The Program

Aus4Growth (A4G) is a partnership between Australia and Vietnam and aims to close gaps in policy and practice to support enhanced economic growth, trade and investment, clean energy, inclusion, and digital acceleration.

Building on previous programs - Aus4Reform and Aus4Transport - A4G integrates emerging initiatives in energy, trade, inclusion, and digital. A4G will directly support the priorities of the Australian - Vietnam Development Partnership Plan 2025-2030 and the Australia-Vietnam Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (March 2024).

The Opportunity

Under the Trade Domain, A4G seeks to strengthen government implementation of targeted agreements, increase business’ compliance with and utilization of trade agreements, and improve access to trade benefits for women, people with disability, and low-income groups. The program will provide support through multiple approaches, including targeted technical assistance – such as analytical inputs, global best practice sharing, and capability building – and facilitation of stakeholder consultations. 

A4G seeks to appoint a Vietnamese Trade Expert for Report (B): FTA Ecosystem Impact Assessment. This expert will drive the end-to-end assessment of the economic impact of the FTA ecosystem developed by Multilateral Trade Policy Department (MTPD), working closely with A4G Delivery Co-leads, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), and relevant stakeholders.  This work is positioned as an initial outside-in assessment report to be shared with MTPD for reference, meaning the assessment will be conducted independently and the output report shared with MTPD upon completion. 

Key Responsibilities

The Vietnamese Trade Expert will be responsible for the end-to-end development of the Report (B): FTA Ecosystem Impact Assessment. This includes: 

• Conducting a rough-cut assessment of the overall economic impact of the FTA ecosystems, including preliminary forecasts of Vietnam’s economic growth under different scenarios (Baseline and High-growth Breakthrough) and assessing the impact on key economic indicators (such as GDP, investment, consumption, trade, budget revenue, employment, and total factor productivity)

• Conducting a disaggregated economic impact assessment focused on two pilot sectors (tentatively textiles and footwear). The methodology for this sectoral assessment and making recommendations on the criteria for evaluating businesses perform ace in these sectors will be designed for adaptability and scalability for future analyses across other sectors. 

The Vietnamese Trade Expert is also responsible for socializing the report with relevant stakeholders for feedback and refinement, which includes: 

• Conducting weekly readouts to BCG to collect input and refine the work iteratively 

• Sharing and presenting outputs to DFT and MTPD (on an as-needed basis – to be specified during the project) to gather feedback and refine output 

About You

• Master or higher in Economics, International Trade, International Relations, or a related field 

• At least 15 year experience with strong insights into the implementation of FTAs in Vietnam, with the ability to conduct FTA-related analysis including utilization performance, benchmarking, and impact assessment 

• Demonstrated experience in economic analysis, forecasting, and policy assessment, particularly within the context of FTAs, including scenario-based forecasting using indicators such as GDP, investment, employment, and productivity 

• Proven ability to formulate clear, concise and policy-relevant adhering to the official style and standards of the Government of Vietnam 

• Strong analytical skills, including the ability to interpret complex data and synthesise findings into actionable insights

How to Apply

Submit your CV including a cover letter outlining your experience and expertise and your fit for this short-term position. Submit your application to Karen Richardson on her email address richardson.karen@bcg.com