As Head of Project for the project “Support to PFM Reform Implementation in Lao PDR”, you will be responsible for leading and coordinating project implementation and the team in Vientiane, ensuring effective day-to-day coordination with the EU Delegation, Expertise France headquarters and the project’s beneficiary institutions.

You will coordinate activities with the Ministry of Finance, including the Economic and Fiscal Policy Department and the Tax Department, as well as with the National Assembly’s Economics and Finance Committee. You will ensure that project activities remain aligned with the Description of the Action, validated work plans, EU requirements, Expertise France procedures, and the priorities confirmed with beneficiary institutions during implementation.

The position requires autonomy, strong coordination and interpersonal skills, and the ability to work in an international and multicultural environment. The Head of Project will be based in Vientiane.

Key Responsibilities:

1.       Strategic planning and project leadership

•          Coordinate the operational implementation of the strategic direction set out in the Description of the Action, ensuring alignment with the project’s specific objectives, work plans, EU requirements and Expertise France procedures;
•          Coordinate the six-month inception phase, including the confirmation of implementation arrangements, governance mechanisms, activity sequencing, work planning and the scope of the tax administration component;
•          Support the translation of the project’s specific objectives and outputs into realistic annual and periodic work plans, taking into account institutional priorities, counterpart availability, available resources and complementarity with ongoing partner support;

2.       Operational project management

•          Coordinate the planning, implementation and follow-up of project activities, including technical assistance missions, trainings, workshops, working sessions, Steering Committee meetings and Technical Committee meetings;
•          Ensure coherence between operational planning, technical priorities and budget follow-up, in coordination with the Administrative and Financial Coordinator and Expertise France headquarters;
•          Oversee the timely preparation and follow-up of project deliverables, including technical notes, analytical inputs, tools, templates, guidance materials, mission outputs and activity reports, in coordination with the Key PFM Expert responsible for their technical quality;
•          Coordinate the mobilisation of short-term expertise, with technical input from the Key PFM Expert, in line with the validated work plans and identified technical needs;
•          Ensure that activities remain complementary to ongoing support provided by other development partners and avoid duplication or the creation of parallel mechanisms;
•          Ensure compliance with contractual obligations, EU requirements and Expertise France internal operational procedures.

3.       Team management and mobilisation of expertise

•          Coordinate the work of the project team based in Vientiane and ensure clear roles, effective internal communication and smooth day-to-day functioning of the project office;
•          Coordinate the shared Administrative and Financial Coordinator and Expertise France headquarters on administrative and financial support to the project;
•          Identify short-term expertise needs together with the Key PFM Expert and contribute to the preparation of Terms of Reference for experts and consultants;
•          Contribute to the selection and briefing of short-term experts, and coordinate with the Key PFM Expert on their technical supervision and the quality review of deliverables;
•          Ensure effective coordination between the project team, short-term experts, beneficiary institutions, the EU Delegation and Expertise France headquarters.

4.       Financial, technical reporting and monitoring

•          Lead the preparation of reports for submission to the EU Delegation, in accordance with contractual requirements, donor formats and agreed deadlines;
•          Contribute to financial reporting, budget follow-up and financial monitoring in coordination with the Administrative and Financial Coordinator and Expertise France headquarters;
•          Coordinate the collection and consolidation of information required for monitoring, reporting, Steering Committee meetings, and Technical Committee meetings;
•          Support the review and refinement of the project logical framework, indicators, baselines, targets and means of verification during the inception phase, in coordination with dedicated MEAL expertise where relevant;
•          Prepare documentation for project governance meetings, including agendas, progress updates, minutes and follow-up actions, and act as secretariat where required;

5.       Stakeholder engagement and project representation

•          Represent the project in day-to-day coordination with beneficiary institutions, the EU Delegation, development partners and other relevant stakeholders, in coordination with Expertise France headquarters;
•          Maintain regular communication with the Ministry of Finance, the Economic and Fiscal Policy Department, the Tax Department, and the National Assembly’s Economics and Finance Committee; 
•       Ensure that project communication and visibility comply with EU and Expertise France requirements, in coordination with Expertise France headquarters and upon request from the EU Delegation.