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Policy & Program Officer
Sustainability, Governance & Transparency

Makati Business Club is looking for a Programs and Policy Officer – Sustainability, Governance & Transparency who will lead MBC’s initiatives on Freedom of Information (FOI), climate and sustainability policy, and budget transparency. The role will manage program implementation, policy research, government and private-sector engagement, and the Sustainability Committee’s activities. It will also support high-level dialogues, draft policy materials, and coordinate with government agencies, business leaders, civil society, and development partners.

This position reports to the Projects & Grants Manager and works closely with the Executive Director and the MBC policy and communications teams.

Duties and Responsibilities

Program Management – Sustainability

  • Coordinate all activities under MBC’s Climate & Sustainability Leadership Group (Sustainability Committee), including agenda-setting, meeting preparation, documentation, and member engagement.
  • Lead research and policy development on climate, circular economy, EPR/plastic credits, waste-to-energy (WtE), offshore wind (OSW), and other sustainability topics identified by the Committee.
  • Oversee the preparation of roundtables, government dialogues, and private-sector consultations on sustainability issues (e.g., DOF-DENR JAO, DTI, UK Embassy, Netherlands Embassy, ASEAN/Japan initiatives, etc.).
  • Manage the production of policy briefs, position papers, and meeting reports for sustainability workstreams.
  • Coordinate with external partners (embassies, CSOs, development partners, private sector, research groups) to co-organize events and support program goals.

Program Management – FOI & Budget Transparency

  • Lead implementation of MBC’s Freedom of Information (FOI) advocacy, including preparing policy briefs, statements, and congressional engagement materials.
  • Manage MBC’s participation in the PH-OGP (Philippine Open Government Partnership) as a Non-Government Steering Committee member, and support engagements with DBM and civil society.
  • Organize information sessions and briefings for Members of Congress and Senate offices to support informed discussion on the FOI Bill and related reforms.
  • Coordinate the Budget Transparency advocacy, including work on the People’s Budget Coalition, Budget Visualizer, and consultations with local and national agencies.
  • Prepare analytical notes, talking points, and briefing materials for government dialogues relevant to transparency, budget openness, and FOI.
  • Track legislative developments (e.g., FOI Bill, budget reforms, procurement reforms) and provide timely policy updates.

Stakeholder Engagement & Government Dialogues

  • Support planning and execution of high-level meetings with government officials, ensuring alignment with MBC priorities (e.g., DOF, DBM, DENR, DTI, Congress, Senate).
  • Prepare agenda notes, talking points, and post-meeting summaries.
  • Build strong relationships with business leaders, policy advocates, civil society partners, and MBC members engaged in sustainability and transparency initiatives.

Research & Policy Development

  • Conduct policy research to inform MBC positions on sustainability, climate finance, circular economy, FOI, and budget transparency.
  • Prepare drafts of policy briefs, issue notes, backgrounders, and technical summaries for the Executive Director and Board.
  • Consolidate insights from dialogues, roundtables, and consultations into actionable recommendations.

Program Coordination & Reporting

  • Maintain trackers, workplans, and progress reports for assigned workstreams.
  • Prepare donor and project reports across all assigned workstreams — including Sustainability, FOI, Budget Transparency, and related governance initiatives — ensuring accurate documentation of activities, progress, outcomes, and deliverables.
  • Support the conceptualization of new programs and project ideas for grant applications, including identifying feasible activities, outcomes, and potential partners. Provide technical inputs as needed, but not write full grant proposals.
  • Coordinate with the communications team for visibility materials, event announcements, and publications.
Qualifications
  • Bachelor’s degree in public policy, economics, political science, environmental studies, development studies, or related field.
  • At least 2–4 years of experience in policy research, program management, government engagement, or sustainability advocacy.
  • Strong understanding of Philippine governance processes, FOI, open government, climate policy, and private sector engagement.
  • Excellent writing skills; ability to draft briefs, talking points, and analytical notes clearly and accurately.
  • Strong coordination, stakeholder management, and project-tracking skills.
  • Ability to work on multiple concurrent programs with tight timelines.
  • Commitment to transparency, evidence-based policymaking, and multi-stakeholder collaboration.
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