World Bank Group Recruitment for Regional Trade & Gender Specialist

The World Bank Group - Established in 1944, the WBG is one of the world's largest sources of funding and knowledge for development solutions. In fiscal year 2017, the WBG committed $59 billion in loans, grants, equity investments and guarantees to its members and private businesses, of which $19 billion was concessional finance to its poorest members. It is governed by 188 member countries and delivers services out of 120 offices with nearly 15,000 staff located globally.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Regional Trade & Gender Specialist

Location: West Africa (Exact Location TBD)
Type of Contract: Short-Term Consultancy (STC) Contract

Summary

• The World Bank Group (WBG) received funding from the EU, the Government of the Netherlands, and USAID to design and implement a new regional trade facilitation program in West Africa. The initiative, called “Trade Facilitation West Africa (TFWA) Program”, aims to facilitate the movement of goods and vehicles along six priority corridors: Abidjan-Ouagadougou, Tema-Ouagadougou, Cotonou-Niamey, Dakar-Bamako, Lome-Ouagadougou, and Lagos-Kano-Niamey.
• TWFA activities, currently under design, will be articulated along three pillars: 1) support to regional trade facilitation measures, in coordination with ECOWAS and UEMOA; 2) support towards improvement of selected corridors, primarily from a logistics & transport standpoint; and 3) support to small-scale cross- border traders, especially women. Gender will be mainstreamed across all program components and activities.
• As part of TFWA’s preparatory analytics, the first phase of a Regional Gender Assessment was completed. The exercise was aimed at a) reviewing existing literature and relevant ongoing initiatives;b) assess TFWA stakeholders’ needs, priorities and expectations on gender; and c) preparing a draft matrix of gender-sensitive trade facilitation actions to be supported by TFWA. A regional field survey is also ongoing to generate quantitative & qualitative information on small-scale cross-border trade patterns within the region  considerable attention is given to gender issues under this exercise as well.
• Following the completion of the mentioned analytical efforts, TFWA implementation will start along the six priority corridors, involving activities related to the enforcement of regional trade measures, the simplification & streamlining of border clearance procedures (with emphasis on those relevant for small-scale traders), and capacity building & awareness-raising, as well as broader women economic empowerment interventions.
• To support the implementation of TFWA activities on small- scale trade facilitation and gender, the WBG is looking for a Trade and Gender Specialist to join the TFWA gender team, currently comprising a Senior Trade & Gender Specialist and a group of gender experts.

Duration

• The selected candidate will be offered an initial 30-day contract starting on 1 July 2019, with the expectation that s/he will work on an almost-full-time basis (a 75-percent time commitment will apply). Based on performance, the candidate may be subsequently offered a contract extension up to a maximum of 150 days per year for the entire duration of the project (four years).
• Preference will be given to candidates willing to make a longer-term commitment to the project and to become a stable member of the TFWA team.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical inputs and comments into TFWA program documents such as Terms of Reference (ToRs), work plans, procurement plans, feasibility studies, communications & advocacy plans, training plans, and progress reports;
• Support the Senior Trade & Gender Specialist in conducting policy dialogue on trade & gender issues, by regularly engaging with TFWA donors and co-implementing partner as well as regional/national counterparts;
• Build on the stakeholder mapping done during the small-scale cross border trade surveys to identify adequate CSO/NGO to partner with in the implementation of the program, and maintain regular dialogue with such partners;
• Support development of training materials and delivering of presentations to program stakeholders and beneficiaries;
• Support efforts to mainstream gender into M&E activities and related documents, including M&E framework, survey instruments, and M&E reports, among others;
• Conduct periodic data collection through focus group meetings with the partner CSO/NGO;
• Support relevant TFWA awareness-raising and communications initiatives, both internal e.g. newsletters, briefings, talking points etc.) and external (radio campaigns, roadshows etc.);
• Regularly travel to TFWA countries, including remote locations, to monitor implementation progress;
• Manage local consultants supporting the implementation of TFWA trade & gender activities, as appropriate.

Selection Criteria

• Master of Arts in Economics, Social Sciences, International Development, or other relevant discipline;
• Proven understanding of the issues that lay at the intersection of trade facilitation, regional integration, and gender;
• Minimum 5 years of experience of working on gender-responsive trade facilitation and/or regional integration projects;
• Previous field experience in Africa is required experience in West African countries would a be a strong plus;
• Strong analytical skills, including the ability to identify critical program constraints and to come up with innovative solutions;
• Strong communication skills, including ability to conduct policy dialogue with high-level program counterparts;
• Ability to work independently as well as in a team;
• Willingness to take up new tasks and responsibilities as the TFWA gender workplan takes shape;
• Fluency in English and French, both written and oral;
• Willingness to travel extensively within West Africa up to 50 percent of the consultant’s total time.

Application Closing Date
31st May, 2019.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should submit their Applications electronically to: [email protected]

Note

• The World Bank Group is committed to achieving diversity in terms of gender, nationality, culture, and educational background. Individuals with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated in the strictest confidence.
• Only short-listed candidates will be contac