Field Coordinator for Laos

Starting date: As soon as possible

Contract duration: Two years with a six-month probation period and the possibility of extension.

Location: Laos (must be based in Laos)

This position is full-time

Application Deadline: 7 May 2025

Background

The Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime (GI-TOC) is an independent civil society organization, headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, and a globally dispersed Secretariat. The GI-TOC comprises a network of 750+ independent global and regional experts working on human rights, democracy, governance, and development issues where organized crime has become increasingly pertinent. 

The GI-TOC provides a platform to promote greater debate and innovative approaches as the building blocks to an inclusive global strategy against organized crime. The GI- TOC commissions and shares research globally; curates a robust resource library of 2 000 reports and tools specific to organized crime; and uses its convening power to unite both the private and public sectors against organized crime.

The Observatory of Illicit Economies in Asia-Pacific (APA – Obs) was launched in 2020 and has a strong focus on the Mekong subregion that includes Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam. The Observatory is a platform that monitors organized crime trends across the Asia-Pacific region and that aims to connect and empower civil society actors who are working on issues related to organized crime and corruption.

APA-Obs seeks to identify, analyse and map criminal trends and their impact on illicit flows, governance, development, inter-ethnic relations, security and the rule of law. APA-Obs supports local stakeholders and actors in their monitoring of national dynamics and wider regional and international organized crime trends.

APA-Obs is based in Bangkok, Thailand. It coordinates a network of civil society experts which are based across the Mekong, in ASEAN and beyond.

Job Summary

APA Obs is looking to recruit for the role of ‘Field Coordinator’ in Laos, who will perform the following tasks: 

Main responsibilities and specific tasks:

Research activities: 

• Gather and analyse data and information on organized crime and corruption in Laos.
• Monitor relevant developments in the region (including legislative, policy and administrative developments in the area of organized crime and corruption) and provide regular updates. 
• Write analytical insights and policy briefs on issues of organized crime and corruption in Laos. Work together with the APA-Obs team on broader, cross-regional reports.

Stakeholder liaison: 

• Identify relevant stakeholders responding to organized crime and corruption and enhance the network of contacts in the region.
• Identify and coordinate researchers, local journalists and academics who will work as consultants on different projects in Laos. 
• Identify contact points and liaise with relevant government authorities and multilateral institutions.
• Identify and assist civil society actors throughout Laos, which work towards increasing community resilience to organized crime. Focus in particular on those actors active outside the capitals and that conduct research on organized crime and corruption. 
• Establish and maintain contacts with the donor community. Monitor other on-going projects in the area of organized crime and corruption and/or opportunities for possible new initiatives. 

Advocacy:

• Travel to and participate in meetings/conferences (and other gatherings) to present and discuss the research of GI-TOC in the Mekong and broader ASEAN region.
• Organize meetings and events, support with logistics and administrative tasks as needed.
• Lead briefings where analysis and evidence is shared across the network.
• Participate and observe on behalf of GI-TOC relevant meetings and publicly organized events by government bodies, civil society and the local donor community.
• Advise and support on communication activities and provide local language support where needed.

Coordination and other: 

• Help coordinate the activities of the regional Observatory and identify possible members for its network. 
• Support regional Observatory with MEL requirements and collect MEL data on in-country activities.
• Support regional Observatory with GEDSI requirements and implement GEDSI strategy.
• Support team to monitor and assess programme risks, including specific risks to civil society. 
• Take part in regular internal meetings of the APA-Obs. 

The tasks described are an indicative and non-exhaustive list of activities. Depending on the needs/ obligations of GI-TOC in general and APA-Obs in particular, these tasks might change.

Requisite skills and experience :

(E = essential; D = desirable)

The successful candidate will be able to demonstrate the following experience and skills:

• Language proficiency: fluent in Lao and English (reading, writing and speaking) (E);
• Relevant university degree (e.g. law, criminology, political science, journalism) (D);
• Minimum 3 years of relevant work experience (ie in civil society, law enforcement, inter-governmental organizations, government, or journalism) (D);
• Knowledge and interest in organized crime, politics and civil society in the Mekong (E);
• IT skills to work independently (E);
• Experience setting up and supporting meetings and events (D);
• Attention to rigour and quality control (E);
• Experience and interest in generating, analysing and producing research and visual presentations (D);
• Strong experience of external relations and partnership building across multiple organizational and disciplinary boundaries (D);
• Excellent communicator and strong presentation skills (E);
• Motivated and enthusiastic to work in a fast-paced environment (E);

The field coordinator will be based in Laos. He/she will coordinate his/her work with the Bangkok office through the Head of the Mekong Network to Counter Transnational Crime (MNET-CTC). 

As a core member of the GI-TOC team, he/she will endeavour to bring his/her experience, expertise and networks to bear in the best interests of GI-TOC. He/she will actively engage in organisation wide initiatives and work proactively to foster teamwork, collaboration, coordination and learning across the organisation. He/she will do his/her best to promote a positive image of the GI-TOC and its work in internal and external forums.

GI-TOC operates a flexible working environment and encourages staff to achieve a suitable work-life balance and supports professional development and learning.

Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

Applications without the required documentation will not be considered

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