I.                   INTRODUCTION

Agro-businesses ( mainly small and medium enterprises) are dealing with inadequate accessibility to market information, especially market analysis and forecast information. This is a major difficulty that small and medium enterprises in rural and agriculture sector are facing when the economy is increasingly integrated regionally and worldwide.

Although information on agricultural and rural policy is presently publicized widely on mass media or under different forms at both central and local levels. The information focuses mainly on dissemination of new policies, introduction of policy beneficiaries, timeframe and location for implementation in a top-down approach.  Feedback on policy implementation are mainly from some organizations or individuals instead of the wide range of policy beneficiaries .

Meanwhile, in some policy advisory units like the Institute of Policy and Strategy for Agriculture and Rural Development, policy researchers have carried out many studies related to methodical and qualified policies supporting medium and small enterprises in rural areas. These studies have not been widely disseminated.

In order to support the development of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in rural areas of Vietnam, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has approved the project "Study on policy recommendations to support development of medium and small enterprises in the agriculture and rural sector" – phase 2&3 sponsored by Spain and assigned Institute of Policy and Strategy for Agriculture and Rural Development. In particular, one of objectives in the current phase is to strengthen marketing ability for agricultural information to improve the access of SMEs in agriculture and rural sector to wider market chances.

To perform this task, the projectis recruiting a marketing information specialist with the following requirements.

II.                MAIN TASKS

• Searching for user approaching strategies and information consultancy in the world Identify target user groups for  market information products and information consultancy, etc. from internet, forum, the media ... ; first and foremost the information on coffee can be taken as the special focus
• Develop strategy for  customers approaching, customer care,  feedback collection and exploring customers’ new demands (especially focusing on enterprises in coffee sector)
• Develop a detailed operational plan to effectively implement user approaching strategies
• Develop and strengthen relationships with related stakeholders to develop market information network, disseminate communication programs and enterprise support activities of the projects and IPSARD
• Regularly collect feedback, receiving new demands of customers and propose new products accordingly.
• Provide consultancy for orienting market information products and for commodity experts in other agricultural sector.
• Monitor the performance of the proposed plans and make the timely adjustments.

III.             PROFESSIONAL REQUIREMENTS

• At least master degree majors on Marketing, Economics, Commerce, Foreign Trade, Finance,  Development Economics, Agricultural Economics, Agriculture
• Have fundamental basic knowledge on the society, economics and corporate finance (domestic and foreign)
• Have deep experiences in agricultural commodity and marketing (priority is given to those have deep knowledge on coffee sector)
• Understand the market and polices of agricultural products

IV.             TIME-FRAME AND LOCATION

Experts will work from 15 March 2011 to 31 December 2011 at Information Center for Agriculture and Rural Development - No. 16 Thuy Khue - Hanoi.

V.                BUDGET

The expert will enjoy the monthly salary based on the EU-UN cost norm, with insurance and income tax included.