Policy Expert & Legal Advisory Consultant

Mennonite Economic Development Associates (MEDA) invites applications for a Policy Expert and Legal Advisory Consultant.

MEDA’s work is built on a foundation of Mennonite business roots and faith-based values, within the global context of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. We believe business solutions are effective interventions to address poverty. Through a market-systems approach and strategic partnerships, MEDA enables access to finance and provides business and technical expertise to build transformative agri-food market systems that create decent jobs, allowing traditionally excluded groups to become active participants in a sustainable economy. MEDA welcomes all who share our values and want to join us in our mission. To find out more about MEDA, please visit our website at www.meda.org.

Background

MEDA is a working Partner of the Emerging Markets Impact Investment Fund (EMIIF), a development financing mechanism for investing for impact, funded by the Australian Government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). EMIIF helps SMEs to grow in ways that both generate profit as well as social, environmental and governance benefits, with a cross cutting focus on gender equality. EMIIF provides investment capital and technical assistance to venture and early-stage capital funds, private debt funds, and Non-Bank Financial Institutions (SME funds) that support SMEs to grow in South Asia, Southeast Asia and the Pacific.

MEDA provides technical assistance services to SMEs benefitting from the EMIIF program. The goal of the SME technical assistance component of EMIIF is to increase the knowledge and skills of small businesses and startups to grow their businesses and impact through gender equality mainstreaming and strengthened safeguards and policies in line with DFAT safeguard policy. The safeguard policy provides guidance on DFAT's safeguard responsibilities in aid investments and how to meet them and sets out requirements for five key safeguards – Environmental protection, Children, vulnerable and disadvantage groups, Displacement and resettlement, Indigenous peoples and Health and safety.

Scope of Work

In line with its mandate under EMIIF, MEDA is seeking a local Policy Expert in Vietnam with expertise in Child Protection policy development and business legal advisory support. Based on DFAT Safeguards policy framework, the Expert would be expected to develop, advise and support implementation of child safety safeguards/policy(ies) within a specified client SME business that specializes in STEAM Education platform (name to be provided upon engagement) to enable it meet minimum DFAT safeguard policy standards.

The scope of work will include the following:

• Reviewing existing risk assessment reports on the business to determine status of alignment with DFAT child policy requirements.
• Conducting gap analysis to determine needs for compliance and adherence with DFAT safeguards within the context of the SMEs business offering.
• Proposing an appropriate child policy and protection mechanisms that meet the requirements of DFAT-prescribed child safeguarding policy to govern the SME’s businesses operations; including that of partner businesses through which the business operates to reach its business targets.
• Supporting the business to implement and integrate the proposed policy within is operational framework and its business partner engagements.
• In addition to the above, the Expert’s ability to advise additional world class child policy standards and/or global best practice for adoption by the business would be considered a plus.

Deliverables

The consultant will be expected to deliver the following:

• Review available risk assessment reports on identified SME business; review DFAT Safeguards and establish compliance requirements and thresholds for assignment
  • Level of Effort (Days): 1
• Engage with MEDA and other EMIIF stakeholders (SME Fund and Investment Manager) to establish consensus on assignment parameters
  • Level of Effort (Days): 0.5
• Onsite review and attestation of existing child/child-relevant policies of the business to determine gaps between the status quo and required compliance standards
  • Level of Effort (Days): 1
• Develop and provide recommendations on what is required to ensure full compliance with DFAT Safeguarding standards for child protection as well as local Vietnamese child protection requirements
  • Level of Effort (Days): 2
• Support the company to develop policies and standards to reach compliance with DFAT child protection safeguarding standards and local child protection requirements
  • Level of Effort (Days): 2
• Develop training and knowledge building materials, based on DFAT Safeguard training manuals and materials to help sensitize the business’ relevant stakeholders on the policy and adherence requirements
  • Level of Effort (Days): 3
• Conduct trainings and sensitization sessions for respective stakeholders of the business to promote buy-in and adoption of policy
  • Level of Effort (Days): 3
• Conduct a post-assignment review with MEDA, SME Fund and other EMIIF Stakeholder to present assignment findings and report on deliverables
  • Level of Effort (Days): 0.5
• Total Level of Effort: 13 days

Support

The consultant will work closely with MEDA’s Technical Assistance providers and the relevant EMIIF SME Fund that is associated with the SME business, as well as other EMIIF Consortium Partners who may be engaged in activities related to this Scope of Work.

Qualifications

The Consultant must demonstrate capacity, knowledge, and experience in Policy work; particularly Child Policy development and implementation and should have the following minimum qualification criteria:

• Local Consultancy experience in Vietnam and knowledge of local business context and child protection laws for businesses operating in Vietnam,
• Experience working with the and the development sector and well as private actors including Fintechs, investment funds, or financial service providers.
• Minimum of five (5) years of business operating experience, two (2) of which must be policy and legal consulting in a private sector setting, involving assisting clients in the review and development of internal policy documents to align with business regulatory requirements.
• Working knowledge of DFAT Safeguard policies and the relevance and ethos behind the safeguards and how to apply them to businesses to ensure compliance.
• Demonstrated understanding of child and gender protection issues and needs and the legal framework for social protection, particularly child protection.
• Strong analytical and report-writing skills.
• Familiarity with financial analysis, market systems development and change management.
• Fluent in English and Vietnamese and able to work comfortably in both languages.
• An ability to advise additional world class child policy standards and/or global best practice for adoption by the business would be considered a plus.

Application Process

To qualify for consideration, applicants are asked to submit an application package of no more than six pages, containing the following components (please upload this as one document):

1. Curriculum Vitae demonstrating previous professional experience, especially as related to the above-mentioned qualifications.

2. A brief letter of interest (max 1 page) describing previous experience in child and gender protection policy support for businesses, particular small businesses and startups

3. A financial proposal specifying daily consulting fees aligned with deliverables and indicative workplan/timelines. (Note: please do not include a travel budget in the financial proposal, as these expenses will be determined by MEDA on an “as needed” basis).

Submission in response to this call must be submitted electronically via Bamboo and received by 4:00 pm Eastern Standard Time on May 12, 2023

For any questions, please email inquiries to TA@meda.org.