Policy Reform Manager

USAID Improving Private Sector Competitiveness 

Scope of Work 

Policy Reform Manager (Innovation& Regulatory Sandbox) 

Background

The purpose of the USAID Improving Private Sector Competitiveness (IPS-C) Activity (“Activity”) is to remove constraints and build the competitiveness of small and growing businesses (SGBs) in Vietnam, including those led by vulnerable populations. With this activity, USAID/Vietnam is supporting Vietnam’s competitiveness: vertically at the policy, market and firm level; and horizontally by working along the entire spectrum of enterprise growth models, from household businesses transforming into registered firms to small firms on the cusp of scaling up. Deloitte Consulting LLP (“Deloitte”) is implementing this Activity on behalf of USAID. The Agency for Enterprise Development of the Ministry of Planning and Investment is the Vietnam Government counterpart of IPS-C.

The Activity is made up of four interrelated Objectives:

Objective 1. Building business management capacity of SGBs, including those led by vulnerable populations (particularly women and ethnic minorities),

Objective 2.  Improving efficiency and productivity by promoting innovation, technology adoption, and sustainable business models,

Objective 3.  Enhancing business enabling environment for a broad-based inclusive economy,

Objective 4. Strengthening business-to-business (B2B) and cross-sectoral linkages.

Summary of Activities

The Policy Reform Manager (Innovation & Regulatory Sandbox) will manage the implementation of activities that support business environment reforms under Objective 3, focusing on regulatory sandboxes in the financial services / banking industry and innovation facilitating policies. Specific activities are aimed at creating a more favorable regulatory foundation to promote innovation of technology and business models, innovative financial products, services, and delivery mechanisms allowing SGBs to approach more diverse lawful sources of finance and new technology to support their production and business activities.   

Specific Tasks

Under the supervision of Objective 3 Team Lead, the Policy Reform Manager (Innovation & Sandbox) shall perform the following tasks:

• Serving as IPSC’s key focal point with GVN counterparts or IPSC activities relating to policies and regulations on innovation and regulatory sandboxes.
• Proposing activities to support related GVN agencies in proposing and formulating policies that facilitate innovation and regulatory sandboxes.
• In coordination with relevant GVN agencies, including but not limited to, the Agency for Enterprise Development (AED) and the National Innovation Center (NIC) under MPI, the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV), the Ministry of Finance (MoF), the Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST), the Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC), designing and formulating specific activities that facilitate the formulation and revision of policies and legal documents that impact the innovation ecosystem and regulatory sandboxes, including identifying implementation plans, required resources, and specific outputs and outcomes of each activity.
• Develop Technical Assistance Concept Notes for activities relating to policies and regulations on innovation and regulatory sandboxes under Objective 3 of the approved annual work plan.
• Collaborate with the relevant GVN agencies to implement, follow up, and monitor the progress and quality of assigned activities relating to policies and regulations on innovation and regulatory sandboxes.
• Identify / propose quality short-term consultants needed for assigned , develop Scope of Work of consultants and supervise progress and quality of deliverables of the recruited short-term consultants.
• Prepare policy notes / briefings on innovation policies and regulatory sandboxes as requested by IPSC management.
• In conjunction with the MEL Manager, collect and report on relevant data for reporting to USAID and project partners.
• Contribute regular inputs for IPSC’s weekly, quarterly, and annual reporting, in addition to creating success stories as required.
• Carry out additional tasks, as per the request of the Team Lead within the scope of the expertise and experience.

Qualifications

• At least a Masters Degree in Public Management, Economics, Business Administration, Laws or related field with a minimum 8 years of full-time professional experience.
• Proven experience in effective strategic planning and direction setting, with strong conceptual and analytical skills.
• Working knowledge of policies relating to innovation, banking, and finance.
• Participation in the proposal or formulation of policies / legal documents relating to innovation, banking, and finance or regulatory sandboxes is a strong advantage.
• Proven work experience with GVN agencies, particularly with AED, NIC, SBV, MoF, MoST, or MIC.
• Experience working on international donor-funded projects, particularly on USAID-funded projects, preferred.
• Experience working with complex networks of stakeholders, governments officers, and businesspersons.
• Practical understanding of policy formulation or legal document making/revision processes.
• Demonstrated high level organizational and time management skills, including the ability to manage workflow and balance competing priorities to ensure deadlines are met.
• Experience working in a team environment, possessing excellent people skills.
• Vietnamese nationality.
• Fluency in spoken and written English and Vietnamese and proficiency in reporting and presenting.

Reporting Requirements

This position will report to the Objective 3 Team Lead.

 Place, Period of Performance and Level of Effort

Level of effort:               Full time

Expected start date:    July 2022

End date:                         December 2025

Location:                         Hanoi, Vietnam with travel to other provinces as required

USAID Improving Private Sector Competitiveness Key Concepts and Definitions

• Small and Growing Business (SGB): An organization/economic unit of Vietnam, including enterprises, under the provisions of the Law on Enterprises, cooperatives operating under the provisions of the Law on Cooperatives, and business households registered in accordance with Vietnamese law, which employs no more than 500 full-time employees, has growth potential but lacks the resources of knowledge, finance, human resources, and technology to realize its goals and growth potential.  
• Pioneering SGBs or Pioneering Enterprises (PEs): A growing Vietnamese enterprise with Vietnamese-branded products, good competitiveness, the ability to lead and expand in the industry, sector, and locality, good management capacity and willingness to innovate and produce products with high added value, with the vision/objective to build a Vietnamese brand in the international market.
• Business Development Service Provider (BDSP): Agencies, organizations and enterprises in both the public and private sector with functions, duties/business lines providing non-financial services to support enterprises to improve operational efficiency and business development.
• Business Support Organization (BSO): An organization with the function and mission to connect and support business development, often including business associations/clubs, industries, etc.