Deputy Project Manager in Son La Province

DEPUTY PROJECT MANAGER IN SON LA PROVINCE

Company Description

SNV is a not-for-profit international development organization. Founded in the Netherlands in 1965, we have built a long-term country presence in over 24 countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Our global team of local and international advisors works with local partners to equip communities, businesses, and organizations with the tools, knowledge, and connections they need to increase their incomes and gain access to basic services - empowering them to break the cycle of poverty and guide their own development. 

SNV has been working in Vietnam since 1995, and currently has over 50 national and international staff. SNV Vietnam’s team works hand-in-hand with communities, government agencies, and businesses in more than 40 provinces, including the remotest and poorest areas of the country. We operate from a country office in Hanoi as well as project offices in Ho Chi Minh City, Tra Vinh, Da Lat and Buon Ma Thuot. Our work focuses on three sectors – Agri-Food, Water and Renewable Energy. 

SNV Vietnam is implementing an inception phase for land?restoration and rural livelihoods Program?in Vietnam.?The RESTORING LANDS AND LIVELIHOODS IN VIETNAM PROGRAM (RESTORE PROJECT) aims at restoring degraded agricultural and forest land, while improving smallholder farmers (SHFs)’ livelihoods through the market-driven promotion of agroforestry and forestry-based sustainable land management practices. The project is also expected to sequester carbon dioxide and generate carbon credits, which will be distributed among the project funder (AstraZeneca), the participating communities and the project leader. Moreover, the project will improve biodiversity and green corridors in the landscape by connecting mixed agricultural crops/trees, buffer zones and enriching core zones of protected areas (special-use forests). 

SNV Vietnam is now seeking a dynamic and highly motivatedDeputy Project Manager to support the inception phase of the project in Son La Province. 

Job Description

JOB PURPOSE 

The Deputy Project Manager will be based in Hanoi/Son La office with frequent to travel to the field.  S/he leads and manages the planning, inception, implementation, closing and the workforce of the project in Son La Province, within scope, budget, timeline, and acceptable quality levels along the commitments specified in the contracts signed with the donor(s), consortium(s) and other relevant stakeholders. 

JOB DESCRIPTION  

The Deputy Project Manager works in line with SNV standards, SNV’s approach to project management and donor regulations, in order to achieve high quality and achieve the agreed results and deliverables of the project inception phase. The assignment is expected to comprise the following tasks and responsibilities: 

1. Project Design & Development: 

• Organize and oversee various assessments and analyses to inform the design and development of the RESTORE project. 
• Lead design of appropriate project interventions and approaches, aligned with key government policies and programs to develop and strengthen tree plantings, biodiversity conservation, ecosystem, circular bioeconomy, value chains for key products of agroforestry systems and Climate-Smart Agriculture that benefit smallholders and private sectors (SMEs/cooperatives). 

2. Project implementation, management and monitoring 

• Leads, manages, and motivates the project’s partners, consultants, provincial project team, partners, and relevant stakeholders. Plans and assigns deliverables and activities, reviews their progress and addresses deviations in terms of timelines and quality, based on project planning, deliverables agreed and budget set. Manages project closure and evaluation process including hand-over of complete and up-to-date project files to Project Manager and Sector Leader based on project management procedures. 
• Develop the work-plan and manage technical assistance with applying and adapting SNV approaches and tools. 
• Lead and manage consultant groups in delivering the selection of priority commodities and inclusive value chain and market assessments. 
• Developing detailed work plans and leading/managing tree plantings, key inclusive value-chain development project intervention activities. 
• Provide assistance to identify appropriate targets and related indicators as well as monitoring methods for project M&E 

3. Provide capacity building in tree plantings, sustainable production, inclusive business, and traceability systems. 

• Develop training courses plan for tree plantings, the value chains (coffee and mixed-trees), business plan, and marketing.  
• Advise the businesses to obtain sustainable production certifications in various sectors (coffee, fruits, nuts, timber, etc..). 
• Counsel/recommend integrating the digital traceability system and/or other monitoring systems in SME operations to adapt the market-based value chains. 

4. Project Technical Lead and Quality Assurance in the Province 

• Takes responsibility for the technical content of a project, ensures quality of the deliverables, and ensures sufficient technical input to meet the quality standards. 
• Facilitate and strengthen the partnership with key forestry and agriculture businesses, financial institutions, and development partners. 
• Contribute to achieving the inception phase indicators and annual work plans. 

5. Contract Management & Project Accounting related to activities in Son La Province 

• Manages and accounts for compliance of administrative, finance and HR components of the project with SNV internal procedures and requirements specified in the donor-, sub-grant-, sub-consultancy-, partner-, consortium- and Local Capacity Builders contracts. 
• Ensures that approval for, coding and booking of all expenditures is done according to the relevant procedures and authorization levels. Prepares, accounts for, manages and reports on project budget (and revisions thereof). Discusses and obtains approval of donor for contract / budget deviations. Ensures security and (financial risk) mitigation (incl. due diligence). Fully understands procurement and complies with requirements and contracts. 

6. People Management & Team Leadership 

• Guides, develops, coaches, and motivates team members and prepares resource estimation based on forecast to attract and recruit (SNV staff, consultants and/or Local Capacity Builders). 
• Advises Project Manager and country management on contract conditions for consultants and Local Capacity Builders, within guidelines and project budget. 

7. Business development 

• Builds and maintains effective relationships, with team, external partners, and the donor(s) by ensuring a high level of SNV visibility and branding in the province. Signals and acts on potential for positioning, innovation, upscaling, and potential follow up on project design. Timely recognises and analyses threats and makes sure relevant colleagues are informed. 

8. Analysis & Reporting 

• Ensures collection, consolidation, and review of project information, according to SNV’s monitoring and evaluation guidelines. Analyses and provides advice to management how to incorporate the new insights/best practices into the organisation’s policies and practices. 

9. Knowledge Development 

• Contributes to internal and external knowledge development, by full documentation and sharing of project insights and results. Develops knowledge by attending workshops and conferences. Ensures lessons learned are shared and applied in daily practice. When applicable, s/he can be appointed as (provincial) focal point of an expertise network. 

10. Development relationship and networking  

• Identify and engage key private sectors to build up the market-based value chains in project area.  
• Develop and strengthen relationships with local governments/organisations (e.g., microfinance institutions, agri/rural finance institutions), smallholder farmers and relevant government agencies. 
• Work closely with project staff (including Agriculture Sector Leader, National Project Manager, project consultants and team members as well as project partners and local stakeholders. 

11. Other tasks as required by the Project Manager. 

Qualifications

Education and Experience: 

• Master’s degree in environment, forestry, agriculture, rural development, or similar fields. 
• At least 5 years’ experience working experience in development work, project management in forestry, agriculture, and rural development in an international, multiple country context. 
• Specific working knowledge and professional experience of agroforestry and/or the Central Highlands/Northwestern region will be a distinct advantage. 

Other requirements 

• Leadership: The ability to provide direction and guidance to a group of people and to encourage cooperation between team members in order to attain an objective. 
• Planning and organising: The ability to determine goals and priorities and to assess the actions, time and resources needed to achieve those goals. 
• Decisiveness: The ability to make active decisions or to commit oneself by speaking one’s mind and taking position. 
• Persuasiveness: The ambition to win over other people for one’s views and ideas and to generate support. 
• Problem analysis: The ability to detect problems, recognise important information and link various data to trace potential causes and look for relevant details. 
• Conceptual thinking: Having and gaining insight into situations, problems, and processes. Deconstructing problems and systematically investigating the various components. Having a complete picture of the context and overview of the whole problem. 
• Result orientation: The ability to take direct action in order to attain or exceed objectives. 
• Focus on quality: Setting high quality standards and striving for continuous improvement and quality assurance. 
• Excellent communication skills in English and Vietnamese, both spoken and written. 
• Good computer skills in MS-applications (Word, Excel, Internet, Email). 

Additional information

CONTRACT DURATION 

8 month contract with the option of extension based on performance and budget availability. 

CONTRACT TYPE 

SNV National Staff Contract 

DESIRED START DATE 

Contingent on donor funding with tentative date 3rd June 2024. 

DUTY STATION 

Hanoi/Son La city with frequent travel to field sites in Son La province and potentially other field locations in Hanoi and neighboring provinces. 

HOW TO APPLY 

Join our team by applying today! If you are passionate about making a difference in people's lives and possess the required qualifications, we encourage you to submit your application to this LINK until 5PM, April 30th, 2024. At SNV, we value your privacy, and rest assured that all your information will be treated with the utmost confidentiality.

Applicants will be asked to give us the contact details of three people willing to act as a reference. We will only contact these references after your explicit permission.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Should SNV wish to proceed with your application, two interviews with a Selection Committee will take place. 

Applicants will be reviewed, and interviews conducted on a rolling basis to identify appropriate candidates as soon as possible.

SNV is an equal opportunities employer and female candidates are encouraged to apply.

Working at SNV:

SNV offers a competitive salary and comprehensive benefits package. We offer a challenging work environment, opportunities to lead and innovate, and a commitment to growing your skills in a fulfilling and diverse working environment. Our staff benefit from, and contribute to, an internal global network of experts. For more information, please visit our website: www.snv.org/careers.

SNV strives to be an inclusive employer, thriving on the diversity of its people and does not discriminate on the base of disability status, religion, ethnic origin, gender, and sexual orientation, etc.

At SNV we prioritise safety and security for all employees. We conduct thorough background and reference checks concerning possible safeguarding incidents for all candidates applying for International determined positions. As SNV participates in the Inter-Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme, all reference checks include a request to past employers to fill in a questionnaire regarding Misconduct (sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, or sexual harassment), the “Statement of Conduct". This Statement of Conduct adopts the definitions used in the Scheme.? 

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