Consulting Work

In 1993, Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai received a development scholarship from the Australian government. Over the last many years, she has worked to contribute to the sustainable development of Việt Nam as well as the Asian region. Her areas of expertise include development communications, gender mainstreaming and film/media. She has enjoyed successful consulting experiences with government agencies, international development organisations, UN agencies, local NGOs and media agencies.

Some of her short-term consulting assignments include:

  • Tour study consultant for Việt Nam's Justice Initiatives Facilitation Fund (the Philippines);
  • Communications Consultant for Australia Unlimited – a magazine produced by Hardie Grant for the Australian Trade Commission (Việt Nam and the Philippines);
  • Tour study consultant for the Việt Nam Railway Corporation (Philippines);
  • Communications Expert & Film Producer for the International Labour Organization (ILO) (Quảng Nam and Hà Nội - Việt Nam);
  • Communication Expert & Media Trainer for ILO's Project on "Promoting Decent Work for People with Disability through a Disability Inclusion Support Service" (Hà Nội - Việt Nam);
  • Gender Trainer for NGOs in Vietnam - Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA Vietnam) (Hà Nội);
  • Senior Adviser on Strategic Communications – REACH Vietnam (Hà Nội);
  • Communications Adviser – National Stakeholder Consultation, UN Women (Hà Nội);
  • Gender Expert and Trainer - ChildFund Vietnam (Hà Nội;
  • Gender Expert and Trainer for all UN agencies in Vietnam - One UN Việt Nam (Hà Nội);
  • Communications Expert in Gender and Social Protection - the International Labour Organization (Hà Nội and Vĩnh Phúc);
  • Communication Expert & Film Producer - the International Labour Organization (Vĩnh Phúc, Hà Tĩnh, Đồng Nai, and Hà Nội);
  • Communications Expert on Communications Strategy Design - International Organization for Migration (IOM) (Hà Nội);
  • Communications Expert on Communications Strategy Design and Implementation - the International Labour Organization (Hà Nội);
  • Communications Expert on Stakeholder Survey and Communications Strategy Design - ILO-IPEC's Programme on the Elimination of the Worst Forms of Child Labour in Việt Nam (Đồng Nai, Quảng Nam, Lào Cai, Ninh Bình, Hà Tây, and Hà Nội);
  • Guest Lecturer - Vietnam Institute for Communications and Journalism (Hà Nội);
  • National Researcher for The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on Media Coverage about Corruption in the Health Sector, Việt Nam (Hà Nội);
  • Communications & Public Relations Expert and Trainer - Việt Nam's Office of the National Assembly, the Supreme People's Procuracy of Việt Nam, and the High Court of Việt Nam (Hà Nội and Quảng Ninh).

Long-term professional positions:

  • 2006-now: Freelance Journalist for leading newspapers of Vietnam, including Tuổi Trẻ, Tuổi trẻ Cuối Tuần, Lao động Cuối tuần, Tiền phong Cuối tuần, Việt Nam Heritage and Việt Nam News.
  • August 2006 - December 2009: Regional Communications and Knowledge Management Coordinator, SNV Netherlands Development Organisation – Asia Region: Managed a team comprised of five country communications officers and fostered pro-active communications activities of 240 SNV Asia staff members to bring behaviour change to ensure sustainable development in 8 countries in Asia (Việt Nam, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Cambodia, Laos, Pakistan, and Indonesia. SNV is an international development organisation with 1,500 staff members working in 32 countries in Africa, Asia, and the Balkans. For more information about SNV, please visit: www.snvworld.org
  • November 2007 - now: Founder and Chair of the Advisory Committee - "Making Dreams Come True" Organisation: providing strategic direction for activities of more than 100 volunteers who are giving emotional and psychological support for over 3,000 young cancer patients who are receiving treatment in the K Tam Hiệp Hospital and National Pediatrics Hospital of Việt Nam.
  • August 2004 – April 2006: Library-Media Specialist - American International School Dhaka (AIS/D), Bangladesh.
  • 1998-2001: Public Relations/Marketing Manager - BIDV-QBE Insurance Company Ltd, Việt Nam
  • 1997-1998: Management Trainee - QBE Insurance, Australia.

Development publications:

  • Reviewing stakeholder perceptions and commitments regarding child labor prevention and combat at the national level and at five project areas, including Đồng Nai, Quảng Nam, Lào Cai, Ninh Bình, Hà Tây, 2010, ILO Việt Nam (researcher and writer);
  • Understanding REDD - Implications for Lao PDR, Nepal and Vietnam, 2009, SNV & Indochina Carbon (contributor & publisher);
  • "Building viable domestic biogas programs: Success factors in Sector Development," 2009, SNV (contributor and publisher);
  • Sustainable Poverty Reduction – Best Practices and Lessons-learnt, 2008, SNV Asia (writer & editor);
  • Using the Value Chain Approach for Pro-Poor Development, 2008, SNV Asia (editor);
  • Let the People Lead: Lessons for Working Effectively with Excluded Groups, 2008, SNV Asia (contributor);
  • Tourism Legislation and the Millennium Development Goals, 2006, SNV Asia (contributor);
  • Financing Sustainability: Carbon Revenue for the Poor, SNV Asia, 2008 (writer & editor);
  • Microfinance: Entrepreneurship Connected with Possibilities, SNV, 2007 (co-writer).

Wrote, edited and published hundreds of reports, case studies, leaflets, posters, brochures on development issues.

Professional awards:

  • HIWC Female Vision Award for Sustainable Development of Vietnam: award from the Hà Nội International Women Club to "applaud and celebrate a Vietnamese woman with the courage to have a vision and the strength and determination to bring it to life" (2010);
  • Award from the Youth Union of Việt Nam for sustainable contributions to social development (2009);
  • Australian Alumni Award for Sustainable Social Development sponsored by AusAID and the Australian Consulate in Việt Nam (2008);
  • Special Recognition Award for the Outstanding Staff Member, SNV Asia (2007);