Livelihood&Technical Training Specialist

Livelihood and Technical Training Specialist.
(1 national, intermittent) (Subject to Award)

World Vision is a global community of millions, working together for Hope, Joy and Justice for All Children Our vision for every child, life in all its fullness.

Are you driven by purpose and ready to leave your legacy on a nation’s future?

We’re searching for a committed expert with the passion and vision to help drive multi-billion dollar initiative that will shape the next chapter of Lao PDR’s development.

World Vision’s calling in Lao PDR

World Vision is a child-focused organization operating in Laos since 1968 initially through relief assistance provided to people displaced by the Indochina War until 1975. After the reopening in 1991, our mission to build brighter futures for Lao children has never stopped. Our grassroots approach allows us to create a life-changing experience for the communities we serve through development, relief, and advocacy projects, adapting to the continuously evolving challenges faced by the most fragile part of the population. Our programs are now focusing on the most vulnerable children, especially in rural areas, with ethnic communities different than Lao-Tai through the following priority sectors: Integrated Health & Nutrition, Education, Climate Change Adaptation and Livelihood, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene.

1. Project Background

The Building Resilience and Reducing Rural Poverty Project (BRRRP) is a critical initiative by the Government of Lao PDR, in collaboration with the Asian Development Bank (ADB), aimed at addressing food insecurity, rural poverty, and reduce vulnerabilities exacerbated by climate change. It aims to improve the health, resilience, and socioeconomic profile of poor households, particularly women, through a combination of adaptive and shock-responsive social protection measures. This project aligns with the national priorities outlined in Lao PDR’s strategic frameworks and complements ongoing efforts in poverty reduction and social protection.

1. Key components of the project include:

• Output 1: Coverage of shock-responsive and nutrition-sensitive conditional cash transfer
• program expanded.
• Output 2: Gender-responsive and climate-resilient poverty graduation program piloted.
• Output 3: Social protection delivery systems and CCT implementation enhanced.
• Output 4. Institutional capacity for gender-smart and climate-responsive monitoring and

evaluation strengthened.

Output 2: Gender-responsive and climate-resilient poverty graduation program piloted.

Output 2 will support the design, implementation, and impact evaluation of the first climate resilient and gender-responsive poverty graduation program specifically for rural women in the Lao PDR. The pilot will benefit at least 4,500 rural women CCT beneficiaries across four districts of selected provinces: Xayabory district, Xaignabouli; Chomphet district, Louangphrabang; Assaphone district, Savannakhet; and Boualapha district, Khammouan.1 Recognizing the multidimensional nature of poverty and climate vulnerability, the program will offer a holistic set of carefully sequenced, climate-smart, and time-bound interventions tailored for poor women, combining targeted cash transfers with: (i) livelihood grants to pursue climate-resilient and sustainable livelihoods, (ii) technical skills training, (iii) support for financial inclusion, and (iv) social empowerment through psychosocial support, including dedicated coaching and life skills training to promote social inclusion and positive behavior change. The program will follow a gender-responsive approach focused on building women’s social capital, promoting intra household decision-making, and engaging men to transform gender norms.

The gender-responsive and climate-resilient poverty graduation pilot program in Lao PDR aims to reduce multidimensional poverty and climate vulnerability and promote economic inclusion of the women beneficiaries and their households by placing them on an upward trajectory out of poverty into climate-resilient and sustainable livelihoods. The pilot consists of activities across five poverty graduation pillars (social protection, livelihoods promotion, financial inclusion, social empowerment, coaching & mentorship), in a strategic sequence within 24 months to empower poor women with the skills, knowledge, tools, access to resources, livelihoods, and self-confidence to build long-term resilience, particularly to climate shocks. The pilot combines support for immediate needs (conditional cash transfer) with longer-term investments in training and income generation to build long-term resilience.

The pilot will entail a detailed planning and preparatory phase from Q3 2025 to Q1 2026, followed by implementation from Q2 2026 to Q1 2028. The Department of Rural Development (DRD) under the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) will be the leading department for the poverty graduation pilot program, supported by a technical support partner firm.

World Vision International – Laos hiring consultant – Livelihood and Technical Training Specialist. (1 national, intermittent)

The position is offered under a 12-month contract.

Major Responsibilities:

The consultant will have overall responsibility for delivering the deliverables outlined. She/he will Support the design, implementation, and monitoring of all livelihoods related pilot activities and training, including but not limited to:

1. Oversee the market assessment to identify a menu of climate-resilient and sustainable livelihood options in the selected locations and strategies to adapt them to climate change and disaster risks specific to the locations;
2. Develop tools related to livelihoods development and provide training to district level coordinators, coaches and DRD staff on:
3. Livelihood matching tool to help participants select suitable livelihoods considering the minimum requirements to participate in the livelihood, including skills, resources, level of literacy, etc.
4. Livelihood plan template that clearly indicates i) selected income-generating activity; ii) rationale for its selection; iii) a detailed list of assets, raw materials, equipment, tools or inputs needed to start or enhance an existing livelihood, and iv) potential diversification strategies.
5. Proof of livelihood grant utilization for participants to demonstrate utilization as indicated and approved in the livelihood plan within three months of receiving the grant.

• Provide inputs and recommendations on relevant indicators, procedures, and tools to ensure regular monitoring of the livelihoods supported and provide support in the analysis of monthly livelihoods monitoring data.

1. Organize Training of Trainers (ToT) for coaches on basic business skills training to equip them to deliver the training to pilot participants.
2. Identify and recommend partnerships to deliver necessary technical training to pilot participants and leverage existing services.
3. Develop highly contextualized strategies and provide guidance to the district level coordinators, coaches, and DRD staff through in-person training and/or developing Guidance Note(s) to communicate clear and consistent guidance on the following:
4. support pilot participants in purchasing good quality assets, raw materials, equipment, tools or inputs;
5. use of mobile money to access digital financial services wherever possible
6. utilization of second tranche of livelihood grant;
7. strategies to grow and diversify income sources.

• Support the development of the accelerated and intensive support initiative in collaboration with the Gender and Social Development Specialist.

Preferred Knowledge and Qualifications

• Advanced degree in livelihoods, value chains, sustainable development, economics, public policy, or related fields.
• At least 10 years of experience in livelihood programs, including small and medium-sized enterprises in the context of poverty reduction, social protection, economic inclusion, rural development, and women’s empowerment.
• Experience in climate-resilient livelihoods development is a plus.
• Experience in Lao PDR required.

Encouragement

World Vision is committed to the principles of workplace diversity. Qualified women and people with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

World Vision offers a competitive salary and comprehensive benefits package. We offer a challenging work environment, opportunities to lead, and a commitment to growing your skills in a fulfilling and international working environment.

Interested candidates are invited to submit a Cover Letter (indicate your daily rate here) and CV to WVLao_Application@wvi.org . Please indicate the Position Title.  This is a rolling recruitment; Applicants are encouraged to apply early as applications will be reviewed on an ongoing basis and the position may be closed once a suitable candidate is identified.

Please note: i) No transfer of invitation to another party; ii) Applicants must not have any conflicting activities, assignments, or relationships that may compromise their eligibility and; iii) Selected applicants must possess the legal capacity to enter into binding and enforceable contracts.

Women are strongly encouraged to apply.

Code of Conduct

World Vision has zero tolerance of incidents of violence or abuse against children and other people in the communities we serve, either committed by our staff or others connected to our work. We abhor any misuse of power, status, or trusted position for any sexual or other exploitative purposes. All World Vision’s employees are required to adhered to and promote World Vision shared responsibility and obligation to report matters involving Sexual Exploitation & Abuse, Trafficking in Persons, Child Safeguarding and any suggested violation to our Code of Conduct which may involve Conflicts of Interest, Fraud, Corruption or Harassment.

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www.wvi.org/laos

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