Provincial Project Coordinator (Oudomxay Province)

(Based at Oudomxay Province)

Deadline for application: 10 March 2026

RECOFTC is an international nonprofit organization working towards a future where resilient communities with respected rights thrive in forest landscapes that they manage sustainably and equitably. We take a long-term, landscape-based and inclusive approach in supporting local communities to secure their land and resource rights, stop deforestation, find alternative livelihoods and foster gender equality. With almost 40 years of experience, we have built trusting relationships with partners from communities, governments, businesses, academic and civil society organizations. Our innovations, knowledge and initiatives enable countries to foster good forest governance, mitigate and adapt to climate change and achieve the UN Global Goals.

We operate in the Asia-Pacific region, with country offices in Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand and Viet Nam.

RECOFTC Lao PDR has been supporting the Government of Lao PDR in advancing the forestry sector and implementing various forestry programmes for over a decade. The focus has been on village forestry and associated programmes, empowering women, local communities, ethnic groups and other stakeholders to manage their forests sustainably and build resilience to climate change, fostering environmental conservation, livelihood improvement, private sector engagement and social equity. We provide technical assistance, capacity-building and facilitate multi-stakeholder dialogues to support inclusive and participatory forest governance in Lao PDR.

Project background

RECOFTC is implementing the “Enhancing Access to Benefits while Lowering Carbon Emissions”  (EnABLE) project in Lao PDR, funded by a multi-donor trust fund administered by the World Bank. The project aims to enhance the inclusion of target populations, particularly women and ethnic groups living in selected remote villages, in receiving carbon and non-carbon benefits from the Lao PDR Emissions Reduction Programme and its Benefit Sharing Plan (BSP). The project will support and complement the ongoing World Bank-funded Governance, Forest Landscape and Livelihoods (GFLL) project, which is being implemented by the Department of Forestry (DoF), Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF). The project will run until December 2027.

RECOFTC Lao PDR invite applications for the Provincial Project Coordinator, based in Oudomxay province. The project duration is 22 months including a three-month probationary period.

The Provincial Project Coordinator will be employed full-time for the EnABLE project and will report directly to the Project Coordinator and the Country Director.

Management and oversight

• At the provincial level, support the development and implementation of EnABLE’s annual provincial workplans and budgets
• Provide support and contribute to project management, leading coordination activities within the province
• Coordinate and provide technical support for fulfilling roles and responsibilities for EnABLE at the provincial level
• Coordinate and work closely with relevant government entities at the provincial level, particularly the Provincial and District Agriculture and Forestry Offices (PAFO/DAFO) and target villages
• Contribute to and support the design and implementation of EnABLE activities in close collaboration with government agencies responsible for the REDD+ Emission Reduction Programme (ERP), including PAFO/DAFO at provincial and district levels
• Provide technical support and input to local government, including PAFO and DAFO, for implementing ERP and the Benefit Sharing Plan (BSP) with a focus on inclusion, gender and participatory planning
• Support the local government teams in enabling target villages and community groups to participate in the ERP and the BSP, particularly in the review, update and approval of Participatory Land Use Plans, Village Forest Management Plans, recognition of land tenure, and development of work-budget plans for community-based enterprises (CBEs), including alternative livelihood activities such as climate-smart agriculture and forest development
• Support local government teams in conducting awareness-raising activities on the BSP, ERP, Governance, Forest Landscape and Livelihoods (GFLL) and EnABLE initiatives in target villages at the provincial level
• Support all social and environmental safeguard activities, including data collection and providing input in the preparation of draft safeguard reports
• Responsible for value chain analysis and other related livelihood development activities
• Support the organization and conduct of relevant stakeholder consultations at the provincial level as needed
• Provide support and facilitation to ERP/BSP government implementing entities and other partners to ensure that a Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM) is in place and functional for EnABLE activities at the provincial level
• Provide support and recommendations to the Government of Lao PDR and the GFLL project regarding benefit-sharing schemes, the GRM and other relevant work, to ensure good practices with local communities and enable their participation and access to appropriate benefits
• Support the implementation of BSP activities by working with PAFO/DAFO staff and consultants involved in the BSP
• Liaise with other RECOFTC teams, projects and initiatives to ensure project synergies and alignment within RECOFTC’s overall programme and management systems

Capacity development

• Take the lead in conducting a Capacity Development Needs Assessment (CDNA) for key implementing agencies and partners in the province, including government organizations, non-profit associations, villagers and other BSP beneficiaries
• Contribute to the development of training curricula and materials based on the results of the CDNA
• Support, reinforce and complement REDD+ ERP capacity-building and awareness-raising initiatives for key implementing government agencies and partners, mass organizations such as the Lao Women’s Union and the Lao Front for National Development at the provincial and district levels, civil society organizations, non-profit associations and other BSP beneficiaries, with particular focus on women and ethnic groups in remote areas of the province
• Co-lead the delivery of training-of-trainers (ToT) based on a “training for action” approach and provide field mentoring and coaching for trained staff conducting training in villages and related village activities in the province

   Reporting, monitoring and evaluation

• Support the preparation of project progress reports following World Bank requirements, including semi-annual, annual and final reports
• Lead the monitoring, evaluation and learning activities for the project and ensure the required data collection for RECOFTC annual reports within the province
• Support the conduct of the annual external audit

   Knowledge management and communication

• Organize and facilitate learning exchange visits to other villages that have undertaken similar activities
• Support the development of suitable information, education and communication audio-visual materials (in Lao and relevant local ethnic languages, where applicable) for awareness-raising and dissemination
• Document good practices and lessons learned and support their dissemination, including through case studies and policy briefs within the province

Other responsibilities

• Perform other tasks as assigned by the Country Director

The Provincial Project Coordinator should have the following essential qualifications and experience:

Essential

• Bachelor’s degree in forestry, environmental or socio-economic sciences, natural resource management, international development, or a related field
• A minimum of five years’ experience implementing international development projects, with a focus on inclusive natural resource management, REDD+, carbon initiatives, village forestry, forest governance and landscape approaches
• Extensive knowledge of and experience in participatory approaches to promote gender equality and social inclusion
• Experience in project management, including project planning and reporting, financial management, monitoring, evaluation and partner coordination
• Experience in coordinating and facilitating national multi-stakeholder platforms and networks
• Experience collaborating with relevant ministries, sectoral working groups and international organizations, particularly at the national and provincial levels
• Familiarity with fieldwork and project implementation in remote communities, as well as knowledge and experience of the project's target areas
• Strong team-building, leadership, networking and facilitation skills
• A strong work ethic
• Proficiency in written and spoken English, as well as fluency in Lao with a sound understanding of the country context
• Willingness and ability to travel to field locations as required
• Commitment to practicing and promoting RECOFTC’s core values

• Proficiency in computer applications, including Word, Excel and PowerPoint

Desirable

• Strong public relations skills
• Effective training and facilitation skills, especially in fostering participatory processes with adult learners
• Strong analytical skills and strategic thinking
• Familiarity with monitoring, evaluation and learning systems and principles
• Familiarity with engagement, knowledge management and communication concepts, processes and technologies

RECOFTC’s core values

At RECOFTC, our core values are the foundation of our culture and guide all our work. In addition to job specific skills and experience, the applicant should possess the following characteristics, attitudes and skills:

• Embrace innovation
• Adapt to and learn from challenges
• Collaborate with partners and stakeholders
• Nurture commitment, responsibility and ownership
• Prioritize sustainability
• Cultivate participation, social inclusion and gender equity

Commitment to RECOFTC policies and procedures

At RECOFTC, we uphold the highest standards of integrity, transparency and responsibility in all our operations. Our policies and guidelines are designed to ensure a safe, inclusive, sustainable and ethical environment for our staff, partners, consultants and the communities we serve.

All consultants, staff and contractors engaged by RECOFTC are required to comply with RECOFTC’s policies and procedures while performing their roles with RECOFTC.

How to apply

Interested candidates are invited to submit a CV and a cover letter. The cover letter should clearly outline the candidate’s suitability for the position, include salary expectations and provide current contact details of three referees, including recent supervisors. Please submit your application by clicking "Apply Now".

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. RECOFTC offers a competitive compensation package.

For more information about RECOFTC, please visit our website at https://www.recoftc.org/

RECOFTC is committed to non-discrimination and equal opportunity. Applicants will not be discriminated against based on ethnicity, religion, age, nationality, physical disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, colour, marital status, medical condition, or any other classification protected by RECOFTC's values and code of conduct. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified disabled applicants to participate in the application process. If you require special accommodation, please inform RECOFTC's Human Resources in writing at the time of application. The successful candidate will be selected based on merit. RECOFTC strongly encourages women and members of Indigenous and or ethnic groups to apply.