P4I Transport Program Manager – TOR

Terms of reference

Position Title: P4I Transport Program Manager

Position Location: Vientiane, Lao PDR

Reports To: Laos Transport Program Lead

Closing date: 11:59pm (Bangkok time) on Tuesday 31 December 2024

Program Background

Australia and Lao PDR (Laos) came together to deliver the Laos-Australia Connectivity Partnership, which focuses on supporting the Government of Laos (GoL) to improve transport connectivity and infrastructure decision-making and practice. The LACP Memorandum of Subsidiary Arrangement (MSA) was signed on 7 July 2022 by GoL and Australian Government with a budget of at least $10 million to 30 June 2024 ($13.2 million has been committed), with an option to extend. LACP is delivered by the Partnerships for Infrastructure (P4I) initiative and complement GoL’s Southeast Asia Regional Economic Corridor and Connectivity (SEARECC) project, which the World Bank funds.

P4I is now continuing to work with MPWT in the transport sector during the bridging period January to December 2025, in preparation for a second phase of work beyond December 2025. During the bridging period, P4I will continue to support GoL to improve transport connectivity and infrastructure decision-making and practice – building on Laos’ ASEAN chair year connectivity and resilience agenda. P4I will support the implementation of the National Transport Strategy and will help to balance national and regional transport connectivity interests and consensus on priority regional issues as it transitions to become a land-linked country.

Main duties and responsibilities:

The position, based in Vientiane, Laos, will be responsible on the grounds for driving the delivery P4I’s transport program with the Ministry of Public Works and Transport (MPWT) in Laos, in accordance with the workplan. This role is a key member of P4I’s One Team and will work closely with the P4I Head Office in Bangkok, the Laos Transport Program Lead, regional P4I teams, and other stakeholders.

The position holder will:

• Be the key in-country (locally based) point of contact for engagement with MPWT and other GoL stakeholders, though can delegate to in-country Program Officers
• Manage activity scoping, delivery, risk, team and budget management reporting
• Ensure activity progress aligns with the P4I Performance Management Framework, liaising with stakeholders to meet P4I requirements.
• Work with Government Partnerships Director and Climate & Inclusion Advisers to ensure streamlined involvement as needed
• Manage and implement the workplan
• Support the quality assurance of work, relevance to the Lao context and input to develop certain activity deliverables and results reporting
• Escalate risk and provide updates to the Laos Transport Program Lead (as first port of contact) and Country Engagement Manager, as needed
• Work with the Laos Transport Program Lead and Country Engagement Manager to coordinate with Australian Embassy in Vientiane, and across the Partnership Team for activities in implementation
• Advise on GoL protocols, policy and context. Support briefing of Australian partners and international activity team members when they are travelling to Laos and support Lao delegations
• Supervise Program Officers.
• Contribute to ad-hoc briefings requested by the P4I Program Executive, DFAT Post in Laos, or DFAT Canberra as required.
• In undertaking all of the above, the position will operate as part of P4I’s One Team, contributing to well-coordinated planning and delivery across all members of the Delivery Partner organizations.

Reporting

• The position will report to the Laos Transport Program Lead
• The position will also work closely with the technical activity leads, Country Engagement Manager and Program Office.
• The role will also involve close collaboration with likemindeds.

Qualifications

• Qualifications in relevant fields (e.g., public policy, transport)
• Minimum 10 years of experience in the transport sector, particularly in Laos, with a focus on development, economic growth, or institutional strengthening
• Excellent communication, liaison, and coordination skills, with proficiency in English and Lao language
• Strong experience managing technical assistance activities and working with government counterparts, donor organizations, and technical experts
• Familiarity with environmental and social safeguards
• Demonstrated ability to manage teams and deliver complex projects in multi-stakeholder environments
• Strong analytical and research skills for policy-related tasks, including political economy analysis is a plus