Business Development Resource Specialist

Introduction:

J.E. Austin Associates, Inc. (JAA) was founded in 1986 for the purpose of assisting businesses, governments, non-profit organizations, educational and financial institutions, producer organizations, and other organizations around the world to improve productivity, to enhance competitiveness, to strengthen management and strategy implementation, and to facilitate economic development.

JAA stresses facilitation and building local capabilities. The company, therefore, emphasizes the “downloading” of tools, methodologies, and approaches to local partners and ensures that they have the best information, lessons, and skills available to identify and implement initiatives most likely to achieve sustainable results. JAA believes that economic growth, competitiveness, and other development challenges are best addressed by empowering local stakeholders to own the development process.

Since 1986, JAA has completed more than 680 projects in 120 countries. In any given year, JAA’s professional staffers work on projects in more than 30 countries worldwide.

JAA is a subcontractor on USAID Improving Private Sector Competitiveness Activity, and is hiring for the following position:

Business Development Resource Specialist

Background

The purpose of the USAID Improving Private Sector Competitiveness Activity (“Activity”) is to remove constraints and build the competitiveness of small and growing businesses (SGBs) in Vietnam, including those led by vulnerable populations. With this activity, 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 Activity on behalf of USAID. The Agency for Enterprise Development of the Ministry of Planning and Investment is the Vietnam Government counterpart of IPS-C.

The Activity is made up of four interrelated Objectives:

• 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.
• Objective 4.     Strengthening business-to-business (B2B) and cross-sectoral linkages.

Summary of Activities

The Business Development Resource Specialist is responsible for strengthening the capacity of business associations and improving the technical capacity of private business development service providers (BDSPs). The Business Development Resource Specialist is responsible for defining institutional development strategies across the project’s partners, including business associations and firms assisted by IPS-C. The Specialist will work with other team members to support capacity building interventions.

Specific Tasks

The Business Development Resource Specialist shall perform the following tasks:

• Conduct capacity and training needs assessments among relevant business associations and business development service providers (BDSPs) with the aim of developing tailored plans to improve their ability to support SGBs in select industries.
• Engage with and design/implement activities to improve the capacity of private BDSPs to provide target-based technical assistance to facilitate SGB participation in digital platforms and improved peer-to-peer (P2P) exchange.
• Engage private BDSPs to pilot three business models demonstrating adaptability to supply chain disruptions, sustainability, and diversity and inclusion in collaboration with central and local business associations and Pioneer SGBs.
• Develop a database of business associations and business development service providers including independent domestic and international consultants and experts to expand opportunities for mentors’ networking in Vietnam to help SGBs develop and grow.
• Establish and maintain alignment with business associations, service providers and stakeholders to enhance successful participation of SGBs in the project and achieve the project target of supporting at least 5,000 SGBs and Pioneering Enterprises (PEs).
• Assist in promoting multi-channel platforms to improve access to market information.
• Work with associations to identify and implement new initiatives that build value for association members and create strategies to improve sustainability.
• Work with associations to identify and implement recommendations to strengthen governance in private sector associations.
• Prepare capacity assessment reports, periodic activity reports, capacity building plans, presentations, and other deliverables as necessary.
• In  conjunction with the MEL Manager, collect and report on relevant data for reporting to USAID and project partners.
• Contribute regular inputs for IPS-C’s weekly, quarterly, and annual reporting, in addition to creating success stories as required.
• Carry out additional tasks, as per the request of the Team Lead within the scope of the adviser’s expertise and experience.

Qualifications

• Advanced degree, such as MBA or MA in Economics, or other relevant field.
• Minimum five years of experience in institutional capacity development programs; strategic planning, project management, program design, relevant experience in managing associations will be considered as an advantage.
• Demonstrated experience in the implementation of a range of organizational development interventions including, but not limited to, organizational capacity assessment, trainings, coaching, organizational restructuring, systems and processes review.
• Must have working knowledge of local mentors’ network, vendors, service providers, consultants and experts to support growth of SGBs.
• Prior experience in the implementation of USAID-funded projects involving multiple partners and host country counterparts?is preferred.
• Demonstrated experience in working effectively with local organizations, governments, and particularly the private sector.
• Practical understanding of social inclusion, gender equity, and women’s economic empowerment.
• 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 spoken and written English and Vietnamese and proficiency in reporting and presenting.

Reporting Requirements

This position will report to the Objective 1 Team Lead, Business Management Capacity Building.

Place of Performance

Level of effort:             Full time
Expected start date:     February 2022
End date:                    December 2025
Location:                     Hanoi, Vietnam with travel to other provinces as required

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.

Terms of employment:

All positions are for full-time employment and available for Vietnamese nationals based in Hanoi. These positions are subjected to an initial two-month probation period.

Applications:

To be considered for any of the available positions, please send an email to [email protected] with subject line “Application – Title of position – Full name of Candidates”. In your email, please include:

1. A cover letter (one page) illustrating your motivation to apply and suitability for the specific position against the listed qualifications and work responsibilities.
2. A detailed Curriculum Vitae (maximum 04 pages), including the name and email addresses of three senior referees who worked either as your professional or academic supervisors and are knowledgeable about your skills and professional abilities.

Only qualified applicants with relevant skills and experience will be contacted. Deadline for application is January 31, 2022.