Adaptation Component Team Leader (re-advertised)

1. BACKGROUND AND RATIONAEL

The goal of the USAID Vietnam Forests and Deltas Program is ‘to help accelerate Vietnam’s transition to climate-resilient, low-emission sustainable development.’ It was developed to assist the GVN in moving recently enacted national policies and legislation on climate change adaptation and green growth into practice at provincial and local scales. This will be achieved through a unique vision whereby climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies to evolving long-term climate risks will be combined within provinces which demonstrate contrasting natural resource management and disaster vulnerability scenarios, particularly through selection of lowland delta areas contrasting to upstream watershed forested provinces.

The Vietnam Forests and Deltas Program has two main components: sustainable landscapes interventions that reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the “green sector” (initially forestry but now also including agriculture) in provinces with forested landscapes and climate change adaptation implementation and planning for the long-term in Vietnam’s two major delta regions.

Winrock International is seeking an experienced candiate for the position of Adaptation Component Team Leader for the Adaptation Component of this project.

2. SCOPE OF WORK

The Adaptation Team Leader is responsible for oversight, technical direction and implementation of program activities under the Adaptation Component of the Vietnam Forests and Deltas Program (VFD) program to “Increase resilience of people, places, and livelihoods in delta areas through assistance for adaptation and disaster risk management.”

The Adaptation Team Leader will collaborate directly with counterparts within Water Resource Directorate of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD), other related departments and ministries, and liaise with Government of Vietnam (GVN) officials at the national and provincial levels to ensure that VFD efforts are coordinated closely with GVN priorities and programs.

The Adaptation Team Leader will provide the overall lead and liaise closely with program sub-recipients involved in the Adaptation Component, notably SNV, the Vietnam Red Cross Society/the American Red Cross and the local NGO Sustainable Rural Development.

The Adaptation Team Leader will provide expertise in water resource management, disaster risk reduction, climate change adaptation, early warning systems and landscape planning that addresses long-term challenges to climate change in the provinces of Nam Dinh and Long An.

The Adaptation Team Leader will monitor outputs and milestones to ensure the program objectives and indicators within the Adaptation Component are being met.

In addition, the Adaptation Team Leader will coordinate with the program’s operations team on financial and budgetary management and logistics.

3. SUPERVISION AND COORDINATION

Supervisor

The Adaptation Team Leader will report to the VFD program Chief of Party.

The MARD Co-Director of the VFD program will assist with work planning for this position as well as with the annual performance review.

The Adaptation Team Leader will report to the Landscape Team Leader for implementation of activities in forested provinces (and conversely the Landscape Team Leader will report to Adaptation Team Leader for mitigation activities in ‘Delta’ provinces; this is to keep lines of responsibility and decision-making clear.

Staff supervision

The Team Leader will supervise and provide team leadership and overall management of all activities in the Delta provinces, including work of Red Cross, Winrock, SRD and SNV; though these partners will also directly report to their own management system. The Adaptation Team Leader will supervise directly the National Adaptation Coordinator, who oversees two staff
working on climate change adaptation in the two delta provinces. The SNV Climate Smart Agriculture Advisor will be supervised by the Adaptation Team Leader (depending upon
candidate’s background) in conjunction with the Landscape Team Leader (SNV).

Coordination

The Adaptation Team Leader will coordinate closely with the Sustainable Landscape Team Leader to identify:

• opportunities to develop linkages between the two components in order to maximize strategic opportunities for VFD support and foster a more comprehensive response to climate change;
• needs for internal technical support, expertise and short-term technical assistance for adaptation actions in the two-forested provinces of Thanh Hoa and Nghe An.

4. SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Lead the planning and implementation of VFD climate change adaptation actions in Nam Dinh and Long An, in cooperation with the GVN national and Provincial Project Management Units and VFD NGO partners.
2. Provide the principle liaison point with Ministries, principally with the Water Resources Directorate of MARD, who are the GVN focal point for the Adaptation Component; in addition with MoNRE, MPI and other ministries and their respective provincial departments vis-à-vis the planning of adaptation actions and capacity building.
3. Identify GVN policy and strategy areas with the Water Resources Directorate that the VFD program should support, through technical assistance and/or the implementation of actions.
4. Coordinate support for mainstreaming climate change adaption and disaster risk reduction into provincial and district government planning processes in the two provinces that addresses long-term challenges to climate change in these provinces and across the Mekong and Red River Deltas.
5. Support the dissemination of climate science information at provincial and lower levels to inform provincial and district planning processes.
6. In consultation with the Sustainable Landscapes Team Leader, provide technical assistance for the development of climate change adaptation action and risk reduction planning in Nghe An and Thanh Hoa, initially for upland forest areas but also possibly, later in the project, for lowland and coastal areas.
7. Coordinate closely with other climate change programs in both Deltas to ensure synergy and complementarity of actions and to develop strategic partnerships.
8. Oversee VFD supported capacity building and training for government agencies, local NGOs and mass organizations in Nam Dinh and Long An.
9. Mobilize and leverage additional funding for VFD initiated actions either through GVN sources or through other related donor programs and projects.
10. Oversee quantitative and qualitative monitoring and evaluation (M&E) of activities in Nam Dinh and Long An and support M&E in the other two VFD provinces.
11. Contribute to quarterly reporting, annual reports and to the annual work planning process and final documents.
12. Assist USAID in reporting on the VFD program to the US Government.
13. Ensure good practice in gender equity and social inclusion throughout program implementation.
14. Assist with the development of program related communications materials and publications.

5. REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

Leadership

An effective communicator and a good listener, who is able to appreciate different points of view and to inspire and lead others by example.

Interested in empowering staff (through the delegation of responsibilities, capacity building and institutional learning).

Management experience

A minimum five years senior management experience of complex multi-sectorial programs.

A proven record of accomplishment in senior roles within international organizations (a major INGO, UN, Red Cross or academic institution).

Experience of work abroad would be a distinct advantage.

Education

Minimum Masters level qualifications in management, water resources, natural or social sciences, or a related field.

Overseas study would be a distinct advantage.

Knowledge

An excellent understanding of climate change challenges facing the Red River and Mekong River Delta regions and of current approaches to climate change adaptation; an appreciation of an interdisciplinary approach to climate change challenges.

Interpersonal/communications

A skilled communicator with experience managing large, diverse, interdisciplinary and complex teams.

Time management

Excellent time management skills.

Able to work under pressure and a proven record of meeting deliverables on time.

6. HOW TO APPLY

Interested candidates should send application to the following address: [email protected] no later than February 17, 2014 with letter of motivation, CV and three references.

Please place “Adaptation Component Team Leader” in the subject box.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for interview.