Country Strategy Adviser

I. BACKGROUND:

Investing in Women: Women In Inclusive Sustainable Economic Recovery (IW) is a multi-country Australian Government initiative in Southeast Asia that seeks to accelerate women’s economic empowerment through increased and equitable opportunities in the private sector, contributing to inclusive, sustainable economic recovery and growth in targeted countries. 

IW’s new phase continues the ambitious agenda of advancing women’s economic empowerment championed by its predecessor program. It builds on the results, partnerships, learnings and credibility established under the first eight years of IW. IW’s new phase will extend and scale Australia’s contribution to supporting women in the region and advancing gender equality through continuing to influence an ecosystem of policymakers, business leaders, capital providers and women’s economic empowerment actors in Southeast Asia. 

IW will run for four years, from January 2023 to 2027, with an option to extend for a further six years. Initial countries of focus will be at least Indonesia, Philippines and Vietnam, with some activities engaging at a regional level. IW has four mutually reinforcing outcomes:

1. Workplace Gender Equality - More businesses adopt and implement workplace gender equality organisational changes.
2. Affordable Quality Childcare – Evidence created to build the case for the importance and value of childcare – to business, the economy and women’s economic empowerment
3. Quality Jobs for Women – Private sector and government partners progress strategies and initiatives to increase quality jobs for women
4. Impactful Capital - A significant increase in gender lens investing (GLI) in target countries.

II. KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

The Country Strategy Adviser – Vietnam will be working closely with the Vietnam Country manager / Policy Reform Lead and Influencing Gender Norms Partnerships Lead to deliver the Vietnam Country Strategy due 31 July 2023.

• Provide strategic advice in identifying stakeholders and networks to be included in the country strategy consultation for Vietnam and in refining lines of enquiry. The stakeholders should encompass government, private sector, and civil society representatives with the potential to deepen the program’s work, especially the Workplace Gender Equality Workstream and the newly added Enabling Policy Reform Workstream that is directly linked to the Affordable Quality Childcare Outcome.
• Take part in selected country strategy stakeholder consultations with the IW team.
• Prepare a draft of the Vietnam Country Strategy
• Design and lead a workshop with IW/DFAT to present the first draft and collect feedback
• Finalize the country strategy, ensuring good cross-workstream coherence, cross-program functions, and coordination with DFAT and other development partners programs. The final Vietnam Country Strategy should include an analysis of context, stakeholders, country-level priorities, alignment with IW Workstream strategic directions, critical risks, and synergies with other DFAT programs, as well as incorporates an intersectional lens (understanding of different barriers faced by women across multiple identity dimensions, such as gender, sexual orientation, disability, class, age, ethnicity, and religion)

III. KEY SELECTION CRITERIA

• Post-graduate qualifications (Masters or PhD) or equivalent in experience in public policy, international development, political economy analysis, or related fields
• Demonstrated strong analytical and writing skills, with a track record in delivering strategic analytical products (e.g. country strategy, program design) for stakeholders, clients, and officials
• Demonstrated strong engagement skills with a wide range of government, private sector, civil society, and donor organizations in Vietnam
• Demonstrated knowledge and experience working in integrating gender equality and inclusion of people with disability into program design or deliver

IV. HOW TO APPLY

We are an equal opportunity employer and encourage applications from experienced and capable women. The contract duration for this position is expected to be from May through July 2023 for a total of twenty (20) working days.

The TOR for this individual consultancy service in English is attached herewith.

To apply, please submit your (1) CV and (2) cover letter describing how you meet each of the above key selection criteria (KSC) to [email protected] with email title as: Country Strategy Adviser_Full name. We are unable to proceed with an application that has not addressed the KSC.

Application close:  2^nd May 2023, 17:00 Hanoi time

Only short-listed candidates will be contacted for interviews.