Communications Consultant

Terms of Reference – Communications Consultant

Position title: Communications Consultant
Project: Australia-IFC Private Sector Development Partnership in Vietnam (VPSDP)
Location: Hanoi, Vietnam with possible travel to provinces as part of work scope
Duration: from October 2022 – June 2023 with extension possibility

IFC—a member of the World Bank Group—is the largest global development institution focused on the private sector in emerging markets. We work in more than 100 countries, using our capital, expertise, and influence to create markets and opportunities in developing countries. In fiscal year 2022, IFC committed a record $32.8 billion to private companies and financial institutions in developing countries, leveraging the power of the private sector to end extreme poverty and boost shared prosperity as economies grapple with the impacts of global compounding crises. For more information, visit www.ifc.org.

BACKGROUND

The Vietnam Private Sector Development Partnership (VPSDP) is a new program funded by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), to support the work of the International Finance Corporation (IFC) in Vietnam. The partnership aims to support IFC to create concrete opportunities for inclusive, sustainable private investment in support of Vietnam’s COVID-19 recovery and medium-term economic growth through targeted advisory interventions.

Developed from shared but distinct policy interests of both DFAT and IFC, the VPSDP program has four key pillars to be pursued during the life of the program:

• Improving the enabling environment for the private sector
• Accelerating inclusive and climate-smart private investment in key growth sectors
• Enabling a green, inclusive, and sustainable financial sector
• Enhancing gender inclusion and environmental, social and governance (ESG) standards

The VPSDP program will be implemented through a range of IFC projects which are expected to make a significant contribution towards the four key pillars above.  Identified and designed through in-country analysis and consultation with the government and private sector stakeholders, the projects are at various stages of pre-and current implementation.

OBJECTIVE

IFC’s Asia and Pacific Communications team is looking for an experienced local communications consultant to assist in developing and executing the VPSDP communications strategy.

The communications consultant will help cover external and internal communications to promote the VPSDP’s visibility and its development impact and results to target audiences.  

This position requires a highly motivated communications professional, with the ability to develop communications strategies and action plans, spot a story of interest to others and the skills to write compelling narratives to appeal to wide ranging audiences across multiple platforms.

The communications consultant will work closely with IFC’s communications team and the VPSDP coordinator to communicate the VPSDP’s work to target audiences and will be based in Hanoi.

SCOPE OF WORK

• Working closely with VPSDP team – and reporting specifically to IFC’s Asia and Pacific Head of Communications for low income and fragile states, the communications consultant will work with IFC’s country communications officer to promote VPSDP’s work through:
  
  • Developing and executing communications strategies and activities to promote visibility of VPSDP and its implementors IFC and DFAT to target audiences across multiple platforms
  • Producing effective communications products (press releases, op-eds, feature stories, social media posts, newsletters, multimedia contents, etc.) for external and internal audiences focused on VPSDP results and impact. 
  • Preparing speeches, briefs and talking points, as required for external speaking engagements by VPSDP team
  • Developing a brand and visibility manual for VPSDP in line with donor visibility requirements and overseeing its compliance.
• In line with that, the consultant will be expected to familiarize herself/himself with the workings of the DFAT-funded projects under VPSDP and attend meetings as required. The consultant will also need to collaborate with business and industry partners and communications staff to generate content.
• All writing/editing work will be reviewed and approved by the communications officer and Asia Pacific Head of Communications for low income and fragile states then cleared according to IFC protocols. The plan is to develop a solid pipeline of external output, across multiple channels (including social media) ensuring that the crafted material is engaging for a wide range of audiences.

KEY CRITERIA

• Proven ability to write for multiple audiences across multiple platforms
• Self-motivated, creative, excellent organizational skills, proven ability to perform multiple tasks, and ability to work with both internal and external constituencies.
• Excellent interpersonal skills with a willingness to work in a team environment.
• Excellent Vietnamese communication skills.
• Excellent English writing and editing skills.
• Good photography/videography skills and proven ability to use graphic design and video editing apps is preferred
• Exceptional ability to operate under pressure and tight deadlines with accuracy and professionalism.

DELIVERABLES/SPECIFIC OUTPUTS

• Key messages about VPSDP work, and highlighting specific examples, backed up by supporting data points
• Press releases, speeches, op-eds, feature stories, video scripts, briefing notes for media engagements, and internal and external pieces to be done as agreed during the year with a short turnaround time expected (please note this will vary according to needs, with a couple of days for shorter pieces; longer for blog/op-eds (with acknowledgement that editing and obtaining approvals may take longer and require revisions)
• Produce infographics, videos, audiograms, social media postcards, and other multimedia content, with the help of external vendors.
• Any other written materials to be handled on a schedule agreed when the assignment is communicated with the consultant.
• As mentioned above, the consultant will be expected – from time to time – to attend meetings with the VPSDP project teams, which will be considered part of the scope of work.

SPECIFIC INPUTS TO BE PRESENTED BY THE CLIENT

• The consultant will work closely with VPSDP project teams, the communications officer for Vietnam, and the Asia Pacific Head of Communications for low income and fragile states, who will provide support and guidance, including introductions to people in the sectors to develop and craft communications materials; and pave the way for overall guidance on clearance and protocol procedures.

SPECIAL TERMS & CONDITIONS / SPECIFIC CRITERIA

• The short-term consultant will be contracted for 100 days during October 2022 – June 2023, with potential to add more should the STC have more days available and if there is a need by the hiring program. At the World Bank Group, the consultants’ days are maxed at 150 days per fiscal year.

YEARS OF EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION

• Bachelor/Master’s degree and 5+ years’ work experience in public relations, public affairs, media relations, journalism; previous experience with a private sector company or multilateral financial institution a plus or graduate degree with an equivalent combination of education and experience. 

LOCATION

• The location of the assignment is in Hanoi yet travel to provinces under program area would be requested subject to the needs as defined during the VPSDP cycle.
• The consultant will need to attend meetings at IFC’s Hanoi office, and otherwise would be able to work remotely.  The consultant will be provided with an IFC email account during the contract period.

APPLICATION

Interested candidates are invited to submit an application letter with CV and supporting documents to demonstrate skills and experience no later than October 21, 2022 to [email protected]. Shortlisted ones will be contacted to participate in the selection process. The selected candidate is expected to start work on November 1, 2022.