Mekong Design and Risk Support Manager

The Australian Embassy in Hanoi is seeking applications to fill the Mekong Design and Risk Support Manager position within its Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) Section in Hanoi. For more information about AusAID, please visit www.ausaid.gov.au.

The Design and Risk Support Manager within the Mekong Hub Aid Effectiveness Team will be responsible for supporting AusAID Mekong programs to establish a high quality portfolio of aid investments. The position will report to the First Secretary, Aid Effectiveness. Duties will include but are not limited to the following:

Design Support

• Provide advice and support to Mekong programs to consistently apply AusAID’s quality standards and management requirements for the development of investment concepts, investment designs, quality assurance and risk management processes, results reporting, partner engagement, and performance assessment;
• Participate in selected design processes and missions;
• Support programs in design planning and pipeline planning including identification of potential scaling up opportunities;
• Work closely with other members of the Mekong Aid Effectiveness Team including Evaluation Support Manager as well as Mekong sectoral specialists to ensure that lessons learnt (including those related to aid effectiveness and risk) are incorporated into design.

Quality Assurance, Implementation and Risk Support

• Assist in the review and appraisal of concept and design documentation to be considered by Minister Counsellor;
• Engage in annual program and investment assessments which encourage a learning culture. Support review processes for non-performing investments as required;
• Work closely with P&Q managers at posts to analyse and compile regular management information for the Minister Counsellor to enable monitoring of program and management effectiveness across the Mekong portfolio;
• Maintain a Mekong-wide risk register and report country/regional program escalated risks and management actions to the Minister Counsellor.

Aid Management Skills and Cross Learning

• Focal point for supporting corporate aid management cycle training associated with planning, design and program management e.g. aid management pathway, investment concept and design investment training, theory of change training, partnership and agreement management, in consultation with Mekong Hub Corporate Support Team;
• Enable cross learning on effective aid approaches and instruments including managing for results, taking activities to scale, output based aid, partnership management, policy dialogue etc;
• Establish information base on Mekong & Regional design and contracting experiences including consultant registry;
• Strengthen links with relevant AusAID operations areas and key international institutions and bodies associated with aid effectiveness.
This is a non-Australian Public Service position. Applicants not resident in Vietnam should note that if they are offered the position they will be responsible for their travel and removal of personal effects to Hanoi, along with accommodation. Applicants will also be responsible for ensuring they have the appropriate permission to work in Vietnam.

Selection Criteria

Important: The Selection Criteria are used to assess an applicant’s suitability for a position.
Applicants must provide a statement of claims, not exceeding two pages, addressing the selection criteria below. Statements should detail suitability to perform the duties of the
position including personal qualities, experience, skills and knowledge relative to the selection criteria.
• Experience in leading and/or contributing towards the formulation of recognised high quality designs for bilateral and/or multilateral aid agencies and awareness of a range of different aid instruments;
• Applied knowledge of results based management, including clear program logic /theory of change, risk management, partnership management and supportive M&E and reporting systems;
• Demonstrated understanding of aid donor design processes including the use of quality assurance;
• Demonstrated ability to work as part of a team while displaying initiative and drive;
• High level communication and influencing skills with the ability to write clearly and quickly and convey technical information to a variety of audiences;
• Understanding of the socio-economic development, including the role of development assistance, of one or more countries of the Mekong region (desirable).

Eligibility / Other Requirements
• A relevant tertiary qualification in a development aid related discipline preferred but consideration will be given to candidates with other qualifications;
• At least 5 years of experience in aid program design and management is required;
• The applicant must be available for frequent short travel within the Mekong subregion (particularly Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos).

How to apply
Those interested in this position should lodge:
• A covering letter.
• A Curriculum Vitae (CV) of no more than 3 pages.
• A statement (no more than one third of a page per criterion) in support of their application, using the provided selection criteria as headings.
• Updated contact details of two referees.
with AusAID Recruitment Email [email protected], by 5:00pm (Hanoi Time) on Friday 21 December 2012. Only short-listed applicants will be contacted for further process.

Job Details
Organisation Name: 
Australian Embassy
Application Deadline: 
Fri, 2012-12-21