Project Field Officer
JOB DETAIL
Guided by the global UNDP Strategic Plan (2022 – 2025) and UNDP Country Programme for Lao PDR (2022 – 2026), UNDP in Lao PDR works closely with the line Ministries, mass organizations, civil society, development partners, and the private sector at both national and sub-national levels in pursuit of the national socio-economic development priorities defined in Lao PDR’s five-year National Socio-Economic Development Plan (NSEDP) and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The UNDP’s work is strongly focused on the provision of policy advice and technical support to the Government of Lao PDR in the design and implementation of national legislation and strategies across four broad Priority Pillars – (1) inclusive growth and reduced inequalities, (2) UXO clearance and risk education, (3) natural resources, climate change and disaster risk reduction, as well as (4) effective, responsive, and accountable governance.
UNDP has a long history of working in Lao PDR. UNDP’s comparative advantage has been its ability to work closely with a very broad range of government and local-level institutions at all levels. The new UNDP country programme is aligned with the 9th NSEDP and is anchored in UNDP’s long-term partnership with the Government of more than three decades. The new programme builds on the achievements of the previous CPD that saw the incorporation of the SDGs into the national planning architecture. It will aim to support Lao PDR in recover from the economic and social impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and continue its transition from LDC status, with a particular emphasis on supporting inclusive growth and reducing inequality.
UNDP Lao PDR, Governance Unit:
The UNDP’s programming on effective, responsive and accountable governance, inter alia, focuses on the provision of policy advice and technical support to the Government of Lao PDR to (1) enhance the rule of law, access to justice, and protection of human rights, (2) strengthen people’s participation in decisionmaking through increased access to information and political representation, (3) enhance public administration reform and the access to public services for all.
Being the largest global development knowledge network with particular institutional expertise on governance, UNDP in Lao PDR co-chairs the Governance Sector Working Group (along with co-chairing the Public Sector Improvement Sub-Sector Working Group and Legal and Institutional Oversight SubSector Working Group) of the Round Table Process, a national mechanism to coordinate the implementation of the NSEDPs and SDGs across the governmental institutions, development partners, CSOs and the private sector.
The LAO PDR Efficiency and Accessibility to Public services (LEAP) Programme:
The LAO PDR Efficiency and Accessibility to Public services (LEAP) Programme aims to improve the quality of public services by enhancing efficiency, effectiveness, accessibility, and inclusivity, in a context characterized by various challenges, including the socio-economic strains exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing digital transformation since 2021, which are rapidly reshaping citizen needs. This stresses the urge for adaptive measures to address these needs and to build resilience within the public administration system. The initiative addresses barriers such as high regulatory burdens, excessive fees, and limited government capacity in remote areas through streamlined processes and digital solutions, including One-Stop Service Centers (ODSCs). Despite hurdles in ODSC implementation, the government’s commitment to digitalization and standards improvement, outlined in the National Strategy on Public Services (2023), presents a critical opportunity for modernizing service delivery nationwide. Local governments are pivotal in bridging gaps, particularly in remote areas, ensuring equitable service access. Civil society organizations (CSOs) play a crucial role in advocacy and capacity-building, fostering transparency, citizen participation, and advocating for vulnerable groups’ rights. The UNDP’s Public Administration and Participation Portfolio proposes this framework, combining two main components, one focusing on improving access to public services through ODSCs and the other focuses on reinforcing the role of the national civil society in promoting these public services. The overall objective is to catalyse transformative change, partnering with the Ministry of Home Affairs to strengthen public service delivery in Lao PDR and increasing civic space in the country.
The Project Field Officer works under the general supervision of the Head of the Governance unit team leader and collaborates closely with the Governance Analyst and the Programme Analyst.
Provide support to ensure effective project planning and implementation
- Guide and assist in the planning, coordination, and implementation of project activities to ensure alignment with project objectives and timelines outlined in the project document and adherence to applicable UNDP policy and programme management procedures and Government standards, rules, and regulations.
- Support the drafting of project plans, including work plans, monitoring, communications strategies, HR plans, and budgets.
- Assist in procurement and recruitment processes associated with the implementation of project activities, including procuring goods and services, drafting Terms of Reference (TOR), recruiting consultants and experts, facilitating hiring processes, and liaising with relevant support units within UNDP.
- Traveling to locations where the project is operational, providing on-ground support to the team at provincial and district levels as needed.
Guide and support coordination and engagement with key project partners and relevant stakeholders to ensure their effective engagement in the implementation of project activities
- Act as a liaison officer between project teams and partners, ensuring clear communication of project goals and updates.
- Regularly communicate with the Ministry of Home Affairs, CSOs, Development Partners and/or other relevant stakeholders guided by the Project Manager. This includes facilitating the assessment of training needs and opportunities for project personnel and partners and ensuring that the workshops and/or training address those needs.
- Support the Project Manager to strengthen partnerships with key stakeholders from both Development Partners through sharing information on the project and inviting them to key events.
- Support the engagement and coordination with stakeholders at the provincial and district levels to the project locations, ensuring effective collaboration and implementation of project activities.
Provision of logistics administration and support for project events
- Lead the preparation and execution of project events such as workshops, consultations, training sessions, and launches, ensuring compliance with UNDP regulations and processes.
- Support the Project Manager on all aspects related to logistics and administration of the project and as needed. They could involve drafting concept notes, invitations, list of participants, and other necessary documents, organizing travel arrangements, and contributing to other logistics, administration and support tasks as appropriate.
- Provide translation from English to Lao and vice versa of documents as appropriate.
Ensure implementation oversight and reporting
- Provide technical assistance to project personnel to ensure adherence to established procedures.
- Support to take notes for minutes/meeting notes of the workshops/meetings.
- Facilitate project review and evaluation meetings and leading the implementation of decisions, recommendations, and course corrections.
Facilitate knowledge management
- Contribute to knowledge sharing and dissemination of information related to project objectives.
- Assist the Communications officer in preparing communications materials to ensure dissemination of correct information related to project activities.
- Support the Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) Officer if needed in executing M&E tasks and contribute to the project’s M&E report as appropriate. This could involve collecting relevant information, providing pre- and post- workshop surveys/assessments to participants and providing a summary of responses
The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.
Core competencies:
- Achieve Results: LEVEL 1: Set and align challenging, achievable objectives for multiple projects, have lasting impact
- Think Innovatively: LEVEL 1: Proactively mitigate potential risks, develop new ideas to solve complex problems
- Learn Continuously: LEVEL 1: Create and act on opportunities to expand horizons, diversify experiences
- Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 1: Proactively initiate and champion change, manage multiple competing demands
- Act with Determination: LEVEL 1: Think beyond immediate task/barriers and take action to achieve greater results
- Engage and Partner: LEVEL 1: Political savvy, navigate complex landscape, champion inter-agency collaboration
- Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 1: Appreciate benefits of diverse workforce and champion inclusivity
Cross-Functional & Technical competencies:
Business Direction & Strategy
- System Thinking: Ability to use objective problem analysis and judgment to understand how interrelated elements coexist within an overall process or system, and to consider how altering one element can impact on other parts of the system
Business Development
- Knowledge Facilitation: Ability to animate individuals and groups, internally and externally, and to design and facilitate activities, to share and exchange knowledge, information and ideas. Knowledge of tools and approaches to stimulate active participation, contribution, and exchange.
Business Management
- Communication: Ability to communicate in a clear, concise, and unambiguous manner both through written and verbal communication; to tailor messages and choose communication methods depending on the audience
- Ability to manage communications internally and externally, through media, social media, and other appropriate channels
Partnership management
- Relationship Management: Ability to engage with a wide range of public and private partners, build, sustain and/or strengthen working relations, trust and mutual understanding
- Advanced university degree (master’s degree or equivalent) in Business Administration, Public Administration, Economics, Political Sciences, Social Sciences, or related field is required, or
- A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in the areas mentioned above, in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree
- Applicants with a master’s degree (or equivalent) in a relevant field of study are not required to have professional work experience.
- Applicants with a bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) are required to have a minimum of two (2) years of relevant professional experience at the national or international level in project support, including providing management advisory services, supporting the design, monitoring, and evaluation of development projects, and assisting in project management activities
- Experience in the use of computers, office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.) and web-based management systems, and advanced knowledge of spreadsheet and database packages.
- Knowledge and experience in governance-related areas and digitalization of the public sector is required
- Familiarity with UNDP policies and procedures, as well as government regulations.
- Experience with project planning and implementation.
- Experience in project coordination.
- Ability to assist in drafting comprehensive project plans, including work plans and budgets.
Required Languages:
- Fluency in written and spoken English and Lao is required.
