America’s regional office (covered Cambodia, Lao PDR, and Vietnam).
• Ensured all programs mainstreamed gender and conducted thorough gender analysis and implemented actions/strategies to address gender issues.
• Supported staff capacity building on gender equality and mainstreaming tools.
• Co-coordinated the Gender Action Learning project in Cambodia.
• Coordinated gender-related training for all Oxfam America regional office's staff.
• Coordinated gender equality campaigns.

Key achievements:

Developed a 5-year strategy for the SfC program, a guide for facilitators on "SfC Group Formation," and an animated video on the "SfC Group Meeting Process". Successfully raised an additional US$400K for the program. olled out the SfC program in Timor-Leste and Lao PDR. Developed 8 proposals aimed at (1) bringing more innovations to the SfC services, (2) expanding SfC services to formal financial inclusion, (3) formalizing informal works, (4) improving agriculture value chain development, (5) utilizing savings groups as platforms to strengthen farmer cooperative’ joint businesses and value chains from farm to market, (6) enhancing financial inclusion for women in garment factories for building economic ownership and empowerment and facilitating them to access mobile savings, and payments. The Oxfam America’s Regional Office for East Asia won the global Oxfam America’s 1st prize in the gender equality championship. The SfC program received a prize from Oxfam America’s Technology Incubator Fund for piloting and implementing a mobile M&E tool.

Project Development:

• Led the design of the Access to Finance concept for joint initiatives among international NGOs to promote access to finance for the hardest-to-reach people and the ultra-poor.
• Mapped out active NGOs delivering community-based microfinance projects and recommended linkages.

Project Coordination, Management, and Delivery:

• Coordinated the community of practice among Access to Finance practitioners, including Oxfam America, Pact Cambodia, and CARE Cambodia.
• Supported the implementation of the Saving for Change program, funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
• Managed grants for partners and monitored their implementation.
• Followed up with partners to expedite the delivery of expected targets.

Technical Assistance and Advisory:

• Provided technical guidance to partners on the use of appropriate manuals, training protocols, reporting (for both financial and narrative reports) and the development of project implementation plans and M&E activities.
• Built partners’ capacity on the Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) framework.
• Coordinated with Oxfam America’s Learning Evaluation Accountability Department team to strategize on program MEL implementation and follow-up.

Financial Management:

• Reviewed and monitored expenditures of partner grants to ensure compliance with Oxfam’s budgetary guidelines and financial regulations.

Monitoring and Evaluation:

• Supported program Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) and impact assessment activities in line with Oxfam America’s global MEL system.

Communication and Representation:

• Represented Oxfam America in relevant occasions and partnerships, both nationally and internationally.

Donor Relations and Reporting:

• Coordinated donors and stakeholders’ visits.
• Developed and managed primary working relationships with external partners and allies, including the private sector and governmental units and officials.
• Prepared program reports, including monthly updates, mid-year, and annual reports.

Partnerships and Resource Mobilization:

• Mobilized resources for program initiatives.
• Coordinated with Oxfam America staff and other Oxfam affiliates to broaden collaboration across program areas.

Key achievement:

Access to Finance program concept for the hardest-to-reach and ultra-poor was developed and adopted. The continuation of the Saving for Change program was prioritized, approved and implemented beyond the support of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Project Development:

• Led strategy development and advocacy efforts for the Business Association component, including Self-Help Groups, Community Working Groups, and Business networks.
• Co-developed Guidelines for Village Saving and Loan Management with an international consultant for HIV/AIDS Prevention and Care Program and Economic and Livelihood program.

Project Coordination, Management, and Delivery:

• Conducted market analysis on Cambodian Village Saving and Loan (VSL) services for KHANA’s SAHACOM HIV/AIDS Prevention and Care Program.
• Facilitated the establishment and advised the operation of Agricultural Cooperatives in Fishery, Pig, and Rice value chains.
• Facilitated meetings of the Community Working Groups and Associations in the aforementioned value chains to help members identify strategies to mitigate business constraints and improve competitiveness through collective actions.
• Facilitated dialogues between the business community and local authorities through public-private dialogues to address business environment issues.

Technical Assistance and Advisory:

• Delivered ToT on Village Saving and Loan methodology, a savings-led microfinance model, to KHANA’s Economic and Livelihood Team and Implementing Partners.
• Guided KHANA’s team in identifying strategic partners to roll out the Village Saving and Loan scheme.
• Advised KHANA’s implementing partners on the Village Saving and Loan project design.

Monitoring and Evaluation:

• Contributed to project monitoring activities.

Communication and Representation:

• Supported the design of project interventions to strengthen the private sector voice, including the strategic use of the project’s Business Radio Program.

Donor Relations and Reporting:

• Contributed to regular reporting and updates to the donor.

Key achievements:

Produced and published for internal use of an analysis report on Cambodian Village Saving and Loan market. Established four Agricultural Cooperatives in three different value chains (Pig, Fishery, and Rice), they recognized by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fishery (MAFF).

CARIS was a Cambodian private company that imported and traded organic fertilizers and provided transportation services.

Project Development:

• Designed the accounting system (policies, procedures, and templates), and stock management tool for the company.

Project Coordination, Management and Delivery:

• Managed the administration and finance affairs of the company.
• Produced the company’s monthly financial reports and inventory reports.
• Maintained client profiles and database.
• Supervised company staff.

Financial management:

• Managed account payables and receivables.
• Managed the procurement process and contracts.
• Conducted bookkeeping for all financial transactions and produced regular financial reports.

Key achievements:

A financial management system and stock management tool were developed, adopted and seamlessly handed over for ongoing use to the company.

TATSYSM AUSTRALIA was a Sydney-based private company run by an Australian investor who dealt with the exportation of agricultural products, i.e, rice, and other cash-crop productions.

Project Development and Partnership Building:

• Managed the company’s branch in Cambodia.
• Researched commodities market and produced the reports.
• Established relationships with business partners including suppliers, concerned government officers, international shipping service providers, and clients.
• Designed the commodities buying process and system. Managed the legal registration in the country.

Key achievements:

Despite thorough planning and efforts, the company decided not to export rice and other cash-crop products due to profitability concerns.

Three roles:

1) Managed CEDAC Credit Cooperative (CCC);

2) Managed the Saving for Change (SfC) project in Pailin province, funded by CARE Cambodia. This project utilized the SfC methodology to support over 400 small-scale agricultural producers and farmers in Pailin province to access saving and credit services provided by their SfC groups for investing in their cash-crop, and home gardening productions.

3) Managed a monitoring project for the Emergency Food Assistance Project (EFAP), funded by ADB. The project focused on monitoring and ensuring the effective implementation of emergency food assistance.

Project Development:

• Contributed to the development of a new project focusing on monitoring and ensuring the effective implementation of emergency food assistance.

Project Coordination, Management, and Delivery:

• Developed the annual business plan for CCC.
• Led the development of projects strategies, work plans, and budget plans.
• Recruited and managed 14 staff, including 10 Supervisors, and over 250 Independent Monitors for both SfC and EFAP monitoring projects. Monitored and evaluated staff performance.
• Provided strategic and day-to-day guidance and capacity building through on-the-job coaching to the project teams on project activities and financial management.
• Educated new members about the service and built trust among members for CCC.
• Reviewed and updated CCC loans, membership, and staff policies and regulations.

Financial Management:

• Managed the budget and conducted bookkeeping for all financial transactions for CCC, ensuring accuracy and transparency. Produced business plans, budget forecasts and regular financial reports to maintain accountability and inform decision-making.
• Prepared projects’ annual budget plans and monitored financial deliveries.
• Reviewed projects' financial reports, ensuring accuracy and compliance with donor’s requirements.

Monitoring and Evaluation:

• Monitored and evaluated the performance of the projects. Identified and led the implementation of strategies to expedite the projects’ deliveries.
• Conducted quality assurance for projects’ implementation and saving groups’ performance.
• Monitored CCC members’ savings and loans in accordance with established loan and saving policies.

Communication and Representation:

• Prepared and translated media and communication materials, and project publications.
• Represented the organization in national and international forums related to the projects’ interventions.

Donor Relations and Reporting:

• Served as the primary liaison for the SfC project, representing the organization in all interactions with the donor.
• Produced project narrative reports for the donors.
• Prepared monthly, quarterly, yearly updates and reports and for CCC’s members and the Board of Members

Partnerships and Resource Mobilization:

• Coordinated with other CEDAC projects to ensure cross-functional collaborations, such as linking saving groups with business development and agriculture value chain development initiatives.
• Contributed to organization' resource mobilization efforts.

Key achievements:

CEDAC Credit Cooperative expanded its membership to 150, and its revolving fund grew to US$0.5 million. The SfC project in Pailin and the monitoring of the emergency food assistance project successfully met the targets and were smoothly concluded.

Dual roles:

1. Managed the Saving for Change (SfC) project, funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation through Oxfam America.

2. Managed the CEDAC Credit Cooperative (CCC).

The SfC project was an innovative and highly participatory form of community-based micro-finance. It aimed to facilitate the creation of alternative livelihood opportunities for rural women and men, helping them buffer economic shocks through access to finance. Additionally, it sought to contribute to gender equality and women's economic empowerment by providing women with access to finance (savings and microloans), building their financial literacy and numeracy, and creating space to discuss and address gender-related issues.

Project Development:

• Led the development of the new phase of the project.

Project Coordination, Management, and Delivery:

• Led the development of project strategies and work plans.
• Managed the implementation of project activities and financial matters.
• Recruited, coached, mentored and managed a project team of 23 staff and more than a hundred field animators. Monitored and evaluated project staff performance.

Financial Management:

• Managed the budget and conducted bookkeeping for all financial transactions for CCC, ensuring accuracy and transparency. Produced business plans, budget forecasts and regular financial reports to maintain accountability and inform decision-making.
• Prepared project annual budget plan and monitored financial delivery.
• Reviewed project financial reports, ensuring accuracy and compliance with donor’s requirements.

Monitoring and Evaluation:

• Contributed to the development of the saving group Management Information System (MIS).
• Developed the saving group’s performance assessment tool.
• Monitored and evaluated project performance. Identified and led the implementation of strategies to expedite the project delivery.
• Conducted quality assurance for project implementation and saving groups’ performance.
• Monitored CCC members’ savings and loans in accordance with established loan and saving policies.

Communication and Representation:

• Prepared and translated media and communication materials, and project publications.
• Represented the organization in national and international forums related to microfinance and access to finance.

Donor Relations and Reporting:

• Served as the primary liaison for the project, representing the organization in all interactions with the donor.
• Produced project narrative reports for the donor.

Partnerships and Resource Mobilization:

• Coordinated with other CEDAC projects and external stakeholders to ensure cross-functional collaborations, such as linking saving groups with business development, agriculture value chain development, and cooperatives interventions.
• Led the resource mobilization for the project. Developed project concept notes and proposals.

Key achievements:

Secured and launched a saving group project with a $1.7 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The project was successfully executed in over 2,500 villages across 16 provinces in Cambodia and established more than 4,700 active saving groups with over 69,000 members, 60% of whom were women, achieving $1.5 million in member savings and $1.7 million in member equity. The project was acclaimed by national and international alliances as the largest saving group project in Cambodia. The credit cooperative increased membership significantly and members’ savings grew to $0.4 million.

Dual roles:

1. Managed the CEDAC Credit Cooperative (CCC), which was established to provide an affordable and profitable credit scheme to members, including CEDAC staff and their relatives.

2. Served as Master Trainer for a Community-based Saving Groups project, Saving for Change (SfC), funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation through Oxfam America.

Project Development:

• Led the establishment of CCC.
• Set up the management system for CCC, including developing regulations, loan and saving policies, staff policies, loan application templates, and financial management tools.

Project Coordination, Management, and Delivery:

• Mobilized members and recruited a board of members for CCC.
• Developed TOT curricula and tools related to the formation and management of community-based saving groups.
• Provided technical support and capacity building through training, on-the-job coaching, and mentoring to project staff on project-specific and its M&E tool.
• Supervised a gender action-research project on “Community Empowering by Using REFLECT Method”, aimed at empowering poor communities socially and economically, especially women.

Financial Management:

• Managed the budget and conducted bookkeeping for all financial transactions for CCC, ensuring accuracy and transparency. Produced business plans, budget forecasts and regular financial reports to maintain accountability and inform decision-making.

Monitoring and Evaluation:

• Monitored CCC members’ savings and loans in accordance with established loan and saving policies.
• Co-conducted a study with the University of Royal Phnom Penh to understand the tourism trends in Cambodia.

Communication and Representation:

• Represented the organization in the Cambodian Community Federation Network (CCFiN).

Donor Relations and Reporting:

• Contributed to donor reports for SfC project.

Partnerships and Resource Mobilization:

• Contributed to the development of a project proposal focused on community-based savings groups.

Key achievements:

CEDAC Credit Cooperative was fully established and smoothly operated with approved regulations and policies.