Job Description

The role

We are currently looking for MEAL and GIS Officer based in Vientiane Capital.

Role Purpose

Save the Children International (SCI), in collaboration with the World Mosquito Program (WMP) and the Department of Communicable Disease Control (DCDC), Ministry of Health (MOH), implemented Driving Down Dengue in Laos project across Vientiane Capital, Oudomxay, Luangprabang, Savannakhet and Champasack province to contribute to reducing dengue transmission in Lao PDR through the release of Wolbachia-carrying Aedes aegypti mosquitoes.

The MEAL and GIS Officer reports to the MEAL and GIS Senior Coordinator and is responsible for supporting the project’s Geographic Information System (GIS), core data systems, and field data management processes. The post holder will manage and synchronize daily operational data, prepare weekly maps to support mosquito-release activities, and ensure that GIS and data products are accurate, timely, and accessible for programme decision-making.

The role also supports colleagues and Village Health Volunteers in using mobile applications and digital tools required for field deployment. In addition, the MEAL and GIS Officer will contribute to project Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) activities, including data collection, data quality assurance, reporting, and other related tasks as assigned.

More information about Save the Children International in Lao PDR and the World Mosquito Program’s Wolbachia method is available at:

https://laos.savethechildren.net

https://www.worldmosquitoprogram.org

In the event of a major humanitarian emergency, the post holder may be required to work outside the normal role profile and vary working hours accordingly.

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:

• Ensure they fully understand the provisions of the Child Safeguarding Policy, the Code of Conduct and Local/Country Procedures.
• Conduct themselves in accordance with the rules of the Child Safeguarding Policy, in their personal and professional lives – which includes reporting suspicions of child abuse.

Key Responsibilities

• Collaborate with field- and laboratory-based project staff to ensure that data captured from field activities are complete, accurate, timely, and of high quality.
• Maintain project mobile devices and provide technical support to partners and field staff, including support related to mosquito-release locations and field deployment.
• Prepare, update, and upload maps to mobile devices for use by field teams.
• Support the collection of data through mobile devices and ensure timely synchronization with the Aggregate data platform.
• Support the management of SCI SharePoint and Google Drive document libraries, ensuring that project documents are appropriately organised, accessible, and securely maintained.
• Communicate and collaborate effectively with village leaders, village volunteers, district health officers, and other relevant stakeholders.
• Conduct data validation, data cleaning, and quality-assurance processes to maintain high-quality project data.
• Support the technical team to access and use the central core data system.
• Support the line manager with MEAL-related activities at the country office, as required.
• Manage data entry, validation, and analysis of participant tracking lists, including data disaggregation by relevant categories such as sex, age, location, and disability status, where applicable.
• Support SCI’s Feedback and Reporting Mechanism and the World Mosquito Program’s Incident Management System, including accurate documentation, referral, follow-up, and reporting in line with established procedures.
• Support the line manager in monitoring progress against project targets and ensure activities are delivered on time and to the required quality standards.
• Contribute to the preparation of timely and accurate donor reports and project reports.
• Prepare advance requests, liquidations, and returns in accordance with SCI financial procedures and planned project activities.
• Undertake regular travel to project sites to provide GIS, data, MEAL, and operational support.
• Participate in other SCI and project activities as required.
• Carry out any other duties reasonably assigned by the supervisor.

A small point to confirm internally: if “Aggregate” is the official name of your data platform, keep it capitalized as written. If it is a general function rather than a named system, change it to “the central data platform” or name the exact system used.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

• Bachelor’s degree and/or equivalent professional qualifications in relevant fields (GIS, Computer Science, or another relevant field, from a university
• Qualification in research methods or monitoring and evaluation is desirable.

EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS

Essential

• At least 2-3 years’ experience in data and GIS management at a recognized institution.
• Experience in monitoring and evaluation of projects.
• Previous experience implementing a dengue project or other health project.
• Demonstrated experience managing complex information within a medium to large organization, ideally with an international focus.
• Experience providing operational support to field teams is desirable.
• Experience sourcing and working with local-scale government geospatial data or health/epidemiological information is an advantage.
• Experience with desktop GIS applications (eg ESRI suite, QGIS), database management platform (eg SQL server, PostgreSQL) and at least one of the following: data visualization software (eg R, Prism); management of Google G-Suite.
• Demonstrated specialist skills in at least one of the following: geospatial analysis; data analysis and visualization; management of data through administration consoles.
• Demonstrated experience maintaining relational databases.
• High-level English comprehension, both spoken and written.

Contract length: Fixed term (1 year with the possibility of extension)

The Organisation

We employ approximately 25,000 people across the globe and work on the ground in over 100 countries to help children affected by crises, or those that need better healthcare, education and child protection. We also campaign and advocate at the highest levels to realise the right of children and to ensure their voices are heard.

We are working towards three breakthroughs in how the world treats children by 2030:

• No child dies from preventable causes before their 5th birthday
• All children learn from a quality basic education and that,
• Violence against children is no longer tolerated

We know that great people make a great organization, and that our employees play a crucial role in helping us achieve our ambitions for children. We value our people and offer a meaningful and rewarding career, along with a collaborative and inclusive workplace where ambition, creativity, and integrity are highly valued.

Application Information:

Interested candidates please submit a full application using a cover letter and up-to-date CV as a single document including contact details of three professional referees (current and last line managers and HR department). Please also include details of your salary expectations and a copy of your ID card. Please note that we will require a copy of your Criminal Records (ໃບແຈ້ງໂທດ) later.

Save the Children International is a child-rights based organization. Safe recruitment is central to the safeguarding of children and young people that we come into contact with, and support through our programmes.

We need to keep children safe so our selection process, which includes rigorous background checks, reflects our commitment to the protection of children from abuse.

Save the children is an equal opportunities employer, qualified females, persons with disability and candidates from diverse cultural backgrounds are encouraged to apply.

All employees are expected to carry out their duties in accordance with our global anti-harassment policy.