Market Linkages and Export Manager, USAID Project

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Background
Improving Private Sector Competitiveness (IPSC) is a U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) technical assistance project, and the Agency for Enterprise Development (AED) under the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI) is the project owner. The project is implemented by Deloitte Consulting LLP ("Deloitte") and runs from 2020 to 2025.
The purpose of the USAID IPSC 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. 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 Market Linkages and Export Manager will contribute to supporting the SGB Team achieve the objective of providing technical assistance to 5,000 SGBs, of which at least 240 SGBs access regional and international markets.
Specific Tasks
The Market Linkages and Export Manager shall perform the following tasks:
1. Take the leading role in identification, screening, and selection of SGBs with potential products for export from IPSC's technical assistance activities.
2. Conduct market research and develop strategies to identify potential buyers in export markets and facilitate linkages with specific SGBs to increase transactions and sales.
3. Identify and coordinate with trade promotion organizers on linkage events to facilitate potential export oriented SGBs participation in relevant initiatives and connect them with potential buyers.
4. Facilitate budding relationships between buyers and specific SGBs, identifying issues and offering solutions as to pricing, quality, logistics, customer visits, etc. towards successful linkages of increasing transactions and sales.
5. Coordinate with various stakeholders, including departments of planning and investment (DPIs) and other relevant provincial agencies and organizations (Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Department of Industry and Trade, Department of Taxation, and business associations) to search, screen, and assess potential SGBs export products that satisfy IPSC selection criteria to invite them to register and participate in IPSC support programs.
6. Collaborate with other SGB Portfolio Managers to undertake selected SGB training needs analysis, identify SGBs' capacity improvement priorities, and design support programs including recruitment of appropriate service providers to implement training and technical assistance.
7. Supervise selected service providers to deliver technical assistance for potential export oriented SGBs.
8. Coordinate with IPSC's Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) team on monitoring and reporting of selected SGBs, technical assistance progress, milestones, achievements, and challenges.
9. Establish and maintain relationships with project stakeholders and maintain high ethical standards, avoiding any actual or perceived conflicts of interest to achieve project goals.
10. Offer inputs/suggestions on the project planning documents and project activity budget.
11. Contribute to periodical or ad hoc reports for USAID and government counterparts.
12. Undertake other task as may be assigned by the SGB Director or project senior leaders to contribute to the achievement of IPSC's goals and objectives.