Team Lead and CWT Expert Consultants (Combating-Wildlife Trafficking)

Team Lead and CWT Expert Consultants

Combating-Wildlife Trafficking / Hanoi, Vietnam

Apply here: https://chp.tbe.taleo.net/chp02/ats/careers/requisition.jsp?org=SOCIIMPA...

Social Impact (SI) is a global development management consulting firm which provides monitoring, evaluation, strategic planning, and capacity building services to advance development effectiveness. In Vietnam, SI is implementing the USAID/Vietnam Learns program to support USAID staff and partners to implement more efficient, effective, and transparent programs. Today, SI seeks qualified consultants to lead a new research assignment in support of the design of a new project to Combat Wildlife Trafficking (CWT).

Position Background:

Vietnam is considered one of the world's hot spots for wildlife poaching, trafficking, and illegal wildlife trade. Wildlife trafficking in Vietnam has increased to satisfy not only the domestic market but also foreign ones. The country is also a transit route and a “transit point” of regional and international wildlife crime networks. Ivory, rhino horn, pangolin and big cats are the most popular wildlife products being illegally imported to or in transit through Vietnam. The situation is believed to be one of the reasons for the decline of populations of many endangered and rare species in Vietnam, Africa and other countries. Some are facing the threat of becoming extinct in the wild.

To help the country control and stop the current increasingly serious situation of wildlife trafficking and to protect important ecosystems, over last few years USAID/Vietnam has implemented the Saving Species project which aims to: a) Strengthen inter-agency and international cooperation to control of wildlife trafficking; b) Implement international commitments on combating wildlife crimes; c) Improve and increase the effectiveness of existing legal regulations related to the protection and conservation of wildlife species as well as combating wildlife trafficking; d) Assist with the implementation of action plans and strategies on biodiversity and species conservation; reduce demand for wildlife consumption and e) Implement socio-economic development plans at local, sectoral and national levels. In addition to the Saving Species, USAID Vietnam has worked with the Wildlife Asia program based out of the Regional Development Mission for Asia to roll out some communication campaigns on wildlife demand reduction such as Social Behavior Communication Campaigns (SBCC) to raise awareness of target groups and the public on CWT.

Under USAID/Vietnam’s new Country Development Cooperation Strategy (CDCS), USAID aims to support Vietnam to increase its leadership in combating wildlife trafficking by reducing the pressure of wildlife crimes on endangered and threatened species. A key feature of the new CDCS is the Mission’s intent to accelerate collective action approaches between government, civil society, and the private sector to address CWT issues. Creating space for citizens and local organizations to join hands in addressing wildlife trade and consumption issues is something that the Mission wishes to explore further. In addition, given the global COVID-19 pandemic, and suggestions that pangolins may be the intermediary transmitter of the virus to humans, the Mission also wishes to understand what effect this may have, if any, on political will and social norms relating to wildlife consumption and trade.

Objective:

The background research will help inform the design team of the current situation on ground, possible collective action approaches, and potential contextual changes as a result of COVID-19. This will take place in Vietnam. Travel may be required if the situation permits. If not, an alternative plan to conduct interviews and meetings using online video conferencing will be required. This assessment is anticipated to start at the end of April and conclude by the first week of July.

Position Description:

SI is seeking two consultants who will develop a report that will inform project design on combating wildlife trafficking in Vietnam Consultants will submit a final report that draws conclusions from the data and provide recommendations on how the information can best be utilized to design effective programming aimed at wildlife poaching, trafficking, illegal wildlife trade and consumption. These activities will complement, and occasionally contribute to a parallel process focusing on developing a situational model for CWT.

USAID CWT activities focus specifically on combating trafficking of African species, specifically the rhinoceros, pangolin, elephants, and big cats. The primary focus of this study should center around those animals, although local species may be included if relevant to the overall scope.

In light of the current global health situation, the research team will be asked to not only consider as a research question how COVID-19 may impact future programming but develop a research plan that takes current travel limitations into account.

The questionnaire design and final report should be structured in a way to answer the following three questions:

1. Context Analysis:

What is the current situation of illegal wildlife trafficking in Vietnam?
What are the key factors (drivers and threats) influencing illegal wildlife trade and wildlife consumption in Vietnam? A sample of factors that may be considered includes (but is NOT limited to): legal framework, corruption, and public awareness.
What are opportunities to increase political will?

2. COVID 19:

How is the political and social context related to wildlife trade and consumption in Vietnam expected to change given the global COVID-19 pandemic?

3. Way Forward:

Based on the above findings and analysis:

What should be priority areas of intervention be for CWT/USAID and why?
Which GVN counterparts should USAID most actively engage with and how for its next generation of CWT/USAID programming?
What could be some of the most effective opportunities for collective action between the government, private sector and local organizations which CWT/USAID should explore and how?

** Note: At least one of the two candidates will be required to be Vietnamese residing in Vietnam. Priority will be given to Vietnamese citizens, but international experts with relevant experience in the area may also be considered **

Responsibilities:

Activities the research team will be expected to conduct and deliver include:

Desk review of existing literature on current state of wildlife trafficking in Vietnam and surrounding countries;
Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) and stakeholder meetings to answer key research questions (Note: may need to be conducted online if necessary);
Participate in parallel CWT design processes such as the development of a situational model (done by MI2), with USAID, Learns, and key actors in design process;
Stakeholder validation session(s) to review key questions (Note: this session may again need to be conducted remotely);
Analysis and report submission as per research and USAID guidelines;
Other contingency plans for structure and process if activity must be conducted mainly online
Timely delivery and completion of activities as per the Timelines & Deliverables table.

Note: The timeline for this Study currently assumes no travel (interviews and meetings to be conducted remotely or in Hanoi). If the conditions permit travel, then the timeline and anticipated Level of Effort (LoE) may be adjusted accordingly.

Qualifications:

Team Leader

Experience in the area of Combating Wildlife Trafficking in Vietnam and/or the region;
Advanced skills and experience conducting interviews with a wide array of stakeholders, especially in the area of Combating Wildlife Trafficking;
Prior USAID Team Leader experience with USAID assessments/studies and familiarity with associated compliance requirements, required;
Experience with strategic project/program design;
Proven experience consolidating interview findings and literature reviews into concise and actionable reports;
Ease with the facilitation of multi-person events, ideally on online;
Fluency in Vietnamese, preferred
Excellent writing and spoken English skills are required.

CWT Expert

Expertise in the area of Combating Wildlife Trafficking in Vietnam;
Experience implementing advocacy programs focused on combating wildlife trafficking;
In-depth knowledge of the operating environment in Vietnam;
Experience working with USAID-funded projects;
Experience in workshop facilitation and design, and ease with the facilitation of multi-person events, ideally on online;
Fluency in Vietnamese, required;
Strong writing and spoken English skills are required.

Come join our energetic and innovative team! We offer you the opportunity to play a leading role in the growth of our company, work as part of a creative and committed team, and make a difference in the well-being of our world.

To learn more about Social Impact, please visit our website: http://www.socialimpact.com

SI is an EEO/AA/ADA Veterans Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability or protected veteran status.

Only selected candidates will be contacted for an interview. Please, no phone calls.