Creative Industries Advisor

The Creative Industries Advisor will support the development of an institutional strategy for the creative industries sector within the Women, Youth and Vulnerable Communities section of the Division of Sustainable and Inclusive Trade. The consultant will conduct rapid assessments, analyze value capture opportunities for MSMEs, assess market opportunities, identify constraints, and develop strategic recommendations for ITC engagement in creative industries.

Responsibilities

• Conduct a rapid assessment of creative industry sectors and their trade potential for MSMEs, including existing market structures, actors, and value chains.
• Analyze opportunities for value capture by MSMEs across different stages of creative industry value chains, including production, commercialization, access to finance, distribution, export, licensing, and digital trade.
• Assess regional and international market opportunities for creative goods and services, with particular attention to emerging trends, digital platforms, and innovative business models.
• Identify constraints, gaps, and bottlenecks that limit MSME participation, competitiveness, and value capture within the creative economy.
• Map existing ecosystem support structures, policies, initiatives, and partnerships relevant to creative industries and MSME trade development.
• Develop a framework for prioritizing sectors and opportunities based on criteria such as market potential, inclusiveness, scalability, feasibility, and alignment with ITC objectives.
• Identify strategic interventions, partnership opportunities, and programmatic entry points through which ITC can support increased value capture and trade competitiveness among creative MSMEs.
• Prepare analytical reports, presentations, and recommendations that translate research findings into actionable guidance for ITC programming and future project development.
• Present preliminary and final findings to ITC and relevant stakeholders, incorporating feedback into final recommendations and deliverables.
• Ensure that all analyses and recommendations integrate cross-cutting considerations such as youth economic empowerment, women's economic participation, digitalization, sustainability, and inclusive trade where relevant.
• Provide full access to ITC external and internal auditors to documents and information and comply with any audit undertaken in line with the financial regulations and rules of the United Nations.
• Ensure necessary permissions with regard to intellectual property rights for services under this consultancy contract and subsequent dissemination by ITC.

Requirements

• Advanced university degree (Master’s or equivalent) in economics, international trade, international business, development studies, creative industries, cultural economics, business/management, or a related field.
• Extensive relevant experience may be accepted in lieu of a university degree.
• At least 7 years of relevant professional experience in one or more of the following areas: creative industries / creative economy; international trade and export development; MSME development and competitiveness; value chain analysis and market systems development; digital trade and creative digital platforms; cultural or creative entrepreneurship.
• Demonstrated experience conducting sector, market, ecosystem, or value-chain assessments, preferably involving MSMEs.
• Demonstrated experience analysing value capture and upgrading opportunities for MSMEs, including opportunities related to production and commercialization; branding and marketing; distribution; export; licensing and intellectual property; digital platforms and e-commerce; access to finance.
• Experience working with creative-sector businesses or organisations in at least some of the following sectors: film and audiovisual, music, publishing, fashion, design, crafts, performing arts, visual arts, gaming, animation, advertising, or digital creative services.
• Demonstrated knowledge of regional and international markets, including identifying demand, market trends, buyers, distribution channels, digital platforms, and emerging business models.
• Experience mapping creative industry ecosystems, including private-sector actors, business support organisations, investors, government institutions, industry associations, platforms, and other relevant stakeholders.
• Experience developing practical recommendations for donor-funded programmes or international development interventions, rather than purely academic or research-oriented studies.
• Experience working in developing or emerging markets, particularly in Africa and/or other contexts where creative MSMEs face structural constraints to accessing regional and international markets, would be highly desirable.
• Advanced knowledge of English is required.

Skills

• Creative Industries Expertise
• International Trade
• Export Development
• MSME Development
• Value Chain Analysis
• Market Systems Development
• Digital Trade Development
• Creative Digital Platforms
• Sector Assessments
• Market Assessments
• Ecosystem Mapping
• Value Capture Analysis
• Branding
• Distribution Strategies
• Export Strategies
• Licensing and Intellectual Property
• E-Commerce
• Access to Finance
• Creative Entrepreneurship
• Donor-funded Programme Development

Languages

English