JOB DESCRIPTION
Forest economic expert on financial cost-benefit analysis of sustainable forest management and forest certification for the Third Phase of the Responsible Asia Forestry & Trade Partnership (RAFT3) project (hereafter referred to as "the RAFT3 project")
RECOFTC – The Center for People and Forests holds a unique and important place in the world of forestry. It is the only international not-for-profit organization that specializes in developing capacity for community forestry and devolved forest management. With nearly 30 years of international experience and a dynamic approach to capacity development - involving research and analysis, demonstration sites, and training products and services - RECOFTC delivers innovative solutions for people and forests.
With its headquarters in Bangkok, Thailand, RECOFTC has established its Country Programs in Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao, Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand and Viet Nam, with its headquarters in Thailand. The Center’s work focuses on the four thematic areas of: securing community forestry; enhancing livelihoods and markets; people, forests and climate change; and transforming forest conflict; for developing capacities for community forestry at all levels.
RECOFTC in Viet Nam
RECOFTC has been working in Viet Nam for nearly 15 years, playing a major role in developing in-country capacity for community forestry. RECOFTC training curricula are used in the country's forestry universities, and the Center has directly trained hundreds of the country's forestry professionals. RECOFTC has carried out numerous studies and independent evaluations of Vietnam's forestry policies and programs, including a review of its Community Forest Management pilot program and a national capacity building needs assessment. RECOFTC’s Country Program in Viet Nam is working to help ensure continuing community forestry efforts work for both its people and its forests.
In the strategic plan of 2013-2018, RECOFTC plans to advance its involvement in Viet Nam through development of the capacity of a team of trainers as well as that of CF practitioners, and demonstrate at the field level how CF works in practice.
RECOFTC Viet Nam, in partnership with World Wide Fund for Nature – WWF Viet Nam, the Wildlife Trade Monitoring Network – TRAFFIC Viet Nam, and Viet Nam Administration of Forestry (VNFOREST) is implementing the Third Phase of the Responsible Asia Forestry & Trade Partnership (RAFT3) project, funded by the Commonwealth of Australia as represented by the Department of the Environment and The Nature Conservancy, from 13/05/2016 to 15/06/2018.
The Overall Goal for the work of the RAFT3 partnership is: “By 2020, the rate of tropical deforestation and forest degradation in the Asia Pacific region is reduced by 50%”. The 3
Outcomes that the work of the RAFT partnership aims to bring about are: (i) By 2020, at least 10 million ha of forests and plantations are being managed by government, industry, small growers or community groups in accordance with a credible standard for sustainable land management; (ii) By 2020, the adoption and successful implementation of regulations and verification systems for legal and responsible trade has increased in key forest product markets and producer countries; (iii) By 2020, land use decisions affecting at least 5 million ha of forested landscapes incorporate social, environmental & economic priorities of stakeholders as reflected in commodity-specific, spatially detailed plans prepared and endorsed by stakeholder representatives.
RECOFTC Viet Nam is currently looking to hire a forest economic expert on financial cost-benefit analysis of sustainable forest management and forest certification for the RAFT3 project (the economic expert in short).
POSITION SUMMARY
The economic expert works as a member of an assessment team of the RECOFTC Viet Nam Country Program (VCP), including Country Program Coordinator (CPC) cum project manager, forest policy expert cum team leader, and forestry expert, under the direct supervision of the CPC and team leader. The economic expert will report to CPC and team leader.
In order to fulfil this position, the economic expert is scheduled to work between March
2017 and March 2018 with the total number of 30 working days.
RESPONSIBILITIES
Under the overall guidance and supervision of the CPC and team leader, and in close collaboration with other research team members and project counterparts from VNFOREST, the economic expert will be responsible for technical aspects relating to financial cost-benefit analysis of sustainable forest management and forest certification, including the certification body and the audit/assessment team under three main activities as follow:
1.Review the existing regulation and policy to promote SFM in close collaboration with the Government
- Conduct the policy review and develop field assessment plan
- Organize technical seminar to discuss draft policy review report and plan for field assessment
- Conduct field assessment in three provinces
- Prepare assessment report and formulate policy recommendations
- Organize seminar to discuss draft field assessment report and policy recommendations
- Finalize field assessment report
2.Advocate for the policy gaps improvement based on the result of the review above and sharing RAFT experience through multi-stakeholders dialogue
- Conduct a national multistakeholder workshop to
discuss about the results of policy review, including field assessment.
3.Support the Government of Viet Nam in the process of developing/revising at least one important policy improvement
- Based on the results of policy review and field assessment, and multistakeholder discussion, develop a policy paper summarizing key issues to be incorporated in the revised policy document.
- Provide written inputs to the new / revised policy and reference documents to the policy drafting team
- Organize technical meeting to discuss draft versions of the new/ revised policy
- Organize multi-stakeholders consultation meeting to discuss the new/revised policy
- Provide inputs to finalise the new/ revised policy.
EXPECTED OUTPUTS
The economic expert will be responsible for providing team leader with relevant inputs for delivering six main outputs as follow:
|
Indicative activity |
Outputs |
Deadline |
|
1. Review the existing regulation and policy to promote SFM |
1. Final assessment report, including policy recommendations; |
25/08/2017 |
|
2. Advocate for the policy gaps improvement based on the result of the review above and sharing RAFT experience through multi- stakeholders dialogue |
2. A set of up to 3 policy briefs on key policy recommendations; 3. A discussion paper on SFM; |
25/11/2017 |
|
3. Support the Government of Viet Nam in the process of developing/revising at least one important policy improvement |
4. A policy paper summarizing key issues to be incorporated in the revised policy document; 5. Written inputs to the new / revised policy. |
20/03/2018 |
QUALIFICATION AND EXPERIENCE
The economic expert will have the following essential and desirable qualifications and experience:
Essential
• Master’s degree in Forestry (preferable), Forest/ Natural Resource Economic or related areas (PhD Qualification desirable);
• Minimum 05 years working experience on SFM, on financial cost-benefit analysis of sustainable forest management and forest certification, including the certification body and the audit/assessment team;
• Knowledge of and competency in working in teams, reporting, documentation and record keeping;
• Output and outcome oriented;
• Ability to plan and facilitate meetings/ workshops.
• Demonstrate strong experience in applying participatory tools and methodologies;
• Proven ability to write in a clear and concise manner and to communicate effectively orally.
• Good written and verbal Vietnamese and English.
Desirable
• Experience in working with government agencies.
• Experience in working with international organizations.
How to apply
Interested candidates are invited to submit CV (both English and Vietnamese) for this position along with current contact details of three referees to jobs.for.ngo.hanoi@gmail.com. Title: RECOFTC_Finance Expert_Candidate’s Full name
Deadline: 5/4/2017
Any questions please contact Ms. Trâm: 043.8265118