Access to Finance Manager

Introduction:

J.E. Austin Associates, Inc. (JAA) was founded in 1986 for the purpose of assisting businesses, governments, non-profit organizations, educational and financial institutions, producer organizations, and other organizations around the world to improve productivity, to enhance competitiveness, to strengthen management and strategy implementation, and to facilitate economic development.

JAA stresses facilitation and building local capabilities. The company, therefore, emphasizes the “downloading” of tools, methodologies, and approaches to local partners and ensures that they have the best information, lessons, and skills available to identify and implement initiatives most likely to achieve sustainable results. JAA believes that economic growth, competitiveness, and other development challenges are best addressed by empowering local stakeholders to own the development process.

Since 1986, JAA has completed more than 680 projects in 120 countries. In any given year, JAA’s professional staffers work on projects in more than 30 countries worldwide.

JAA is a subcontractor on USAID Improving Private Sector Competitiveness Activity, and is hiring for the following position:

Access to Finance Manager

Background

The purpose of the USAID Improving Private Sector Competitiveness Activity (“Activity”) is to remove constraints and build the competitiveness of small and growing businesses (SGBs) in Vietnam, including those led by vulnerable populations. With this activity, USAID/Vietnam is supporting Vietnam’s competitiveness: vertically at the policy, market and firm level; and horizontally by working along the entire spectrum of enterprise growth models, from household businesses transforming into registered firms to small firms on the cusp of scaling up. Deloitte Consulting LLP (“Deloitte”) is implementing this Activity on behalf of USAID. The Agency for Enterprise Development of the Ministry of Planning and Investment is the Vietnam Government counterpart of IPS-C.

The Activity is made up of four interrelated Objectives:

• Objective 1.     Building business management capacity of SGBs, including those led by vulnerable populations (particularly women and ethnic minorities).
• Objective 2.    Improving efficiency and productivity by promoting innovation, technology adoption, and sustainable business models.
• Objective 3.    Enhancing business enabling environment for a broad-based inclusive economy.
• Objective 4.     Strengthening business-to-business (B2B) and cross-sectoral linkages.

Summary of Activities

The Access to Finance Manager will perform financial assessments to identify and address the key factors affecting the lack of financial products and available funding for SGBs. The Access to Finance Manager is responsible for improving access to finance of the targeted sectors by designing and executing effective strategies to support the implementation of the IPS-C project.

Specific Tasks

The Access to Finance Manager shall perform the following tasks:

• Lead a mapping exercise of the current landscape of financial technology platforms that are available for SBGs to access financing.
• Review the current regulatory framework and recommend strategies to encourage greater FinTech innovation.
• Facilitate product development with Financial institutions (FIs), peer-to-peer (P2P) lending companies, venture capitalists, crowdfunding platforms, while supporting policy development to improve relevant laws and regulations (under the Objective 3).
• Work with commercial banks, savings, and microfinance institutions and provide technical support and guidance to partner institutions, as well as SGBs.
• Identify and document financial constraints in select sectors and value chains and develop strategies to address them.
• Identify capacity gaps in financial institutions and lead implementation of capacity building support to SGBs and banks designed to improve their lending and savings products for SGBs.
• Develop and supervise delivery of  training programs and technical assistance to financial institutions as well as value chain actors.
• Develop and maintain strong partnerships with regional and local level banks, microfinance institutions, cooperatives, insurance companies, partner institutions, collaborators, private sector players, and any other associated stakeholders.
• In  conjunction with the MEL Manager, collect and report on relevant data for reporting to USAID and project partners.
• Contribute regular inputs for IPS-C’s weekly, quarterly, and annual reporting, in addition to creating success stories as required.
• Carry out additional tasks, as per the request of the Team Lead within the scope of the adviser’s expertise and experience.

Qualifications

• Advanced degree, such as MBA or M.A. in Economics or M.S. in Finance, or other relevant field.
• Minimum of eight years of experience in the banking/financial sector, including five years of experience in SGB lending or related activities.
• Excellent understanding of the financial sector in Vietnam.
• Knowledge of banking and financial products and services with an understanding of credit procedures and SGB financing.
• Demonstrated experience in working effectively with local SGBs, governments, and particularly the private sector.
• Prior experience in the implementation of USAID-funded projects involving multiple partners and host country counterparts?is preferred.
• Practical understanding of social inclusion, gender equity, and women’s economic empowerment.
• Experience working in a team environment, possessing excellent people skills.
• Vietnamese nationality.
• Fluency in spoken and written English and Vietnamese and proficiency in reporting and presenting.

Reporting Requirements

This position will report to the Objective 2 Lead, Innovation, Technology, and Access to Finance.

Place of Performance

Level of effort:             Full time
Expected start date:     February 2022
End date:                    December 2025
Location:                     Hanoi, Vietnam with travel to other provinces as required

USAID Improving Private Sector Competitiveness Key Concepts and Definitions

• Small and Growing Business (SGB): An organization/economic unit of Vietnam, including enterprises, under the provisions of the Law on Enterprises, cooperatives operating under the provisions of the Law on Cooperatives, and business households registered in accordance with Vietnamese law, which employs no more than 500 full-time employees, has growth potential but lacks the resources of knowledge, finance, human resources, and technology to realize its goals and growth potential. 
• Pioneering SGBs or Pioneering Enterprises (PEs): A growing Vietnamese enterprise with Vietnamese-branded products, good competitiveness, the ability to lead and expand in the industry, sector, and locality, good management capacity and willingness to innovate and produce products with high added value, with the vision/objective to build a Vietnamese brand in the international market.
• Business Development Service Provider (BDSP): Agencies, organizations and enterprises in both the public and private sector with functions, duties/business lines providing non-financial services to support enterprises to improve operational efficiency and business development.
• Business Support Organization (BSO): An organization with the function and mission to connect and support business development, often including business associations/clubs, industries, etc.

Terms of employment:

All positions are for full-time employment and available for Vietnamese nationals based in Hanoi. These positions are subjected to an initial two-month probation period.

Applications:

To be considered for any of the available positions, please send an email to [email protected] with subject line “Application – Title of position – Full name of Candidates”. In your email, please include:

1. A cover letter (one page) illustrating your motivation to apply and suitability for the specific position against the listed qualifications and work responsibilities.
2. A detailed Curriculum Vitae (maximum 04 pages), including the name and email addresses of three senior referees who worked either as your professional or academic supervisors and are knowledgeable about your skills and professional abilities.

Only qualified applicants with relevant skills and experience will be contacted. Deadline for application is January 31, 2022.