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Community Development Officer

Aug. 23, 2023
EFFECTIVE DATE
August 2023
CONTRACT TYPE
Full-time, definite-term contract (renewable)
WORK LOCATION
Based in Hanoi, with frequent travels on site
REPORTS TO
Partnership and product development

ABOUT US

Action on Poverty (AOP) is an independent, secular, non-governmental Australian organisation, based in Sydney. Since 1968, AOP AOP has been supporting community-led development projects in Africa, Asia and the Pacific that tackle the root causes of poverty. Started working in Vietnam in 1989, AOP was the first Australian NGO to open a representative office in Vietnam in 1996. In Vietnam, AOP has worked on diverse sectors: livelihoods, governance, water and sanitation, climate change and public health. Community-based approach is key to project designing at AOP. In Vietnam, AOP works directly with local communities in open dialogue to understand their needs and how it can best help. In November 2019, AOP received the Order of Friendship from the Vietnamese government, in recognition for our significant contributions to poverty reduction and sustainable development in the country.

ROLE SUMMARY

The position will be the focal point to develop and implement community development initiatives, focusing on Community-Based Tourism (CBT) and Women Business Development in coordination with the Product Development Manager. The position wil take part in the design of CBT product framework, approaches and processes in relevant areas of expertise. The position will provide advisory services to the product teams and implementing partners in community engagement, promote community ownership and self-reliance for CBT and rural products businesses.

The position will provide other necessary support to overall operations of AOP’s programs and projects in Vietnam, and assist the implementation of product development and project activities. The position will report to the Partnership and Product Development Manager and work closely with the CBT Product team in Hanoi office, plays a key role in delivering the team’s objectives.

AUTHORITY

The position has autonomy to make decisions related to all assigned activities within the areas of assigned responsibility, with approval from the Partnership and Product Development Manager.

The incumbent is expected to work closely with other team members and request support from other staff to ensure activities are implemented effectively and to a high standard.

KEY WORK RELATIONSHIPS

Internal
External
  • CBT Product team
  • Products & Services department
  • Other AOP staff and personnel
  • Communities/beneficiaries/project participants
  • Local partners and government
  • Service suppliers and contractors
  • AOP’s partners and international staff

MAIN AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY

Key Responsibilities
Specific Tasks

1. Community development and capacity building

  • Empathise with the key “customers” – local communities, take necessary approaches to obtain in-depth understanding of the values, needs and wishes of each community;
  • Build and maintain a trusting relationship with local communities, ensure information, data and updates from the field are updated and reported to the product team;
  • Ensure community benefits and ownership are promoted through all product and project activities;
  • Design approaches, tools and methods, product features to promote community empowerment through out all initiatives, projects and programs implementation, and product processes;
  • Design, develop, update and improve community governance models in CBT development;
  • Work directly with and coach community governance groups to promote community led development, including preparation and prioritisation of community development plans for local improvement, implementation of community projects and design of sustainable strategies for operation and maintenance of resulting object and/or services;
  • Mobilise village communities to identify problems and possible interventions as well as facilitate their participation towards project ownership;
  • Work as a trainer and resource person in the trainings organised for the communities; coach relevant community members at the field;
  • Plan, implement, monitor and evaluate training programs and coordinate trainings for community members in various relevant areas of knowledge and skills;
  • Engage in building training programs, curriculums, methodologies and tools in relevant technical areas in coordination with technical consultants and trainers, monitor and evaluate training results, quality of program and trainers, make recommendations for improvements;
  • Engage in designing learning materials and contents for online and offline trainings and community learning network events; promote community interactions and engagement in learning via community contests and communications events;
  • Provide advisory services to the product teams and implementing partners in community engagement, promoting community ownership and self-reliance for CBT and rural products businesses.

2. Product development and replication

  • Take part in the design of CBT product framework, approaches and processes in relevant areas of expertise;
  • Engage in the draft of new product features; prepare and compile relevant Terms of References and product’s Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs);
  • Build, design processes and pilot new community development and capacity building features at the field;
  • Prepare and update guildelines and processes for CBT governance models establishment and facilitation;
  • Transfer knowledge, coach relevant implementing partners or teams in product features, processes and implementation techniques.

3. Project implementation

  • Ensure project activities and field trips, workshops, trainings or meetings undertaken by CBT product team are organised timely and properly, in accordance with AOP’s policies and procedures;
  • Carry out required procurement and financial procedures for project activities;
  • Prepare and compile program and project documents as required, including but not limited to activity descriptions and plans, Terms of Reference, field trip reports, program and project related reports;
  • Provide support to project partners and local communities during project implementation;
  • Engaging in monitoring project delivery and project budget management.

4. Others

  • Actively participating in internal and external meetings, ie. by taking minutes, or preparing and delivering presentations;
  • Assist with donor visits and donor servicing;
  • All tasks are completed timely in a manner that is responsible, professional, financially sound, participatory, sensitive to local needs, culture and politics and in accordance with AOP policies and procedures;
  • Support colleagues in delivering outputs that aim towards AOP’s objectives, including assisting in events and initiatives that fall outside the direct responsibilities of this post;
  • Other tasks as deemed necessary and appropriate.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Key Responsibilities
Specific Tasks

1. Community development and capacity building

  • Empathise with the key “customers” – local communities, take necessary approaches to obtain in-depth understanding of the values, needs and wishes of each community;
  • Build and maintain a trusting relationship with local communities, ensure information, data and updates from the field are updated and reported to the product team;
  • Ensure community benefits and ownership are promoted through all product and project activities;
  • Design approaches, tools and methods, product features to promote community empowerment through out all initiatives, projects and programs implementation, and product processes;
  • Design, develop, update and improve community governance models in CBT development;
  • Work directly with and coach community governance groups to promote community led development, including preparation and prioritisation of community development plans for local improvement, implementation of community projects and design of sustainable strategies for operation and maintenance of resulting object and/or services;
  • Mobilise village communities to identify problems and possible interventions as well as facilitate their participation towards project ownership;
  • Work as a trainer and resource person in the trainings organised for the communities; coach relevant community members at the field;
  • Plan, implement, monitor and evaluate training programs and coordinate trainings for community members in various relevant areas of knowledge and skills;
  • Engage in building training programs, curriculums, methodologies and tools in relevant technical areas in coordination with technical consultants and trainers, monitor and evaluate training results, quality of program and trainers, make recommendations for improvements;
  • Engage in designing learning materials and contents for online and offline trainings and community learning network events; promote community interactions and engagement in learning via community contests and communications events;
  • Provide advisory services to the product teams and implementing partners in community engagement, promoting community ownership and self-reliance for CBT and rural products businesses.

2. Product development and replication

  • Take part in the design of CBT product framework, approaches and processes in relevant areas of expertise;
  • Engage in the draft of new product features; prepare and compile relevant Terms of References and product’s Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs);
  • Build, design processes and pilot new community development and capacity building features at the field;
  • Prepare and update guildelines and processes for CBT governance models establishment and facilitation;
  • Transfer knowledge, coach relevant implementing partners or teams in product features, processes and implementation techniques.

3. Project implementation

  • Ensure project activities and field trips, workshops, trainings or meetings undertaken by CBT product team are organised timely and properly, in accordance with AOP’s policies and procedures;
  • Carry out required procurement and financial procedures for project activities;
  • Prepare and compile program and project documents as required, including but not limited to activity descriptions and plans, Terms of Reference, field trip reports, program and project related reports;
  • Provide support to project partners and local communities during project implementation;
  • Engaging in monitoring project delivery and project budget management.

4. Others

  • Actively participating in internal and external meetings, ie. by taking minutes, or preparing and delivering presentations;
  • Assist with donor visits and donor servicing;
  • All tasks are completed timely in a manner that is responsible, professional, financially sound, participatory, sensitive to local needs, culture and politics and in accordance with AOP policies and procedures;
  • Support colleagues in delivering outputs that aim towards AOP’s objectives, including assisting in events and initiatives that fall outside the direct responsibilities of this post;
  • Other tasks as deemed necessary and appropriate.