Building Capacities for Transport Authorities to Enhance a Universally Accessible Public Transport Network (ATS)
Recruitment of a National Social Specialist (NSS)
Terms of Reference
Job Title: National Social Specialist (national individual specialist)
Reporting to: National Activity Manager and Deputy Team Leader, Aus4Transport
A. Background
1. Aus4Transport is an Australian Government initiative to support the Government of Vietnam in developing high-quality transport infrastructure to promote economic growth and poverty reduction. Aus4Transport is managed by a Program Managing Contractor (PMC), DT Global, Australia, on behalf of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) of the Australian Government
2. The program’s goal is to increase investment in Vietnam’s road, rail, and inland waterway infrastructures by bringing higher quality projects to market faster. The end-of-program outcome is faster project development and improved quality of transport infrastructures making use of funding from all financial sources. Two intermediate Program outcomes are anticipated: (i) the Ministry of Transport (MOT) giving enhanced consideration of engineering, financial, economic, safety, gender, social and environmental matters in all pre-feasibility studies, feasibility studies and detailed engineering design leading to MOT bringing better prepared proposals and concepts more rapidly to implementation, drawing on innovative and comprehensive approaches; and (ii) MOT identifying bottlenecks to improved project development, identifying and assessing remedial measures, and recommending improved practices, leading to MOT adopting innovations in policies and procedures toward improved project development.
3. Working in close partnership with the Ministry of Transport (MOT) and the wider transport sector, the Program will provide support through two streams of activities:
- Stream A: Facilitating project preparation for major projects that are listed, or soon to be listed, in the Government of Vietnam’s Mid-term Investment Plan; and
- Stream B: Supporting the sector through research, innovation, policy reform, and training that responds to the specific needs of various transport users (including women, people with disabilities and ethnic minorities) as well as dealing with issues related to the development of the sector, including road safety and climate change.
B. Stream B ATS Activity
4. Part of the GOA grant will be used for financing the Stream B Activity “Building Capacities for Transport Authorities to Enhance a Universally Accessible Public Transport Network”- (ATS). MOT acting as the Activity line agency will have the overall responsible for the implementation of the Activity. MOT has assigned (i) its Department of Transportation (DOT) acting as the Activity Executing agency, to oversee on behalf of MOT the Activity implementation progress and quality deliverables, and facilitate the application of the Activity outputs; and (ii) the Transport Development & Strategy Institute (TDSI) acting as Activity Implementing agency, responsible for the overall coordination of the Activity with regard to MOT requirements, including the review of deliverables and outputs, and application of the Activity outputs; and assist the DOT in monitoring Activity progress and quality.
5. Aus4Transport has assigned the PMC to act as the client of the required consulting services. The PMC will manage in collaboration with DOT and TDSI the Activity implementation including recruitment and signing of contracts with the individual consultants.
6. The Activity scope includes:
- Assess the implementation of the accessible transport regulations in four provinces by workshopping with local officials, civil societies, local Disabled People Organisations (DPOs) and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO), regarding the current understandings, practices and limitations, as well as field review sample transport terminals for accessibility, focused on the needs of people with disabilities and the elderly.
- Deliver a two-day-workshop in four provinces with two purposes, being (i) to raise awareness at the community level by disseminating national regulations and its application on accessible transport infrastructure (required the pre-emptive contact with local DPOs, NGOs regarding current situation of local awareness); and (ii) enhance knowledge of transport authorities in order to improve the implementation of existing regulations on accessible transport infrastructure (including universal design principles and other social benefit).
- Provision of technical and financial assistance to at least three transport infrastructures projects (estimated 10,000 AUD/infrastructure project) applying universal design.
7. The Activity anticipated outputs encompass the following:
- Field visit reports on the current implementation of accessible transport infrastructure in four provinces (Hai Phong, Hue, Tien Giang and Can Tho), which will be carried out with local DPOs collaboration;
- Training material developed for a two-day- workshop, with the collaboration of local DPOs;
- Communication materials developed and printed for distribution/dissemination i.e. leaflets, booklets, toolkits, notebooks, presentations etc.; (with easy-to-access attributes for people with disabilities such as Braille, video with caption or sign language, large font and easy-to-read contents);
- Four training workshops (2 days each) delivered to approximately 160 individuals from the local communities, local transport agencies, community organisations, and disability-led associations;
- Workshop report on the findings and recommendations on the implementation of the current policies/regulations;
- Manual on application of accessible transport policies/regulations for transport authorities.
- Report on provincial action plans review for four provinces including proposal for the selected activities to apply universal design;
- Support provided for implementation of provincial action plans, with the collaboration of local DPOs;
- Universal design applied and/or integrated into at least three transport infrastructure projects.
8. The Activity will require input of an consultant team consisting of five national consultants (total 218 working days), managed by the National Activity Manager (30 working days) and assisted by one International Short-Term Technical Adviser (ISTA) (20 working days).
C. National Social Specialist – Scope of Services
9. The implementation of the Activity will require the services of a National Social Specialist (NSS) who will work with other specialists in the Activity Team managed by a National Activity Manager (NAM) for delivering the social safeguards aspects of the Activity outputs.
10. The tasks of the NSS will include, but are not be limited to the following:
- Implementing surveys in the four provinces and working with the Provincial Departments of Transport (PDOTs) and related stakeholders (such as Local DPOs) to prepare the social safeguards sections of the report on the current implementation of accessible transport infrastructure, including current limitations with legislation implementation and recommendations to improve enforcement of the legal framework;
- Developing the social safeguards modules of the training sessions (including toolkits, leaflets, booklets, presentations, etc.) for the delivery of the two-day- workshops, with the collaboration of the Activity members, ISTA and Local DPOs, under the supervision of the NAM;
- Delivering in consultation with the NAM the social safeguards-related parts of the workshops in each of the four provinces, providing an overview of international practices on accessible transport for peoples with disabilities and elderly;
- Developing the socials safeguards sections of the workshop reports, including findings and recommendations on the implementation of the current policies and regulations;
- Developing the social safeguards sections of the Accessible Transportation Implementation manual covering the application of accessible transport policies and regulations to facilitate the enforcement of the legal framework by the transport authorities;
- Reviewing in collaboration with local DPOs the provincial action plans of the four provincial transport authorities for applying universal design principles from a social safeguards point of view, in their recommended infrastructure projects and preparing a report on findings and recommendations;
- Providing support in collaboration with local DPOs, to the four provincial transport authorities in applying universal design from a social safeguards point of view to selected infrastructure projects and reporting on the support provided; and
- Providing other technical assistance and coordination on an as-needed basis.
11. The NSS will be directly managed by the NAM. The NSS might need to report to the PMC through its Deputy Team Leader and TDSI as required on specific issues and any unexpected requirements.
D. Key Expertise Requirements
12. The NSS will have a bachelor’s degree in social science/development and more than 15 years of professional experience with at least 5 years of relevant experience in social safeguards applied to accessible transportation or one accessible transport-related project. The NSS should have experience in project management, technical training development and delivery and working knowledge of English.
13. The NLS should have demonstrated experience in dealing with government and local agencies and should be familiar with government supervised transport projects preferably under MOT.
E. Implementation Arrangements
14. The NSS will be engaged by the PMC on an intermittent basis for a total duration of 40 days over the anticipated 8-month duration of the Activity and will be based at both, the Aus4Transport Office and TDSI Office in Hanoi.
15. The NSS will be administratively accountable to the NAM and Aus4Transport Deputy Team Leader and work closely and collaboratively with the Activity team members including the ISTA. The NSS’s principal counterpart is TDSI. The NSS is expected to maintain regular contact with TDSI and the Activity team members to discuss progress, issues, any assignment needs, and any required guidance.
16. The Aus4Transport Program will cover the cost of the NSS’ remuneration in Vietnamese Dong, any domestic travel costs that may be required in support of his/her outputs. The NSS is expected to provide his/her own computer and peripherals needed for the assignment.
Written application in English together with full curriculum vitae should be sent by 29 August 2020 to:
AUS4TRANSPORT
E-mail: [email protected] [1].
Subject: ATS - Application for National Social Specialist
Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.
DT Global is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to child protection. We encourage women, men
and people living with disabilities to apply.