National Value Chain Advisor ; Project Assistant

Lux-Development, the Executing Agency for Bilateral Co-operation financed by the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, is supporting the IFAD Tam Nong Support Project (TNSP) in Tuyen Quang province by providing complementary technical assistance to Government line agencies, district authorities and the private sector. The TNSP seeks to sustainably improve livelihoods among ethnic minority and rural poor households in Tuyen Quang province within all 6 districts, 64 communes with 57,000 households.

The project have commenced in early June 2014 and planned to be ended by March 2017. The Lux-Development Support Team for the project VIE035 led by an International Project Implementation Advisor (IPIA/CTA) is looking for the two positions:

1. National Value Chain Advisor

Duty station: Tuyen Quang with occasional travels to districts
Duration of the contract: 12 months, renewable possible

Key responsibilities:

• Provide support and review the strategic plan for establishing capability in the use of value chains; and assist counterparts to prepare (i) an institutional capacity and strengthening road map and work plan with an associated time bound action plan, (ii) an organizational capacity strengthening road map and work plan with an associated time bound action plan encompassing provincial and district DARD and other priorities organisations;
• Work with the International Value Chain Advisor, the Implementation Advisor and the Project Director to prepare a TNSP value chain capacity building strategy and work plan with district and provincial seminars to communicate this to all stakeholders;
• Deliver capacity strengthening and mentoring to those with value chain work plan implementation responsibilities including value chain work planning, mapping and analysis.
• Assist in the development of resource materials for both province and district value chains;
• Review progress of each value chain program based on agreed indicators and report progress along with recommended changes and modifications to the work plans;
• Support the TNSP stakeholders in their engagement with the Private sector, formalization of relationships, and market intelligence;
• Act as a resource person for the CIG/CG group strategy formulation/strengthening programme to ensure that the value chain programme promotes pro-poor linkages.

Minimum requirements:

• A minimum of Masters Degree in Agriculture, Agricultural Marketing, Agricultural Economics or Financing or related field;
• At least 7 years work experience in agriculture and agricultural markets;
• A proven ability to plan and supervise implementation work plans; and
• At least 5 years experience in rural development, markets and preferably value chain.

2. Project Assistant

Duty station: Tuyen Quang with occasional travels to districts
Duration of the contract: 6 months, renewable possible

Key responsibilities:

• Provide support for agricultural value chain activities; eg. gather information and data, monitor activities in the field, etc:
• Provide administrative support in the elaboration of "Delegation of Funds" agreements between VIE/035, DARD, DPI, IPC and DONRE;
• Work with all the stakeholders involved in specific value chains and assist in finalizing Value Chain Development plans;
• Translation of work materials/documents from English to Vietnamese and vice versa;
• Interpretation (English to Vietnamese and vice versa) for the International Project Implementation Advisor/Chief Technical Advisor and the International Value Chain Advisor during work activities, meetings, workshops or field trips;
• Other tasks that may be required by the IPIA/CTA

Education

• University degree in agriculture, management, business administration, or any relevant field.

Experience and skills

• Knowledge/experience from the agriculture sector or marketing sector;
• Prior working experience in international donor’s projects would be an advantage;
• Fluency in English is necessary;
• Good listener and able to find creative solutions; and
• Dedicated to achieving goals and objectives through team based approaches.

DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION OF APPLICATION: before 5pm, 22 April 2016.

HOW TO APPLY: (1) application in English language via email; (2) a cover letter; (3) a CV, including 3 references; (4) copies of relevant degrees and certificates, must be forwarded by e-mail specifying in the subject line “Application for VIE/035 National Value Chain Advisor or Project Assistant” to Ms. Nguyen Thi Minh Hien at [email protected]

The detailed job description and further information can be provided upon request to the above email address. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted for interview(s).