Intern - Communications Assistant

Intern - Communications Assistant 
Vietnam Country Program Office

Application deadline 6th March 2012

RECOFTC – The Center for People and Forests is a not-for-profit international organization with its headquarters in Bangkok, Thailand. It specializes in capacity building for community forestry i.e. supporting local people to gain rights over forest resources and manage them. RECOFTC engages in strategic networks and effective partnerships with governments, nongovernment organizations, civil society, the private sector, local people, and research and educational institutes throughout the Asia-Pacific region and beyond. With 25 years of international experience and a rights-based approach to capacity building – involving research and analysis, demonstration sites, and training products – RECOFTC delivers innovative solutions for people and forests.
In recent years, the organization has opened country offices in Vietnam, Cambodia, and Indonesia, with its headquarters in Thailand. The Center’s work focuses on the four thematic areas of people, forests and climate change; conflict management over natural resources; livelihood and access to markets for forest dependent communities; and building capacities for community forestry at all levels.

VIETNAM COUNTRY PROGRAM
RECOFTC has been working in Vietnam for more than 10 years, playing a major role in developing in-country capacity to practice social forestry. Our training curricula are used in the country's forestry universities, and we have directly trained hundreds of the country's forestry professionals. RECOFTC has carried out studies and independent evaluations of Vietnam's forestry policies and programs, including a review of its Community Forest Management pilot program and a national capacity-building needs assessment. RECOFTC is in the process of setting up a full-fledged country program to help ensure Vietnam's continuing community forestry efforts work for both its people and its forests.

LOCATION AND DURATION
RECOFTC is looking for a Intern - Communications Assistant (CA) will join its Vietnam Country Program Office in Hanoi in February 2012, and will be based in Hanoi for a period of six months which is extendable. The CA will report to the Vietnam Country Program Coordinator as the immediate supervisor and is also a member of the Communications, Marketing and Fundraising (COMAF) unit based in Bangkok, Thailand. As such the CA will also coordinate work with the COMAF Manager and will help facilitate and support RECOFTC’s overall communication activities in the areas of public awareness, media, events, exhibitions, publications, documentation of project work, photography, and web presence in Vietnam. S/he will work closely with other RECOFTC units as required. 

RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES
Working under the supervision of the Vietnam Country Program Coordinator (and overall direction of the COMAF Manager), the general duties of the Intern - Communications Assistant will be as follows:
 Working under the immediate supervision of head of Vietnam Country Program Office, the CA will provide outreach and communications support for major stakeholder events. The CA will prepare the invitations, the list of invitees, the venue, engage with key partners including media to ensure their participation. The CA will coordinate communications materials and the program for the event with COMAF Manager.
The CA will help prepare an outreach plan, suggest communications materials for major events and will also provide documentation of events for the RECOFTC website. This assignment includes putting out a press release and other media engagement with support from COMAF team. 
Support program teams in writing/editing, documenting case studies and lessons learned, and supervising the production of finished communication tools and products.
Research and visit field projects, taking photos and capturing Stories of Change to support RECOFTC’s program evaluation, share lessons learned with partners, and support reporting to the Board of Trustees and donors.
Develop content for RECOFTC website and blog.
Support online social media and outreach initiatives to promote RECOFTC training program and other activities.
Produce and manage communications materials for conferences and meetings.
Create a contacts database for the VCP to help improve outreach with media, civil society, academia, and government partners.
Work with a Princeton in Asia communications intern to create a partnership strategy for Vietnam Country Program Office under the guidance of COMAF Manager and Vietnam Country Program Coordinator
Perform other tasks as required by the Vietnam Country Program Coordinator.
 
QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

The CA will have the following minimum qualifications and experience:

Essential:
A bachelor’s degree in communication, journalism, or related field
Expertise or proven interest in Asia-Pacific environmental and/or social development issues
Excellent communication skills in both written and spoken forms in English and Vietnamese
Fully conversant with use of new technology for communications and outreach, including the web and multimedia tools
Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to interact with people at all levels in a multi-cultural and multi-disciplinary environment
Value the sharing of information and continuous improvement in a co-operative atmosphere of constructive evaluation and learning
Organized, efficient and able to meet deadlines and manage events
Vietnamese nationality only

Highly desirable:
International professional experience of working in communications and/or natural resource management; and
Photography, video and design/layout skills and experience

General:
In additional to job specific skills and experience, the intern should possess the following characteristics (including attitudes and skills):

Ability to work as an active member of teams. This implies flexibility and open-mindedness;
Initiative and ability to make informed independent judgments, that are not inconsistent with an overall team approach; and
Ability to work in a varied cultural and institutional context.

 
Please send applications to [email protected], and include a cover letter, curriculum vitae, and current contact details of three referees, including recent supervisors. Please quote the position title in the subject line of the email. Only short-listed candidates will be notified.

To learn more about RECOFTC, please visit our website www.recoftc.org

RECOFTC is an equal opportunity employer and the successful consultant will be selected based on merit.