Communications Officer

Job Purpose: 

The Communications Officer is based full-time at MAG’s UXO Visitor Information Centre (VIC) in Vientiane. They are responsible for welcoming and informing visitors about the UXO situation in Lao PDR and MAG’s work, ensuring an excellent visitor experience, managing merchandise sales and donations, and supporting the day-to-day operations of the VIC. They guide individual visitors and tour groups through the exhibition and respond to questions, helping to raise awareness of the impact of UXO and MAG’s humanitarian work. They also play a key role in keeping the Centre clean, organized, and engaging. The VIC is open six days a week during the low season and seven days a week during the high season; as such, weekend work is required, although working hours will be limited to five days per week.

Responsibilities:

Visitor Engagement:

• Greet visitors warmly, ensure a professional and welcoming atmosphere.
• Host and guide individual visitors and tour groups through the exhibition, responding to questions and providing relevant background information.
• Provide accurate and engaging information to visitors about: MAG’s global and in-country operations, UXO contamination and clearance in Lao PDR, the history and impact of conflict, UXO types, and MAG’s methodology, MAG’s contribution to development (e.g. education, food security, infrastructure).
• Encourage visitors to leave public reviews on platforms such as Google Maps and TripAdvisor, and to share their experience on social media to help raise awareness of MAG’s work.

Centre Operations and Maintenance:

• Ensure the VIC is tidy, safe, and well-presented at all times.
• Maintain and update informational displays as directed.
• Look after MAG property and promptly report maintenance or repair needs.
• Coordinate daily administrative tasks including visitor data, reporting, and communication with suppliers.

Merchandise and Donation Management:

• Manage sales of merchandise and collection of donations in line with MAG procedures.
• Monitor and restock merchandise displays regularly.
• Keep accurate records of sales and stock movement; prepare and submit monthly reports.
• Operate credit card machines and issue receipts in line with banking and finance procedures.
• Provide feedback to the Communications Coordinator regarding stock levels and visitor preferences.

Communications Support:

• Support the Communications Coordinator in creating or preparing multimedia content (photos, stories, materials) when requested.
• Assist with events, advertising, and promotion related to the VIC.
• Support social media activity on VIC platforms only when required by the Communications Coordinator.
• Travel to field locations when necessary

Requirements and Qualification

Essential Skills and Knowledge

• Excellent spoken and good written English.
• Fluent Lao, both spoken and written.
• Confident public speaking and presentation skills.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to engage respectfully and clearly with people from diverse backgrounds.
• Basic financial skills (handling sales, receipts, and stock reporting).
• Good computer literacy, including use of Microsoft Office and basic reporting tools.

Essential Aptitude

• Warm, welcoming, and customer-oriented attitude.
• Self-motivated, reliable, and proactive in day-to-day work.
• Detail-oriented and organised, able to maintain a tidy and engaging space.
• Comfortable working independently and as part of a team.
• Able to work weekends and flexible hours as required by the VIC schedule.
• Commitment to MAG’s humanitarian mission and values, including diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Desirable

• A bachelor’s degree in any relevant field such as communications, tourism, education, international relations, development studies, or humanities.
• Previous experience in a customer-facing role, such as tourism, hospitality, education, or NGO/public information work.
• Experience handling administrative tasks and/or managing sales or stock.
• Knowledge of or interest in UXO, Lao history, or humanitarian issues.
• Additional language skills (especially French, German, or Korean).
• Experience working or volunteering in a museum, visitor center, cultural center, or educational setting.
• Basic graphic design or content creation skills (e.g. Canva, mobile photography).
• Experience supporting events or small-scale exhibitions