Private Sector Engagement Expert (PSE)

Location: Hue City

Deadline for submitting the application: 31/01/2025 

Start date: as soon as possible  

Contract type: Limited 

Contract term (months): 12 months (renewable) 

1. BACKGROUND

The Project VIE/039 – “Finance for resilience – Fostering climate-smart agriculture financial inclusion in Thua Thien Hue to improve resilience of smallholder farmers, especially women” co-funded by the Government of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam with the duration of two years implementing by the Luxembourg Cooperation Development Agency (LuxDev). 
The project aims to enhance the climate and economic resilience of farmers and small businesses in Thua Thien Hue province, Vietnam, with a special focus on empowering women through:
 
a). Climate-Smart Agricultural Practices: Promotion of sustainable farming techniques that increase productivity and resilience to climate change.
 
b). Strengthening Inclusive Finance and Market Access: This includes:

• Capacity building for Agribank in climate-smart agriculture finance and gender financing.
• Enhancing financial literacy, market access, and business management skills for farmers, cooperatives, traders, and aggregators.

 
c). Improving Sector Level Knowledge and Awareness: Elevating understanding and practices among regulators, research and training institutions and social organizations through exposure to knowledge-sharing opportunities and international best practices in financial inclusion and climate-smart financing.

2. OBJECTIVES

Project VIE/039 seeks to engage with potential public and private sector partners committed to sustainability, climate change mitigation, and reducing inequality. Additionally, the project will collaborate with Agribank and other financial partners to connect farmers and business entities to climate adaptation financial resources, fostering synergies that optimize resource utilization and enhance the overall impact of climate resilience efforts.
The position of the Private Sector Engagement (PSE) Expert is essential for fostering partnerships with the private sector, identifying collaboration opportunities, and enhancing the capacity of stakeholders. This role is vital for ensuring that project objectives are met, promoting sustainable practices, and ensuring equitable access to financing. Ultimately, this will lead to improved resilience and economic opportunities for smallholder farmers, particularly women. 
The PSE Expert will be responsible for managing and collaborating with both international and local experts to deliver results across the following key areas:

3. MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES

Private Sector Mapping and Assessment

• Participate in mapping exercises to identify and prioritize potential private sector partners, including businesses, cooperatives, and NGOs that have demonstrated commitment to sustainability and gender inclusion in their operations.
• Conduct in-depth analysis of the current private sector engagement landscape within the agricultural value chains in Hue. This includes evaluating existing partnerships, understanding the dynamics of market players, and identifying gaps in collaboration.
• Utilize research methods, stakeholder interviews, and surveys to identify key players in the region that align with the project's objectives, particularly those that emphasize climate-smart practices and gender equity.

Stakeholder Engagement

• Create and implement a robust stakeholder engagement strategy designed to foster strong relationships with identified private sector partners. This strategy should outline specific engagement tactics, communication plans, and follow-up actions.
• Organize and facilitate regular meetings, workshops, and networking events aimed at promoting collaboration among private sector partners, cooperatives, and local stakeholders. Ensure that these gatherings focus on sharing knowledge, discussing challenges, and brainstorming innovative solutions.
• Develop a platform or community of practice that encourages ongoing dialogue and cooperation across sectors, allowing stakeholders to connect and share resources effectively.

Partnership Development

• Actively seek and identify collaborative opportunities that align with LuxDev’s procedures and project objectives, specifically in relation to sustainable practices, support for women farmers, and the reinforcement of local businesses.
• Lead negotiations on partnership agreements with private sector partners, ensuring that all agreements are mutually beneficial and aligned with project goals. This includes defining roles, responsibilities, and resource commitments from both parties.
• Cultivate and maintain ongoing relationships with partners to ensure continued collaboration and address any emerging challenges changes in the partnership landscape.

Capacity Building Support

• Work closely with cooperatives, SMEs, and farmers to enhance their capacities for effective engagement with the private sector. Identify their specific needs and tailor capacity-building initiatives accordingly.
• Work with service providers to design and implement training sessions on business development strategies, market access techniques, financial management, and engaging with the private sector and ensure training sessions are interactive and tailored to participants' needs, promoting practical applications in real-world scenarios.
• Work with experts to create user-friendly training materials and guides that participants can reference post-training.
• Collect participant feedback to continuously refine and enhance future sessions and resources, addressing their evolving needs.

Collaboration with Inclusive Finance 

• Collaborate with the Inclusive Finance Expert to develop strategies for enhancing access to financial services for smallholder farmers and women entrepreneurs. Co-design training programs that integrate financial literacy with business development, facilitate joint workshops, and monitor the impact on participants' financial inclusion to ensure comprehensive support and economic resilience.

Monitoring, Evaluation, Reporting and Knowledge Sharing

• Establish performance indicators to assess the impact of private sector engagement on project outcomes. This may include metrics on partnership outcomes, stakeholder satisfaction, and economic benefits to smallholder farmers.
• Implement a structured reporting process to regularly communicate progress, challenges, and emerging opportunities to the Chief Technical Advisor and other relevant project stakeholders. Use these reports to inform adaptive management practices.
• Document successful partnerships and lessons learned through case studies that highlight best practices and effective strategies in engaging the private sector. 
• Ensure that all documentation aligns with project reporting requirements and facilitates knowledge sharing within the project and with external stakeholders. 

Other duties

• Any other duties assigned by the CTA.

A detailed job description can be obtained upon request to the email address: projects.hue@luxdev.lu 

 
4. SKILLS REQUIRED FOR THE JOB

Education

• Advanced degree in Finance, Economics, Agricultural Economics, Business Administration, or a related field is typically required.
• Additional certifications or coursework in inclusive finance, gender studies, climate-smart agriculture, or related areas will be advantageous.

General Experience and Skills

• Minimum of 07 years of experience in private sector engagement, partnership development, or related fields, preferably within agricultural or rural development contexts.
• Proven track record of working with various stakeholders, including public sector agencies, NGOs, cooperatives, and private sector partners.
• Experience coordinating multi-stakeholder initiatives or projects aimed at sustainability or inclusive economic development.
• Strong organizational skills to manage multiple tasks simultaneously and meet deadlines.
• Ability to develop and implement project work plans, monitor progress, and deliver results according to set objectives.

Specific Experience and Skills

• Experience in value chain analysis and market assessments.
• Understanding of private sector dynamics, particularly in agriculture, and experience in fostering relationships with businesses, financial institutions, and other potential partners.
• Ability to engage and negotiate successfully with stakeholders to establish mutually beneficial agreements and long-term collaborations
• Proven experience in managing partnerships within agricultural value chains, focusing on collaboration with private sector entities, cooperatives, and financial institutions to drive project objectives.
• Experience in designing and delivering training programs focused on business skills, financial management, and market access for farmers, cooperatives, and SMEs.
• Knowledge of financial products available to smallholder farmers and women entrepreneurs, including climate adaptation financing options.
• Understanding of market trends and strategies to enhance access to local, national, and international markets. 
• Expertise in developing performance indicators and frameworks for measuring the impact of projects and partnerships.

5. CONDITIONS:

• Location: Project VIE/039  Hue City, with regular travels to Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and other provinces.
• Nature of the position: full-time position (renewable);
• Duration: 1 year;
• Expected starting date: as soon as possible;
• Salary: will be calculated based on LuxDev salary scale and the experience / qualifications of the successful candidate.  

6. HOW TO APPLY:

• Applications can only be submitted via the LuxDev careers website at https://careers.luxdev.lu/job-invite/1745/. Applications must consist of 1) curriculum vitae (including contact details of two referees), and 2) a motivation letter. Only applications received via the LuxDev careers website will be considered.