Lead Project Coordinator

VACANCY

SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES DEVELOPMENT IN TRA VINH PROVINCE

I. PROJECT BACKGROUND:

The Small and Medium Enterprise Development Project in Tra Vinh province (hereafter referred to as SME Tra Vinh Project) is funded by the Global Affairs Canada with a total budget of US $ 11 million. This 6-years project (2014-2020) was kicked off in January 2015. The project employs the program-based approach (PBA), and the grant from Global Affairs Canada is ODA to the Government of Viet Nam through the Government's administrative and financial management system and in accordance with the Annual work-plan of the Project approved by the Co-Chairs. Global Affairs Canada will directly transfer funding to the account of the State Treasury and the Ministry of Finance will allocate to Tra Vinh province.

The grant will support Tra Vinh province to implement priority issues in the province’s SME Development Plan, including: small-scale infrastructure; strengthening public administration capacity and supporting the development of SMEs with priority to the coconut value chain.

The project has three components: (1) Small and Medium Enterprise Development; (2) Building infrastructure for SME development; (3) Strengthening the public administration capacity and supporting the development of SMEs in the province. As the leading unit of SMEs in the province, Department of Planning and Investment of Tra Vinh province is the project owner; and since 2018 the SME Project has adjusted its work plan toward three following main objectives:

• Objective 1: Develop SMEs and cooperatives along value chains: Coconut products will be diversified and penetrate larger markets.
• Objective 2: Develop start-up ecosystem in Tra Vinh province: The start-up ecosystem in Tra Vinh province has been formed, operated and connected with other ecosystems in the regional Mekong Delta and the nation one, promoting the idea of start-up and formation of new businesses and creative businesses.
• Objective 3: Improve business environment to facilitate business development and start-ups: Tra Vinh province has favorable business environment encouraging investment and business development.

SME Tra Vinh project is recruiting a Lead Project Coordinator

II. CAPACITY REQUIREMENT AND TERMS OF REFERENCE

1. Capacity requirement:

• Hold a master degree in management, evaluation and development, economics, business administration, and related (appropriate) fields of study.
• Have more than 10 years of experience in management and implementation of ODA projects funded by the Government of Canada and community development projects, especially experience in value chain development, small and medium enterprise development support, understanding of start-ups, integration of gender, environment and ethnicity issues into activities of programs and projects.
• Experience and knowledge of local context related to SME development.
• Practical experience and knowledge of developing, monitoring, and managing socio-economic planning programs, natural resource management, value chain identification and development, public-private partnerships, smart agriculture adapting to climate change, and result-based project management.
• Strong analytical skills, good writing skills, a sense of discipline and ensuring the best output quality.
• Knowledge and deep understanding of socio-economic development as well as development of SMEs in Vietnam in general and Mekong Delta provinces in particular with priorities for those who have worked in Tra Vinh.
• Teamwork skills, good writing and communication skills in English.
• Honest, easy to get along well with others, active and well-connected with departments, agencies, districts and communes, mass organizations at all levels, businesses and local communities.
• Age: not older than 55 for male candidates; and 50 for female ones

2. Terms of reference

Overall coordination

• Coordinate the tasks of Human Resource Management and activities under the technical department, ensuring smooth project progress to meet the goals and objectives of the project.
• Strengthen the links between the project with all stakeholders including the Donor, State agencies, private sector organizations, NGOs, ODA projects and local communities.
• Monitor and evaluate project activities, including but not limited to activities undertaken by partners, consultants, project staff, and beneficiaries. Ensure that information about project implementation results is timely reflected and disseminated to all stakeholders including the Project Steering Committee and Canadian Donor.
• Recommend rooms for improvement of project activities to ensure the progress, efficiency, and quality of the project.
• Support the preparation and participate in the development of reports and technical documents for monitoring and supervision missions of the Donor, and the Government of Vietnam.
• Technically contribute to the development of documents, strategies and policies related to the project.
• Coordinate with the Strategic Adviser to orient the annual plan of the project according to the committed objectives and the accounting and administrative departments in the implementation of regular activities of the Project.
• Propose activities and participate in the development process of annual work-plans budget. Assist to ensure the plans to meet the requirements of the Donor, of the Government of Vietnam in terms of: meeting the project objectives, being concise, doable within the prescribed timeline, and by all stakeholders.
• Coordinate and strengthen the awareness capacity, implement knowledge management and sharing in and outside the project.

Coordinate activities of consultants / TAs for the project

• Prepare TORs to recruit consultants, connect and introduce potential consultants to perform the tasks set out in the annual budget plan approved by the Provincial People's Committee and Canadian Donor.
• Coordinate plans of project technical advisers, ensure the logic in the development and implementation in line with the annual master plan.
• Monitor the performance of each consultant and ensure the connection of the consulting activities of different areas to the overall task of the project.
• Perform other tasks as required by the Project Director Board.

III. POSITIONS AND PERKS:

1. Positions:

• As per recruited positions and titles.
• Directly supervised by the Project Director Board.

2. Working mode and salary payment:

• Working mode: Full-time, 40 hours/week.
• Contracts will be signed on yearly basic.
• Salaries: According to experience and capacity; wages are in line with the UN-EU 2015 cost norms and existing manuals of SME Tra Vinh Project.
• Workplace: 2nd floor, Department of Planning and Investment of Tra Vinh province. No. 19A Nam Ky Khoi Nghia Street, Ward 2, Tra Vinh City, Tra Vinh Province.

IV. APPLICATION DUE

1. Application: in Vietnamese
(Include: Application form with full name, date of birth, place of birth and contact telephone number; (CV) summarizes the process of work experience and skills).
2. Application sent via email to: [email protected]
3. If any clarifications and information needed, please dial 0939 448 648 directly to Mr. Nguyen Phi Toan, Administrative Officer.
4. Application deadline: 15h00 on 22nd August 2019.

The SME project will only contact qualified applicants for interviews.