GESI and Inclusive Business Specialist

SNV (www.snv.org) is a mission-driven global development partner working in more than 20 countries across Africa and Asia. Building on 60 years of experience and grounded in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, we work on the core themes of gender equality and social inclusion, climate adaptation and mitigation, and strong institutions and effective governance. Together with our team of over 1,600 people, our mission is to strengthen capacities and catalyse partnerships that transform the agri-food, energy, and water systems, which enable sustainable and more equitable lives for all.

SNV has been working in Vietnam since 1995 and currently has over 50 national and international staff. SNV Vietnam operates from a head office in Hanoi and projects in over 20 provinces in the country, including in the poorest and most remote areas.

Vietnam Nature-based Solutions for Adaptation in Agriculture through Private Sector Transformation (VN–ADAPT) Project

Vietnam has become an agricultural powerhouse – a leading global producer and exporter of many major agricultural commodity crops, e.g. rice, coffee, shrimps, rubber, pepper as well as increasingly venturing into fruit-production and exports. Vietnam’s agriculture sector was and is of critical importance to socio-economic development, rural employment, and livelihoods. Recent successes in the uplands are, in addition to coffee, durian, avocado. Despite the emergence of more industrialised forms of agricultural production, smallholder farms still dominate. These enterprises operate often in buyers’ markets and are extremely vulnerable to commodity price shocks, market fluctuations and supply-chain disruptions. Vietnam’s emerging private sector is also heavily invested in agriculture, be it in production, processing, distributing or exporting.

Due to Vietnam’s geographical location, the country is considered one of the countries most affected by climate change. Along the long coastline with the low-lying coastal and delta regions lives a large part of the population, which earns its livelihood from agriculture and aquaculture. Both in the Mekong Delta and in the provinces of the Central Highlands, the effects of global climate change have already made themselves felt, endangering production and incomes. In the Central Highlands, the expansion of irrigated monocultures in coffee and other industrial agricultural products at the expense of forest land led to falling groundwater levels and drought-like situations. Climate-adaptive processes and cultivation methods are therefore in the interest of both farmers and all those involved in the respective value chains.

SNV is strongly committed to supporting the Government of Vietnam in promoting a more holistic approach that goes beyond agricultural production alone and aims to facilitate systemic change towards sustainable agrifood systems that strengthen the resilience of smallholder farmers to both climate and economic shocks and trends.

Vietnam Nature-based Solutions for Adaptation in Agriculture through Private Sector Transformation (VN-ADAPT) is a 5-year, €15m national programme in Vietnam to be implemented from 2023 to 2028. The programme is funded by the International Climate Initiative (IKI) of the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Climate Action, Nature Conservation ad Nuclear Energy (BMUKN). SNV Vietnam is the prime recipient of the funding, leads the preparation and implementation of the programme in consortium with the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and the International Centre for Environmental Management ICEM) Vietnam. The Ministry of Agriculture and Environment (MAE) is the primary political partner for this undertaking. The VN-ADAPT programme design has been approved by the IKI and MAE, SNV will work with the related ministries and provinces on full implementation of activities on the ground.

The project’s focus areas are two key climate vulnerable landscapes – the Mekong Delta and Central Highland regions. Here, VN-ADAPT aims to improve institutional capacity, to strengthen partnerships to channel private innovations and investment towards accelerated adoption of nature-based solutions in the agriculture sector. This shall be realised through four inter-related work packages, namely: i) Building multi-stakeholder consensus for Nature-based solutions for adaptation in Agriculture (NbSA); ii) Strengthening the enabling legal and policy framework for NbSA and the conservation of biodiversity in production landscapes (including the development of legal guidance for the establishment and implementation of Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measures (OECMs); iii) Mobilising public and private innovation and investment in NbSA; iv) Communications, knowledge management and monitoring and evaluation.

 

As a gender-responsive, inclusive, and climate-resilient initiative, VN-ADAPT recognizes the differentiated vulnerabilities and capacities of women and men, and ethnic minority groups in agriculture and natural resource management. Women are key agents of change in promoting NbS, leading agribusinesses, and driving local climate adaptation. The GESI and Inclusive Business Specialist (GESI Specialist) will provide technical leadership to ensure that gender and social inclusion (including women’s empowerment) and inclusive business principles are fully integrated into VN-ADAPT’s interventions and value chains. The Specialist will focus on:

• Embedding gender equality, women’s leadership, and inclusion across all project components, with a particular focus on Component 3 (Inclusive NbS Value Chains and Private Sector Engagement).
• Building GESI capacity and technical advisory to agribusinesses, cooperatives, and SMEs to be inclusive, to apply women’s economic empowerment, GESI, and environmental & social safeguards principles.
• Supporting design and scaling of inclusive NbS business models that enhance livelihood resilience and equitable benefit sharing among smallholder farmers, women, and ethnic minorities.

Responsibilities

 

Economic Empowerment of Women and Ethnic Minorities

 

• Design and oversee implementation of the project’s GESI strategy, emphasizing capacity-building for SNV and the Consortium team, and project stakeholders. 
• Facilitate interventions that enhance women’s leadership, decision-making power, and control over productive resources in NbS value chains. 
• Support the establishment and strengthening of women-led cooperatives and producer groups as champions of NbS and climate adaptation practices. 
• Promote women’s and ethnic minorities’ participation and voice in local planning, community-based natural resource management, and value chain governance. 
• Develop and deliver training, mentorship, and peer-learning programmes to enhance women entrepreneurs’ technical, managerial, and financial skills. 

 

 Integration of GESI and Safeguards

• Lead the implementation and monitoring of the project’s Gender and Social Inclusion Action Plan (GAP), ensuring alignment with VN-ADAPT’s Environmental and Social (E&S) Framework. 
• Conduct or supervise gender and inclusion assessments for NbS interventions and private sector partnerships. 
• Support project teams and partners to apply gender-responsive budgeting, monitoring, and reporting tools. 
• Work closely with component/activities leads to ensure that GESI principles are effectively integrated into activity design, implementation, and results reporting. 

 

 Inclusive NbS Business Development

• Identify and promote inclusive NbS business models that combine climate adaptation, gender equality, inclusion of ethnic minority groups, and market innovation across target commodities and landscapes. 
• Provide technical support and advisory services to agribusinesses, cooperatives, and SMEs to implement inclusive business practices, improve women’s and vulnerable group participation, and access green or climate finance opportunities. 
• Support the design and piloting of blended finance, incentive, or co-investment mechanisms that enhance women’s, minorities’ and smallholders’ access to NbS-related investments. 

 

 Monitoring, Learning, and Knowledge Sharing

• In liaison with SNV’s Global Technical Adviser (GTA) on GESI ensure alignment with SNV approaches and tools for GESI 
• In collaboration with the MEL Advisor develop and monitor gender and inclusion indicators 
• Document and disseminate good practices, success stories, and lessons learned on inclusive NbS business models and women’s leadership in climate adaptation. 
• Contribute to communications and knowledge products that showcase gender-responsive NbS approaches and women-led innovations. 
• Contribute to the IKI Interface community of practice on Gender in Vietnam
• Contribute to MEL pause and reflect, learning and evaluation reviews 
• Support integration of gender and inclusion perspectives into new business development, proposals, and concept notes.

 

Qualifications

Qualifications:

• Vietnamese citizen
• Bachelor’s degree in social/development studies, gender, inclusive business, agricultural economics, rural development, or other related disciplines required. A Master’s in a similar discipline is desirable. 
• Minimum 6 years of relevant professional experience, including demonstrated expertise in GESI or women’s economic empowerment, inclusive agribusiness, and/or GESI responsive value chain development. 
• Proven experience in private sector engagement and facilitating inclusive business partnerships in agriculture, climate adaptation, or NbS sectors. 
• Experience in designing and implementing GESI action plans, especially in donor-funded programs. 
• Familiarity with environmental and social safeguards and gender and social inclusion frameworks (e.g. IFC, WB, or UN). 
• Experience in providing technical advisory and or capacity building support to a range of stakeholders such as MSMEs and development actors 
• Strong understanding of gender-responsive climate adaptation, financial inclusion, and market systems development approaches. 

Competencies:

• Ability to maintain a high level of attention to detail, ensuring efficient handling of sensitive information.
• Capability to manage logistics and finances related to project events and meetings.
• Ability to work independently and ensure that tasks are completed in a timely manner.
• Willingness to travel within Vietnam, especially to the Central Highlands and Mekong Delta region.

 

Contract Duration: SNV Vietnam offers a one-year contract with the possibility of extension.

Report Line: VN – ADAPT Deputy Project Manager (DPM)

Desired start date: 01 April 2026

Location: Based in Hanoi or HCMC, with frequent travel to Mekong Delta and Central Highlands

Working at SNV:

SNV offers a competitive salary and comprehensive benefits package. We offer a challenging work environment, opportunities to lead and innovate, and a commitment to growing your skills in a fulfilling and diverse working environment. Our staff benefit from, and contribute to, an internal global network of experts. For more information, please visit our website: www.snv.org/careers.

How to Apply:

If you believe that your credentials meet the outlined profile, we invite you to apply by uploading your CV and letter of motivation before 5.00pm on 27 February 2026.

SNV reserves the right to close the vacancy before the indicated deadline if the appropriate candidate is identified.