Ambasciata d’Italia
Ufficio di Cooperazione Hanoi /

VACANCYFOR THE SELECTION OF APRIVATE SECTOR DEVELOPMENT(PSD) PROGRAMME COORDINATOR FOR THE DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION OFFICE OF THE ITALIAN EMBASSY

VACANCY CODE: 02/VIET/2014

The Development Cooperation Office of the Italian Embassy in Hanoi is calling a selection procedure for the recruitment of n. 1 Private Sector Development (PSD) Programme Coordinator for the management of projectsin the fieldsof SMEs development and TVET/high-level training.The PSD Programme Coordinatorwill sign an on-site contract with the Italian Embassy in Vietnamfor an assignment lasting 12 months (renewable).

Terms of Reference

The Development Cooperation Office of the Italian Embassy in Hanoi is the Local Technical Unit (UTL) for Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia of the Directorate General for Development Cooperation of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAE-DGCS). Its main function is to cooperate with the local partners and local government authorities to facilitate the formulation and the implementation of the ODA projects funded by MAE-DGCS; provide technical assistance; monitor the project progress and ensure the transparent, effective and efficient uses of the MAE-DGCS funds. Currently, the UTL is working on several projects in the sectors of SMEs’ development, training and education. Among them, there is one important initiativeunder formulation which aims at improving SMEs competitiveness in Southern Vietnam, through the establishment of service centres for excellence training and technical support, and the development of industrial clusters. Other relevant initiatives to be implemented in the next year include a project aimed at upgrading three vocational colleges based in Hanoi and Central Vietnam, as well as a programme focused on capacity building and construction of a training centre for the conservation of cultural heritage in the Quang Nam province.

Tasks of the Programme Coordinator:

Under the general direction and supervision of the UTL Director, the Programme Coordinator shall support the UTL in monitoring and supervising the development programmes belonging to the above-mentioned sectors,ensuring close coordination with the relevant Vietnamese counterparts.

In particular, the Programme Coordinator shall perform the following tasks:

  • Gatheringinformation and data about policies, regulations and technical issuesregarding the above mentioned sectors in Vietnam;
  • Carrying out technical reviews of project proposals, project implementation reports, bidding documents, contracts;
  • Providing technical assistance to MAE-DGCS’s project appraisal/evaluation missions;
  • Monitoring and reporting on projects’ progress;
  • Ensuring a close liaison with Project Management Units (PMUs) and the relevant authorities for project formulation, appraisal and implementation;
  • Providing guidance to PMUs on procurement and contract management;
  • Ensuring the compliance of procurement activities with the commonly agreed procedures of Italy and Vietnam.
  • Preparing technical and administrative documents;
  • Translating technical and administrative documents from Vietnamese to English;
  • Carrying out any other additional task related to UTL’s initiatives in the sectors of SMEs’ development, training and education.

Qualification and experience requirements:

For the purpose of admission to this selection, the candidate must meet the following general requirements:

  • Master’s degree in economics, law, political sciences, international cooperation or any other discipline relevant forthe assignment;
  • At least 6 years of work experience in the following development cooperation sectors: SMEs’ development, training and education.At least 3 years of work experience withinternational donors and/or international organizations;
  • Good knowledge of the Vietnamese Government’s regulations and operational procedures for ODA projects;
  • Fluent English and Vietnamese: speaking, reading and writing;
  • Excellent knowledge of the main informatics tools, in particular the MS Office package;
  • Good interpersonal skills.

Furthermore, the following requirements will be considered preferential and taken into account for the calculation of rankings:

  • Proven experience in project management;
  • Previous work experience with ODA donors;
  • Previous professional experience on initiatives of the Italian Development Cooperation;
  • Knowledge of the Italian ODA project procedure;
  • Italian language proficiency.

Contract duration:

The selected Programme Coordinator will be offered a full-time position for the duration of1 year. The position is renewable yearly, according to UTL’s needs and performances of the Programme Coordinator. It is expected that the consultant will start working from the 13thof October 2014.

Applications evaluation

An Evaluation Commission appointed by the Italian Embassy in Hanoi will examine the applications received on the basis of the abovementioned requirements,and draw up a short-list of candidates admitted to the interview.Only short-listed applicants will be contacted for interviews.

How to apply

The application, which must indicate theVacancy Code, must include the following documents:

  1. Cover letter (max 1 page);
  2. Curriculum vitae in English.
  3. Copy of a valid identity document;

Applicants should also indicate the email address where​​all necessary communications will be addressed. The candidate has the obligation to notify every change occurred following the submission of the application.

Applications for participation in the selection, including duly signedCV and cover letter, must be sentby 12:00 pmof Monday,September 29th2014 at the following address: .

Exclusion from selection procedures

Candidates whose applications miss one of the following requirements will be excluded from the selection a priori:

  1. Academic and professional experience clearly compliant with position requirements;
  2. CV and cover letter duly signed by the candidate;
  3. Application sent by the vacancy deadline stated in the previous point.

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