Programme Officer (ECCAS Services), DCP/OA, Ref. NG/ITC/2901/2515

Org. Setting and Reporting

The post is located within the ITC Office of Africa (OA) under the Division of Country Programmes (DCP). OA/DCP is leading the work of ITC in Africa. The duty station is located in Yaoundé, Cameroon. The Programme “Capacity Building Program for Trade in Services in Central Africa under the AfCFTA” – ECCAS Services – is a major initiative which aims to increase intra-regional, continental, and bilateral trade in the services sector. Funded by the European Union (EU) and implemented by the International Trade Centre (ITC), this four-year program specifically seeks to enhance the liberalization and export of services in certain sectors at continental, regional, or bilateral levels in line with the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). By prioritizing businesses led by women and youth, the program also aims to promote economic inclusion and encourage sustainable business practices. It will cover the 11 countries of the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), namely: Angola, Burundi, Chad, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Republic of Congo, Rwanda, and São Tomé and Príncipe.

Responsibilities

Under the direct supervision of the Chief, Office for Africa, the overall guidance of the Director, DCP, and in close collaboration with the Programme Officer at ITC HQ, the Programme Officer, ECCAS Services will be responsible for providing both managerial and technical expertise to ensure the effective implementation and coordination of all ECCAS Services activities. Specific responsibilities include: • Ensures the effective supervision, management, and performance of the Programme Management Unit (PMU) in Yaoundé, • Develops, implements and evaluates ECCAS Service programme to ensure the achievement of general and specific objectives as outlined in the programme’s contractual documents; monitors and analyzes programme development and implementation; reviews relevant documents and reports; identifies problems and issues to be addressed and initiates corrective actions; ensures follow-up actions. • Liaises and engages with relevant stakeholders in the region, including national governments, the ECCAS Commission, EU delegation, and designated national Focal Points to ensure strong programme ownership and visibility, in alignment with governments’ priorities. • Performs consulting assignments, in collaboration with the client, by planning facilitating workshops, through other interactive sessions and assisting in developing the action plan the client will use to manage the change. • Researches, analyzes and presents information gathered from diverse sources. • Coordinates policy development, including the review and analysis of issues and trends, preparation of evaluations or other research activities and studies, • Generates survey initiatives; designs data collection tools; reviews, analyzes and interprets responses, identify problems/issues and prepares conclusions. • Organizes and prepares written outputs, e.g. draft background papers, analysis, sections of reports and studies, inputs to publications, etc. • Provides substantive backstopping to consultative and other meetings, conferences, etc., to include proposing agenda topics, identifying participants, preparation of documents and presentations, etc. Ensures the organization and coordination of annual meetings of the Regional Steering Committee and regional Technical Committee meetings. • Ensures the overall harmonization of the programme activities to guarantee synergies, complementarities, economies of scale and exchange of information/tools with the Africa Trade Competitiveness and Market Access Programme (ATCMA) – Central Africa Component (ATCMA-ECCAS). • Supervises and coordinates all technical experts work and technical expert missions, manages logistics for training workshops and seminars, and gives presentations on assigned topics; • Leads or participates in complex field missions, guides external consultants and government officials, and prepares mission reports. • Coordinates activities related to budget funding (programme/ preparation and submissions, progress reports, financial statements, etc.) and prepares related documents/reports (pledging, work programme, programme budget, etc.). • Performs other duties as required.

Education

Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in business administration, management, economics or a related field such as engineering, international relations. A first-level university degree in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Work Experience

A minimum of seven years of work experience in programme management, administration of related area is required. Experience coordinating and managing large-scale programmes is desirable. Experience working with the Economic Community of Central African States is desirable. Experience working with African development partners is desirable. Experience with programmes funded by the EU is desirable.

Languages

For the position advertised, fluency in both English and French is required. Fluency in Spanish or Portuguese is desirable.

Assessment

Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which will be followed by competency-based interview.

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