Project Technical Specialist- Local Value Chain Development & Inclusive Market Systems Development (LVCD/iMSD) - THRIVE 2030 project

Background

World Vision is a Christian relief, development and advocacy organization working to improve the quality of life of people, especially children who are marginalized and living in poverty. World Vision helps all who are in need, regardless of their religion, race, ethnicity or gender. As a child-focused organization, WVI Vietnam's work focuses on children, ensuring they are protected and their basic needs are met. World Vision International in Vietnam (WVIV) has been funded by 13 support countries in Europe, Asia, the Americas, and Australia. Funding of WVI Vietnam consists of sponsorship program funding (70%) and Private Non-Sponsorship (PNS)/grants (30%). WVI Vietnam employs about 400 staff, of which 99% are Vietnamese nationals.
WVIV is operating in 25 Area Programs (AP) in 4 zones: North 1 (Dien Bien, Ha Noi, Hai Phong), North 2 (Thanh Hoa, Hung Yen, Quang Ninh), Central (Quang Nam, Quang Tri, and Da Nang), and South (Quang Ngai, Ho Chi Minh, DakNong). WVIV's AP usually focuses on one administrative district of a province which populated by ethnic minority people with high rates of poverty. A uniqueness of WVI Vietnam's Development Program Approach (DPA) is that AP team members are based at the district level where the AP is located, which enables them to work closely with government partners and communities on a daily basis. Besides the APs, WVIV is also implementing different Special and Grant Projects to meet the specific needs of vulnerable children in both AP and non-AP areas.
Under the support of World Vision United States (WVUS), WVIV will implement THRIVE 2030 - Building Secure Livelihoods (BSL) Project in 25 existing and 6 potential APs, with the project goal: "Households and communities build improved, resilient, and sustainable livelihoods for child well-being" and four main outcomes; (1) Positive behaviour change and household transformation to an Empowered Worldview; (2) Improved access to financial services for Savings for Transformation (S4T) Groups; (3) Profitable and sustainable enterprises established for household income security through Local Value Chain Development (LVCD); and (4) Improved delivery and quality of interventions to maximize impact for households. The project aims to improve economic empowerment and the accessibility of financial services for the most vulnerable households in target communities. The THRIVE 2030 will be implemented under the umbrella of WVIV's Livelihoods Technical Program and Micro Finance Unit's operation. The project duration will be divided two phases: The first phase is from 2024 to 2027 and the second phase is from 2028 to 2030.

Purpose of Position

To provide technical support to THRIVE 2030 project in the areas of Local Value Chain Development/ Inclusive Market Systems Development (LVCD/iMSD) for the selected on-farm and off-farm commodities, linking farmers to sustainable markets, liaising with value chain actors and supporters, and exploring opportunities for value addition to improve the well-being of children. He/she will work with Project team members and other collaborating project partners and community stakeholders to ensure project objectives are achieved.

Key Responsibilities

1. Project Planning and Implementation (60%)
• Provide technical support to THRIVE 2030 Project on value chain development activities, inclusive market systems development.
• Provide technical support in value chain analysis for all APs and identify opportunities and constraints along the value chains for possible interventions.
• Guide on mapping and connecting smallholder farmers for a profitable, effective, commercial agriculture.
• Support in AP annual budget preparation or request's submission with inputs on value chains, inclusive market systems related activities. • Work closely with other project team members, key partners and build their capacities on integrated market-driven approaches and support them to identify opportunities for replication and scale-up.
• Develop or provide inputs relevant training materials, manuals related to on-farm/ off-farm marketing; co-operative/collective group management, value chain analysis, value chain development planning and upgrading.
• Identify and support the development of niche marketing opportunities such as organic and fair trade.
• Explore different types of farmer-market linkages to offer opportunity for improving smallholder marketing;
• Support the development of sustainable livelihoods initiatives at the community.
• Carry out gender-sensitive participatory market research and value chain analysis: In collaboration with Livelihood Technical Program Officers (TPOs) to work with consultants/ experts to conduct market research and value chain analysis, taking consideration gender sensitivities.
• Train and coach producer groups on business development planning: Collaborate with TPOs to provide training and coaching to producer groups on business development planning. This includes imparting skills in collective production, social entrepreneurship, negotiation, value addition, and marketing.
• Conduct training for agriculture/livestock extension workers on improved agricultural practices: Work with TPOs and consultants/ experts to organize training sessions for extension workers to enhance their knowledge and skills in improved agricultural practices, climate-smart agriculture, nutrition-sensitive agriculture, and natural resource management.
• Promote the use of digital platforms for production planning, monitoring, harvesting and market links.

2. Monitoring, Evaluation, Reporting, Learning and Knowledge Management (25%)
• Ensure effective monitoring and supervision of interventions.
• Co-ordinate joint planning, monitoring with relevant stakeholders.
• Develop data collection tools and techniques for monitoring project related interventions including marketing volume and value of commodities at collection centres and cooperatives.
• Conduct monitoring visits to project activities to assess progress against targets and provide technical backstopping to activities in areas where improvements are needed.
• Ensure the documentation of lessons learned, best practices, success stories, case studies and project impacts for sharing at internal and external knowledge sharing forums
• Prepare and submit timely and accurate reports that meet donor requirements.
• Use innovative approaches to monitor and evaluate performance, effectiveness/impacts of livelihoods interventions
• Support in research and project evaluation activities such as; baseline and end line.
• Document case studies/ best practices of market-driven approaches in programming that clearly demonstrate both social transformation and sustainable development outcomes of the interventions

3. Partnering, Networking, External Engagements (10%)
• Identify and build strategic linkages, relations, collaborations and networks with partners and other stakeholders in value chain, market systems and financial inclusion
• Liaise with MFU to identify potential sources of finance and support in product development to support commodity enhancement activities and assist commodity actors to access resources from financial institutions as well as SME and corporate finance;
• Ensure effective co-ordination and engagement among THRIVE 2030 project partners and stakeholders at different levels for successful implementation of the Economic Empowerment Business Plan.
• Build and strengthen effective relations with networks and promote cross learning to enrich THRIVE economic development and livelihoods programs in value chain, market systems.
• Attend national, international organization events and represent THRIVE project in economic development and sustainable livelihood fora, meetings, workshops, conferences and contribute to technical interactions and discussions.
• Identify advocacy issues that affect project beneficiaries especially small holder farmers and engage relevant stakeholders for action and influence national and sub-national policies, remove barriers and promote access to agricultural commercialization

4. Other responsibilities (10%):
• Perform any other duties that may be assigned by Direct Supervisor.

Knowledge & Skill

1. Required Education, training, license, registration, and certification
• A Bachelor Degree in Agribusiness, Economics, Marketing, Rural Development, Development Studies, Project Management, International development or related field. A Master Degree in relevant field is a plus.

2. Preferred Knowledge and Qualifications
• Able to work with a wide range of stakeholders including community-based organizations, local NGOs, local government and officials, donors, and colleagues.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Excellent coordination and planning skills
• Excellent team player with minimum supervision
• Excellent facilitation, presentation and reporting kills
• Good understanding of inclusive and holistic programming such as; Climate smart approach, GESI responsive and transformative approaches, Market Led approaches, Financial Management, and mainstreaming strategies and activities livelihood sector.
• Strong partnering, conflict management, and consensus building, negotiation and contracting skills
• Ability to work under tight deadlines
• Experience working with both formal and informal financial Institutions
• Willingness to work long hours when required
• Self-motivated, innovative, and able to work under pressure
• Willingness to support articulate and demonstrate World Vision's core in meaningful ways to colleagues, partners, children, parents and communities.

Experience

Required Professional Experience:
• Minimum 5 years of directly relevant professional experience in the area of local economic development or livelihood development.
• Working experience/expertise in agribusiness, value chains, market-based value chains, others.
• Strong experience in working with Government, private sector, NGO, and civil society groups
• Research experience in conducting market assessment and value chain analysis
• Experience in capacity building for local stakeholders/partners.