National Silviculture Specialist

Scope of Work
National Silviculture Specialist
USAID Vietnam Sustainable Forest Management Activity

Job Title:      National Silviculture Specialist (NSS)
Project:        USAID Sustainable Forest Management Project   
Reports to:   Deputy Chief of Party (DCOP) cum Enterprise Development Director
Location:      The NSS will be based in Hanoi city, Vietnam
Date:            September 1, 2022

Preferred by Nature (formerly NEPCon) is a non-profit organisation that works for sustainable land use and climate-friendly solutions. With 250+ staff around the world, our projects build capacity, raise awareness, conserve nature and streamline sustainability through innovation.

We are currently looking for a passionate colleague with a forestry background to join an exciting project. Preferred by Nature is a subcontractor to DAI, an international development company for the US Agency for International Development (USAID) Sustainable Forest Management activity in Vietnam which will be implemented from July 2020-2025. To implement the project activities Preferred by Nature is seeking a Silviculture Specialist that will work at a national level with sustainable forest plantation management.

Project Background

Forests are important in the global carbon cycle, carbon sequestration and storage. Although Vietnam increases in overall forest cover, there has been a reduction in both total hectares of natural forests and forest quality. To contribute to reducing land-based emissions and increasing forest carbon sequestration in Vietnam through reduction of deforestation, natural forest degradation and poor timber plantation management practices, USAID Vietnam initiated and implement the USAID Sustainable Forest Management Project (the Project) in seven provinces in Vietnam (Lao Cai, Son La, Hoa Binh, Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Quang Tri, and Quang Nam) in the period of 2020 – 2025.

The overall goals of the Project are to (1) avoid carbon emissions from natural forest conversion; (2) Increase carbon sequestration through better management of plantation forests; and, (3) Improve quality, diversity and productivity of natural production forest.

The Project will implement a “Green Prosperity” approach that strengthens local communities’ ability to protect their natural resource base and reduce emissions while building a strong foundation for sustainable livelihoods and equitable economic growth. Engagement with the private sector and improved co-management by communities, local authorities, and the national government are at the core of Project activities.  

The Project focusses on five main Objectives:  

1. Improve and expand community forest management
2. Increase conservation-friendly enterprises in forest-dependent communities
3. Increase functionality of law enforcement system for forest crimes
4. Improve production forest management practices
5. Mobilize domestic resources for forest management and protection

Preferred by Nature is responsible for Objective 4, which consists of the following three main Tasks:

• Increase the Production of Sustainable Timber by Small-Scale Foresters
• Increase the Demand from Processors for Certified Timber
• Develop Market Linkages Between Timber Producers and Industry

The key target indicators for Objective 4 are (i) 120,000 hectares of forest/plantation under improved management; (ii) 9,000 hectares of plantations certified; (iii) 10,000 people trained; (iv) 3,042,000 ton of greenhouse gas emissions reduced; (v) 10,000 people are receiving livelihood co-benefits; (vi) 7 institutions with improved capacity; and (vii) Investments worth USD 1.5 million mobilized

The National Silviculture Specialist (NSS) will predominantly contribute to meeting the indicator targets of the first Task of Objective 4.

The NSS will be responsible for providing technical assistance and implementing field activities to improve production forest management practices by increasing the production of sustainable timber by small-scale foresters in the respective provinces.

Under the overall management of the Chief of Party (COP), the NSS will be directly supervised by the Deputy Chief of Party (DCOP) and administratively overseen by the Country Representative of Preferred by Nature.

Roles and Responsibilities

The NSS will have the following specific role and responsibilities:

• Design, plan and implement project activities in cooperation with the Certification Specialist, to meet the Project indicators (particularly 120,000 hectares of forest/plantation under improved; and 10,000 people are receiving livelihood co-benefits) for Objective 4:
• Assess the need for support to acacia, cinnamon and bamboo plantations to become more sustainable;
• Engage with stakeholders at all levels and across all regions - to facilitate deeper understanding of the issues affecting the implementation of sustainable forest management;
• Develop best practice guidelines on the sustainable management of acacia, cinnamon and bamboo plantations in collaboration with the private sector, provincial and district governments;
• Develop and conduct training programs focused on silvicultural techniques that improve the sustainability of plantations, at all stages, from nurseries to harvest;
• Provide technical assistance to smallholder producers to improve the production of forest products;
• Be systematic in reporting the outputs of meetings and personal interactions;
• Work closely with the Certification Specialists, Forestry Officers, Provincial Project Managers, Communications Specialists, Gender Equity and Social Inclusion Expert and the wider Project team to ensure close coordination of the Project activities;
• Champion and promote successful activities and support the development of Success Stories and other knowledge management products promoting the work being done in the provinces.
• Collaborate with Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) Team for M&E data collection and evidence as the proofs for indicator achievement required for reporting to USAID and the Government of Vietnam (GVN).
• Write report on silviculture sections for quarterly and annual progress reports;
• Other tasks as required by the direct supervisor.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in forestry, or relevant area is required. Master’s Degree in forestry will be an advantage.
• At least 08 years of experience in the silviculture practice, natural resource management in Vietnam;
• Prior experience in activity planning, organization and implementation;
• Strong central connections and understanding of planning processes and direct working experience with any government and private partners;
• Good networking and communication skills.
• Ability to work effectively with people of diverse backgrounds, to motivate and inspire teamwork;
• Ability to work independently and a willingness to travel frequently within Vietnam;
• English proficiency
• Proficient user of the MS Office package (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint);
• Vietnamese national only.

How to apply and requested documents

Interested candidates are requested to submit a:

• CV in English
• Cover letter in English indicating why they are suitable for this position
• Scanned copy of relevant degrees

to via the application form below. Please quote the position title in the subject line: “Application for National Silviculture Specialist”.

Deadline for application: 5.00pm (Hanoi time), 15 August, 2022

For questions, please contact:
Ho Van Cu, Country Manager, Vietnam   
Email: [email protected]