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Mekong Institute

Vacancy Announcement

Program Coordinator

Mekong Institute

MI is an intergovernmental organization that contributes to regional cooperation and integration through capacity development, dialogue, and advocacy for sustainable socioeconomic development and poverty alleviation in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS).

Founded and represented by the Mekong countries (Cambodia, P. R. China, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam), MI aligns its strategies with the core tenets of the GMS Cooperation Program Strategic Framework 2030, ASEAN Economic Community, and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

MI supports these frameworks through the implementation of projects across the areas of Agricultural Development and Commercialization (ADC), Trade and Investment Facilitation (TIF), and Sustainable Energy and Environment (SEE) while addressing issues of social inclusion and vulnerability, digital economy and innovation, and labor mobility. This comprehensive approach cements holistic and sustainable developmental impacts in the subregion and beyond.

Role of Department

The role of the TIF Department is to produce and deliver capacity development programs and products including training, research, network building, fora, dialogue facilitation, action research, policy research, etc. that are up to date, reflecting regional and global change in trade and investment facilitation, and relevant for the GMS region. The department is responsible for the following deliverables:

- Capacity development activities that are donor funded project based and customised stand-alone activities, and the fee-based Professional Development Series.

- Publications including policy papers, training of trainer packages, research publications and MI Professional Series papers.

Areas of TIF’s Focus on the Strategic Plan 2021-2025

The TIF focuses on facilitating cross-border trade and investment through the strengthening of intra-regional infrastructure linkages that contributing to the reduction of trade barriers and tariffs as it is an important aspect for the development of regional trade and economic growth, as well as private sector development and the increasing competitiveness of GMS economies. Enhancing cooperation among GMS countries on cross-border measures is necessary to minimize the impacts of COVID-19

on trade and investment. The effective functioning of supply chains, upskilling and reskilling of labor, and SME internationalization are important elements to strengthen regional value chains and to promote regional pandemic recovery efforts. In this context, MI’s TIF focuses on the following:

• Improve trade facilitation to establish more efficient and cost-effective cross-border trade flows;
• Promote cross-border digital services such as e-customs and cross-border e-commerce;
• Create business information platforms to widen networking among business groups and companies in local, regional, and international markets;
• Support the integration of SMEs into global and regional value chains;
• Conduct research that will contribute to an enabling environment for trade and investment promotion, particularly though economic corridors and special economic zones;
• Advance knowledge on the linkage between post-pandemic recovery, trade competitiveness, and cross-border trade of goods and services for the development of business strategies that will enhance firm-level competitiveness of countries and SMEs in a post-pandemic situation;
• Respond to other opportunities and challenges to strengthen cross-border trade facilitation and investment promotion.

Program Coordinator of Trade and Investment Facilitation Department (TIF)

Reporting to the Director of TIF, the Program Coordinator performs two interrelated roles. Firstly, working with the Program Team to deliver the program capacity development activities, to monitor the activities for data collection purposes; and, to coordinate follow up activities with team leaders. The second role is to support GMS-focused research on hot and emerging issues related to MI thematic areas.

Main deliverables, Responsibilities, and Tasks

Key deliverables

• Delivery of content in capacity development activities according to the department’s focus area.
• Coordination of expert inputs and implementation of capacity development activities according to the department’s focus area.
• Develop concept notes for capacity development activities.
• Inputs for case studies for content development.
• Contributions to research projects as required.
• Coordinate with MEL department and input data/information to the MI’s MEL system.
• Draft and submission activity reports and contribution to 6 monthly report to MI Council.
• Demonstrable acquisition of knowledge in program content to further own professional development

Main responsibilities and tasks

• Coordinate the implementation of capacity development activities (workshops, structured learning visits, seminars, etc.) under assigned areas.
• Lead teams and serve as Team Leader or Lead Facilitator by coordinating with subject matter experts to arrange facilitation of all capacity development activities under the thematic area. This includes working with resource persons in preparing session plan and materials, facilitating learning activities and synthesising and evaluating each training session or module.
• Lead coordination and provision of support for research processes undertaken in collaboration with MI local partners on emerging issues related to the thematic area for case studies and policy dialogue.
• In coordination with M&E unit, design evaluation forms for activities, administer pre-test, post-test, and on-line evaluation system.
• Devise the budget for project activities.
• Disburse activities budgets and report on expenditure according to MI procedures
• Responsible for project completion reports, evaluation reports and post activity follow up in accordance with MI standard and or as required by funding partners under the guidance of MI management.
• Liaise with MI Coordinating Agencies, government officials, local partners, development partners and collaborating agencies as required for capacity development activities.
• Contribute to information releases on thematic area for MI website and contribute to MI publications (Mekong Connection, Course Design Statement, Brochures, etc.).
• Any other reasonable task requested by management.

Required Qualifications, Skills, and Experience

Essential

• Master’s degree in economics, International trade, development, or related field.
• Knowledge of the technical issues relevant to the program in the GMS, region and ASEAN, and globally.
• Basic understanding of technical concepts related to project management such as logical frameworks, results-based management, evidence-based advocacy, and research methodology.
• Minimum of three years’ experience in:
  • Project implementation, particularly of capacity development projects.
  • Design and implementation of capacity development activities, particularly as a facilitator; and/or
  • Carrying out research studies and surveys.
• Proven skills and experience in facilitation of capacity development activities in the program’s technical specialism.
• Candidate should have advanced working knowledge of MS Office (Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Publisher and Canva). Candidates with design and layout skills and adept in using Adobe Photoshop and Pagemaker is an advantage.
• Proven ability to communicate in English language in written and spoken form.
• Good negotiation and interpersonal skills.
• Proven ability to work in a multi-cultural team and coordinate with others.

Desirable

• Experience in project implementation in the GMS region and beyond, particularly on capacity development projects.
• Skills in any of the languages of the GMS region.

If you possess the skills, expertise, and experience to thrive in this role and are passionate about promoting equitable and inclusive economic growth in the GMS, we invite you to submit your CV and cover letter to recruitment@mekonginstitute.org with the subject line "TIF Program Coordinator".

Only candidates who successfully advance to the next stage will receive a response.