Project Manager for Bioeconomy Activator Program

Company Description

Indonesian Business Council (IBC) is an association of business and industry leaders in Indonesia. It provides a collaborative platform for private sector professionals to share insights, foster corporate governance, and exchange best practices. IBC undertakes research and data analysis to develop policy recommendations aimed at enhancing Indonesia's economic competitiveness and societal welfare. The Council actively engages with government officials, policymakers, business leaders, and civil society to promote transparency and create a favorable public policy environment.

Project Background

Despite being one of the world's mega biodiversity countries, Indonesia continues to rely on extractive models that generate diminishing long-term value. Economic gainsremainconcentrated in low-margin raw material supply rather than science-driven, high-value downstream industries. Meanwhile, global demand for bio-based sectors is accelerating, with cosmetics projected to exceed USD 580 billion by 2030 and functional foods surpassing USD 165 billion and growing. Competitiveadvantagesin these industries depend on control over R&D, bioactive ingredients, formulation, and intellectual property. Yet Indonesiaremainspositioned primarily as a supplier of biological inputs, with fragmented and underdeveloped NTFP and botanical value chains.

IBCispiloting an industry-ledbioeconomymodelfocused oncosmeticandfunctional nutrition/superfoods.OECDitselfidentifiesbioeconomy asthe production of renewable biological resources and their conversion into food, feed, bio-based products, and bioenergy through innovation and technology.The Projectaims to connect bioeconomy research with market opportunities through a private sector coalition.These sectors were selected deliberatelyasthey are science-intensive, ingredient-driven, and highly dependent on bioactive compounds abundant in tropical ecosystems,yet require advanced R&D, extraction technology, and formulation capabilities to meet global standards.

The 2026Program'soutputswillinclude2 (two)(bio)prospectusesin beauty and functional food industriesdesigned as practical benchmarks for value chain integration, investment alignment, and cross-sectorR&Dcollaborationwhichincludes SMEsacross the valuechain tolarge scalemanufacturing.The Project will also deliver an industry-university R&D coalition guidelines that captures the project's journey and learnings. The guidelineisaimed at providing a benchmark for industries,universitiesand R&D institutions in collaborating products that meets global standards of collaboration.

IBC is currently looking for a candidate to fill in the Project Manager position. The Project Manager will report toIBC's Director of Policy and Programthroughout the 12-month duration ofprojectimplementation.

Project Objective

The Project Objective is to build an industry-led partnership to produce high quality (bio) prospectusesin the beauty/democosmeticsand food/functional nutrition/superfood to be used as benchmark for further research,commercializationand investment. It is also aimedtocapturebest practices in building industry-university collaboration to improve innovationecosystemsfor R&D.

Scope of Work

The Project Manager will lead the overall implementation of the Bioeconomy Accelerator Program over a 12-month period. The role requires strong product development experience, commercial acumen, stakeholder management capability, and the ability to translate research and biodiversity assets intoviable, high-value industry opportunities.

The Project Manager will coordinate cross-sector stakeholders including private sector partners, universities, government agencies, and development partners.

The Project Manager's scope of work will include the following areas:

1. Deliver high quality, industrial standard (bio)prospectusrepresentingbeauty and F&B industry in collaboration with credible research institutions, private sector, universities, Ministries/Agencies
2. Co-author industry-led coalition R&D collaboration guidelines
3. Project management, implementation, supervisory
4. Identify, map,initiateand engagement key stakeholders to the project's success
5. Project team management including team coordination, quality assurance, troubleshooting
6. Provide comprehensive monthly,quarterlyand final activity and financial reports to IBC Core team beforesubmittingto donor and partners

Key Responsibilities

The Project Manageris responsible for:

1. Lead robust project workplan in coordination with IBC core team (e.g: Director for Policy and Program, Director of Strategy andAdministrationand Principal for Policy and Program) and private sector partners
2. Plan,leadand manage schedules related to Focus Group Discussions(FGDs, workshops, stakeholder meetings aligning with the workplan and project strategies
3. Lead the Terms of Reference formulation ofall ofthe key project deliverables(bioprospectusesand guidelines)in coordination withIBCteam, project partners, donors, etc.
4. Oversee,monitorand reportproject's budgeting including submission ofpayment requirements by the donor, disbursementschedulesand procurement to the IBC Core team
5. Lead project stakeholders mapping and engagement in coordination with IBC Core team and project partners
6. Coordinate with donors on progress,monitoringand evaluation of project with prior approval from IBC Core Team
7. Manage the project team which consists of a Project Associate and an Admin and FinanceOfficerdailywhich includes regular cadences, provide direction and troubleshooting of project bottlenecks
8. Ensure the project is implemented on schedule and milestones are metin a timely mannerandhigh-qualitydeliverables
9. Oversee,monitorand provide quality assurance to the consultants works ensuring the production ofhigh-qualitydeliverables
10. Lead project strategy in engaging,maintainingand coordinate private sector partners in the project
11. Ensure methodological rigor and data integrity.

Deliverables

The Project Manager is responsible to ensure the following deliverables are met with robustness, of high quality and accountability:

1. Inception Report (methodology, pilot design, detailed workplan)
2. (Bio) prospectus of selected plants, commodities, ingredients in the beauty industry
3. (Bio) prospectus of selected plants, commodities, ingredients in the food/functional food/superfood industry
4. Industry-led R&D collaboration guidelines
5. Project workplan and budget to be approved by IBC Core Team
6. Project monthly, quarterly and final activity report and financial report
7. Project stakeholder mapping based on value chain approach as agreed by IBC Core team

Duration for Assignment

The Project Manager will be hired for 12 (twelve) months as of the date of the contract signing.

Reporting Arrangement

The Project Manager will be reporting toIBC's Director for Policy and Program for the delivery of project activities and deliverables.

Required Qualification

The Project Manager is required to have the following qualifications:

• Master's degree in business,industrialengineering,environmentalscience,orSTEMrelated field
• Minimum10years of experience in product development, innovation management, commercialization, or industry strategy
• Proven experience conducting market feasibility studies and commercial assessments
• Strong business acumen and understanding of value chain economics
• Demonstrated experience managing teams and multi-stakeholder projects
• Experience engaging private sector, government, and/or international donors
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English and Bahasa Indonesia
• Experience in bioeconomy, beauty or F&B sector is preferred
• Experience in donor-funded or government projects is preferred.

Required Competencies

The Project Manager is required to have the followingcompetencies:

• Experience inbeauty/F&B/bio-based industries/agribusiness or FMCG is preferred
• Strategic thinking with strong execution capability
• Commercially driven and innovation-oriented
• Strong stakeholder management and coalition-building skills
• Analytical, structured, and outcome-focused
• High integrity and ability tooperatein complex multi-sector environments

Application Documents

Applicants shall submit:

• Curriculum Vitae highlighting relevant experience
• At least two references from similar assignments

Contact Person& Application deadline

Applicants shall submit the required documents to[Confidential Information]before Friday, 6thof March 2026