Vietnam Team Lead

 

Position Title	Vietnam Team Lead, VIST
Organizational Unit	International Initiatives
Effective Date	December 2026

 

About the Project

The Vietnam Initiative for Strengthening Trade (VIST) is an initiative funded by Global Affairs Canada (GAC) beginning its implementation until December 2031. VIST is implemented by the Canadian Bar Association (CBA) in partnership with Vietnam’s Ministry of Justice (MoJ). VIST will strengthen Vietnam’s legal and institutional capacity for international trade and investment.

 

The project addresses human resource and institutional capacity needs across several interconnected areas: international trade and investment law, Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) standards, and dispute resolution. It also supports Vietnam’s decision to establish two international financial centres in Ho Chi Minh and Danang. VIST aligns with Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy and its commitment to deepening economic engagement with regional partners, and with Canada’s Feminist International Assistance policy, which seeks to strengthen opportunities for women in international investment and trade.

 

Position Summary

The Team Lead is the senior local VIST project staff responsible for day-to-day management and achievement of project goals. The Team Lead will report to and work closely with the Canadian Project Director based in Ottawa, Canada. A Logistics Coordinator and a part-time Accountant will report to the Team Lead.

 

This is a senior leadership role requiring a combination of international development project management expertise, legal or policy sector experience, financial management competence, and interpersonal skills suited to a complex, multicultural operating environment.

 

Responsibilities

Stakeholder & Partner Relations

• Serve as the primary local liaison with and maintain a strong working relationship with MoJ officials responsible for project implementation and with MoJ’s Program Management Unit.
• Represent the CBA and VIST in relationships with Vietnamese professional associations for lawyers, arbitrators, mediators, etc.
• Represent the CBA and VIST in meetings, consultations, working groups and any other relevant activities with other Vietnamese stakeholders.
• Represent the CBA and VIST in communications with other projects and development partners as necessary.

Project Management & Delivery

• Manage implementation and delivery of VIST in accordance with GAC’s Results-Based Management policies and guidelines and CBA policies.
• Manage VIST and CBA registration requirements in Vietnam in accordance with Vietnamese laws and policies.
• Liaise with the Ministry of Justice’s International Cooperation Department and its Project Management Unit to coordinate project implementation.
• Contribute to the development of Annual Work Plans, and associated deliverables in accordance with GAC contribution agreement requirements.
• Support the VIST Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEAL) specialist to monitor progress against the Logic Model and Performance Measurement Framework, ensuring activities remain on track against all outcomes.
• Support integration of Gender Based Analysis Plus (GBA+) and ESG principles across all project components.
• Provide technical oversight and quality assurance across project outputs, including training programs, legal and policy analyses, dispute resolution capacity building, and online resource development.
• Anticipate and manage project risks, escalating significant issues to the Project Director as required under the Contribution Agreement.
• Support the preparation of CBA’s visits to Vietnam and Vietnamese officials’ study tours to Canada.
• Manage the VIST Vietnam office, local staff (including the Logistics Coordinator and part-time Accountant), and local consultants.
• Support project communications and donor visibility in line with the VIST Communications Policy and GAC requirements.

Financial Management & Reporting

• Manage the local project budget in accordance with GAC financial guidelines, the Contribution Agreement, and CBA internal controls, including oversight of all eligible cost categories, budget transfers, and advance payment requests.
• Ensure timely and accurate submission of all required financial reports to CBA head office.
• Supervise the part-time Vietnamese project accountant and financial management systems.

Project activities

• Oversee day-to-day project operations and activities to ensure alignment with project goals and budget.
• Assist with recruitment, selection, supervision and contract oversight of Vietnamese subcontractors in line with CBA and GAC procurement requirements.
• Accompany and support Canadian legal experts traveling to Vietnam to implement project activities.

 

Location

This position is based in Hanoi. The Team Lead is expected to travel to Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City and to accompany Vietnamese delegations to Canada. Other travel within Vietnam may be required, based on project needs.

 

Terms of Employment and Remuneration

Contract: Full-time, one-year fixed-term contract, with potential for renewal subject to performance and continued project funding. The successful candidate may initially be engaged as a consultant, moving to an employment contract once the required legal arrangements for the CBA’s presence in Vietnam are in place. Details will be confirmed at the offer stage.

Start date: Early December 2026.

Remuneration: Competitive and commensurate with experience, set with reference to EU cost norms for comparable senior project management positions in Vietnam.

 

Required Qualifications

Candidates must be legally entitled to work in Vietnam.

Education

• Minimum Master’s level degree or other comparable experience in law, international development, public policy, or a trade-related field. A Vietnamese qualification of equivalent standing, or comparable professional experience, is also acceptable.
• Formal training or certification in project management (e.g., PMP, PMD Pro) is an asset.

Experience

• Minimum 10 years of progressive experience in international development project management, with demonstrated responsibility for managing GAC-funded or equivalent bilateral development projects.
• Experience managing multi-year, multi-million-dollar development projects including financial management, donor reporting, and contribution agreement compliance.
• Experience in the legal sector, including legal capacity development, rule of law programming, trade law, or access to justice initiatives.
• Familiarity with ESG standards and/or dispute resolution (arbitration and mediation) is an asset.
• Experience working with senior government officials. Experience working in or in collaboration with MoJ would be an asset.
• Proven track record of stakeholder relationship management across government, civil society, and professional association environments.
• Demonstrated experience integrating gender equality and social inclusion (GBA+/GESI) into program design and delivery, consistent with Canada’s Feminist International Assistance Policy.

Languages

• Excellent written and oral skills in Vietnamese and English are mandatory. Proficient in French is an asset.

Skills and Competencies

• Strong budget management skills including financial forecasting, variance analysis, and eligible cost determination.
• Strong interpersonal and diplomatic skills, with cultural sensitivity and the ability to operate effectively in a Vietnamese institutional context.
• Proficiency in MS Office suite and project management tools.
• High degree of discretion, professional judgment, and organizational integrity.
• Commitment to safeguarding, including the prevention of sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment, and to compliance with the CBA code of conduct and anti-fraud policies.
• Familiarity with GAC contribution agreement frameworks, Results-Based Management (RBM), and GAC reporting requirements is an asset.

 

Interested applicants must submit a cover letter and resume in English to CBA International Development Program [email protected] no later than November 16, 2026.

 

We sincerely thank all applicants for their interest. However, we will only contact those under consideration.

The CBA is committed to the principles of equity, diversity, and inclusion in its learning, work environments, and in its operations. We encourage applications from traditionally marginalized groups. We believe in and promote the rights of all persons with disabilities. The CBA will make appropriate accommodations available upon request.