SENIOR TECHNICAL SPECIALIST
Background:
The USAID East Africa Trade and Investment Hub (the Hub) partners with East African and U.S. businesses to attract investment that transforms the East African private sector into vibrant global trading partners. The Hub also promotes a more predictable, transparent and enabling business environment in East Africa by supporting adherence to intra-regional and international trade agreements and conformity to international standards. Improving the region’s trade competitiveness, encouraging the diversification of exports beyond natural resources, and promoting broader, more-inclusive economic growth will lead to more food secure and resilient East African communities.
The goal of the Hub is to deepen regional integration, increase the competitiveness of select regional agricultural value chains, promote two-way trade with the U.S. under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) and facilitate investment and technology to drive trade growth intra-regionally and to global markets.
Objectives and Duties:
The Senior Technical Specialist will work in collaboration with the Tanzania Country Representative and the Nairobi-based technical staff to lead field-based implementation of technical activities to remove cross border trade bottlenecks, facilitate and accelerate regional trade in staple foods in Tanzania. He/she will also be expected to support in the coordination of activities for the investment, regulatory policy and agribusiness components including report writing, data collection and research, attending conferences and acting as a key support to the overall objectives of these components.
The Senior Technical Specialist will be responsible for, but not limited to, the following detailed tasks:
Provide input for the development, planning and implementation of Hub work related to structured agricultural markets, trade finance and trade policy in the Eastern Africa region
Advises Tanzania agriculture stakeholders through reviews and the provision of technical advice and capacity development on agricultural marketing, agricultural market policies, trade finance and postproduction and trade technology and investment development:
Support implementation of Hub activities to facilitate Tanzania’s harmonization of agriculture seed and grain trade standards and ratification of the EAC SPS Protocol.
Organizes and facilitates discussions on agribusiness investment-related policy issues involving representatives of the private and public sector, with a view to reach consensus on improved policies for investment in agriculture trade, agribusiness and agriculture support services;
Work with the Hub’s Nairobi-based investment team to identify investment opportunities, particularly in the agribusiness and agriculture sector to add to the Hub’s investment pipeline;
Lead, monitor, and report on key research data and analysis requirements related to regional agriculture trade and investment to the sector.
Monitor and report on the status of all donor and government activities related to agriculture policy, trade and investment
Qualifications:
Advanced university degree in agriculture, economics, law or other relevant discipline related to agriculture policy, trade and investment
Five to seven years of relevant experience in the areas of agriculture policy, agriculture seed and grain trade standards, agriculture market development, investment and management or related field
A good knowledge of international and regional trade, and/or regional integration, preferably in the Eastern Africa region;
Extensive relevant experience working in similar donor funded regional projects, preferably USAID-funded projects, in the Eastern and Southern Africa region;
Extensive knowledge of agricultural markets and regional agricultural trade;
Extensive relevant experience in working collaboratively with institutional and private sector partners and stakeholders in a multi-country setting;
Extensive relevant experience in organizing international meetings, seminars and training courses in the technical general area of agro-industries development;
Excellent English writing and communication skills; and,
Ability to use the latest ICT technology and computer software programs.
Base of Operations:
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Reporting:
The Senior Technical Specialist will report to the Hub’s Deputy Chief of Party - Technical
Supervisory Responsibilities:
The Senior Technical Specialist will have no supervisory responsibilities.
TO APPLY CLICK HERE