Job Summary:
Organization: International Trade Centre
Country: Switzerland
City: Geneva
Office: ITC Geneva
Work Location: Home-based in Rwanda – possible travel
Expected duration: 01 January 2025 – 31. May 2025
Application Deadline: 31 January 2025
Result of Service
- Stakeholder engagement and coordination
- Foster and maintain positive working relations with key focal points from trade-related regulatory agencies, private sector representatives and other key stakeholders to ensure smooth project implementation and effective collaboration. This includes briefing and engaging government officials, private sector stakeholders, and other relevant entities to discuss and ensure implementation of project outcomes.
- Elaborate and send official letters / concept notes to the concerned public institutions for implementing the simplification proposals. Organize meetings with high management.
- Engage with the National Trade Facilitation Committee to follow-up on the implementation of trade facilitation reforms and report regularly to the EAC secretariat. 2. Technical and strategic guidance on Trade Facilitation Reforms
- Provide advisory services to help guide the design, implementation, and refinement of project interventions on trade facilitation balancing beneficiary expectations and project objectives and expected outcomes. This includes identifying focal points in each agency and jointly developing the workplan for implementation of the reform.
- Identify problems and issues to be addressed and recommend corrective actions, liaise with relevant parties, identify and track follow-up actions, and as required, assist in developing the action plan for stakeholders to guide its implementation.
- Contribute to the development, review and finalization of various written outputs, e.g. draft background papers, analytical notes, reports and studies, inputs to publications, etc.
- Regularly organize and conduct meetings with relevant actors and partners to monitor the progress of trade facilitation initiatives as required by the project objectives and timelines.
- Participate and/or organize field missions of the Trade and Investment Facilitation team, including provision of substantive and administrative support, data collection, etc. 3. Event management in close collaboration with local MARKUP II Coordination team
- Assist in the planning/facilitating workshops and/or participation to conferences following a collaborative approach. Reviewing agenda with project partners and identifying participants as required.
- Support in the preparation of participant lists, sending invitations, and managing follow-up communications to ensure efficient coordination. Support the logistics of the event, including travel arrangements for participants.
- Contribute actively to the workshop by moderating/facilitating some of the workshop sessions to ensure the smooth running of the event.
- Document events comprehensively by preparing detailed meeting minutes, and workshop reports.
- Monitor and analyse specific aspects of project development and implementation. 4. Communication and outreach:
- Undertake outreach activities of the Trade and Investment Facilitation team and contribute to the development of communication materials. Copyright Clause: The Consultant has to ensure that s/he has obtained the necessary permissions with regard to intellectual property rights required to perform his/her services under this consultancy contract and for the subsequent dissemination by ITC in any form. Documentary proof is to be submitted to ITC. Should any license fee be due for the use of copyrighted materials of third parties, the Consultant shall request prior written permission from ITC. S/he has further to ensure to obtain accreditation to event(s), if required. ITC champions workforce diversity, inclusion, gender equality and gender parity and considers all qualified persons – of all genders – equally, including those with disabilities, without discrimination or prejudice of any kind.
Duties and Responsibilities
Background:
The International Trade Centre (ITC) has a unique mandate in the United Nations system to promote increased competitiveness of Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in developing, transition and least developed countries and assisting them to better use trade as a platform for growth, development, and employment creation. The Market Access Upgrade Programme (MARKUP II) is funded by the European Union (EU) and runs from 2023-2027. With a view to contribute to economic development in the East African Community (EAC) through increased sustainable intra-African and EU-Africa trade, MARKUP II has been designed to improve livelihoods, employment, export competitiveness for MSMEs and economic growth in Africa through supporting the development and strengthening of key export-oriented priority value chains with high potential. The programme will cover activities in Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda through the provisions of partnerships with national, regional and international institutions. Among other objectives, MARKUP II aims at strengthening MSMEs’ export competitiveness by enhancing value addition and diversification and by promoting business to the regional and international markets. Among the main objectives, MARKUP II aims at simplifying export processes for key priority products (coffee, avocado, and horticulture) in Rwanda. The project will capacitate government officials, namely members of the National Trade Facilitation Committee, to evaluate the complexity of trade procedures and identify simplification measures. In June 2024, a simplification workshop was held in Rubavu with the objective of reviewing coffee, avocado, and horticulture export procedures and formulating simplification proposals for implementation by relevant institutions. As a result, key recommendations have been identified and a roadmap was developed to guide the implementation process. In this context, ITC seeks to hire a Trade Facilitation Lead Consultant located in Rwanda to serve as the strategic and technical advisor on trade facilitation initiatives under the project. The Trade Facilitation Lead Consultant will engage and collaborate with key stakeholders, prepare and plan select project activities, and ensure successful project implementation aligned with ITC’s objectives.
Qualifications/special skills
- Master’s Degree or higher in development studies, law, international business, international trade, economics, or related fields.
- Extensive relevant experience may be accepted in lieu of the university degree.
- Minimum of 5 years of relevant professional experience working in the Rwanda trade industry. Demonstrated experience in project management. Strong established network within relevant government agencies (e.g. Ministry of Trade, Customs), and private sector actors. Experience working on projects funded by international organizations, such as the European Union, GIZ, or other multilateral development entities, is highly desirable.
- Excellent understanding of international trade, trade-related policies and multilateral trade agreements.
- Advanced project management skills, including leading teams, project planning, execution, monitoring, and reporting. Excellent analytical, communication, and writing skills, with the ability to deliver high-quality reports and presentations.
- Strong networking skills, with a proven ability to build and maintain positive relationships with diverse stakeholders, including government and private sector actors. Well organized and meticulous with a great sense of detail.
- Ability to work independently under limited supervision. Ability to multi-task and meet tight deadlines.
Languages
Advanced proficiency in English and Kinyarwanda is mandatory.
No Fee
THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.
Link: https://careers.un.org/jobSearchDescription/251381?language=en
