Enterprise Adviser- NOA (BW)

Better Work is looking for Enterprise Advisers to join our growing team in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi.

EAs provide professional level assessment and advisory services to our factories, measuring their performance against national and international labour standards, and providing ongoing advice and consulting to support remediation and enterprise improvement. 

We’re looking for self-starters with high level technical skills, together with excellent judgment and initiative. Suitable candidates will demonstrate adaptable communication skills and the ability to work both independently and as part of a diverse team. 
Candidates with experience in facilitating dialogue, negotiation and consultation between bipartite and tripartite partners (e.g. employers, workers and the government) are strongly encouraged to apply. These positions are open to Vietnamese nationals only. 

All candidates must submit application documents in English, including (a) a competency statement (max. 2 pages) highlighting their skills against each of the listed competencies, (b) a curriculum vitae. 

Better Work is a partnership program between the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the International Finance Corporation (IFC), aimed at improving labour standards and competitiveness in the global garment industry. Better Work involves the development of both global tools and country level projects, and works to build sustainable and scalable solutions which strengthen cooperation between government, employer and worker organizations, and international buyers. 

Better Work supports enterprises in implementing the ILO’s core international labour standards and the national labour law. This helps enterprises compete in global markets where buyers increasingly demand compliance with labour standards from their suppliers. Improved labour standards not only help workers through fairer conditions and greater respect for their rights, but they also help enterprises boost quality, productivity and competitiveness. 

Better Work Vietnam launched in 2009 and is now entering its 3rd phase.

The project has three components:

1) Enterprise assessments
2) Enterprise advisory and training services designed to support practical improvements; and
3) Stakeholder engagement and sustainability.

For more information about the project see www.betterwork.org/vietnam

This position involves providing professional level enterprise assessment and advisory services, including conducting independent enterprise assessments against labour standards, facilitating labour and management workplace dialogue, and providing enterprise level consultancy services to support remediation and enterprise improvement. The work of enterprise advisors has an impact on enterprise performance and access to markets.

Supervision and Guidance

The Better Work Vietnam Enterprise Advisor reports to Better Work Vietnam Enterprise Advisor Team Leaders. Guidance and advice on technical or procedural aspects of the work are received as required. Judgement, initiative and creativity are required in translating project tools and approaches at the enterprise level. The work product is controlled by the supervisor for technical soundness and appropriateness.

1. Independently conduct enterprise assessment of labour standards and management systems at the enterprise level;
2. Independently produce high standard reports in English on (i) assessments findings, (ii) recommendations for improvement, (iii) enterprise improvement plans and (iv) progress reports on implementation;

3. Review the reports of other advisors as part of the peer review Better Work quality assurance system;
4. Provide high quality enterprise level consultancy services designed to improve enterprise performance including coaching, facilitating management and union improvement committees, providing technical advice and conducting classroom based training;
5. Select and adapt and contextualise Better Work products for use at the individual enterprise level based on needs;
6. Provide technical advice and input into the development of Better Work research, products and strategies;
7. Actively contribute to the project’s monitoring and evaluation strategy, research agenda and knowledge management strategy;
8. Contribute to the financial sustainability strategy of the project including encouraging the participation of enterprises in project activities, a strong outcome focus, and effective time management of consultancy services;
9. Supervise project support staff as required; and
10. Other duties as required by the supervisor.

University degree in economics, human resource management, adult education, international development, law or other relevant fields, or equivalent in experience.

Two years of professional experience in social dialogue, capacity building in the private sector in developing countries, corporate social responsibility (particularly in the field of labour standards compliance and remediation) or other relevant field.

Excellent command of both Vietnamese and English, Vietnamese being his/her first language. A working knowledge of the Vietnamese and/or of one or more of the language spoken by the workers in the export apparel industry would be an advantage.

1. Good communications skills, both oral and written;
2. Good analytical skills;

3. Good knowledge of the Vietnamese labour law and regulations;
4. Good group facilitation, interpersonal and conflict resolution skills and capacity to deliver classroom training. Experience in industrial relations and building of social dialogue between management and worker representatives at the workplace an advantage;
5. Understanding of enterprise level human resource, production and quality systems;
6. Good understanding of corporate social responsibility and labour compliance issues in global supply chains;
7. Good understanding of a range of remediation training and capacity building initiatives including classroom-based training activities for improvement purposes
8. Ability to monitor the effectiveness of training and capacity building initiatives undertaken by partner organizations/consultants;
9. Good understanding of principles of gender equality and principles of equal opportunity and how these can be promoted as part the responsibilities of the post;
10. Self-motivated and ability to work independently in an outcomes-based work culture as well as contributing to the work of a team; and
11. Capacity to sensitively liaise and network with a range of stakeholders including staff, donors, international buyers, government officials, management, unions and NGOs.

12. Ability to work in a multicultural environment and to demonstrate gender-sensitive and non-discriminatory behaviour and attitudes.