National Legal and Regulatory Specialist

National Legal and Regulatory Specialist Project: United States Department of Agriculture Food for Progress U.S.-Vietnam Trade in Agriculture and Food Safety Expanded Location: Hanoi, Vietnam Start Date: On/around January 1, 2027 Expected Duration: Up to four years IESC Background: Improving Economies for Stronger Communities (IESC) is a leading U.S. nonprofit organization that catalyzes private sector growth and creates economic opportunity for people and communities across the economically developing world. Since our founding in 1964 , we have delivered lasting solutions across 139 countries. IESC is a valued partner to people and communities throughout the economically developing world. We share proven business skills and experience with entrepreneurs, jobseekers, businesses, farmers, cooperatives, and governments. We also offer resources—human, technological, and financial—that sustainably build capacity and empower communities. Our long legacy of strengthening developing economies is matched by our vision for the next generation: a world with economic opportunity for all, where people and communities thrive. Project Background: Building on three decades of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and the United States (1995–2025), the 2025–2026 period marks a significant transformation in bilateral ties. Under the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) framework, agricultural cooperation has been identified as a key pillar. This cooperation has deepened beyond merely promoting bilateral trade turnover to focus on technical collaboration and enhancing system management capacity. This progression is an essential step toward realizing joint commitments to transparent, science-based trade, aiming to promote economic prosperity and ensure substantial benefits for the business communities of both nations. To realize this strategic vision, Vietnam has been officially selected by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) as one of five focus countries for the "Food for Progress" Program for the 2025–2030 period. In Vietnam, the USDA Food for Progress Program will be implemented through the USDA Food for Progress Trade in Agriculture and Food Safety Expanded (TAFSE) project. This opens a rare opportunity for Vietnam to access financial resources and deep expertise from the U.S. to resolve bottlenecks in infrastructure and SPS standards (sanitary and phytosanitary measures), thereby comprehensively modernizing the national agricultural trade system. This is a technical assistance project funded by non-refundable official development assistance from the U.S. Government through the USDA, and managed by IESC. From Vietnamese Government, The Ministry of Agriculture and Environment (MAE) is the project Executing Agency (EA). The Agricultural Projects Management Board (APMB) is the agency assigned by MAE to coordinate with stakeholders during project preparation and implementation. The project will: Improve the efficiency of the SPS and food safety systems in Vietnam; Strengthen supply chain capacity and cold chain logistics systems; Expand access to agriculture trade finance for the private sector; and S upport Vietnam’s broader goals for innovation, private sector growth, and international integration related to agriculture trade. The project will operate nationwide, focusing on major cities like Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and localities with major ports and cold chain development needs. The project will have a main office in Hanoi and a regional office in Ho Chi Minh City. General Objectives The National Legal and Regulatory Specialist , under the direction of the Deputy Director – Public Sector Lead, will work on national public sector regulatory and administrative procedure reforms related to trade enabling topics in food safety and e-governance. This is a full-time (40 hours per week) position based at the Hanoi office. This position reports to the Deputy Director – Public Sector Lead. Responsibilities Design and implement activities under Activity 1 in support of the national public sector regulatory and administrative procedure reforms and needed legal templates, tools, and trainings related to trade enabling topics in food safety and e-governance, which include, but are not limited to, increased single window interoperability interagency agreements, service leave agreements, and other digitalization legal conformities (legal validity) needed for improved digital trade document flows; Facilitate high-level stakeholder engagement and coordination for activity implementation with central competent authorities, especially the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment (MAE), Ministry of Health (MOH), Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT) and Ministry of Finance (Department of Vietnam Customs), closely working with project senior management and other technical specialists and project support related staff (Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning; Communications; and Finance and Administration); Provide technical guidance related to administrative procedure reforms/business process reengineering, legal guards on data protection and privacy related to project technical services that supports data sharing as required by modernized e-governance systems that work across multiple government agencies and require private sector user data entry; Support with monitoring and evaluation data collection and the development of project communications materials; Support short-term technical consultants and contracts to deliver outcomes related to activity implementation; Contribute to required USDA reports and deliverables including annual work plans and all periodic progress reports; Travel to the regional field office and activity sites as required; and Complete other tasks as assigned by the Deputy Director – Public Sector Lead and/or the Project Director. Qualifications Bachelor’s degree in public policy, law, or other relevant discipline required, Master’s degree in law preferred; Familiarity and experience with international development principles and practices; Minimum of 8 years of progressive experience in trade and commerce regulatory reforms and/or trade enabling environment, including developing legal and procedural tools to support standardized training and implementation of legal processes; Familiarity with Vietnam food safety law and/or e-governance/digitalization legal and regulatory environment; Demonstrated private sector engagement related to commercial legal and regulatory environment, specific to international, cross border trade preferred; Prior or recent related experience with the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Industry and Trade, and/or Department of Vietnam Customs on trade and/or food safety are preferred; Well-organized, detail oriented, excellent verbal and written communication skills; Proficient in Microsoft office tools, including SharePoint; Excel, Word, and PowerPoint; Maturity, professionalism, and positive attitude; and Fluency in Vietnamese and English (both written and verbal) required. IESC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Please note that this position is intended for a Vietnamese National. CV and cover letters should be in English. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and the position will remain open until filled.