Mekong Delta Field Officer - Bac Lieu

BACKGROUND

The IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) is a membership Union composed of both government and civil society organisations. IUCN’s mission is to influence, encourage and assist societies throughout the world to conserve the integrity and diversity of nature, and to ensure that any use of natural resources is equitable and ecologically sustainable. With over 75 years of experience, it harnesses the experience, resources and reach of its more than 1,400 Member organisations and the input of more than 15,000 experts. IUCN is the global authority on the status of the natural world and the measures needed to safeguard it. The IUCN Secretariat has offices located all around the world and is headquartered in Gland, Switzerland.
Every four years, the IUCN membership adopts a quadrennial Programme that guides the work of the Union, especially that of the IUCN Secretariat. The Secretariat implements the IUCN Programme through a growing portfolio of over 400 projects across the world that are designed to respond to country, donor, and IUCN priorities.

The “Increasing coastal resilience in the Mekong Delta through mangrove restoration and hybrid nature-based solutions” project funded by The Coca Cola Foundation (TCCF) aims to address the coastal squeeze in the Mekong Delta at scale by restoring mangroves behind the sea dike while converting shrimp farms to a mix of RAS and mangrove-shrimp, thereby enhancing coastal resilience. The main objectives of this project are (1) to demonstrate the technical and financial feasibility, and social acceptability of the proposed hybrid-NbS.and (2) to work with donors to integrate the project results into large-scale investment projects. The coastal communes of Soc Trang and Bac Lieu Provinces are the geographic focus because of their extreme vulnerability to climate change and SLR.

The MD Field Officer will play an important role in the project team by supporting project manager on a range of activities and tasks as the project moves through its initial start-up and project approval stage, and eventually begins implementation in Bac Lieu and Soc Trang.

The position requires periodic travel to the project’s target sites as required for project activities.

This is a local recruitment. Only Vietnamese nationals, individuals with residence status, or the appropriate employment visa for Viet Nam are eligible to apply. The remuneration and benefits package for this position is established with reference to the local labour market and in line with the IUCN conditions of service for Viet Nam.

JOB DESCRIPTION

Working under the direct supervision of the IUCN Agriculture and Nature-based Solutions Coordinator, with technical guidance from the Deputy Head of the Lower Mekong Subregion, the Mekong Delta Field Officer is responsible for the design and implementation of project activities that ensure an adequate measure of the project’s performance against donor and IUCN performance standards. This includes implementing the project’s activities, contributing to the development of respective work plans and budgets to ensure sufficient resourcing for performance and accountability-related.

The Mekong Delta Field Officer is also responsible for supporting the implementation of the other projects in the MD, coordinating the activities and inputs of project team members including with partners and IUCN Members.

The Mekong Delta Field Officer also supports the IUCN Agriculture and Nature-based Solutions Coordinator in ensuring that project risk management and environmental and social safeguards under the IUCN Enterprise Risk Management Policy and the IUCN Environmental and Social Management System (ESMS) are embedded in the design of the intervention and effectively implemented.

As a subject matter expert on aquaculture and mangrove plantations, the Field Officer provides technical support and capacity development to the project team members.

SPECIFIC DUTIES

The duties of the Mekong Delta Field Officer will include but not limited to:

• Plan and conduct all field activities related to TCCF project in Bac Lieu and Soc Trang;
• Assist the Project Manager (PM) to coordinate project activities with local government and stakeholder groups;
• Conduct regular monitoring visits and surveys to collect data for the project monitoring, evaluation and learning plan;
• Lead or assist programme staff with the collection of field data or field research for use with project proposals on tight timelines;
• Prepare monthly activity progress reports; Produce timely high-quality analytical reports on a regular basis for PM. Timely submission of reports are critical in order to meet donor reporting deadlines;
• Organize conferences, seminars, trainings and workshops;
• Maintain linkages with other projects and studies relevant to the project and identify opportunities for partnership, technical collaboration, and knowledge exchange with other agencies, organizations, and donors;
• Act as backup for project officers (logistic supports) as needed or in an overload situation;

Other duties

Any other duties that may be assigned from time to time by the Agriculture and Nature-based Solutions Coordinator.

REQUIREMENTS

• Bachelor degree (or higher) in Ecological/Environmental engineering, Natural Resource Management, Environmental Sciences, Aquaculture or related disciplines;
• Minimum 4 years of working experience in project management, preferably positions related to mangrove-aquaculture landscapes in the Mekong Delta;
• Have knowledge about coastal mangroves, coastal erosion, integrated mangrove-shrimp systems, aquaculture and technologies such as Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS). The position will be of interest to candidates who are interested in integrated solutions;
• Experience with working with local state management agencies in the Mekong Delta. Bac Lieu and Soc Trang experience will be an advantage;
• Excellent communication skills and working experience with external partners and local communities;
• Experience with interview survey methods to collect data and information;
• Proficient in using office software (Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Power Point);
• Capacity to work autonomously and to take the initiative;
• Fluency in both spoken and written English;
• Excellent interpersonal skills; Proven ability to work harmoniously as part of a team in a multi-cultural environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity.

APPLICATIONS

Applicants are requested to apply online through the HR Management System, by opening the vacancy announcement and pressing the "Apply [1]" button.

Applicants will be asked to create an account and submit their profile information. Applications will not be accepted after the closing date. The vacancy closes at midnight, Swiss time (GMT+1 / GMT+2 during Daylight Saving Time, DST). Please note that only selected applicants will be personally contacted for interviews.

Other job opportunities are published in the IUCN website: https://www.iucn.org/involved/jobs/ [2]

About IUCN

IUCN is a membership Union uniquely composed of both government and civil society organisations. It provides public, private and non-governmental organisations with the knowledge and tools that enable human progress, economic development and nature conservation to take place together.

Created in 1948, IUCN is now the world’s largest and most diverse environmental network, harnessing the knowledge, resources and reach of more than 1,400 Member organisations and around 16,000 experts. It is a leading provider of conservation data, assessments and analysis. Its broad membership enables IUCN to fill the role of incubator and trusted repository of best practices, tools and international standards.

IUCN provides a neutral space in which diverse stakeholders including governments, NGOs, scientists, businesses, local communities, indigenous peoples organisations and others can work together to forge and implement solutions to environmental challenges and achieve sustainable development.

Working with many partners and supporters, IUCN implements a large and diverse portfolio of conservation projects worldwide. Combining the latest science with the traditional knowledge of local communities, these projects work to reverse habitat loss, restore ecosystems and improve people’s well-being.

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