Coffee Value Chain – Specialist (Vietnam)

The Organization

The Alliance of Bioversity International and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) delivers research-based solutions that harness agricultural biodiversity and sustainably transform food systems to improve people’s lives. Alliance solutions address the global crises of malnutrition, climate change, biodiversity loss, and environmental degradation. With novel partnerships, the Alliance generates evidence and mainstreams innovations to transform food systems and landscapes so that they sustain the planet, drive prosperity, and nourish people in a climate crisis.

The Alliance is part of CGIAR, a global research partnership for a food-secure future.

About the position

The Coffee Value Chain - Specialist will undertake the implementation of various coffee-related research projects currently carried out in Vietnam. The specialist will lead the design and the implementation of impactful value chain interventions for smallholder farmers, as well as documenting their outcomes and possible impacts. The incumbent will work with multiple value chain stakeholders, including private companies that source coffee in the Central Highlands and the Northwest of Vietnam, as well as other value chain stakeholders such as farmers’ cooperatives, input providers and collectors.

We are searching for a professional with demonstrated experience in the coffee sector and experience with participatory methods applied to value chain and business development, working with farming communities and the private sector. Previous experiences in user-centered design (UCD), to co-design innovations with and for a target group, would be an advantage.

Key Responsibilities

• Coordinate field and participatory research activities, including research design, research implementation, preparation of technical reports and publications.
• Supervise data collection and data analysis. Fieldwork methods will include quantitative data collection and qualitative interviews, focus group discussions and participatory workshops.
• Lead the design, implementation and monitoring of value chain prototypes.
• Collaborate with multiple stakeholders, including coffee (and pepper) value chain actors, as well as national and international researchers, in order to implement research activities.
• Provide capacity building and support to local research staff.
• Contribute to the cohesion and development of good practices and trust among value chain actors, proactively identifying ways to increase engagement of local stakeholders and opportunities to make the value chain development processes more efficient, inclusive and resilient.
• Join coordination meetings with other team members, participate to project schedules, and supervise the logistics to ensure timely delivery of project activities.
• Contribute to fund-raising efforts through participation to project proposal writing.

Required qualifications and experience

• Advance degree (PhD as required) in a relevant field, including social sciences, international development, marketing and business development, or environmental sciences. Candidates with a MSc degree, with remarkable professional experience related to the role would be considered.
• At least 5 years of relevant professional experience, in a research organization or an NGO.
• Proven experience conducting a wide variety of qualitative research-action exercises. Expertise in value chains, business model analysis or human-centered design approaches are highly desirable.
• Proven working experience in Vietnam and knowledge of the national institutional landscape in the country.
• Strong drive to learn new topics and skills, and to see research and ideas having positive impact in practice.
• Ability to work collaboratively in an international and multi-disciplinary environment, from laboratory and farm to value chain and landscape levels.
• Ability to work independently, with professional rigor.
• Solid communication skills in English language, with the ability to communicate complex ideas effectively, verbal and written, translated into high-quality deliverables.
• Fluency in Vietnamese language is essential to communicate in writing and speaking.

Terms of employment

This is full time position based in Hanoi, Vietnam. The initial contract will be for up to two (2) years, subject to a probation period of six (6) months and is renewable depending on performance and availability of resources.

The Alliance offers a multicultural, collegial research environment with competitive salary and excellent benefits. We are an equal opportunity employer, and strive for gender, diversity and inclusion in our staff, without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, ethnicity, age, disability, marital status, or any other characteristic.

Applications

Applicants are invited to send a cover letter illustrating their suitability for the above position against the qualifications, competencies, skills together with a detailed curriculum vitae, including names and addresses of three referees knowledgeable about the candidate’s professional qualifications and work experience. All correspondence should be addressed to the Human Resources Office, at ([email protected]) and should clearly indicate “Application: Coffee Value Chain - Specialist”.

Closing date for applications: March/11/2022.
We invite you to learn more about us at:
https://alliancebioversityciat.org/ ; https://alliancebioversityciat.org/2020-annual-report