Agriculture and Livelihood Development

📢 Job Opportunity with WCS!
WCS is looking for a “Agriculture and Livelihood Development officer” to join our team.

📍 Location: Houaphan Province
🗓️ Type: Full-Time
🕗 Working Hours: Monday to Friday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm (1.5-hour lunch break)
• Reports to (Supervisors): Community Engagement and Livelihood Coordinator
• Country Program/Sector: WCS Lao Program, Greater Mekong Region, GCP
• Expected travel: Regular travel to field sites or overseas will be required

• Organization Background:
The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) is a US non-profit, tax-exempt, private organization established in 1895 that saves wildlife and wild places by understanding critical issues, crafting science-based solutions, and taking conservation actions that benefit nature and humanity. With more than a century of experience, long-term commitments in dozens of landscapes, presence in more than 60 nations, and experience helping to establish over 150 protected areas across the globe, WCS has amassed the biological knowledge, cultural understanding and partnerships to ensure that vibrant, wild places and wildlife thrive alongside local communities. Working with local communities and organizations, that knowledge is applied to address species, habitat and ecosystem management issues critical to improving the quality of life of poor rural people whose livelihoods depend on the direct utilization of natural resources.

• Job Purpose Summary:
This position will work with the WCS program team on NEPL in partnership with the NEPL management office (MO) to develop and implement agriculture and livelihood activities under the management component of community engagement and livelihoods for NEPL NP.
The position will work closely with the WCS technical advisor for NEPL, WCS Program Manager, and WCS component lead officer.
The community engagement management section includes activities relating to:
GV model implementation
Participatory Land Use Planning (PLUP/FALUPAM)
Community Conservation Agreements (CCA)
Village Action Plans (VAP)
Village development funds (VDF)
Livelihood improvement activities such as coffee, honey, tea and cattle, intensification, and other food.
All community engagement activities will strictly follow FPIC principles and the empower of woman will be actively perused.

• KEY RESPONSIBILITY
The main responsibility of this position is to assist the WCS component lead in the development and improvement of village agriculture and agro-forestry practies, with tha aim of improving the lives of the community while reducing dependencies on natural resourses within the core biodiversity areas of NEPL NP. We currently work within the Forest Development Village Model of community engagement.
Assist with the annual, quarterly and monthly planning of the livelihood and community engagement component of the NEPL NP program with specific focus on agriculture and agro-forestry activities.
Lead on the identification of current and future community livelihood improvement opportunities with specific focus on agriculture and agro-forestry activities.
Provide recommendations relating to current and future opportunities to improve community agro-forestry practices.
Lead on activity level planning, development of methodology and budget development.
Lead on the development and delivery of relevant training and capacity development activities to NEPL MU staff, relevant GOL agencies and community members.
Implement activities at the village level closely following FPIC principles and technical guidelines.
Conduct regular village visits to monitor the progress of activities and to provide technical support.
Ensure adequate and effective reporting of livelihoods and community engagement activities in a timely manner.
Prepare and deliver presentations (Lao and English) and provide technical input during meetings, missions, and workshops as required.
Provide day-to-day mentoring and support for NEPL MU staff assigned to the community engagement component.
Enter, manage and analyse data generated by livelihoods and community engagement activities;
Provide inputs into grant and proposal development as requested.
Contribute to reports developed for donors and the government;
Support with translating documents related to livelihoods and community engagement as requested by the WCS component lead, program manager, and program director;
With the Program Manager’s assistance with managing and monitoring the assigned budgets for livelihoods and community engagement activities, particularly livelihood-related activities related to agriculture and agro forestry practices.
Maintain detailed knowledge of the NEPL management plan and WCS’s strategic program objective on NEPL NP;
Other duties as determined by the WCS Coordinator or program manager;

• Shade Grown Coffee Project
WCS (In partnership with the NEPL MO) currently facilitates a shade grown coffee project involving 5 villages, 80 households and around 9 ha of coffee (in production phase).
This position will focus largely on the facilitation of this coffee project involving:
Facilitation and co-ordination between key partners, Donors, DAEO, Technical Advisors (CIRAD / GreenCup team) Villages and the buyer Saffron Coffee.
Ensure and improve quality control
Continue to build capacity within the coffee group
Expand current coffee areas
Provide technical support

🎓 Qualifications:
• Education:
– Diploma or bachelor’s degree in agriculture, agro-forestry, agro-business, forestry or related field.

• Experience:
– At least 3-5 years’ experience working in community agriculture / agro-forestry practices.
– At least 3-5 years’ experience working in community engagement.
– Experience working at the community level in relation to agricultural improvements.
– At least 3-5 years’ experience working in the field with communities and government of Lao agencies.
– Some experience working with NGO organizations in Lao will be an advantage.

• Knowledge and skills:
– Strong knowledge of community agricultural practices in the context of Lao PDR
– Knowledge of conservation and natural resource management issues in Lao PDR.
– Working knowledge of the community engagement framework, and FPIC principles applied in Lao PDR.
– Working knowledge of general conservation principles.

• Ability and skills
– Ability to work as part of a developing team.
– Ability to communicate effectively at all levels.
– Excellent Lao language skills, both written and verbal.
– Proven user skills and literacy regarding computer software such as Microsoft Office products.
– The ability to speak khumu and Hmong languages will be an advantage.
– Experience in data entry and analysis.
– GIS and data base skills will an advantage.
– English language skills will be an advantage.

📬 To Apply:
Interested candidates, who meet the above qualifications should apply by emailing an application letter and CV to 📧 recruitmentlaos@wcs.org

🗓️ Deadline: 01 June 2026

📝 Subject line: Please include “Agriculture and Livelihood Development officer” in the subject line of your email.

WCS is an equal opportunity employer, and the organization complies with all employment and labor laws and regulations that prohibit discrimination in hiring and ensures that candidates from all backgrounds are fairly and consistently considered during the recruitment process. We are dedicated to hiring and supporting a diverse workforce. We are committed to cultivating an inclusive work environment and look for future team members who share that same value. The organization provides equal employment opportunities for all qualified candidates. The organization does not discriminate for employment based on age, color, disability, gender identify, national origin, race, religion, sexual orientation, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by laws and regulations.