Job Profile: Senior Financial Adviser (N2)
Vietnam – Fisheries Sector Programme Support, Phase II
Strengthening of the Fisheries Administration (STOFA II) Component
This position is advertised pending the approval of the competent Danish authorities
1. Introduction
1.1. Background for advertisement of the post:
Denmark has supported the fisheries sector in Vietnam since 1993 and is the largest single donor to the sector. The first phase of the Fisheries Sector Programme Support to Vietnam (FSPS I) commenced in 2000 and will conclude by 31 December 2005. A second phase of the Fisheries Sector Programme Support (FSPS II) will be launched by 1 January 2006 with a budget of 220 million DKK for a five-year period. A senior financial adviser will be recruited to assist the Vietnamese Ministry of Fisheries in setting-up the funds-supply mechanisms, the accounting procedures and financial reporting for all management units and institutions receiving funds from Danida under the programme.
1.2. Purpose of memo:
This memo describes the main tasks involved in the position and the qualifications desired in candidates for the job.
1.3. Expected composition of recruitment committee:
Applicants for the position will be selected for interview by the Embassy of Denmark in Hanoi following consultations with the local authorities, who will also be represented at the job interview. Mercuri Urval will participate in the process of appointment by conducting personality tests and test interviews with selected candidates.
2. The Fisheries Sector Programme Support, Phase II (FSPS II)
2.1. The programme in brief:
The development objective of FSPS II is:
The less privileged parts of the rural population engaged in fisheries benefit from sustainable and economic development of the fisheries sector.
The Programme consists of the following four components:
1. Strengthening of the Fisheries Administration
2. Strengthening of Capture Fisheries Management
3. Sustainable Development of Aquaculture
4. Strengthening Capacities of Post-harvest and Marketing
The national executing agency responsible for overall programme implementation is the Ministry of Fisheries (MOFI). In addition nine provinces have been identified as pilot provinces for FSPS II activities. Each of the Components and the nine provinces will establish Vietnamese led management units. Each management unit will have budget responsibility and refer to a National Steering Committee (NSC) co-chaired by MOFI and the Embassy of Denmark. Component Management Units (CMUs) will manage day-to-day activities in both technical and financial respects. To support and advise on the implementation of Component activities, full-time international technical advisors will be appointed. At provincial level, the Provincial Peoples Committee (PPC) is responsible for the overall management of FSPS II programme activities. The Provincial Department of Fisheries (DOFI) or Department of Rural Development (DARD) will effectively be the implementing agency at provincial level. A provincial management unit will be established within DOFI/DARD.
The overall approach and design of FSPS II is to integrate and coordinate the activities between the Components so that they address the complete needs of the Vietnamese fisheries sector in fulfilling the programme objective. Several of the Component activities will, for this reason, become integrated in the implementation or take their point of departure from common baseline or feasibility studies. The programme aims to involve the grassroots and community level in programme Component activities, both in relation to management, training and development. Therefore most of the local level programme support will be directed to co-management groups where special emphasis will be given to the development of co-management and cooperative models that are suitable for empowerment of poor communities and households.
FSPS II will focus on poverty alleviation through a two-pronged development strategy that will be applied in nine selected provinces in accordance with specific development opportunities and poverty reduction strategies to be prepared for each province. One strategy is to support the creation of new employment and livelihood opportunities by continuing to support sustainable economic growth in the fisheries sector. This support will focus on creating and up-grading small-scale aquaculture production units and SMEs within processing and fish trade. The other strategy is to target poor provinces and poor households, including ethnic minorities, living in specific ecological settings such as mountain areas, islands and lagoons, making use of opportunities for increased fish production in lakes and reservoirs and culture of fish in fresh and marine waters.
The Component for Strengthening of the Fisheries Administration (STOFA II)
will continue the capacity building support initiated by FSPS I. Capacity building will mainly take the form of staff training, the development of new institutional structures and the development and implementation of systems for fisheries management information, including IT systems. The Component will support sector policy-making and planning processes within fisheries administration through long-term capacity building within these units at central and province levels. Specifically, the STOFA II Component will support MOFI in the process of restructuring and upgrading the fisheries administration at central and decentralised levels in accordance with the plans and targets of the Vietnamese Public Administration Reform programme 2001-2010.
The Strengthening of Capture Fisheries Management Component will continue support to improve the institutional capacity for formulation of capture fisheries policies and implementation of management strategies initiated in FSPS I. Technical assistance will be provided to enhance the institutional capacity of the National Directorate of Aquatic Resource Exploitation and Protection (NADAREP) and Provincial Department’s of Fisheries (DOFIs). Support will be given to MOFI research institutions and NADAREP to build capacity to work across disciplines and undertake management of relevant research. The Component will provide support to a Capture Fisheries Co-management Task Force that will be involved in planning and implementation of pilot projects and assessing and reviewing experiences to make recommendations to MOFI on Vietnamese approaches to adaptive fisheries co-management for nationwide dissemination. The Component also supports improvements in the management of freshwater fisheries.
The Sustainable Development of Aquaculture Component will continue support initiated during FSPS I and will further develop planning capacity to ensure its relevance and effectiveness to sector needs from national to local levels. Support will go to: i) initiatives to improve and, where appropriate, certify seed origin and quality, develop new species and strains, and diversify production and services to increase opportunities for small-scale production; ii) aquaculture development to improve and introduce more competitive production approaches as well as new systems and species mixes to ensure that small-scale producers retain a strong role and that technical and market risks in more commercial production could be effectively addressed; and iii) capacity-building to strengthen and focus capacity in essential services. Special attention will be given to poverty reduction through aquaculture, including among ethnic communities in remote districts and villages in freshwater areas.
The Strengthening Capacities of Post-harvest and Marketing Component will build upon the support initiated during FSPS I, but give more emphasis to domestic producers and hygiene controls and risks in the small-scale domestic sector. The Component will work with producers in both capture and aquaculture fisheries, traders and small-scale processors: (i) to support the formation and capacity building of extension agencies and fisheries stakeholder associations by providing services in the areas of hygiene, marketing and traceability systems; (ii) to further strengthen marketing systems through product development centres and develop a system of trademark and denomination of origin as marketing tools; (iii) build capacity for local inspection systems to inspect food safety on fishing vessels, landing sites, fish farms and in the distribution chain; (iv) to support stakeholder organisations to assist members to respond to new regulatory requirements; and (v) to support the development of a national corps of consultants and trainers.
Implementing strategy:
In line with the Danida Aid Management Guidelines, responsibility for programme implementation, including financial management, will rest with the Vietnamese authorities. The international technical advisers will not, as was the case under the first phase, have management or budget responsibilities, but will concentrate on their advisory roles within their respective professional fields. This change in programme management will increase the workload on the recipient organization. The implementation and management of the programme and funds will be distributed among a number of implementing units, i.e. Ministry of Fisheries departments and directorates, research institutes and the nine selected pilot provinces. The STOFA II Component support to strengthening the fisheries administration will assist MOFI in this new executing role.
3. The position
3.1. Title: Senior Financial Adviser (N2)
3.2. Place of service:
Department of Planning and Finance, Ministry of Fisheries (MOFI), Hanoi, with frequent travel to pilot provinces and related institutions of MOFI.
3.3.Terms of employment:
The contract will be for two years. A third year of contract might be considered pending an assessment of the needs of the partner institutions. Attractive salary, the size of which will be based on qualifications and on family status. Contribution to a pension scheme, medical insurance and reimbursement of school expenses. Free housing. Grant for removal and establishment.
The Senior Financial Adviser will be remunerated according to the AC salary scale of a Special Consultant, i.e. according to the former Danida grade of Senior Adviser.
3.4. Special conditions of the function:
Easy access to international schools etc.
3.5. Areas of responsibility:
The position as Senior Financial Adviser, while organisationally anchored in the Component for Strengthening of the Fisheries Administration (STOFA II), is designed to service the whole of the FSPS II. The financial management of the Programme is the responsibility of the four Component Management Units and the DOFI/DARD management units and advice will be given to all these levels.
The role of the Senior Financial Adviser will be to assist in setting-up the funds-supply mechanisms, the accounting procedures and financial reporting for all the FSPS II management units and institutions receiving funds from Danida through the Ministry of Finance of Vietnam. A part of the tasks will be to assist in building up capacity in the partner institutions and to assist in ensuring that the different management units undertake proper financial management and accounting.
The Senior Financial Adviser is expected to ensure that the financial flow within the Programme is running smoothly and in accordance with Danida and Government of Vietnam regulations, allowing activities to be implemented undisturbed from financial disruptions. At the same time, the Senior Financial Adviser is expected to possess skills and personality that will facilitate national partner institutions in delivering high-standard financial management and accounting. The Senior Financial Adviser will cooperate closely with the Component Management Units, DOFI/DARD management units, and other relevant MOFI institutions. The Senior Financial Adviser will report to the STOFA component management and the National Programme Director.
The tasks of the Senior Financial Adviser will include, but not necessarily be limited to the following:
• Assist the National Programme Director (NPD) in setting up financial management and accounting systems at all levels of implementation (Ministry of Finance, MOFI and DOFI/DARD) in accordance with Vietnamese government regulations and DANIDA requirements.
• Assist in establishing a financial reporting system among units of the programme and to the third parties and support the development of harmonised accounting and reporting procedures at programme level.
• Study and recommend appropriate accounting software that will meet the reporting requirements of Government as well as Danida and to be used at all levels of implementation.
• Assist in elaborating the responsibilities in financial management and reporting at each level.
• Assist Component Management Units and DOFI/DARDs in acquiring accounting capacity, elaborating TOR for accountants and their introduction to the work-tasks.
• Support capacity building of national staff involved in financial management and accounting, developing and implementation of tailor-made courses in budgeting, accounting and financial reporting for accountants and financial managers at all levels of implementation.
• Carry out feasibility studies on the FSPS II established accounting system with a view to develop a roadmap for integrating further the accounting system into the accounting system of the MOFI institutions.
3.5. Success criteria:
The SIFA should, within a period of two years, assist and advise in setting up an efficient fund management mechanism for FSPS II and have strengthened the National Financial Managers and Partners sufficiently to take over the tasks without international support.
4. Demand profile/qualifications
Formal Qualifications:
• The Senior Financial Adviser should have a MSc. in Economics or Financial Management or a related subject.
• Extensive practical knowledge and at least 10 years of experience in the field of financial management and accounting.
• Experience from working in developing countries, preferable in South East Asia
• Excellent language skills in English and an interest in acquiring basic skills in Vietnamese.
Personal Qualifications:
• Flexibility and patience.
• Self-confidence, strong personal authority and modesty with the ability to introduce international best practices of accounting and financial management and to adapt these to the circumstance of the developing country like Vietnam.
• Proven inter-cultural competencies.
• Ability to work independently in a structured and organised manner with strong results orientation.
• Ability to create close working relationships with partners, and create a climate of cooperation.
• Openness and good listening skills.
• Perseverance, initiative and the willingness to work with innovative ideas.
5. Recruitment procedure
5.1 How do you apply?:
Application form (must be used) can be downloaded from:
http://www.mercuriurval.com/upload/Translations/Denmark/Danida/Danidaapplication.doc.
Reference number 31616-2005/Vie.04 should be stated in the application.
Applications should be sent to Mercuri Urval A/S at [email protected], alternatively to the office address: Philip Heymans Allé 5, DK 2900 Hellerup, Denmark, fax: +45 39 45 65 65.
5.2. Deadline for applications: 5/12 2005 at 09.00 hours Danish time
5.3. Preliminary interviews and personal evaluation: Week 51 (or week 1 2006)
5.4. Language test: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has decided that all candidates called in for interview – expect for those to whom the relevant language is the mother tongue – shall be tested in Denmark in the working language of the duty station in question.
5.5. Presentation to the recruitment committee: 20/12 or 6/1
5.6. Decision: Week 52 2005 or week 1 2006
5.7. Expected commencement: As early as possible.
