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JOB DESCRIPTION

Background: For more than 40 years, Action Education has worked for access to quality education in Africa, Latin America-Caribbean, South Asia, Southeast Asia, and Europe. We run 91 projects in 20 countries, including France, for over 1.5 million people. AE Laos, which started its program in 2006, has been implementing several education projects.

Our Vision: Education is a fundamental right. Action Education defends the right to quality education for all and works to ensure that this right is respected in all the countries where it operates. Free, inclusive, and quality education is a fundamental, compulsory, and non-negotiable right for all children and adults worldwide.

Position Overview: The Business Development & MEAL Manager is a pivotal leadership role responsible for designing, overseeing, and strengthening Action Education Laos’ Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning systems. This position ensures evidence-based decision-making, donor confidence, and organizational learning. The Business Development & MEAL Manager will lead strategic MEAL frameworks, guarantee compliance with international standards, and foster a culture of accountability and continuous improvement across all projects.

Key Responsibilities:

Business Development

• Support the Country Director to ensure strategic engagement, partnership-building, and fundraising with relevant corporate, national, and international stakeholders on education and related issues in the country and the region;
• Assists the Country Director to initiate concept and/or project design in response to different call for proposals;
• Contributes to the implementation of regional and global fundraising strategies;
• In absence of the Country Director, represents Action Education to different forums and keeps abreast of trends in education for advocacy/collaboration and promotes organizational niche/thematic at national and regional levels;
• Support the Country Director to promote policy dialogs with key stakeholders in education which impacts long term changes;
• Assists the Country Director to maintain regular contact with partners and donors to keep them aware of the progress and to seek feedback for continuous improvement;
• Support the Country Director to develop and maintain excellent working relationship and strategic partnerships with relevant institutions and individuals in the country;
• Helps contribute donor mapping to identify potential donors aligning with our programs;

Strategic Planning and Coordination:

• Lead the design and implementation of MEAL strategies aligned with AE’s global standards, donor requirements, and national policies.
• Provide strategic guidance to program teams, ensuring MEAL integration across all stages of project design, implementation, and evaluation.
• Represent AE Laos in MEAL-related forums, donor meetings, and technical working groups.

Data Management and Analysis:

• Conduct data collection, management, and analysis processes to ensure the accuracy and reliability of project data.
• Analyze monitoring data to assess project progress, identify trends, and inform decision-making.

Accountability and Reporting:

• Ensure robust accountability mechanisms, including feedback and complaint systems for beneficiaries and stakeholders.
• Produce high-quality analytical reports, dashboards, and donor submissions that demonstrate impact and value for money.
• Communicate findings persuasively to internal leadership, donors, and external partners.

Knowledge Management and Communication:

• Institutionalize learning by documenting and disseminating lessons learned, success stories, and best practices.
• Lead capitalization initiatives to ensure project knowledge informs future program design and national education strategies.
• Facilitate cross-project learning workshops and communities of practice.

Capacity Building and Mentorship:

• Build MEAL capacity of program staff and partners through tailored training, coaching, and mentoring.
• Strengthen organizational culture of evidence-based decision-making and accountability.
• Serve as a technical advisor to project managers and senior leadership.

Quality Assurance and Compliance:

• Ensure compliance with MEC standards, protocols, and donor requirements throughout project implementation.
• Conduct regular quality assurance assessments to maintain data integrity and reliability.
• Guarantee compliance with donor requirements, AE global MEAL standards, and international frameworks.
• Conduct regular quality assurance audits to safeguard data integrity and program credibility.
• Ensure ethical standards in data collection, storage, and dissemination.

Qualifications and Experience:

• Master’s degree in statistics, social sciences, international development, or a related field (a bachelor’s with extensive experience may be considered).
• Minimum 5–7 years of progressive experience in business development and MEAL, preferably in the development or education sector.
• Proven expertise in political economy analysis, concept notes, and proposal (both technical and financial) writing.
• Proven expertise in MEAL methodologies, advanced data analysis, and digital monitoring tools.
• Demonstrated leadership in managing MEAL systems across multi-project portfolios.
• Strong communication and negotiation skills, with experience engaging donors, government, and civil society.
• Fluency in Lao and English (written and spoken).

How to apply:
Interested candidates should submit a cover letter and updated CV highlighting relevant experience and qualifications to chindavanh.vongvilay@action-education.org. Please indicate “Business Development & MEAL Application” in the subject line. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for interviews.

Deadline for Application: 5 October 2026

Action Education is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity and inclusion. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for further consideration.