Senior Technical Lead - Regional Integration

The Senior Technical Lead (Regional Integration) provides technical expertise and coordination to ensure the effective implementation of the ATCMA COMESA programme, focusing on trade and market access-related topics to promote intra-African trade and economic inclusion. The role involves programme management, stakeholder engagement, technical backstopping, and supporting budget and reporting activities.

Responsibilities

• Develops, implements and evaluates the ATCMA COMESA programme and assigns projects to ensure the achievement of general and specific objectives, as outlined in the programme’s contractual documents.
• Monitors and analyzes programme and project development and implementation; reviews relevant documents and reports; identifies problems and issues to be addressed and initiates corrective actions; liaises with relevant parties; ensures appropriate follow-up.
• Ensures coordination and sequencing among programme activities across different programme Outputs.
• Performs consulting assignments, in collaboration with the client, by planning and facilitating workshops, through other interactive sessions and assisting in developing analysis of issues and trends, preparation of evaluations or other research activities and studies, action plan the client will use to manage the change.
• Liaises and engages with relevant stakeholders in the region, including national governments, the COMESA Secretariat, EU Delegation, and designated national Focal Points, to provide technical inputs on trade and market access-related topics, ensuring alignment with regional priorities while supporting strong programme ownership and visibility.
• Researches, analyses and presents information gathered from diverse sources.
• Informs and coordinates trade policy and trade facilitation reforms and development, including the review and analysis of trade and market access-related issues and trends, preparation of evaluations or other research activities and studies.
• Organizes and prepares written outputs, e.g. draft background papers, analysis, sections of reports and studies, inputs to publications, etc.
• Provides substantive technical backstopping to consultative and other meetings, conferences, etc., to include proposing agenda topics, identifying participants, preparation of documents and presentations, etc., supports the organisation and coordination of annual meetings of the Regional Steering Committee and regional Technical Committee meetings.
• Initiates and coordinates technical outreach activities; conducts training workshops, seminars, etc.; makes expert presentations on relevant trade and market access topics.
• Leads and/or participates in large, complex field missions, including provision of guidance to external consultants, government officials and other parties and drafting mission summaries, etc.
• Supports activities related to budget funding (programme/project preparation and submissions, progress reports, financial statements, etc.) and prepares related documents/reports (pledging, work programme, programme budget, etc.).
• Collects and analyzes data to identify trends or patterns and provide insights through graphs, charts, tables and reports using data visualization methods to enable data-driven planning, decision-making, presentation and reporting.
• Performs other duties as required.

Requirements

• Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in business administration, management, economics or a related field such as development, international relations, international trade, or international trade law.
• A first-level university degree in combination with qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
• A minimum of seven years (nine with a first level degree) of progressively responsible experience in technical advisory roles, project or programme management, administration, or related area is required.
• Experience in supporting and coordinating technical components of regional trade programmes, with a focus on market access barriers, non-tariff measures, trade facilitation, and policy reforms is desirable.
• Experience working with development partners in Africa, especially the COMESA region, is desirable.
• Experience working with public/governmental and private sector institutions and officials in COMESA member states is desirable.
• Experience with programmes funded by the EU is desirable.
• Extensive knowledge of trade-related policy instruments of the COMESA region and its member states.
• Ability to analyze and interpret data in support of decision-making and convey resulting information to management.
• Good understanding of the regional trade integration process in COMESA and Africa.
• Knowledge of regional trade integration issues, non-tariff barriers (NTBs), sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures, technical barriers to trade (TBT), rules of origin, customs procedures, and other regulatory or policy-related impediments to market access.
• Knowledge of EU financial management rules is considered an asset.
• Familiarity with UN system management tools and processes.
• Ability to identify issues, analyse and participate in the resolution of issues/problems.
• Ability to conduct data collection using various methods.
• Conceptual, analytical and evaluative skills to conduct independent research and analysis, including familiarity with and experience in the use of various research sources, including electronic sources on the internet, intranet and other databases.
• Ability to apply judgment in the context of assignments given, plan own work and manage conflicting priorities.
• Fluency in English, (both oral and written) is required; Knowledge of French is required.

Skills

• Project Management
• Programme Management
• Technical Advisory
• Regional Trade Programmes
• Market Access
• Non-Tariff Measures
• Trade Facilitation
• Policy Reform Discussions
• Data Analysis
• Decision-Making Support
• Trade Policy Instruments
• Regional Trade Agreements
• Phytosanitary Measures
• Technical Barriers to Trade
• Rules of Origin
• Customs Procedures
• EU Financial Management
• UN System Management
• Research and Analysis
• Stakeholder Engagement

Languages

English, French