EWS Project Manager

Job Announcement

EWS Project Manager

1. People in Need

People in Need (PIN) is a Czech non-profit, non-governmental organization that has been implementing relief and development projects in crisis regions around the globe over its twenty-year history. PIN is an international, non-profit organization providing humanitarian and development assistance in over 20 countries worldwide. PIN draws on extensive past experiences and lessons learned across development, emergency and post emergency contexts to design, implement and monitor quality programming.

Since 2013, People in Need (PIN) has been involved in disaster risk management activities, particularly in Cambodia with the development of the Early Warning System EWS1294. In 2023, PIN started to provide technical support to disaster management organizations (DMOs) in Laos to improve their current early warning dissemination capacities and explore innovative approaches to transboundary risk communication, shared data management, and cooperation. This project developed formative research and piloted an early warning system in three provinces of Southern Laos (Champasak, Attapeu, and Saravane provinces). In August 2024, the next phase of the EWS national scale-up was launched covering in total 9 provinces.

Position: EWS Project Manager

Line Manager: Head of Programmes for Laos

Location: Vientiane (with possible relocation to Savannaketh after 4-6 months)

Schedule: Full time position

Duration: 12 months with possibility of extensions

Starting date: January 1st 2025

Salary: 1500 – 1800 USD (based on experience and skills – gross salary)

2. About the position

The EWS Project Manager (PM) will be responsible for leading and overseeing the implementation of the EWS project in Laos, ensuring alignment with organizational goals, donor requirements, and project objectives. Reporting to the Head of Programmes, PM will assume full accountability for the successful execution of all project activities, from planning to implementation, monitoring, and reporting. S/he will lead the project team in Laos, providing strategic guidance and managing the work of Project Officers and other team members to deliver results effectively and efficiently. PM will serve as the primary liaison between the project team in Laos and the EWS team in Cambodia, ensuring cross-country coordination and alignment. S/he will engage directly with national and sub-national authorities, particularly with MoNRE and PoNRE, to foster collaboration and secure stakeholder buy-in. PM will oversee the development and operationalization of EWS across 9 provinces, ensuring its technical quality and contextual relevance. S/he will also monitor and evaluate the project’s progress, identify risks and challenges, and propose mitigation measures. Additionally, s/he will supervise and coordinate the work of partners, facilitators, consultants, and enumerators, ensuring all outputs meet the required quality standards. This role requires strong coordination with support teams in Laos and Cambodia, including logistics, finance, MEAL, and communications, to ensure smooth project operations.

Based initially in Vientiane, the PM is expected to relocate to Savannakhet after 6 months. The position involves frequent travel to the field across Champasak, Attapeu, Sekong, Savannakhet, Khammuane, Saravane, Borikhamxay, Luangprabang, and Xiengkhuang provinces, requiring adaptability and commitment to fieldwork.

Main responsibilities:

* Project Management:

• Oversee the project team to ensure the quality and timely implementation of all project activities, adhering to relevant standards, best practices, internal protocols, and donor requirements.
• Design, plan, coordinate, budget, and implement the project’s field and capacity-building activities in collaboration with relevant stakeholders, under the strategic guidance of the Head of Programmes (HoP).
• Conduct regular travel to project locations for data collection, coordination with partners, and direct monitoring of the implementation of activities, ensuring outputs are delivered as planned.
• Foster strong collaboration and maintain effective communication with national and sub-national authorities of partner ministries and other relevant authorities and stakeholders in Laos involved in the project.
• Represent PIN in engagements with governmental and civil society organization stakeholders, ensuring alignment between PIN’s project implementation and the needs and priorities of the beneficiaries.
• Provide strategic advice on engaging Lao partners at the local level to enhance cooperation and achieve project objectives effectively.
• Report regularly to the HoP on the progress of activities, challenges encountered, and feedback from the field, providing field reports and other documentation as needed.
• Participate in coordination meetings with the project team and support departments, actively contributing to discussions on project planning, implementation, and troubleshooting.
• Oversee the updating and maintenance of internal project tracking tools, including the monthly progress report and monthly work plan.

* Financial Management & Administration:

• Collaborate closely with the Finance and Operations Manager to ensure accurate and timely tracking, reporting, and expenditure of project funds, in compliance with organizational and donor guidelines.
• Ensure the accurate and justified expenditure of project funds by overseeing the collection and submission of all necessary financial documentation, including invoices, receipts, and other supporting records.
• Participate in monthly financial forecasting meetings with HoP, providing insights on anticipated expenditures, challenges, and adjustments needed for efficient financial planning, as required.
• Support the process of budget revision and development when necessary, ensuring alignment with project goals, donor requirements, and updated implementation plans.

* Programme Quality & MEAL:

• Monitor the quality of the program and report any feedback to the Head of Programmes.
• Develop monitoring tools and support data collection in the field potentially with enumerators, under the supervision with HoP and in collaboration with the MEAL department.
• Assist in the collection of meeting minutes and other tracking documents, if necessary.
• Support the Head of Programmes in the development of projects in order to ensure the quality of the program design.
• Ensure correct filling of all activity documents (e.g. attendance lists, MoVs), both hardcopies and soft copies.
• Ensure that beneficiaries are knowledgeable of PIN’s CFRM during all project activity implementation.
• Ensure compliance with PIN Data Protection policy.

* HR Management:

• Provide leadership, day-to-day support, coordination and mentoring to project officers and field officers;
• Ensure that all staff are clear on their tasks through monthly workplans;
• Ensure appropriate division of work between staff members.

#  Other

• Support in the development of project proposals;
• And fulfils any other tasks as required.

* Qualifications required:

Desired Knowledge, Skills and Competencies:

• Degree in International Development, Disaster Risk Reduction, Water management or a close field
• Minimum of 3 years of project management experience in the field of disaster risk reduction, climate resilience, or similar.
• Proven ability to coordinate teams, manage work plans, and oversee the implementation of project activities, including in field-based settings.
• Demonstrated experience working with local and national government authorities in Laos PDR.
• Experience supervising and supporting project officers, facilitators, and consultants.
• Very good level of English (B2) and Lao (C1), both written and spoken.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
• Demonstrated ability prioritize tasks effectively, and meet tight deadlines.

# Preferred

• Familiarity with disaster risk reduction frameworks, community-based approaches, or climate change adaptation
• Familiarity with project management tools and/or GIS software is an advantage

* BENFITS:

• 18 days of Annual Leave per year
• Monthly Phone Card Allowance
• Insurance (Hospital & Surgical, Accident, NSSO)
• A friendly and good working environment
• Training and capacity development opportunities

This Position is open for National Candidates. Interested candidates should send their CV (with 3 references) and cover letter via our application form to Human Resources Department by this link: https://apply.workable.com/j/A4F3147AC5, no later than 31st December 2024. Candidates are also encouraged to familiarize themselves with PIN’s website and Facebook. PIN reserves the right to select the candidate before the closure of the vacancy and only short-listed applicants will be contacted. PIN are committed to ensuring diversity and gender equality within our organization and encourage applicants from diverse backgrounds to apply, especially women.

People in Need is committed to preventing any type of unwanted behavior at work including sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse, lack of integrity and financial misconduct and committed to promoting the welfare of children and adults with whom People in Need engages /is in contact with. People in Need expects all staff to perform job duties and responsibilities in accordance with People in Need code of conduct and key policies (available at: https://www.peopleinneed.net/key-policies-4142gp). People in Need Staff will undertake the appropriate level of training.

All offers of employment will be subject to satisfactory references and appropriate screening checks.

CONTACT DETAIL:

Address           : Sourisa Apartment, Nongbone Village, Saysettha District, Vientiane Capital, Lao P.D.R

Name               : People In Need (PIN)

Contact            : (+856) 2097767357

Facebook         : People In Need Laos