TERMS OF REFERENCE
Title: Project Officer – Reducing Illegal Timber Exports from Viet Nam
LOCATION: Ha Noi, Viet Nam
WORK: 100% - 1 year contract with possible extension
REPORT TO: Office Director – TRAFFIC Viet Nam
General Background
TRAFFIC, the wildlife trade monitoring network, works to ensure that trade in wild animals and plants is not a threat to the conservation of nature. It actively monitors and investigates wildlife trade and provides information to diverse audiences worldwide as a basis for effective conservation policies and programmes.
Viet Nam and the European Union signed their Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) related to FLEGT in October 2018, and are now following their internal procedures for ratifying the agreement. The abundance of tropical timber in Central African rainforests has resulted in a booming timber trade, but legal compliance is an issue. This timber is often transited through Viet Nam to Chinese companies, which often knowingly or unknowingly operate in a way that could threaten biodiversity and/or in a way that deprives local communities of potential revenue for development. TRAFFIC is developing legality guideline materials and training workshops to equip customs along the trade chain with the knowledge to intercept and identify illegal timber. We're developing country-specific manuals for companies operating in Cameroon, Republic of Congo, Viet Nam, and China, alongside running training workshops and events, to help them keep within national and international law.
TRAFFIC is looking for a Project Officer who can proactively manage a project, and preferably has experience in sustainable trade of natural resources in Viet Nam. One of the key tasks in this role is to manage and engage Viet Nam Customs to support amendments to existing legality guideline materials to fit the Vietnamese context and to develop and conduct training workshops for Customs officials.
Responsibilities
The main tasks of the Programme Officer – Reducing Illegal Timber Exports from Viet Nam, will include, but not be limited, to the following:
- Develop a plan and protocol for amending legality guidelines in line with the Vietnamese context and legal specifications in consultation with Office Director;
- Develop and plan trainings for Customs officials, including development of training materials and identification of training locations;
- Provide technical, logistical, and administrative support to project activities aligned with individual project and TRAFFIC program objectives;
- Manage and coordinate the implementation of project activities of the project to achieve project outcomes including budget planning and management;
- Liaise with relevant government counterparts, especially Customs, and coordinate with project partners to ensure timely, efficient and effective implementation of project activities;
- Assist in defining and developing key messages for use in project activities;
- Ensuring all project-related electronic information including pictures, publications and other material is saved in an easy accessible format in the relevant One Drive folder;
- Undertake translation of documents from Vietnamese to English and vice versa;
- Support all communications efforts which help to enhance visibility and promote the efforts of the project;
- Assisting in defining and developing key messages for use in project activities;
- Take a lead role in the organization of training courses, workshops and meetings;
- Ensure regular reporting of activities and project progress to the Senior Programme Officer and Head of Office.
- Shows initiative to draft the periodic and final technical reports clearing deadlines for review to Head of Office and Regional Director
- Develop concepts and assist in preparation of project proposals and funding applications with a focus on Timber;
- Provide technical input and logistical support to other wildlife related activities and projects
- Perform other tasks as required by the Office Director.
Requirements
- Minimum 3 years’ experience working in related projects in Viet Nam – wildlife or timber trade, high-level training, certification, trade legislation, etc;
- Experience working with an international organization is desirable;
- Demonstrated project management skills;
- Sound knowledge of and experience working with government at different levels;
- Excellent negotiation and communication skills;
- Excellent command, both verbal and written, of both Vietnamese and English languages;
- Creative, flexible and able to work under pressure whilst still adhering to deadlines;
- The ability to travel regularly to project locations in Viet Nam or sometimes internationally when required;
- A passion for the natural world and/or an understanding of conservation, and environmental and sustainability issues;
- Other necessary traits: professional, lateral and creative thinker; flexible; team player; accountable; and a personal commitment to a zero-tolerance to wildlife crimes during and outside office hours.
The candidate need to submit the application thourgh the following link: https://hrms.iucn.org/iresy/index.cfm?event=vac.show&vacId=4018 [1]