Senior Project Officer - GAMCIL Project

CARE International is a global NGO working to end poverty and achieve social-justice. We rebuild and improve the lives of the most vulnerable groups, especially women and girls who are often the most marginalised individuals in their communities and face unequal access to social and economic rights. In 2024, CARE worked in more than 100 countries around the world, supporting 200 million people from vulnerable communities to fight poverty and social injustice. To date, CARE supported over 52 million participants to promote lasting change in their lives, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals.

CARE International in Lao PDR began its operations in 1992 and has worked since then to improve the lives of vulnerable groups in both rural and urban areas, particularly the ethnic minority communities. CARE works in partnership with community members, the government, local civil society organisations, and the private sector. CARE currently implements projects in seven provinces: Vientiane Capital, Phongsaly, Luang Namtha, Luangprabang, Champasack, Sekong and Salavan.
CARE’s “Marginalized Women and Girls” program empowers women and girls to exercise their rights, to lead and make decisions, and benefit from socio-economic justice through themathic focus on women’s health, women’s economic empowerment and women’s resilience and climate change. CARE has extensive experience and expertise in both of these areas and will continue to pursue evidence-based practices to deliver long-lasting solutions effectively and sustainably.

LAO JOURNALISTS’ ASSOCIATION
The Lao Journalists’ Association is a political, social and professional organisation of journalism professionals. It was established and operates in accordance with the law. The association is mandated to educate and consolidate solidarity, while protecting the legitimate rights and interests of its members and journalism professionals. The association has actively participated in fulfilling the Party’s guidelines and policies as well as the laws and regulations of the state, and policy related to local and foreign media. The Lao Journalists’ Association has 1,434 members working for various media organisations including those under ministries, the Lao People’s Revolutionary Youth Union, Lao Women’s Union, Lao Federation of Trade Unions, Lao Front for National Development, National Assembly, and Vientiane Information, Culture and Tourism and provincial Information, Culture and Tourism Departments. During annual events of national importance, the association organises various activities to enhance solidarity and share professional expertise among media personnel, which are supported by private and state businesses. The association has the right and duty to engage in formulating, implementing and monitoring the implementation of policy and laws related to information and media, and to define and monitor the observance of media ethics. It also has a duty to coordinate with media management organisations to disseminate and monitor the observance of laws and regulations by media personnel. The association works with party, state, and mass organisations as well as media organisations to train media personnel and journalists on political ideology, qualification and professional competence. With the Team Europe Green Initiative, the EU supports policies in the area of climate adaptation and mitigation, sustainable socio-economic development, private sector development as well as international and regional trade governance issues (e.g., workers’ rights, women economic empowerment) in Lao PDR. Green growth and climate change mitigation are promoted in Lao PDR’s 9th National Socio-Economic Development Plan (NSEDP) 2021-2025 and the National Green Growth Strategy mentions the use of mass media in promoting green growth to the population. The support of such a strategy and needed behavior change for its implementation requires an understanding of the linkages between environmental problems in communities, global climate change drivers and the trade-offs in addressing such drivers. The media can play a key role in exploring these issues and promoting the populations understanding of such and promote a culture of transparency and accountability in addressing such issues.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION
With the Team Europe Green Initiative, the European Union (EU) supports policies in the area of climate adaptation and mitigation, sustainable socio-economic development, private sector development as well as international and regional trade governance issues (e.g., workers’ rights, women economic empowerment) in Lao PDR.
Green growth and climate change mitigation are promoted in Lao PDR’s 9th National Socio-Economic Development Plan (NSEDP) 2021-2025 and the National Green Growth Strategy mentions the use of mass media in promoting green growth to the population. Green Action through Media, Mass and Civil Society in Lao PDR (GAMCIL) is implemented in three provinces: Vientiane Capital, Luang Prabang and Champasack Provinces.

The project supports:
– State-owned and private media outlets (including women journalists) to improve their professional skills including the use of digital and new technologies, enabling quality information to be provided to the public through responsible and professional reporting on green development issues.
– The media, both formal-traditional and informal-digital, play an essential role in achieving green growth objectives and the mitigation of climate change impacts including through supporting the rule of law.
– Improving digital literacy to reduce the risk of fake news and improve the ability to utilize social media and other new technologies.

PURPOSE OF THE POSITION
The Senior Project Officer is responsible mainly be support for implementing the GAMCIL project activities in consultation with the Project manager and the Lao Journalists’ Association. Project activities include working with local stakeholders on ‘green development issues’ impacting communities, including through the use of digital and new technologies, enabling quality information to be provided to the public through responsible and professional reporting on green development issues. The position is responsible for implementation of activities in accordance with project design, and coordinates with the Lao Journalists’ Association and relevant government line offices such as Lao Youth Union and Civil Society Organizations.

This project will focus to state-owned and private media outlets (including women journalists) and Civil society actors (including Lao CSOs and citizen-journalists like bloggers, filmmakers and Youtubers). The project aims to contribute to public access to information and protect fundamental freedoms, in accordance with national legislation and international agreements (SDG target 16.10). The Senior Project Officer will also be responsible for maintaining a high standard of work in all project components and providing regular reports on the progress of project activities to the Project Manager. The role involves good communication skills and effective organizational and planning skills.

This position is based Vientiane Capital – Country Office with frequent travel required to another project site: Luangprabang and Champasack.

PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION AND QUALITY ASSURANCE:
• Responsible for planning, implementing and monitoring activities and reporting of project activities relevant to handbook development, standard development, facilitate training, etc.;
• Support the PM for developing yearly and monthly work plan and monthly forecast for project ensuring that work plan and activities implementation is in line with the project log frame and project objectives;
• Ensure coordination and maintain relationships with relevant government departments and technical staff, community representatives, and other INGO/NGO in a transparent way;
• Responsible for preparing accurate reports in a timely manner to the Project Manager (including monthly report) as well as provide oral and written reports on progress of the activities – as contribution to internal and external reports– if it is requested;
• Keep line manager (Project Manager) regularly informed on the activities, problems faced during the implementations and share accurate information and updating during weekly/monthly meeting and other relevant meeting;
• Provide technical support to ensure GAMCIL project’s activities are implemented at high quality.
• Mainly support and provide technical support to the project team in delivering the training and beneficiaries;
• Build the capacity of the Journalists and relevant government partners on Green news;
• Contribute the development and review of program design including analysis, theory of change, developing program concepts and sourcing funding and partnership opportunities; and
• Keep informed of key trends and best practice related to the CARE Laos program priority.

MONITORING EVALUATION AND LEARNING:
• Conduct project monitoring during field visits and ensure timely submission of field reports to the Learning and Communications Coordinator;
• Participate in data collection for project evaluations and research;
• Participate in quarterly, mid-term, and annual reflection workshops;
• Liaise with and regularly debrief with partners and communities to ensure quality training and processes are implemented according to deliverables;
• Document project activities, processes, emerging models and lessons learned;
• Facilitate and participate in monitoring/evaluation/survey and any relevant visits such as monitoring visits from national experts, baseline, mid-term and final evaluations, and other assessments/ surveys as required;
• Mainly support in the preparation of donor and other organizational reports and presentations; and Write case studies and stories of change related to the coffee value chain at least one case study per year and stories of change per quarter;
• Ensure monitoring of activities in line with project indicators;
• Gather and analyze information in a participatory manner with relevant stakeholders;
• Ensure accountability measures are effective in all program work.

STRENGTHEN CAPACITY AND COORDINATION:
• Maintain detailed records of beneficiary training and meeting attendance and associated costs (travel, accommodation, per diem);
• Be familiar with and assist with gender and livelihoods training activities for partners and ensure that diversity and inclusiveness of participants is considered;
• Produce reports on each training or meeting, including training participants and their attendance, costs, training contents and training objectives; and
• Support a culture of constant learning by playing an active role in capacity strengthening, coaching and mentoring the team and partnership;
• Coordinate the team to ensure that performance indicators are developed, monitored and achieved;
• Continuous learning and passing on learning to the project and program team, in particular on opportunities for women and CSO, CBO capacity building;
• Lead organizing meetings & Activities on capacity development and training of the local partners and project implementing agencies.

ADMINISTRATION AND FINANCE:
• Ensure that data records, documents/forms used in soft copy and hard copies are filled properly and in a timely manner by the team;
• Liaise with Admin, Finance, and Logistics staff for organising and planning assistance delivery following the procurement requirements;
• Prepare field travel plans, per diem requests, and other logistics in a timely manner and in-line with project budget;
• Ensure that CARE financial, administrative, and procurement procedures and policies are followed;
• Participate in regular team meetings as required.

PARTNERSHIPS AND NETWORKING:
• Mainly support the Partnership Team to identify project partners and prepare and manage partner contracts;
• Manage relationships with key project partners, representing LJA/CARE at partner meetings and planning sessions;
• Conduct organizational assessments of partners’ gender equity practices (including key informant interviews, review of internal policy documents, and questionnaires);
• Assist in the design of capacity strengthening plans for project partners to improve gender equity practices;
• Provide ongoing support to partners to implement their capacity strengthening plans, including the delivery of any capacity building services requested from CARE/LJA (e.g., trainings);
• Participate in Green news or gender-related forums, workshops, government meetings, or other events as required;
• Provide clear explanations of the Project and LJA/CARE’s work to partners, communities and other stakeholders to build positive working relationships;
• Coordinate and participate in meetings with partners Able to provide explanations of LJA vision, mission and LJA’s work in Laos to internal and external stakeholders;
• Develop and maintain effective relationships with project implementing team.

OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES:
• To proactively participate in the Annual Planning and Performance Appraisal (APPA) process including the annual appraisal, midyear review and regular 1:1 meeting, ensuring that the APPA process (including the paperwork) is an integral component of Annual Work Plans and activities;
• Engage in emergency preparedness, assist in any emergency response as required;
• Promote a safe and secure work environment; foster a culture of safety and security awareness and ensure compliance with the safety and security policies, procedures;
• Demonstrate an ongoing commitment to gender equality, diversity and child protection and Safeguarding policy (Protection from Sexual Harassment, Exploitation and Abuse);
• Comply with Lao Journalists’ Association’s financial and operational requirements, foster strong communication between operations and programs teams and uphold high standards of honesty and integrity in personal conduct.

EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS:
• Minimum bachelor’s degree in social development, Communications or at least 4-5 years relevant work experience in the Lao Civil Society organizations or International Non-Governmental Organization (INGO);
• Proven experience to provide capacity development through organizing meetings, workshops and other trainings;
• Demonstrating understanding of gender equality and commitment to CARE’s approach and values including ethnic diversity and cultural sensitivity;
• Proven understanding of working environment of International Non-Governmental Organization (iNGO) or Non-Profit Association and a willingness to learn about CARE, gender equality and women’s empowerment activities;

• Ability to work as a team member and contribute his/her capabilities to group objectives and works effectively in a group setting;
• Capacity to learn from others and desire to improve own skills;
• Excellent interpersonal skills including, open mindedness, willingness to learn, team spirit, good attitude and personality;
• Demonstrated strong leadership, decision making, problem solving, planning, analytical and influencing skills;
• Demonstrated flexible approach and ability to work under pressure and to organize and manage workload to meet deadlines;
• Demonstrated characteristics in honesty, reliability, trustworthiness with the ability to maintain confidentiality;
• Be able to write report in English;
• Good oral and written communication in English; and
• Understanding in Microsoft Office with knowledge in Word, Power Point and Excel.