Nguyễn Thị Doan was born on November 1, 1951, in the northern province of Hà Nam.

She went to Bulgaria[1] (Ph.D. in economics in University of National and World Economy[2]) and France (Ph.D. in business administration) for graduate studies.

At the Eighth National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam in June 1996, Nguyễn Thị Doan was elected to the Party's Central Committee and became a member of the Central Committee's Supervisory Commission three years later.

She was re-elected to the Party's Central Committee again in the Ninth and Tenth Congresses and served as the Permanent Deputy Chairman of the Supervisory Commission.

She was named Vice-President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam at the first session of the Twelfth National Assembly on July 25, 2007.