Start-Up/mobilization Specialist

About ISC: The Institute for Sustainable Communities (ISC) is an international non-governmental agency working to unleash the power of people to transform their communities in the face of climate change. ISC’s mission is to help communities, cities, and industry around the world address environmental, economic, and social challenges to build a better future shaped and shared by all.
Background: Aiming to strengthen the lower Mekong region as a competitive and environmentally sustainable manufacturing hub, the Mekong Sustainability Manufacturing Alliance (MSMA) program is a newly awarded 3-year USAID-funded Alliance, led by ISC, driving private-sector adoption of improved environmental and social safeguards by factories in the food processing, electronics and textiles sectors. The program will focus primarily on Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam, with both country-specific and region-wide activities.
Scope of Work: ISC is seeking a Start-up/Mobilization Specialist to ensure a timely and quality program start-up of the MSMA program. The Specialist will provide operations and programmatic surge support facilitating staff recruitment, development of initial program deliverables, establishing locally-compliant office establishment, operational needs, and other relevant duties as assigned.
The consultant will:
+ Assistant in development of plans and collateral to launch the new MSMA program.
+ Develop communications materials to support program partners.
+ Draft job descriptions, identify best places for local and regional posting, and support candidate intake processes, explore search firms where appropriate.
+ Determine effective job sites for local offices with an assessment of services and requirements (security, amenities, utilities, etc.).
+ Develop a short list of required vendors and provide support on local procurement or services.
+ Support compilation of localized labor law, employment/benefits information, support/advisory services (including the screening of local advisors/experts, e.g. accounting, legal, etc.) and other local operational needs.
+ Assist ISC and program staff in other relevant duties.
Estimated level of effort is variable, up to 40 hours per week for 2-3 months.

The Consultant must have:
+ International development program mobilization experience including experience with United States Agency for International Development (USAID) programs, rules, and regulations.
+ Experience with regional programs or factory/industry experience in Asia, preferably Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia.
+ Experience with private sector lead programs e.g. GDA/PPP, etc.
+ Project management skills required; familiarity with international donor grant regulations and programs preferred.
+ International NGO finance, operations and budgeting experience; Thai and/or Vietnam experience preferred.
+ Excellent spoken and written English is required; Thai and/or Vietnamese preferred.
+ Bachelor’s Degree and 5+ years of relevant work experience.
+ Self-starter, detail-oriented, thorough and well organized with ability to produce high quality deliverables under challenging deadlines.
+ Well-developed interpersonal and cross-cultural communication skills working with a small team.
Interested consultants must provide information indicating that they are qualified to perform the services, along with cost information, by submitting a proposal via email to the email address listed below with "RFP – Mobilization Specialist" in the subject line.
Proposals must be submitted by 5 pm U.S. Eastern Time on October 18, 2020, and include the below information. Earlier submissions preferred.
+ An expression of interest letter with contact details
+ Description of qualifications in a CV (maximum 3 pages)
+ Three references who can speak to consultant’s successful completion of similar work, with contact details (email and telephone)
+ Consulting rate in USD