Job Vacancy: ASEAN Trust Fund Development Specialist

ASEAN TRUST FUND DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST

 FIELD SUPPORT SERVICES PROJECT (FSSP)

 

1.     SUMMARY OF THE PROJECT

 

Field Support Services Project (FSSP) Indonesia is a five-year project funded by Global Affairs Canada (GAC) and managed by Cowater International. FSSP provides administrative, financial, procurement, and logistical services, as well as support to the in-country development programming for the Government of Canada through the provision of technical specialists in gender equality, governance and human rights, and environment and climate action and assisting GAC in procuring and managing local development initiatives. These programs take place in Indonesia and the ASEAN regions.

 

2.     BACKGROUND

 

Canada’s Relations with ASEAN

Canada became an ASEAN dialogue partner in 1977 and is one of 11 partners with this designation. Dialogue partners cooperate with ASEAN on political and security issues, regional integration, economic interests, transnational crime and counterterrorism, disaster risk reduction and other areas.

On November 12, 2022, Prime Minister Trudeau participated in the ASEAN-Canada 45th Anniversary Commemorative Summit in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, where ASEAN and Canada committed to establish a Strategic Partnership. Establishing a Strategic Partnership recognizes Canada’s expanded presence and growing collaborative relationship with ASEAN, in alignment with Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy and our mutual interests.

Canada’s International Assistance for ASEAN

Over the past five decades, ASEAN has achieved significant results in improving the lives of people in Southeast Asia. ASEAN has helped reduce the percentage of people living in extreme poverty and in urban informal settlements, reduce maternal mortality, increase primary school enrolment and increase the percentage of women parliamentarians. Challenges remain, including those associated with natural disasters and rising income inequality across the region.

As Canada works toward finalizing its Strategic Partner status in 2023, it continues to have an important role to play in advancing ASEAN’s community-building objectives under three themes: economic, socio-cultural, and political-security.

Canada’s international assistance to the region helps strengthen the regional policy agenda and reinforces ASEAN institutions, organizations, and networks in addressing shared regional development priorities.

Canada-ASEAN International Assistance Programming

Canada’s ASEAN development program focuses on the following development priorities, which are aligned with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and Canada’s Feminist International Assistance Policy:

• developing ASEAN human capital by investing in people, including promoting life-long learning, sustainable economic growth and the protection and rights of vulnerable populations; and
• strengthening ASEAN regional stability by advancing peace and security, gender equality (with a particular emphasis on women’s empowerment) and disaster management.

 

ASEAN-Canada Plan of Action Trust Fund

 

In March 2023, ASEAN and Canada established the ASEAN-Canada Plan of Action Trust Fund. The Trust Fund will support activities that promote cooperation between ASEAN and Canada in mutually agreed priority areas aligned with the Government of Canada’s Feminist International Assistance Policy. The Fund will also support Canada’s strategic objectives in ASEAN, the ASEAN-Canada Action Plan 2021-2025, ASEAN’s Community Vision 2025 and its Post-2025 Community Vision, including inclusive and sustainable development activities. It will provide funding for the implementation of cooperation programmes and/or projects and will complement existing Canadian programming by being an agile mechanism that allows for timely support to respond to evolving ASEAN needs.

 

A part of the fund will support the participation of ASEAN’s Member Countries in negotiations toward a Canada-ASEAN Free Trade Agreement (FTA), which will create good jobs and new opportunities for people and businesses in Canada and in ASEAN Member States, while opening new markets for Canadians. This will support technical assistance and capacity building to enable ASEAN Member States to participate in FTA negotiations.

 

3. OBJECTIVE

 

The Mission of Canada to ASEAN requires the services of a Trust Fund Development Specialist (the Consultant) to provide technical assistance related to the establishment, operationalization and initial implementation of the ASEAN-Canada Plan of Action Trust Fund.

 

4. KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

 

Working under the direction of the ASEAN Development Program at the Mission of Canada to ASEAN, the expected services of the Trust Fund Specialist will include, but not be limited to:

 

1. develop project proposals including Terms of Reference and any associated documents;
2. develop project budgets and any associated documents;
3. provide advice and identify strategic programming opportunities;
4. draft strategic documents, workplans, briefs, and other research documents related to the Trust Fund;
5. coordinate and collaborate effectively with ASEAN, the ASEAN Secretariat, ASEAN institutions and agencies, as well as any other ASEAN stakeholders and partners;
6. coordinate and collaborate effectively with other FSSP technical consultants in areas such as Results Based Management, Environment/Climate Change, Humanitarian Assistance, and Gender Equality as needed;
7. provide oral and written briefs and reporting on the above; and
8. conduct any other tasks as assisted by the Mission of Canada to ASEAN.

 

5. DELIVERABLES/OUTPUTS

 

The ASEAN Trust Fund Specialist is expected to deliver the following:

 

a)    project proposal(s) for the establishment of the Canada-ASEAN Trust Fund Programme Management Team and any related documents such as Terms of Reference and budgets; and

b)    written strategic documents related to the general operationalization and implementation of the Trust Fund based on tasking by the Mission of Canada to ASEAN.

 

6. DESCRIPTION OF THE CONSULTANT’S PROFILE

 

The Mission of Canada to ASEAN requires the services of a Trust Fund Specialist with specific expertise which includes:

 

• Bachelor’s Degree or higher, in political sciences, international affairs, economic, public affairs or a related discipline;

·       Minimum of five (5) years of professional work experience as technical expert and/or advisor in international assistance, development programs and projects management, planning and/or monitoring in the ASEAN region;

·       Minimum of five (5) years of experience in policy formulation, monitoring, or evaluation of projects and programs, as well as project planning and design of international assistance projects for donors and/or international partners working in the ASEAN region;  

·       Proven experience in designing, implementing or monitoring regional programming for ASEAN Member States and/or in the ASEAN region using ASEAN mechanisms;  

·         Strong research and analytical skills, communication, facilitation, and management skills;

·         Extensive knowledge and sound experience in project management;

·         Excellent oral and written communication skills in English at the advance professional proficiency level;

·         Demonstrated ability to develop and maintain good working relationships with a wide range of stakeholders;

·         Ability to work under pressure and meet strict deadlines; and

·       Knowledge of Global Affairs Canada policies and priorities is a strong asset.

 

7. WORKING ARRANGEMENTS

 

The Consultant will work from their home base with virtual/non-virtual meetings with Mission of Canada to ASEAN and other relevant stakeholders and partners. The Consultant is expected to conduct their own literature review and/or expert interviews, if required, for the production of any briefing or reporting documents.

 

The Consultant will report to and submit deliverable to the Mission of Canada to ASEAN as appropriate. Payment is conditional upon satisfactory delivery of services and assignments. In the event that travel to other regions or cities is necessary and possible, all necessary costs will be borne by Global Affairs Canada, through the Indonesia-ASEAN Field Support Services Project (FSSP), following the approval of a travel plan and associated budget.

 

8. DURATION OF THE CONTRACT

 

The total expected duration of the assignment is approximately 96 and up to 120 days from June 2023 to June 2024 with the possibility of an extension of services until October 2024. The Consultant is expected to start in June/July 2023. 

 

Payments will be processed monthly upon the presentation of a timesheet and invoice detailing the level of efforts for each deliverable. Tasks will be based on ‘requisition for services’ which will be submitted to the Consultant through the FSSP.

 

How to apply:

 

Interested individual consultants must include the following documents when submitting the applications with email Subject: ASEAN Trust Fund Specialist to admin@fssproject.com latest by 09 June 2023:

 

1. CV indicating all past experience from similar projects, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate and at least three (3) professional references.

2.    Brief statement as to why the individual considers him/herself as the most suitable for the assignment.

3.    Financial Proposal shall be submitted in the following format:

-     The financial proposal should specify an all-inclusive daily rate for up to 120 working days.

-     The financial proposal must be all-inclusive and take into account various expenses that will be incurred during the contract, including: the daily professional fee and when applicable any other relevant expenses related to the performance of services under the contract, not including travel expenses.

 

Qualified women are encouraged to apply.

 

Cowater International is an equal opportunity employer, basing employment on merit and qualifications as they relate to professional experience and position expectations. Cowater does not discriminate against any employee or applicant on the basis of race, religion, sex, gender identity, disability, age, or any other basis protected by law.

We thank all applicants, however only those shortlisted will be contacted.

 

EVALUATION OF APPLICATION

 

The award of the contract shall be made to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as: a) responsive/compliant/acceptable; and b) having received the highest score out of the weighted criteria (70% technical score (comprising of 15% technical qualifications desk review, 25% written test, and 30% interview) and 30% financial score.

 

The proposals that achieve a minimum of 70% for the technical qualifications desk review shall be further considered for an interview and written test. The financial score shall be computed as a ratio of the proposal being evaluated and the lowest priced proposal received for the assignment.

 

 

Technical Qualifications Desk Review

 

The evaluation of the technical criteria will be as follows:

 

St No	Criteria	Points
1	Academic qualifications of the Consultant;	10 points
2	Minimum of five (5) years of professional work experience as technical expert and/or advisor in international assistance, development programs and projects management, planning and/or monitoring in the ASEAN region;	30 points
3	Minimum of five (5) years of experience in policy formulation, monitoring, or evaluation of projects and programs, as well as project planning and design of international assistance projects for donors and/or international partners working in the ASEAN region;	20 points
4	Solid experience in designing, implementing or monitoring regional programming for ASEAN Member States and/or in the ASEAN region using ASEAN mechanisms;	20 points
5	Extensive knowledge and sound experience in project management including provision of draft strategic documents, workplans, briefs, and other research documents related to the Trust Fund;	10 points
6	Demonstrated ability to develop and maintain good working relationships with a wide range of stakeholders including the ASEAN Secretariat, ASEAN institutions and agencies, as well as any other ASEAN stakeholders and partners;	10 points
	Total points	100 points

 

ABOUT US

 

With more than 34 years’ experience, Cowater International is Canada’s global leader in management consulting services specializing in international development and has managed the implementation of over 800 projects in more than 80 countries around the globe. We work with governments, partner organizations, communities and civil society to design and implement sustainable solutions that generate lasting social, financial and environmental impacts. Our adaptive approach to management has led to our award-winning work and recognition as one of Canada’s Best Managed Companies in 2017 and 2018. Headquartered in Ottawa, Canada, Cowater International also has corporate offices in Montreal, Quebec, Paris, France, Pretoria, South Africa, and London, United Kingdom, Nairobi, Kenya in addition to project offices in a wide variety of other locations across Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia.

 

We thank you for your interest in building a better tomorrow with Cowater International.