Early Childhood Education Coordinator

The role

We are currently looking for Early Childhood Education Coordinators for GPE-STG Project (3 positions) based in Vientiane Capital  

Role Purpose

The Ministry of Education and Sports (MoES) has received a System Transformation Grant (STG) from the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) to implement the “Foundational Learning Improvement Project” in disadvantaged communities of 9 districts from 5 provinces: Luang Namtha, Luang Prabang, Vientiane, Salavanh and Saysomboun. The implementation period is 3.5 years starting from July 2025 to December 2028. The MoES is an implementing agency for the GPE-STG project and Save the Children is the grant agent providing fiduciary and technical oversight of the grant.

The GPE-STG program has been designed within the approved parameters of the Partnership Compact 2024-2028 that reflects extensive dialogue between the Government and its development partners, which is based on a comprehensive analysis of enabling factors and educational data. The priority reform objective of partnership compact is “Improving foundational learning outcomes for all and supporting students in lower secondary”. To achieving this reform objective, the GPE-STG project design includes the following components:

1. Expand one-year school readiness programs for five-year-old children
2. Strengthen continuous professional development (CPD) for primary school teachers
3. Support girls at risk of dropping out of lower secondary schools

This position is reserved for Lao nationality only.

KEY AREA OF ACCOUNTABILITY

Ensure they and their team fully understand the provisions of the Child Safeguarding Policy, the Code of Conduct and Local/Country Procedures.

Conduct themselves and ensure their team conduct themselves in accordance with the rules of the Child Safeguarding Policy, in their personal and professional lives – which includes reporting suspicions of child abuse.

That child safeguarding is integrated and given a “voice” in all management processes including recruitment, induction, performance management, team meetings, annual planning processes, field level monitoring, etc.

Key responsibilities:

The ECE Program Technical Coordinator will provide technical and coordination support to the Early Childhood Education Department (ECED) of the Ministry of Education and Sports (MoES), under the guidance of the System Transformation Grant (STG) Team Leader. The position will facilitate effective implementation of early childhood education priorities under the STG, support technical inputs to strengthen ECE policy and planning, and coordinate key activities, including capacity building, monitoring, and stakeholder engagement. The Coordinator will also serve as a technical liaison with Development Partners (DPs), International Non-Governmental Organizations (INGOs), and other stakeholders working in the ECE sector in Laos to promote harmonized support to ECED and aligned program implementation.

Technical Support & Coordination

• Work closely with ECED to align ECE activities with national priorities and STG program objectives.
• Provide technical assistance for planning, implementation, and monitoring of ECE interventions under the STG.
• Support development and review of ECE curricula, learning materials, teacher guides, and training content.
• Facilitate coordination between ECED, provincial and district education offices, development partners, and implementing organizations.
• Coordinate with other technical staff from DPs, INGOs, and relevant national actors to ensure harmonization, avoid duplication, and promote alignment with national strategies.
• Ensure timely documentation and sharing of lessons learned and best practices from ECE activities.

Capacity Strengthening

• Support ECED in building technical capacity of national and subnational staff in ECE approaches, including play-based learning, inclusive education, and child development.
• Organize and coordinate training workshops, technical working groups, and joint planning sessions with ECED and stakeholders.

Monitoring, Evaluation, and Reporting

• Collaborate with the STG MEL team and ECED to ensure effective monitoring and tracking of ECE-related indicators and targets.
• Contribute to the preparation of program reports, technical briefs, and policy inputs related to ECE.
• Participate in joint field visits, technical review meetings, and donor coordination forums as required.

Policy and Advocacy Support

• Provide inputs to strengthen ECE-related policies, strategies, and operational guidelines in alignment with STG reforms.
• Support ECED in advocating for increased investment and prioritization of early childhood education at all levels.

Qualifications And Experience

• Advanced degree in Early Childhood Education, Education, Child Development, or a related field.
• Minimum 5 years of experience in designing and implementing ECE programs in development or government settings, preferably in Laos or Southeast Asia.
• Strong knowledge of ECE curriculum development, teacher training, and child-centered pedagogy.
• Experience working with or within government education systems, particularly with MoES or ECED, is highly desirable.
• Demonstrated experience coordinating with diverse stakeholders including government bodies, DPs, INGOs, and civil society.
• Excellent facilitation, coordination, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Fluency in Lao and good command of English (written and spoken) required.

Contract length: Full time/Fixed term contact with Ministry of Education and Sports

The Organisation

We employ approximately 25,000 people across the globe and work on the ground in over 100 countries to help children affected by crises, or those that need better healthcare, education and child protection. We also campaign and advocate at the highest levels to realise the right of children and to ensure their voices are heard.

We are working towards three breakthroughs in how the world treats children by 2030:

• No child dies from preventable causes before their 5th birthday
• All children learn from a quality basic education and that,
• Violence against children is no longer tolerated

We know that great people make a great organization, and that our employees play a crucial role in helping us achieve our ambitions for children.  We value our people and offer a meaningful and rewarding career, along with a collaborative and inclusive workplace where ambition, creativity, and integrity are highly valued.

Application Information:

Interested candidates please submit a full application using a cover letter and up-to-date CV as a single document including contact details of three professional referees (current and last line managers and HR department). Please also include details of your salary expectations and a copy of your ID card. Please note that we will require a copy of your Criminal Records (ໃບແຈ້ງໂທດ) later.

Apply via: https://hcri.fa.em2.oraclecloud.com/hcmUI/CandidateExperience/en/job/13029

Save the Children International is a child-rights based organization. Safe recruitment is central to the safeguarding of children and young people that we come into contact with, and support through our programmes.

We need to keep children safe so our selection process, which includes rigorous background checks, reflects our commitment to the protection of children from abuse.

Save the children is an equal opportunities employer, qualified females, persons with disability and candidates from diverse cultural backgrounds are encouraged to apply.

All employees are expected to carry out their duties in accordance with our global anti-harassment policy.