Senior Field Technician

I. Background
Vietnam will be one of the countries most affected by climate change (CC) with the most significant negative impact to be felt by the coastal and delta regions. Increases in average temperatures and changes in seasonal rainfall have already been measured and scientists believe that increasingly severe climatic disasters are occurring, especially typhoons, floods and droughts (MONRE 2009). These weather shocks and other stresses enhanced by climate change cause catastrophic disruption to livelihoods for coastal communities and results in increased poverty and vulnerability. Approximately 70% of Vietnam population who are dependent upon weather-based livelihoods such as agriculture, aquaculture and salt production are the ones who suffer the most from climate variations.
The project “Innovative financing for building community resilience to climate change in coastal Viet Nam” (BMU CCA-Agricultural Insurance project) is an initiative of SNV Vietnam and funded by the German’s Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU). This is a contribution to a national effort to respond to climate change by supporting vulnerable communities to effectively adapt to and reduce potential climate risks through various means and approaches. The project is implemented in 5 communes of Nghi Loc district of Nghe An province, from January 2011 to January 2014. The overall goal of the project is to reduce poverty by increasing the adaptive capacity of local communities to the effects of climate change, focusing on 4 components: 1/ Capacity building on climate change adaptation; 2/ Improving resilience for agriculture, forestry and aquaculture livelihoods; 3/ Mangrove and Protection Forest management; and 4/ Weather risk insurance scheme development and application. Most of the activities are undertaken in the field, i.e commune (5 communes), district (Nghi Loc) and provincial level (Nghe An)

In order to make the activities high community based relevant, to support management and implementation of the project in communities properly, in term of local technical inputs and field work facilitation including organization, SNv is looking for a consultant service to support the project in capacity of a Senior Field Technician who be based in Nghe An province.

II. The consultancy:

1. Objectives of the consultancy:
The consultant will closely collaborate and work with SNV project coordinator in Nghe An, SNV project team in Hanoi, IPSARD, MIA, Monitoring team as well as local partners and other technical agencies  to ensure that the entire project plan, associated field activities and M&E system fully reflect local issues and implemented in the most appropriate ways to reach the project objectives.

2. Specific tasks:
2.1. The consultant is expected to recommend the appropriate partnership and agreement type with local government and technical agency to be assigned for co-designing, launching, following up and up-scaling the project key components i.e livelihoods, risk insurance, Socio-economic development planning, climate change capacity building.
He/she is responsible for providing support to build good partnership between SNV with Nghe An provincial, district and local government and stakeholders; and guaranteeing effective internal procedures, technical facilitation and implementation of the activities from the local partners.
He/she will support follow-up and fulfillment of commitment from local government at district and commune level towards the project, especially commitment in contributing co-funding, up-scaling the livelihoods models, renewing SEDP process and support launching of agricultural scheme. He will play 

2.2. The consultant is required to involve intensively with all activities held in communes to guarantee the smoothness and effectiveness of the activities. Specifically,
Recommending the appropriate methods, specific steps to be taken, local stakeholders/partners participation for the best successful implementation and further enhance the project activities replication.
Together with the project coordinator of SNV to lead arrangement and co-coach commune exercises of undertaking livelihoods models, development of villages and commune socio-economic development plan and forest protection activities.
Providing local agriculture and forest related expertise to development and implementation of activities of various components: Climate change adaptation capacity building and awareness raising, development of integrative Socio-economic plans, Forest management, Livelihoods, Agricultural insurance
Leading arrangement and organization (in cooperation with SNV Project coordinator) of the project activities supported by the technical experts/agencies to build capacity in various topics for 5 communes and stakeholders of Nghi Loc district and Nghe An province. Leading development and implementation of forest capacity building for 5 communes
Support Agricultural Insurance technical team to enhance the development and field implementation of subsidy and risk insurance models in the locality.
Supporting IPSARD and SNV team and Nghi Loc Planning group in organizing CCA/SEDP Capacity building programme and CCA awareness raising to villagers.
Supporting IPSARD and SNV team in arranging, organizing and co-facilitating (if necessary) mass communication activities in villages.
Supporting 5 communes and SNV livelihoods team in development of livelihoods proposals, contracting, contributing co-funding, implementation and replication of livelihoods models in 5 communes.

2.3. The consultant will support the project coordinator in fulfillment of tasks related coordination with local partners and project management, including monitoring and communication.

3. Expected results:
i. Yearly and quarterly work plan, mission reports and final report should be presented to SNV by end of the specific period and end of the contract.
ii. Thematic plan for support components (cooperating with relevant project and LCB teams on CCA, Livelihoods, Insurance, Forest management, Monitoring) submitted within 30 days after start of the assignment.
iii. TOR, implementation plan and practical organization and facilitation of training on Coastal forest management activities submitted by end of June 2012.
iv. Resources and stakeholders organization mobilized to participate and contribute to the project activities, as per plan.
v. Strong cooperation with Project Coordinator and provision of intensive local expertise and inputs to the activities development, implementation and reports as per plan.

4. Time duration & location:  The assignment is planned to take place in Nghe An province with frequent travel to 5 communes for 2 year period, starting from May 2012.
The assignment workload is estimated 120 working days/year with approximately 80 days held in 5 project communes.

5. Management:
The consultant will report to Mr. Manh Loc Khoa, Project Coordinator. He/she will work with close cooperation and supervision of SNV programme leader and project lead advisors. He/she will be based in Nghe An, SNV project working station in DARD premise.

III. Requirements for Consultant:
- Strong background in agriculture and/or forestry, project management, good knowledge of community development and capacity building
- Strong and profound governance experience, specifically in Nghe An province
- Demonstrated skills in writing M&E reports
- Strong experienced with community development and capacity building projects
- Skills and experience in M&E
- Preferably experience in working with projects of protected areas, or/and  SNV/BMU in Vietnam

IV. Application:
Proposals should be submitted by April 25, 2012 to:

Ms. Tran Tu Anh
Senior Advisor, Climate Change
SNV Vietnam
Email: [email protected]

And CC : Ms. Tran Ngoc Diep at [email protected].   

Including:
1. Updated CVs, highlighting relevant qualifications and experience.
2. A motivation letter explaining the general working approach and approach to reach and manage the results as well as suggested working plan for the 1 year.
3. Proposed detailed budget including all the expenses (consultant fees, travels, accommodations, etc.)