Senior Regional Technical Officer

Division of Country Programmes (DCP) is the operational arm for ITC's technical cooperation. It has primary responsibility for liaison with countries benefiting from ITC assistance, for coordinating ITC's field-level activities, including relations with field-based donors and ensuring responsiveness of ITC's programmes to national and regional trade promotion needs and priorities. The Division leads and coordinates ITC's "Needs assessment and programme design" core service and its functions involve all areas of ITC's mandate. The Division is responsible for the programming and overall management of regional and country-specific, multi-disciplinary projects which are implemented in close coordination with the other substantive divisions.

The Office for Africa (OA), one of DCP regional offices, has developed the Market Access Upgrade Programme (MARKUP). MARKUP aims to contribute to economic development in the East African Community (EAC) through boosting trade and regional integration. MARKUP’s outcome is to improve regional market access to EU and the East African region for five EAC partner countries for selected value chains: coffee, tea, cocoa, avocado, spices and horticulture. The project will cover activities in Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi through the provisions of partnerships with national, regional and international institutions.

The MARKUP projects implemented by the ITC are part of a bigger MARKUP programme for which other partner organizations are involved and working all under the same umbrella. More specifically, ITC has the responsibility to implement a regional component for the EAC (EAC-Window) as well as country specific components (Tanzania and Burundi Windows) which are all integrated and delivered as one and in close collaboration with other programme stakeholders.

With regards to ITC’s involvement, MARKUP covers the following interventions:

EAC-Window:

•             Enhanced capacity to advocate for the removal of sector trade barriers

•             Export competitiveness enhanced for sector SMEs

•             Business development capacities improved for sector SMEs

Tanzania Window:

•             Enhanced awareness on sector enablers through market analysis and research

Burundi Window:

•             National Quality Infrastructure framework, inspection and certification services strengthened

•             Laboratory testing capacities for coffee/tea improved

•             Quality related extension services strengthened

The Programme will be implemented in close collaboration with the German International Cooperation Agency (GIZ), with a Project Coordination Unit (PCU) to be set up in Arusha, Tanzania, and with a backstopping unit based in Headquarters. The PCU in Arusha will consist of a Coordinator, a Senior Regional Technical Officer, an M&E Officer, a Standards and SPS Expert and two Programme Assistants. At Headquarters, located within the Office for Africa, there will be a Programme Management Officer, a Project Officer and a Programme Assistant. A National Coordinator will appointed in each EAC member state, seconded by an Administrative Assistant (only in Burundi and Tanzania).

The function of National Coordinator requires a combination of managerial and technical skills relevant to a capacity-building programme in regional trade and selected value chains. The incumbent shall be capable of working with a broad range of national, regional and international institutions that are involved in the successful execution of the MARKUP programme.

The Senior Regional Technical Officer will assume full responsibility for the effective delivery of the MARKUP Programme within a results-based management framework. To this end, s/he will oversee the work of ITC’s regional/national implementation units established in Arusha and Partner States and work in close cooperation with the MARKUP Coordinator in Arusha as well as Officers based in Geneva. The incumbent will report to the Chief, Office for Africa at ITC Headquarters and will be supported by one administrative support staff.

The function includes a mix of management and key technical responsibilities and will also perform the duties of National Country Coordinator Tanzania as follows:

 Coordination and Management: (10%)

• Acts as prime entry point and member of MARKUP Programme Coordination Unit (PCU) in Arusha and assume responsibility for an effective day-to-day functioning in support of ITC’s projects.
• Participate in PCU, EU and EAC meetings and debriefing sessions and report back to the project Steering Committee.
• Lead the permanent liaison with the EU, the EAC Secretariat as well as all project stakeholders and partners such as GIZ, UNIDO and national governments.
• Manage relationships with and ensure ownership by regional and national project partners and beneficiaries in Tanzania and the EAC region.
• Lead  the development of annual/country specific calendars of activities and implementation schedules in close collaboration with Project Officers in Geneva.
• Advocate for MARKUP within EAC Secretariat to obtain the necessary support for efficient project implementation.
• Identify risks (political, technical, management, communication) to project implementation and propose mitigation actions.                                            
• Contribute to the development of a funds mobilization strategy to attract complementary resources and facilitate project expansion over time and as required.
• Ensure regular reporting to and coordination with ITC Headquarters in Geneva
•  

Technical implementation: (60%) and National Country Coordinator in Tanzania (30%)

• Manage the delivery and monitoring of all project components and ensure synergies between components with due consideration to skills transfer and exchange of best practices.
• Lead the MARKUP Technical Committee (in situ or from remote) and prepare relevant inputs as required.
• Represent MARKUP at national meetings and events, including for donor and stakeholder coordination needs;
• Provide technical support in the delivery of project components. This will include institutional assessments, market analysis, sector prioritization, value chain mapping and strategy formulation, organization of regional trade support networks, regional trade information systems, regional competitiveness enhancement and sector-specific product and market development.
• Carry out technical research and develop new concepts with relevant project partners with a view to generate new business opportunities.
• Collect information for monitoring and undertake regular performance assessment of technical consultants, international/national experts and institutional partners and report back to the EAC and ITC for adjustments.
• Take full responsibility for the coordination of inputs from the National Country Coordinators to ensure synergies and effective delivery of project activities/events in each EAC countries.
• Organize series of inter-regional consultations, including high-profile business forum, for policy exchange and public-private sector dialogue.
• Represent the project in relevant trade-related technical assistance (TRTA) coordination networks to ensure project visibility and effective linkages and synergies with other relevant initiatives.
• Ensure and lead the project visibility, efficient communication and outreach at the national level, in provinces, and at regional levels including representation of the project at regional events.
• Ensures that the skills developed under MARKUP topics are transferred to EAC Secretariat staff during project implementation.
• In close cooperation with partner institutions, identify SMEs/participants/trainees with relevant expertise/needs to ensure maximum impact and country coverage, incl. in provinces.
• Mobilize beneficiaries and partners organizations to participate in project events and technical workshops.
• Provide coaching support to national experts and provide technical guidance as required.
• Maintain permanent liaison with local EU Offices and national Government authorities for MARKUP visibility as well as technical and communication needs.
• Translate working document into local languages as required.
• Keep abreast of the economic development in the EAC region and ensure consistency between MARKUP projects and the trade and investment development Agenda of the EAC.

Outputs and Delivery Timelines:

-          Annual detailed workplan available and approved by stakeholders (yearly)

-          Participation in Steering committee meetings (twice a year)

-          Participation in Technical Committee Meetings (monthly)

-          Funds mobilization strategy available (end of programme)

-          Represent MARKUP and ITC in national implementation meetings (weekly)

-          Deliver Trainings and provide technical guidance, advice and counselling (as required)

-          Technical documents and training material available (as required)

-          Communication material available (as required)

-          Performance assessment of technical consultants and international/national experts available (as required)

-          List of SMEs to participate in training events available (as required).

a. Education

Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in business administration, management, economics or a related field.

A combination of a first university degree (bachelor’s or equivalent) with an additional 2 years of relevant work experience may be accepted in lieu of the education requirements outlined above.

b. Work Experience

A minimum of seven (7) years of progressively responsible work experience in technical project/programme management amongst which several working with African development partners. Experience in Market Access Conditions, Trade Policy and/or Trade Facilitation issues.

Experience in Agro-processing and value chain enhancement for selected sector (coffee, tea, avocado and spices) desirable.

c. Language (s)

Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of French and Swahili desirable.

Knowledge of Trade Policy and Trade Facilitation.

Fully computer literacy (Microsoft Suite)

Knowledge of value chain enhancement, trade finance and investment, quality and standard issues desirable.

Familiarity with the UN system and EU reporting requirements desirable.

Knowledge of EAC rules, strategy and functioning desirable.

• Please note that the closing date is midnight Copenhagen time
• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
• Only those candidates that are short-listed for interviews will be notified.
• Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
• The incumbent is responsible to abide by security policies, administrative instructions, plans and procedures of the UN Security Management System and that of UNOPS.
• This post is open to Tanzanian nationals only.

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