Project Manager - Agriculture (Sustainable Coffee)

TERMS OF REFERENCE:
PROJECT MANAGER – AGRICULTURE (SUSTAINABLE COFFEE)

BACKGROUND AND RATIONALE
SNV Netherlands Development Organisation (SNV) is a non-profit, international development organisation founded 53 years ago, and now operating in 28 countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America. Our global team of local and international advisors use their expertise in three sectors – Agriculture, Renewable Energy and Water, Sanitation and Hygiene – as well as the cross-cutting topics of gender, climate change and youth employment to contribute to solving some of the leading problems facing the world today. We work with local partners to equip communities, businesses and organisations with the tools, knowledge and connections they need to increase 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 30 national and international staff. SNV Vietnam operates from a head office in Hanoi and projects in over 50 provinces in the country, including in the poorest and most remote areas.

SNV Vietnam is now seeking a dynamic and experienced project manager to support the Agriculture Sector portfolio. The SNV Agriculture team in Vietnam is at the forefront of developing and implementing a range of exciting and innovative solutions that promote market-based approaches in support of Vietnam’s desired agricultural transition whilst delivering sustainable poverty reduction through working with smallholder farmers to improve their production and quality and engaging the private sector in inclusive business approaches. At the same time, Vietnam’s rural populations in general and the agriculture sector at large are becoming increasingly vulnerable to the effects of climate change. SNV’s Agriculture Sector portfolio includes projects that have a significant focus on both helping smallholder faming households adapt to emerging climate trends as well as promoting climate smart landscape approaches and more ecologically sustainable agricultural practices that contribute to Vietnam’s intended climate change mitigation efforts in the agriculture, forestry and land use sector.

JOB PURPOSE

The Project Manager will initially be primarily engaged to manage a new project aiming to reduce deforestation and degradation by addressing the conversion of forest to agriculture through promoting sustainable coffee production in a priority conservation landscape in Lam Dong province, the Central Highlands. The project will work to achieve these objectives through three key approaches: (1) Strengthening inter-agency (public sector) coordination and institutional capacity for integrated climate smart landscape planning and management; (2) Engaging the private sector to invest in establishing and maintaining effective monitoring and traceability systems, including formal agreements between all stakeholders, in order to address deforestation in coffee supply chains; (3) Supporting local farm households to improve coffee farm management practices, implement sustainable agroforestry models, gain improved access to finance and investments to rejuvenate their farms. It is however expected that the candidate will also help develop and provide managerial or technical support to other relevant projects in the SNV agriculture portfolio.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Leadership, Work Planning and Management
Lead, manage and motivate the project field staff, consultants, partners and relevant stakeholders, develop work plans, plan and assign deliverables and activities, review progress and address deviations in terms of timelines and quality, based on project planning, agreed deliverables and budget. Coordinate the organization of project activities with project field staff and partners, provide backstopping support to ensure quality delivery of outputs to the donor.

Contract Management & Project Accounting
Manage and account for full compliance of administrative, finance and HR (consultant procurement and management) components of the project with SNV internal procedures and requirements specified in the contracts signed with the donor. Ensure that approval for, coding and booking of all expenditures is done according to the relevant procedures and authorization levels, prepare and account for project budget (and revisions thereof) internally and externally and manage/ report on depletion and forecasting, corrective actions and financial security and/or risk (mitigation), discuss and obtain approval of the Sector Leader for contract /budget deviations.

Management of Consultants & Team Leadership
Plan and manage consultant workflow by working closely with the Sector Leader to plan personnel needs for the consultant packages. Help develop detailed TORs for all consultants, support in recruitment & selection according to SNV procurement guidelines. Manage the work plans and quality of project field staff (providing capacity building/mentoring as required) and consultants and steer their performance, in line with SNV procurement policy, and in consultation with the Sector Leader when needed.

Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting
Formulate and implement M&E plan and reporting for project, including risk monitoring and reporting on changes, deviations and taking corrective actions if needed to keep project on track in line with project management standards, M&E framework and donor reporting requirements. Prepare reports for submission to the donor and monitoring of relevant indicators for SNV’s own internal monitoring.

Technical Inputs

Whilst the position is primarily a project management position, technical knowledge and experience of developing agricultural supply/value-chains and building the capacity of agricultural extension service providers, smallholder farmers is expected. The candidate will therefore also provide certain technical inputs in designing and leading project activities such as surveys, training etc.

Knowledge, documentation and communication
Ensure full synthesis, analysis and documentation and sharing of project insights and results, signal potential for positioning, innovation, upscaling and potential follow up projects.

Network and Relationship building
Build and maintain effective relationships, with team, local government partners and other key stakeholders on the ground (companies, NGOs, development partners etc). Ensure a high level of SNV visibility and branding according to donor guidelines, where possible working with and drawing on available communication support. Identify follow up Business Development and partnership possibilities with country management and BD unit.

Other tasks as required by the Agriculture Sector Leader

CANDIDATE PROFILE

Education and Experience:

• Master’s degree in agriculture, rural development or similar fields
• At least 7 years’ experience working in agriculture and rural development
• Specific working knowledge and professional experience of the coffee sector and/or the Central Highlands region will be a distinct advantage

Other requirements

• Planning skills
• Deep knowledge of project management, coordination procedures, administrative systems, M&E systems and finance processes
• Experience in managing consultants
• Excellent interpersonal skills and team spirit towards work
• Excellent communication skills in English and Vietnamese, both spoken and written
• Excellent computer literacy

CONTRACT DURATION
1 year with the potential for renewal

CONTRACT TYPE
SNV National Staff Contract

DESIRED START DATE
As soon as possible/by December 1st 2018

DUTY STATION
Hanoi with frequent travel to Lam Dong and potentially other field locations

HOW TO APPLY
Please submit your application via [email protected] before 16 November 2018 if you wish to be considered for this position. All information will be in the strictest confidence.  We will revert to you as soon as feasible when we have reviewed your application.

For more information, please refer to our website: www.snv.org/country/vietnam

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