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:
Skills Training 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 Skills Training Specialist is responsible for leading and managing the development and implementation of IPS-C activities pertaining to skills development and training.
Specific Tasks
The Skills Training Specialist shall perform the following tasks:
- Conduct training needs assessments (TNA), skills GAP analysis and other investigations among relevant business associations, academia and SGBs, with the aim of identifying needs, priorities and resources to develop and/or improve skills needed for SGBs.
- Carry out TNAs for firms assisted by IPS-C and recommend trainings on improving competitiveness of SGBs; assist in drafting scopes of work to hire experts or BDSPs to deliver these trainings.
- Support SGBs access to available business functions performed through digital platforms, such as networking, marketing, branding, customer services, e-commerce, service delivery, payment, communication, and remote working.
- Assist in designing and implementing training of trainers utilizing best practices for mentorship and organizing mentorship engagements.
- Facilitate development of specialized capacity-building trainings and engage BSOs and BDSPs to deliver these trainings to selected SGBs.
- Facilitate multi-day trainings and capacity assessment activities for a wide range of stakeholders.
- 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 1 within the scope of the adviser’s expertise and experience.
Qualifications
- Advanced degree, such as master’s in education or sociology, MBA, or other relevant field.
- Minimum five years of experience in institutional capacity development programs; strategic planning, project management, program design, relevant experience in training for enterprise is a plus
- Proven experience in designing multiple training events, especially training for enterprises, experience working with donors is a plus.
- Extensive knowledge of instructional design and learning principles.
- Proven ability to master the full training cycle.
- Adequate knowledge of learning management software.
- Strong communication and teaching skills.
- Practical understanding on private enterprise is a plus.
- Practical understanding of social inclusion, gender equity, and women’s economic empowerment.
- 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] [1] with subject line “Application – Title of position – Full name of Candidates”. In your email, please include:
- A cover letter (one page) illustrating your motivation to apply and suitability for the specific position against the listed qualifications and work responsibilities.
- 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.