Introduction

The International Labour Organization (ILO), the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) and the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD) have jointly launched a global Productivity Ecosystems for Decent Work Programme to address constraints to productivity growth and decent job creation. The implementation in Viet Nam started in 2022 and will continue until December 2025.

Under the overall framework of the Decent Work Country Programme for Viet Nam 2022-2026 (DWCP), the programme aims to address the root causes of low productivity by strengthening and establishing sustainable virtuous cycles between productivity, enterprise policies, employment policies, and good working conditions. The programme emphasizes the importance of understanding and addressing productivity in an integrated manner across the enterprise level, the sector level, and the policy level. It is based on the principles of systems thinking and the development of evidence-based interventions as well as by facilitating change through incentives and capabilities development of key actors. The project in Viet Nam targets two priority sectors: wood processing and machinery.

The programme intends to increase the strategic integration between project interventions implemented by a wide range of stakeholders at the enterprise and sectoral levels with national policy level developments based on the recommendation of the recent mid-term project evaluation. The role of the National Project Officer Productivity & Sectoral Policies will be to bring in more synergies and consolidated approaches for project stakeholders in both target sectors and nationally, as well as identify topical areas for the productivity enhancement policies with an additional focus on sectoral and industrial policies, applying integrated policy making approaches, that often fall beyond the usual niche of employment policies. The National Project Officer will be responsible for the development, implementation, and monitoring of project interventions aimed at delivery of the evidence-based productivity policy advisory support to tripartite constituents, as well as to the diverse range of national, provincial, and sectoral stakeholders.

Reporting lines

Within the overall supervision of the Country Director the position directly reports to the Programme Manager of the project, the incumbent will be technically supported by the specialists for sustainable enterprises and for employment policy as well as by other Decent Work Team (DWT) Bangkok specialists when required. The incumbent will also receive technical advice and support from the SME Unit and specifically the Global Productivity Ecosystems project team, located in the ENTERPRISES Department at ILO Headquarters, as well as from the EMPLOYMENT Department at ILO Headquarters. She/he is expected and required to collaborate closely with other related projects and other staff in the ILO Viet Nam Country Office with support and collaboration of the Programme and Operations Units (PU/OU).

Description of Duties

Main duties and responsibilities include:

1. Provide substantial technical inputs into the design of intervention strategies to support evidence-based policy making for stronger productivity growth in Viet Nam on both national and provincial levels, as well as for target sectors through technical assistance, knowledge development, building partnerships, advocacy and evaluation. Make sure the productivity growth strategies are inclusive, incorporating gender responsive and other inclusive provisions and implementation measures.
2. Provide substantial technical inputs and coordinate with tripartite and relevant governmental and other national stakeholders in the effective design and planning, timely implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the project activities, including provision of technical, programmatic and administrative inputs in line with the ILO financial and administrative policy, rules and regulations.
3. Take the lead in initiating regular analysis of relevant international experiences in boosting the national productivity agenda and effective application of identified best practices through close work with the national stakeholders, and initiate policy research actions in the areas where the knowledge base is narrow or uncertain based on the identified needs of the constituents and stakeholders. Keep abreast of the developments in the national policies relevant to the productivity development and initiate project actions as relevant.
4. Identify problems, propose solutions and actions, and implement timely follow-up with engagement of relevant ILO officials, government agencies, constituents, implementing partners, and contractors to implement the project interventions and meet targets.
5. Develop, update, revise and monitor the project work plan and budget as needed.
6. Monitor and assess the progress of activities under the responsible portfolio and ensure the timely delivery of project outputs with high quality. Provide technical review of the efficiency of work methods and processes and make recommendations for improvements. Initiate reviewing, verifying and analysing work-plans, progress reports, final reports and other data for clarity, consistency and completeness, and follow up with relevant technical stakeholders to expedite implementation and meet targets. Periodically report, monitor, and facilitate the evaluation of the relevant project interventions according to the project document and work plan. Prepare required technical progress reports and ad hoc reports on the status of project planning and implementation for submission to the ILO and the donors. Undertake monitoring visits in line with the monitoring, evaluation and learning plan and framework.
7. Develop and maintain strong links with the national stakeholders and project colleagues, as well as with the global ILO Productivity team, and as requested by the Project Manager also with other ILO specialists within the ILO DWT Bangkok, and other colleagues in RO-Bangkok and HQ on specific technical areas requiring comprehensive and collaborative interventions.

8. Independently develop terms of references on project tasks in partnerships with the national stakeholders, including research, concept notes on activities and training materials, prepare presentations and other materials related to project implementation. Draft, edit, or translate into local language official correspondence, statements and speeches and other public information materials as needed. Also, contribute to the preparation of briefs, background information, technical reports and periodic progress reports and statistical data on status of the overall activities of the project.
9. Implement knowledge, communication outreach, and information generation efforts under the project. Provide technical inputs and contribution to project communication efforts in line with the communication strategy, donor field visits, etc. Provide inputs to PE4DW communication activities to increase the project’s visibility at the national and local levels. This also includes the responsibility to liaise with key stakeholders.
10. Undertake missions and conduct trainings, seminars, workshops and consultations in relation to project implementation.
11. Perform other duties as may be assigned by the supervisor.

Required qualifications

Education

First level university degree in economics, social sciences, public policies, development studies or a related field. An advanced degree in any of these fields would be a strong advantage.

Experience

At least three years of experience in management, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of enterprise policies, industrial policies, development cooperation projects. Proven experience in working effectively with government bodies in charge of policy-making and with development partners. Experience in working with officials of government ministries, employers’ and workers’ organizations is an advantage.

Technical requirements: Technical expertise on enterprise policies, industrial policies, productivity, enterprise development.

Languages

Excellent knowledge of Vietnamese and excellent command of English.

Competencies

• In addition to the ILO core competencies [Integrity and transparency, Sensitivity to diversity, Orientation to learning and knowledge sharing, Client orientation, Communication, Orientation to change, Takes responsibility for performance, Quality orientation, Collaboration], this position requires:
• Knowledge of socio-economic factors, economic and enterprise policies, industrial policies, labour market context in Viet Nam.
• Ability to provide technical advice and to guide and coordinate the work of external collaborators and ILO project officials. Ability to formulate new concepts and innovative methodologies for project policy advisory work.
• Excellent drafting skills and ability to communicate clearly and effectively both orally and in writing.
• Ability to maintain good working relationships with ILO constituents and all project stakeholders.
• Excellent analytical and organizational skills.
• Ability to work independently with minimum supervision and take initiative and responsibility, while also demonstrating collaborative and teamwork experience.
• Ability to work in a multicultural environment and to demonstrate gender-sensitive and non-discriminatory behaviour and attitudes.