Digital Trade STTA Expert

USAID Vietnam Digital Trade Activity

SCOPE OF WORK

Digital Trade STTA Expert

Date:

Position: STTA Digital Trade Expert

Reports to: USAID Vietnam Digital Trade Director

Location: VDT Office in Hanoi (7F Hanoi Tower, 49 Hai Ba Trung Street)

Eligibility: Vietnamese Nationals

LOE: 70 days

Period of Performance: December 2023- April 2025

International Development Group LLC is an international development consulting firm that assists donors, governments, and the private sector to create and take advantage of opportunities for sustainable, broad-based economic development and poverty reduction. IDG provides entrepreneurs and policymakers with the practical tools needed to achieve real and measurable impact for their communities and countries. IDG assistance programs aim to build the capacity, skills, and knowledge of local individuals and institutions in the public, private, and not-for-profit sectors, fostering synergies between local knowledge and international experience. 

Position Description

The VDT is a two-year project (2023-2025) addressing regulatory gaps and promoting private sector engagement in the rapidly growing digital economy. USAID VDT activity supports the Ministry of Industry and Trade’s (MOIT) implementation of frameworks that facilitate digital trade, with an emphasis on supporting MOIT in holding public-private dialogues to ensure implementation is done in consultation with the private sector. Regulations that are responsive to private sector needs remove bottlenecks in trade faced by enterprises and increase regulatory transparency, helping to shape an e-commerce sector where enterprises of all sizes can benefit. The activity encourages the participation of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in digital trade by introducing new business models and other best practices, such as traceability of goods, as well as facilitating cross-border connections between enterprises via MOIT’s digital trade promotion platform.

The Digital Trade Expert will play a pivotal role in providing substantial inputs and up-to-date advice to the VDT management team in the implementation of the VDT activity, and spearheading the development of public-private partnership initiatives and activities within the framework of a digital trade project. The Digital Trade Expert must have a strong understanding of international trade policies, regulations, and agreements, especially in the context of Vietnam's trade landscape. The incumbent has knowledge of digital trade policies, e-commerce regulations, and emerging trends in global trade. The incumbent should have a general understanding on data protection, privacy laws, and cybersecurity measures in the context of digital trade; has the ability to ensure compliance with international standards and local regulations.

This role involves exploring, implementing, and advocating for opportunities to engage the private sector, public sector, and relevant business community stakeholders in the context of digital trade policy and procedures. The expert will analyze the impact of trade policies on the digital economy and propose effective strategies. The expert will focus on areas such as digital trade policy development and reforms, supply chain digitization and traceability, digital trade promotion. The expert will promote ideas to the private sector on how to improve their capacity to interact with the public sector to promote digital trade reforms enabling businesses to fully benefit from the Information Technology tools.

Key Tasks/Responsibilities:

Responsibilities:

1. Collaborate in implementing the VDT Work Plan, with a particular focus on contributing technical inputs on digital trade in every single activity in the work plan.
2. Actively participate in and contribute to various aspects of the project on digital trade as directed by the VDT Director      
3. Support the capacity building on related digital trade activities in the work plan.
4. Provide technical advice and inputs for 2 components of (i) supporting implementation of regulations with private sector inputs; and (ii) increasing private sector engagement in digital trade.
5. Inform potential opportunities and challenges that are related to activities to provide timely recommendations for actions to achieve project’s goals. 
6. Support the team in engaging the relevant representatives of the private sector (associations, chambers of commerce, enterprises) related to the topics covered by VDT activities.
7. Identify low-hanging fruit and long-term achievements for VDT in implementation of the Work Plan.     .
8. Provide expertise and leadership in designing, formalizing, and managing innovative public-private partnerships on digital trade.

NB:

The Digital Trade STTA will present a monthly plan to the VDT director, outlining the tasks to be implemented and the corresponding schedule for their execution, including the number of necessary man-days.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in economics, business administration, trade policy, international trade, IT-related studies, or similar fields.
• Knowledge in digital economy, e-commerce and international trade. 
• Significant and proven experience of working or collaborating with the private sector in Vietnam is essential.
• Demonstrated and substantial experience in actively engaging or collaborating with the private sector in the realm of digital trade-related matters is preferred.
• Able to solve problems as well as exercise considerable analysis and judgment to identify solutions.
• Strong communication, interpersonal, and leadership skills. Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Proficient in word processing, spreadsheets and office software such as Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Google Applications; and
• Fluency in English and Vietnamese.

Interested candidates should send applications to [email protected] before December 8, 2023.