Trade Facilitation Expert

ESAMI seeks to recruit a Trade Facilitation Expert. Reporting to the Head of Centre, the position will be based at the ESAMI-Trade Policy Training Centre in Africa (ESAMI-trapca).

The primary roles of this position are to coordinate the programming of Trade Policy activities with a special focus on Trade Facilitation effectively and efficiently. This will include design and development of capacity building programmes that enhance the competencies and efficiencies of key institutional agencies in facilitating trade within the African continent as part of the implementation of the AfCFTA agreement, regional trade agreements and multilateral trade agreements. Given the critical role of digital trade, the expert should have competences in Digital Trade. In addition, the expert should be well versed with the role of trade facilitation in climate change discourse. The Expert will conceptualize, design, and develop programmes and targeted interventions that address existing and emerging trade barriers across a range of areas. She/he will coordinate, liaise, and enhance cooperative arrangements and interventions on trade facilitation with respective agencies and institutions involved in trade facilitation capacity building to minimise overlaps and optimize collective resources and efforts aimed at facilitating international trade.

The broad functions of this position will therefore be to:

1. Coordinate and support capacity building activities and provide required technical support for the implementation of programmes and projects funded by Partners in trade facilitation.
2. Conceptualize, design, and develop curriculum on trade facilitation as well as digital trade in line with the needs of the target stakeholders.
3. Execute trade facilitation programme management.
4. Facilitate the teaching of programmes on trade facilitation and digital trade to relevant stakeholders
5. Be the ESAMI-trapca focal point on trade facilitation and digital trade issues to stakeholders and liaise with regional and national trade facilitation bodies to ensure effective identification of capacity needs and dissemination relevant policy information to target stakeholders
6. Advise management and staff on trade facilitation as well as digital trade strategy and long-term interventions and liaise with other ESAMI-trapca staff to leverage on teamwork and optimize resources.

JOB LOCATION

The appointee will be situated within the ESAMI-trapca office located at ESAMI Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania. The Position will be for three years renewable on basis of Performance.

REPORTING AND DUTIES

The Trade Facilitation Expert will report to the Head of Centre on all aspects of Programme management and will have a working relationship with the Academic Director on aspects of programme development, including reporting on all issues relating to academics.

1. Coordination

1. Liaise with key stakeholders and institutions involved in trade facilitation
2. Liaise and identify required interventions from target stakeholders such as customs, border agencies, ministries of Trade, Finance, Regional Economic Communities and AfCFTA Secretariat.
3. Liaise with other staff and coordinate trade facilitation and digital trade capacity building interventions with other trapca programmes

2. Programme and Curriculum development

1. Participate in course design and development in trade facilitation and digital trade
2. Undertake training impact assessment in trade facilitation in particular and international trade in general
3. Maintain student and faculty databases as well as relevant sections of the website
4. Manage applicant selections, results, and generation of transcripts
5. Monitor and manage quality assurance of courses
6. Manage the trapca Alumni Association and virtual forums

3. Technical advice and facilitation of training programmes

1. Lecture in various ESAMI-trapca courses focusing on trade facilitation and digital trade
2. Develop and manage ESAMI-trapca e-facilitation.
3. Provide advisory services on trade facilitation and digital trade issues.
4. Write concept papers and presentations for international forums in trade facilitation and digital trade issues.
5. Conduct seminars, trainings, and workshops at the National & Regional level on Trade Facilitation, Risk Management, and post clearance
6. Assist in capacity building efforts to ensure that participants will be better able to rigorously apply International Conventions & Standards, Policies

4. Programme management

1. Contribute to the development of audit and quality assurance systems for performance and integrity.
2. Responsible for preparation of reports for Management, Annual Conference, Donors, and/or other bodies
3. Liaise with staff within the academic department and enhance a co- operative work spirit and productive work atmosphere within the organisation.
4. Any other duties as may from time to time be agreed upon with consultation with the Head of Centre.

QUALIFICATIONS, EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS SELECTION CRITERIA

The Trade Facilitation Expert must demonstrate sound competence and experience in trade policy in general and trade facilitation and digital trade issues in particular. Experience in Risk Profiling and management is an added advantage. The Trade Facilitation Expert must demonstrate conceptual competence and experience with respect to the nature and dynamics of issues in the area of trade facilitation at multilateral, continental, regional and national levels.

The Trade Facilitation Expert must be able to relate Trade Facilitation to the broad Trade Policy area and must have managed donor funded projects). She/he must demonstrate superior communication both written and oral, organizational, interpersonal, teaching and analytical skills, and be able to respond well under pressure. The expert should have competences in emerging issues such as Digital Trade and climate change. In addition, the expert should be well versed with the role of trade facilitation in climate change discourse.

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS AND

1. Master’s Degree, or equivalent, in International economic Law or a related field with strong content on Trade Policy/Facilitation issues, plus a minimum of five years of relevant work experience. A doctorate degree will be an added advantage.
2. Must demonstrate conceptual and practical competence in Continental and Regional Trade Policy issues especially the Free Trade Agreements and their impacts at the national level.
3. Excellent Project Management Skills.
4. Clear understanding of international agreements, conventions, and issues in relation to trade policy and trade facilitation matters.
5. Good knowledge and understanding of the cultural features and political developments in trade and their likely impact on Trade Facilitation issues, and
6. Practical experience either in negotiation or implementation of regional, continental and International Trade Facilitation as well as digital trade issues.

ESAMI is an equal opportunity employer and women candidates are encouraged to apply.

Interested and qualified candidates should send their applications not later than 22nd March, 2024 to: The Director General, ESAMI using the following email address: jobs@esami-africa.org. All applications to be sent through email. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.