Project Officer - Laos

About the role

Catalyste+, formerly Canadian Executive Service Organization (CESO), is a Canadian not-for-profit that shares the expertise of its volunteers to strengthen economies and improve lives worldwide. Reporting to the Country Representative, the Project Officer supports the Country Representative's role and develops relationships with partners, stakeholders, Catalyste+ Advisors and staff. The officer provides programmatic and logistical support for activities in selected sectors, advancing gender equality and women's economic empowerment (GE/WEE) objectives in line with approved policies.

Key responsibilities

• Program support: take part in stakeholder consultations on GE/WEE and sector strategies, support partnership development and assignment design, help recruit and deploy Advisors, support their work plans, and help gather content for communications and marketing materials.
• Represent Catalyste+ as a brand ambassador at events in lieu of the Country Representative when needed, and contribute to annual work plans and donor reports.
• Operations support: collaborate with Volunteer Services on the arrival, placement and departure of Advisors, arrange in-country travel, accommodation, food and transport, and arrange meetings between Advisors and partners.
• Provide translation and interpretation, assist with Advisor orientation and progress monitoring, file and organize Lao PDR documents, and follow security and administrative policies.
• Assist with accounting, budget management and financial reporting to the Senior Program Manager for Asia.
• Organizational learning: support gender-based analysis, collect quality data from partners and stakeholders, and suggest improvements based on learning.

Required profile

• Bachelor's degree in business, economics, international development or a related field is desirable.
• Willingness to work in a development organization with international colleagues.
• Deep understanding of international development issues, especially GE/WEE, the environment and climate change, private sector development, value chains and governance; hands-on experience preferred.
• Extensive experience (two or more years) working with volunteers and volunteer organizations is an asset.

Required skills

• Fluent English, with excellent command of spoken and written English, including report writing.
• Good computer proficiency with word processors and spreadsheets.
• Strong communication, interpersonal and customer service skills, cultural sensitivity and diplomatic handling of sensitive issues.