Regulatory Reform Specialist

Scope of Work

Regulatory Reform Specialist

Background

The purpose of the USAID Improving Private Sector Competitiveness (IPSC) (“the Project”) is to remove constraints and build the competitiveness of small and growing businesses (SGBs) in Vietnam, including those led by vulnerable populations. With this Project, USAID/Vietnam is supporting Vietnam’s competitiveness: vertically at the policy, market and firm level; and horizontally by working along the entire spectrum of enterprise growth models, from household businesses transforming into registered firms to small firms on the cusp of scaling up. Deloitte Consulting LLP (“Deloitte”) is implementing this Project on behalf of USAID. The Agency for Enterprise Development (AED) of the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI) is the Vietnam Government counterpart of IPSC.

The Project is made up of four interrelated Objectives[1]:

• Objective 1.   Building business management capacity of SGBs, including those led by vulnerable populations (particularly women and ethnic minorities).
• Objective 2.   Improving efficiency and productivity by promoting innovation, technology adoption, and sustainable business models.
• Objective 3.   Enhancing business enabling environment for a broad-based inclusive economy (BEE).
• Objective 4.   Strengthening business-to-business (B2B) and cross-sectoral linkages.

Summary of Activities

Objective 3 is aimed at supporting the Government of Vietnam (GVN) in improving the business environment, focusing on advocating reforms that facilitate improving regulatory effectiveness, adopting methodologies and tools that increase efficiency, increasing the quality of Public-Private Dialogue (PPD), and reducing the compliance burden on businesses to maximize the potential growth of SGBs.

The Regulatory Reform Specialist will be responsible for supporting legal and regulatory reforms. He/she will work the policy reform manager and the intra-government coordination program manager to build the capacity for improving regulatory quality and reform with the use of quantitative tools and expertise. He/she will contribute to the implementation of activities that support business environment reforms and ensure the quality of the Project’s technical assistance in policy and regulatory reforms. He/she will work closely with the other members of the team on building the capacity of the GVN and BSOs in policy development and monitoring.

Specific Tasks

The Regulatory Reform Specialist shall perform the following tasks:

• Support the GVN and relevant stakeholders to review the performance of selected laws and regulations and assess their impacts and any gaps between intended policies and realities.
• Manage the development and application of tools and databases for quantification of impacts and work with other team members to build the capacity of the GVN and BSOs in participating in regulatory reform including application of quantification tools and engagement with research institutions.
• Manage the organization of training and development of relevant tools for policy formulation
• Work with the GVN on designing and implementing technical assistance activities in regulatory reforms including:

1. Discuss with the GVN counterpart and other related stakeholders specific needs to frame the scope of technical assistance.
2. Develop implementation plan, needed resources, specific outputs and outcomes of each activity.
3. Develop Technical Assistance Concept Notes (TACN) for the activity and scope of work (SOW) to engage individual consultants and/or consulting firms to support implementation of the activity.
4. Collaborate with IPSC’s operational team in recruiting consultants / consulting firms to implement approved activities.
5. Manage and report on the progress of the tasks assigned to consultants / consulting firms; review technical deliverables submitted by consultants / consulting firms.
6. Prepare workshops, field trips, meetings notes, and other reports.

• Contribute regular inputs for IPSC’s weekly, quarterly, and annual reporting as required.
• Carry out additional tasks within the scope of the expertise and experience as requested by IPSC management.

Qualifications

• At least a master’s degree in public management, economics, business administration, law or related field with a minimum 5 years of full-time professional experience.
• Proven experience in legal advice, working with firms.
• Knowledge of policies and regulations relating to SME development.
• Proven experience in coordinating and collaborating with government agencies and business associations.
• Experience working on international donor-funded projects, particularly on USAID-funded projects is preferred.
• Experience working with complex networks of stakeholders (government agencies at central and local level, business associations, enterprises).
• Practical understanding of law and rule making processes.
• Demonstrated high level organizational and time management skills, including the ability to manage workflow and balance competing priorities to ensure deadlines are met.
• Experience working in a team environment, possessing excellent people skills.
• Vietnamese nationality.
• Fluency in English and Vietnamese and proficiency in reporting and presenting.

Reporting Requirements

The Regulatory Reform Specialist reports to the Business Enabling Environment Team Lead.

Place, Period of Performance and Level of Effort

Level of effort: Full time

Expected start date:       Aug, 2024

Location:                           Hanoi, Vietnam with travel to other provinces as required

Submission and Deadline:

Interested candidates are invited to submit their CV and Cover letter in English to [email protected] Please state “Application for Regulatory Reform Specialist – Full name” in the subject line.

Due to the high volume of applications, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Deadline for applications is COB 14 July 2024, Hanoi time.

USAID Improving Private Sector Competitiveness Key Concepts and Definitions

• Small and Growing Business (SGB): An organization/economic unit of Vietnam, including enterprises, under the provisions of the Law on Enterprises, cooperatives operating under the provisions of the Law on Cooperatives, and business households registered in accordance with Vietnamese law, which employs no more than 500 full-time employees, has growth potential but lacks the resources of knowledge, finance, human resources, and technology to realize its goals and growth potential. 
• Pioneering SGBs or Pioneering Enterprises (PEs): A growing Vietnamese enterprise with Vietnamese-branded products, good competitiveness, the ability to lead and expand in the industry, sector, and locality, good management capacity and willingness to innovate and produce products with high added value, with the vision/objective to build a Vietnamese brand in the international market.
• Business Development Service Provider (BDSP): Agencies, organizations and enterprises in both the public and private sector with functions, duties/business lines providing non-financial services to support enterprises to improve operational efficiency and business development.
• Business Support Organization (BSO): An organization with the function and mission to connect and support business development, often including business associations/clubs, industries, etc.