Inclusive Value Chain and Markets Adviser – Agroforestry System (SNV)

NATIONAL INCLUSIVE VALUE CHAIN & MARKETS ADVISER – AGROFORESTRY SYSTEMS

Location: Hanoi, Hoàn Kiếm, Hanoi, Vietnam
Type of Position: Full-time
Contract type: National employment contract

Company Description

SNV Netherlands Development Organisation

SNV is a not-for-profit international development organisation driven by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Founded in the Netherlands in 1965, we have built a long-term country presence in over 24 countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Our global team of local and international advisors works with local partners to equip communities, businesses, and organizations with the tools, knowledge, and connections they need to increase their incomes and gain access to markets and basic services - empowering them to break the cycle of poverty and guide their own development. Our work focuses on three sectors - Agrifood, Energy, and Water.

SNV has been working in Viet Nam since 1995, and currently has over 30 national and international staff. SNV Viet Nam’s team works hand-in-hand with communities, government agencies, and businesses in more than 50 provinces, including the most remote and poorest areas of the country. We operate from a country head office in Hanoi and regional offices in Ho Chi Minh City and Dalat.

Job Description

Poverty and vulnerability are predominantly rural phenomena in Viet Nam, and the agriculture sector remains of critical importance to rural socio-economic development, employment, and livelihoods. Viet Nam has become an agricultural powerhouse – a leading global producer and exporter of many major agricultural commodity crops. However, agricultural production remains dominated by smallholder farmers, who, as the Covid-19 pandemic has shown, are extremely vulnerable to commodity price shocks, market fluctuations and supply-chain disruptions. Viet Nam is also widely recognized as being one of the countries most adversely impacted by climate change due to the large proportion of the population living in low-lying coastal and delta regions and dependent on land and agriculture for their livelihoods. SNV is strongly committed to supporting the Government of Viet Nam in promoting a more holistic approach that goes beyond agricultural production alone and aims to facilitate systemic change towards sustainable agrifood systems that deliver food security and healthy diets, climate-smart and environmentally sustainable food production and socially-inclusive economic opportunities that strengthen the resilience of vulnerable smallholder farmers to both climate and economic shocks and trends.

SNV Viet Nam’s Agrifood programme today is strongly focused around promoting socially-inclusive climate resilient agriculture. In recent years, SNV Viet Nam has implemented a wide range of projects promoting climate smart approaches and inclusive value-chain development throughout the country in numerous sub-sectors, including rice, shrimp, coffee, fruits, vegetables and spices. Many of our interventions support vulnerable groups such as ethnic minorities in rural uplands access markets and opportunities and women’s economic empowerment (WEE) in agricultural value chains.

SNV Viet Nam is implementing and developing a number of new projects focused on promoting climate resilient agroforestry systems in upland/mountainous regions of the country funded by various clients and donors. It is essential that there are viable markets for the products of these systems and that value-chains are strongly developed to link smallholder farmers with those markets. Therefore, we are seeking a dynamic, experienced and highly motivated Inclusive Value Chain & Markets Adviser to provide technical advice on the design of these projects and during implementation on the structuring and development of inclusive value-chains and markets connecting smallholders, cooperatives and agri-enterprises with extension services, input providers, offtakers and agri/rural financial institutions.

The Inclusive Value Chain & Markets Adviser will report to the assigned Project Managers and is expected to perform the following key tasks and responsibilities:

Project Design & Development:

Conduct or manage/oversee Inclusive value-chain and market assessments and analyses to inform the design and development of agroforestry projects or investments
Design of appropriate project interventions and approaches, aligned with key government policies and programmes to develop and strengthen value-chains for key products of agroforestry systems that benefit smallholders and agricultural cooperatives.

Project Implementation:

Lead the technical assistance (applying and adapting SNV approaches and tools and/or other international best-practices), or oversee the management of consultants, developing detailed work plans and leading/managing key inclusive value-chain development project activities such as raising the awareness of all value-chain actors on the benefits and opportunities associated with diversified production systems in response to climate and market risks; development and delivery of training on inclusive value chain development for different types of project stakeholders including public and private sector partners, Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs), agricultural cooperatives and smallholder farmers; establishing/strengthening farmer organisation and cooperatives; capacity-building and training on farm business planning; development and strengthening of market linkages among value chain actors; improving access to finance for smallholders, cooperatives and MSMEs etc..

Monitoring & Evaluation:

Assist the team with the design of baseline assessments that collect appropriate data and identify appropriate targets and related indicators as well as monitoring methods for project M&E
Work with project teams to ensure the regular collection of data and other information for monitoring performance against project outcomes and outputs.
Work with independent evaluators during mid-term and endline project evaluations to support assessment of project performance in terms of impacts on smallholders and markets.

Learning, Knowledge Management and Communications:

Review project experiences and through reflective practices, identify lessons learned on and refine/improve SNV’s inclusive value chain development approaches and tools and develop knowledge products as appropriate for internal and external learning, knowledge management and communications.

Business Development:

Identify and track potential business opportunities for SNV, advise on positioning with competitors/partners, and contribute to and support the development of project proposals (or sections thereof) relating to inclusive value chain development for relevant agricultural commodities and products.

Networking and Representation:

As a senior staff member proactively develop and maintain relationships with development and private sector partners, donors, local organisations (e.g. microfinance institutions, agri/rural finance institutions) and relevant government agencies
Actively participate in and contribute to national policy dialogues, platforms and working groups pertaining to climate change and sustainable agriculture (e.g. the Partnership for Sustainable Agriculture in Viet Nam), acting as a knowledgeable face of the SNV organisation with partners particularly on topics related to inclusive value chains in rural upland and mountainous regions.

Qualifications

Education:

Master’s degree in agricultural economics, international development, or related fields;

Experience:

At least 7 years experience in value-chain development for relevant sectors in upland regions of Viet Nam e.g. coffee, tea, fruits, nuts, maize, cassava, rubber, timber, Non-timber Forest Products (NTFPs) etc.
Experience in conducting value-chain and market analysis/assessments and development of agriculture and rural development projects with strong private sector engagement.
Strong report writing skills
Committed, responsible, creative and enthusiastic.
Ability to work independently and with a team
Good organisational skills and interpersonal skills
Good oral and written communication skills (English and Vietnamese)
Good computer skills in MS-applications (Word, Excel, Internet, Email)
Willingness and ability to travel to project areas (up to 35% of time)

Additional Information

Contract duration:

The position is offered as a full-time national staff contract for a term of 1 year with possible extension.

Working at SNV:

SNV offers a competitive salary and comprehensive benefits package. We offer opportunities to lead and innovate, and a commitment to growing your skills in a fulfilling and diverse working environment.
This position is ideally based out of the Country head office in Ha Noi (but Dalat/Buon Ma Thuot can also be considered)