The aim of the project. To establish a special scheme for cooperative action by several ambitious companies, cooperatives and producers, who wish to develop a series of Lao products with Lao competitive advantages and then promote them as profitable export brands, all under an overall Lao brand. The scheme is to be launched and then sustained by the LNCCI. The LNCCI will provide Lao businesses – from large to SME and even micro and including cooperatives – with the necessary structures and expertise to work together. Such cooperation may include:

·         understanding and then matching international consumer expectations; launching, maintaining, promoting and selling a linked series of profitable and sustainable Lao brands, under the one common Lao brand umbrella. Product adaptation to meet expectations of foreign consumers

·         researching, defining, adopting and then guaranteeing necessary product standards;

·         researching, defining, adopting and then guaranteeing necessary standards of corporate and producer behaviour.

Rationale for the project. At present, exports are for the most part supplied as relatively anonymous commodities, with low profit margins. Consumers abroad are unlikely to see much by way of competitive advantage in such products from Laos. Nor are they likely to regard the national origin of these products as a motivation to buy.

This lack of profitability leads to many adverse consequences. The first is poverty, most especially in rural areas, where the search for short-term incomes at any cost frequently leads to inappropriate planting, deforestation, environmental damage, and employment practices (including child labour). There is no motivation to adopt better practices that are culturally and environmentally sustainable, empower women, and finance development of the strengths that Laos potentially has in clean, wholesome, and natural production.

This information is needed urgently to finalise the fact-based propositions (creative prompts) to be used in the qualitative research about to take place in Europe, exploring European consumers’ reaction to the propositions.

• Support the establishment of Brand Lao and Made in Laos Promotion Office’ at LNCCI

·         Support the implementation of Brand Lao Promotion and Made in Laos Activities comprising of:

• • The creation of quality based supply chains (for selected exportable products), from producers to the foreign shop – and into consumer’s home.
  • The creation “Export Groups” for selected products.
  • The establishment of Brand Lao and Made in Laos’ modern marketing services at the LNCCI.
• Support the coordination between government agencies, development partners, businesses and producers. This is made through meeting and workshops.
• Support the NPD and Program Manager in planning, monitoring, evaluation and reporting the activities of the Band Lao and Made in Laos Promotion office.

The duty station is in Vientiane capital at the LNCCI, with likely travel to provinces.

In case any travel to the provinces is required, the local travel costs will be separately covered by the project following the NIM SOP Policy and subject to approval in advance.

As above, this is a short-term assignment, however, the project has a continuing need for national consultants and satisfactory performance will open the opportunity of along-term assignment involving supplementary and further responsibilities.

The National Consultant is required to report to TNC in the first instance, and assist the TNC team as they have regular meetings with, report and submit their deliverables to the LNCCI and UNDP Poverty Reduction Unit. The Local Consultant shall not share any information / data or results of the study to any third party, if not approved in advance by TNC, LNCCI, and UNDP.

University degree in economics, business, or marketing.

Interest and aspiration

–           an interest in marketing as a profession will be an advantage.

Skills:

–    Good working Knowledge of English

–    Fluency in Laos

–    Experience in researching and analyzing information for reporting and summary conclusions

–    Confidence in handling meetings with senior business people, senior government officials and rural communities alike

–    Strong interpersonal skills – ability to motivate external stakeholders in various communities, etc.

–    Professional and technical experience working in development projects.  Experience working with UNDP funded project will be an asset.

–    Knowledge and professional experience in investigating or working with any of the sectors listed would be an asset

–    Excellent coordination and networking skills

–    Generates creative, practical approaches to overcome challenging situations

–    Computer skills, including full working knowledge of standard word processing, and presentation software packages, etc.

–    Demonstrate respect to knowledge and culture and religion in a multidisciplinary working environment

Payment schedule will be made on the schedule basis; see below.

When travelling out-of-pockets are refunded.