Project Advisor

HELVETAS Vietnam is looking for a Vietnamese Project Advisor (PA) based in Hochiminh city with frequent travels for the project "Cooperation to strengthen the sustainable cocoa development in Vietnam with - A Public-Private Partnership Project (PPP)" between Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Vietnam and the Government of Netherlands, and other donors. The programme aims at: Enhancement of cocoa research capacity and dissemination of results; Institutionalizing agri-technical support services and enabling programme farmers to manage their farms efficiently and produce increasing volumes of sustainable cocoa; Improvement of market access and market capacity for cocoa farmers through organisation of farmers and support to certification; Engagement with MARD and other Governmental institutions of Vietnam to further sustainable development of the cocoa sector by capacity building for planning and implementation.

ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES
The PA has the overall responsibility of the technical assistance for the project implementation; he/she is in collaboration with the Project Director and the Project Manager of the PMUs co-shares responsibilities for the project management. He/she is in charge for the overall plan and report consolidation, policy dialogue, communication with donors, and manages all the allocated Helvetas staff and budget including staff recruitment and assessment. The management of the staff in the PMU is done in collaboration with the respective PM/PD.

SPECIFIC TASKS
- Support the PMU and project partners in an effective and efficient manner in order to contribute to reaching the set outcomes formulated in the PIP and LogFrame.
- Facilitate Project implementation by providing strategic, managerial, administrative and operational support and advice the Project partners in the implementation and further development of all Project
activities.
- Organize and supervise the provision of adequate technical assistance and support to all Project components and partners.
- Guide the planning, implementation, monitoring, reporting of the Project and provide the SC with the necessary controlling information in close collaboration with the Director/Manager of the PMU.
- Support of all involved parties in the compilation of realistic Yearly Plans of Operation (YPO), periodic project review (e.g. progress operational and financial reports) and other technical reports, based on the inputs received from the project partners and according to the principles and deadlines set by the Project Document and based on the Project LogFrame.
- Identify linkage and mainstreaming potentials with ongoing and proposed donor’s projects at the national and provincial levels.
- Facilitate the dialogues amongst international and national cocoa buyers, processors and policy makers to ensure that Vietnam will produce cocoa of high quality and there are stable markets for
Vietnam quality cocoa products;
- Facilitate the collaboration with Vietnam Cocoa Coordination Committee to coordinate and strengthen synergies amongst cocoa development projects in Vietnam to ensure the successful realization of Vietnam cocoa development strategy;

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Senior personnel with academic degree in Social Sciences, Economy, Agriculture or equivalent
- At least 10 years of relevant experience in Agriculture, Rural Development, Agro business.
- Proven qualities in facilitation and leadership in development project (including general and financial administration, planning, controlling/monitoring).
- Strong analytical and conceptual skills.
- Good communication skills, especially in communicating with various partners at various levels.
- Proven social competency and intercultural sensitivity.
- Excellent command of Vietnamese and English.
- Willingness to travel to remote places.

Interested candidates should send applications (CV plus motivation letters and copies of diplomas) to Ms Nguyen Tu Anh, Human Resource Manager, email: [email protected] or post to HELVETAS - 298F Kim Ma Street, Hanoi before 15 , February 2012. Only short listed candidates will be contacted.