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 2025, the next phase of the EWS national scale-up has been launched covering in total 9 provinces.

Position: EWS Project Manager

Line Manager: Head of Programmes for Laos

Duty station: Vientiane Capital with frequent travel to the field across Champasak, Attapeu, Sekong, Savannakhet, Khammuane, Saravane, Borikhamxay, Luangprabang, and Xayabouly provinces, requiring adaptability and commitment to fieldwork.

Schedule: Full time position

Duration: 12 months with possibility of extensions

Starting date: September 1st 2025

Salary: 1,641 – 1,768 USD (based on experience and skills – gross salary)

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.

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.

o   Accountability and Safeguarding including Prevention of Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Harassment (SEAH)

• Carry out the duties in accordance with the PIN Code of Conduct and Key policies
• Participate in training and awareness raising (CoC and KP, Safeguarding…).
• Create and maintain a fulfilling and protective environment.
• Ensure that her/his team members attend training and awareness sessions and carry out the duties in accordance with PIN Code of Conduct and Key policies.
• Ensure strict application of media policy, including consent form for use of photos and testimonials of beneficiaries and community members, data protection/secure storage.
• Ensure that safeguarding is taken into account in the proposal development, report, etc.
• Support the operation manager in the implementation of Safeguarding measures.
• Provide trainings and awareness sessions on Safeguarding, CoC and Key policies to partner organizations/beneficiaries, when necessary.
• Monitor the implementation of Safeguarding measures (e.g awareness session for affected population, training for staff, CFRM etc).

• Other
• Support the implementation and monitoring of CFRM activities in project areas, ensuring that community feedback is collected, documented, and referred appropriately in line with PIN’s CFRM guidelines;
• Promote awareness of CFRM among project stakeholders and communities, contributing to a culture of accountability and transparency.
• 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.
• Insurance (Hospital & Surgical, Accident, NSSO).
• Extensive Capacity Building program, both internal and external trainings – Induction training, internal online opportunities, such as access to e-learning platform and live webinars.
• Monthly Phone Card Allowance.
• A friendly and good working environment.