Country Director Laos

Job Description

Location: Vientiane, Laos.

Applicants should only apply if they have a work permit to
work in Laos.

Occasional domestic and overseas travel to support programme
implementation and/or oversee activities is required for the position.

​Salary: LAK 63,250,000 - LAK 71,500,000 gross monthly -
pro-rated annual contribution to med insurance/cost.

​Contract: SUBJECT TO FUNDING. Ten
months fixed term: June 2025 – March 2026 (with possible
extension) Fixed Term contract for services.

​Hours: Full-Time

​Benefits: 4 wellbeing days per calendar year
[pro-rata for part-time staff], plus annual leave and public holidays
entitlement.

Friendly, supportive, and engaging environment (working with
people who are passionate about positive change and strengthening democracy
around the world).

​WFD - LAOS

​WFD has successfully been working in Laos since 2016,
partnering with the National (NA) and Provincial People’s Assemblies (PPA) to
strengthen core parliamentary mandates including legislative, oversight, and
representative functions, as well as women’s political leadership.​

Current programmes delivered by the WFD Laos country team
focus on post-legislative scrutiny at the national and subnational level,
public participation, and women’s representation.​

The regional programme Advancing Equal Societies through
Women’s Political Leadership and Participation in ASEAN Phase II (delivered in
Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, and Thailand) seeks to advance greater equality in
politics and wider society through creating a more enabling environment for
women’s political leadership (WPL) and participation. Creating an environment
where there are more women in politics, where women in politics are better
protected from violence, and where women’s issues are better addressed in law
and policy.

​

Country Director Laos

​​The Country Director Laos is a substantial role
with regional responsibility for the delivery of the Advancing Equal Societies
through Women’s Political Leadership and Participation in ASEAN Phase II and​ a
broad range of programmes/projects and activities within their designated
areas.

As the main point of in-country contact for WFD, they will have significant
responsibility for; the design of programmes, managing the full programme
cycle, financial and administration management, reporting activities and impact
evaluations.​

​The Country Director will provide an ambassadorial function for WFD in
Vientiane, leading and hosting high profile events, as well as managing our
relationships with key stakeholders such as National Assembly Members, the
parliamentary secretariat, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, think tanks, civil
society, the international donor community and the British High Commission.

This key role will also provide leadership expertise for the
area, developing future business opportunities and new contacts/partnerships
for the and contributing to the wider work in the region and some international
initiatives.

​

About You

We are looking for a Country Director with

• ​Substantial first-hand experience of designing,
  implementing and managing a portfolio of programmes – minimum 5-7 years’
  experience. With an aptitude for cultivating additional programmatic entry
  points for WFD engagement in Laos.
• ​In-depth knowledge of the political environment in Laos and
  more broadly across the ASEAN region, ideally including recent developments in
  gender politics, political inclusion, political party, CSO, and parliamentary
  matters.
• Exceptional project and programme management skills,
  particularly relating to governance and gender programmes.
• Experience in proposal development, contracting,
  procurement, grant management, donor compliance, financial scrutiny and
  management, risk management, research/ analysis, and reporting in English.
• Experience using programme management systems and tools,
  with minimum intermediate level Microsoft suite skills.
• Experience organising and managing high-profile and complex
  events.
• Senior stakeholder analysis, development, and management
  skills.
• Excellent level of written and oral communication skills in
  English and Lao.
• Experience producing accurate briefing documents and
  communications.
• A self-starter with the flexibility to work in a
  fast-changing environment and the ability to manage and prioritise a range of
  operational, financial, and administrative responsibilities.
• Ability to work independently and effectively, and drive to
  manage workload, working with international, remote teams and with limited
  supervision.
  ​​

Application Submission: Apply via our website Careers | Westminster Foundation for Democracy If you want to make a positive difference, and work withpeople who care about this mission, then we would like to hear from you.

Applications are via CV and Cover Letter. This is a Vientiane, Laos based
role; therefore, applicants should only apply if they are eligible to work in
Laos.

This vacancy will close on 11th June 2025

About the Organization

Westminster Foundation for
Democracy (WFD) is the UK public body dedicated to supporting democracy around
the world. WFD’s established purpose is to assist, support and encourage the
peaceable establishment and development of pluralistic democratic practice and
political institutions. We offer:

· High quality and
impactful programmes that directly support institutions in political systems to
develop inclusive political processes, more accountable political systems,
protection of rights and freedoms, and more pluralistic societies.

· Specialist analysis,
research, and advice to inform policy makers on a range of democratic
governance issues; and

· International
elections observation on behalf of the UK.

Every member of WFD’s staff
contributes either directly or indirectly to the services we provide.
Regardless of the role, team or location, we are all working toward the same
goal.