Operations Officer (Investment Climate)- Hanoi

Job #:	120562
Title:	Operations Officer (Investment Climate)
Job Stream:	Technical Assistance & Advisory Services
Location:	Hanoi, Vietnam
Closing Date:	04/06/2012
Background / General description:
IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, is the largest global development institution focused exclusively on the private sector. We help developing countries achieve sustainable growth by financing investment, providing advisory services to businesses and governments, and mobilizing capital in the international financial markets. In fiscal 2011, amid economic uncertainty across the globe, we helped our clients create jobs, strengthen environmental performance, and contribute to their local communities—all while driving our investments to an all-time high of nearly $19 billion. For more information, visit www.ifc.org. IFC Advisory Services is structured into four business lines – Access to Finance, Investment Climate, Sustainable Business Advisory and Public-Private Partnerships. In Vietnam, IFC’s Advisory services are delivered in partnership with Canada Finland, Ireland, New Zealand, the Netherlands, and Switzerland. The Investment Climate Business Line assists client governments on improving the policies, laws, and regulations that affect domestic and foreign investors and influence their decisions to invest. In Vietnam, the Investment Climate Program’s existing portfolio and pipelines include initiatives in the areas of (1) Business licenses/ administrative procedures; (2) Tax policy and administration; (3) Energy efficiency building code and enforcement; (4) Public Private Partnership development in Infrastructure at the provincial level; and (5) Agribusiness regulations. IFC is recruiting a highly motivated Operations Officer to lead and manage the tax program. The position is a local 2 year term appointment based in Hanoi, with possible renewable extension subject to need and satisfactory performance. Background on the Vietnam tax program IFC, in partnership with Switzerland, is cooperating with Vietnam’s General Department of Taxation and other stakeholders to implement a tax program aiming at improving the tax regulatory environment that is more conducive to growth for small businesses and cost effective to tax authority. The program focuses on (1) Improving the simplicity, transparency and fairness of the tax regime for micro-small businesses by reforming the regime to match capacity. This includes establishing and introducing a value-added tax (VAT) threshold in Vietnam, establishing clear definition and segmentation of taxpayer classes and improving the tax and accounting treatment for micro-small businesses under the VAT threshold; (2) Reducing taxpayer compliance costs and tax authority administration costs associated with tax filing, inspections and audits. This involves supporting the tax authority to develop and effectively implement a Risk Based Auditing system; and (3) Improving taxpayers’ awareness and compliance capacity by developing and implementing communication and outreach activities and capacity building activities for tax administrators and taxpayers. Scope of the Assignment The Operations Officer (“OO”), working closely with and under the supervision of the IC Vietnam Program Manager, will be primarily responsible for leading the tax project in Vietnam. The OO will also work closely with the Regional Tax Specialist, who coordinates and oversees IFC's tax-related work in the EAP region, and forms a part of IFC's Core Tax Team, which provides specialist knowledge and resources to the project. S/he must be an experienced professional whose knowledge and skills enable him/her to lead project design, project implementation, and knowledge management initiatives with minimum direct supervision. In addition, the OO is expected to contribute to the development of the IC Program by actively identifying new opportunities for IFC and building relationships with stakeholders, and providing cross-support to, and/or lead components of other IC projects.
Duties and Accountabilities:
1. Lead the tax project in Vietnam. Specific duties include: • Prepare project workplans, budgets and project operational documents, consistent with overall IFC objectives, plans and budgets; • Manage day to day project activities to ensure the project progresses as planned, objectives are met, resources are used effectively and the budget is under control; • Proactively identify the client’s needs and design solutions to address their needs; • Pro-actively and effectively develop and nurture working relationship with GDT and other government partners and stakeholders including Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Planning and Investment, Administrative Procedures Controlling Agency of the Office of the Government and the National Assembly; • Communicate and work effectively with IFC’s global and regional tax product colleagues; • Prepare high quality and submit on-time all project reporting documents. 2. Contribute to all aspects of the IC program in Vietnam, including strategy development, new project design, selection of partners, recruitment, supervision of consultants, and monitoring and evaluation; 3. Provide support and manage components of other IC projects in Vietnam as assigned; 4. Provide cross technical and project management support to tax projects in other countries in the region; 5. Contribute to and Represent IFC at tax thematic events and knowledge sharing networks; 6. Other duties as requested by the IC Regional Business Line Leader and the Vietnam IC program manager.
Selection Criteria:
1. Masters in Business Administration, Law, Economics, Finance or Development or equivalent professional qualification; 2. Minimum 8 years of relevant experience, preferably some overseas study/working history; 3. Experience with international and/or bilateral/multilateral development institutions would be an advantage, as well as prior work in advisory/consulting in private sector development; 4. Good knowledge of taxation in general and good understanding of Vietnam’s tax policy and administrations in particular; direct experience working in the areas of tax consultancy, tax audit or tax policy reforms would be an advantage; 5. Good knowledge of private sector development, institutional, legal, regulatory framework and business practices and the political economy of regulatory and policy reform in Vietnam; 6. Strong project management skills with track record of being able to lead large scale/ complex projects; 7. Strong analytical, presentation and communication skills (ability to communicate ideas clearly, confidently and properly); 8. High level of English, both spoken and written 9. Good interpersonal skills and team spirit, as well as strong intellectual capacity; 10. Strong client focus and proven track record of managing client relationships; Applications must be submitted online. Only those candidates selected for interviews will be contacted. Candidates can check the status of their applications by visiting www.ifc.org/careers.