E&S Senior Manager Director Mekong Capital

About Us

We are a private equity fund manager with a long-term track record of investing in and building leading companies in Vietnam. Our investment approach emphasizes strong corporate governance value creation and alignment with international environmental and social standards.

One of our current strategies focuses on agriculture and forestry businesses across Vietnam Laos and Cambodia including companies sourcing from smallholder farmers. We partner with management teams to build sustainable scalable businesses that deliver both financial returns and positive impact.

Objective:

We are seeking an experienced Environmental & Social (E&S) professional to lead ESG risk assessment due diligence and post-investment monitoring across our investment lifecycle.

This role is critical to ensuring:

• All investments meet international E&S standards
• Material risksparticularly those arising from smallholder supply chainsare identified and mitigated prior to investment
• Portfolio companies implement robust systems and continuously improve E&S performance

The successful candidate will combine technical expertise commercial judgment and a hands-on field orientation.

Location: Open for HCM & Hanoi

I. Key Responsibilities:

1. Pre-Investment Screening & Risk Assessment

• Conduct E&S screening of pipeline opportunities with a focus on smallholder-based sourcing models
• Identify and assess material risks including:
• Land tenure and informal land use
• Deforestation land conversion and biodiversity impact
• Traceability gaps and sourcing from high-risk areas
• Labor practices including informal and family labor
• Community relations and potential conflicts
• Evaluate the robustness of sourcing and supplier management systems
• Classify investments and assess alignment with international standards (e.g. IFC Performance Standards EUDR FSC)
• Provide clear actionable input to deal teams including identification of red flags and no-go risks

2. Due Diligence & Investment Execution

• Lead E&S due diligence including field-based assessments of supply chains and sourcing regions
• Conduct site visits and engage directly with farmers cooperatives and local stakeholders
• Assess company systems for supplier onboarding traceability and monitoring
• Identify gaps and develop practical Environmental & Social Action Plans (ESAPs) including:
• Supplier standards and onboarding frameworks
• Traceability and monitoring systems
• Farmer training and capacity-building programs
• Integrate E&S considerations into investment decisions including investment memos valuation and transaction structuring

3. Post-Investment Monitoring & ESMS Implementation

• Support portfolio companies in building and strengthening Environmental & Social Management Systems (ESMS)
• Design and implement systems to manage supply chain risks including:
• Supplier screening and risk classification
• Monitoring of deforestation land use and compliance
• Worker health & safety and labor practices
• Grievance mechanisms accessible to farmers and communities
• Conduct periodic site visits and audits including spot checks at farm and aggregation levels
• Monitor performance against ESAPs and key metrics (e.g. traceability coverage certification progress compliance rates)
• Ensure timely identification and resolution of incidents or non-compliance

4. Value Creation & ESG Integration

• Identify opportunities to enhance value through improved sustainability and sourcing practices including:
• Certification (e.g. FSC Rainforest Alliance)
• Farmer engagement training and productivity improvements
• Resource efficiency and climate resilience
• Support management teams in embedding ESG into core operations and sourcing strategies
• Contribute to building inclusive scalable sourcing models that strengthen farmer livelihoods

5. Reporting & Stakeholder Engagement

• Prepare high-quality E&S reporting for LPs including DFIs and other impact-oriented investors
• Ensure alignment with relevant frameworks (e.g. IFC Performance Standards IRIS SFDR where applicable)
• Support audits reviews and engagement with external stakeholders (e.g. DFIs certification bodies NGOs)

6. Policy & Capability Development

• Maintain and enhance the firms E&S policies and procedures with a focus on agriculture and smallholder supply chains
• Develop practical tools for screening risk assessment and monitoring
• Train investment professionals to effectively identify and manage E&S risks

II. Key Requirements:

• 715 years of experience in E&S ESG or sustainability roles
• Strong experience in agriculture forestry and smallholder-based supply chains
• Experience working in Vietnam Laos Cambodia or comparable markets preferred
• Deep familiarity with international standards particularly IFC Performance Standards and EHS Guidelines
• Experience working with presenting to and reporting to Development Finance Institutions strongly preferred
• Demonstrated experience conducting E&S due diligence and implementing ESMS/ESAPs

Skills & Attributes

• Ability to translate complex E&S risks into clear investment implications and decisions
• Practical solutions-oriented approach with experience operating in low-control distributed supply chains
• Strong field orientation and willingness to travel extensively to rural sourcing areas
• Ability to engage effectively with both senior management teams and local stakeholders
• High integrity sound judgment and ability to operate independently in a performance-driven environment

Education

• Advanced degree in environmental science forestry agriculture sustainability or a related field preferred