Principal Officer - Trade Facilitation at the African Union (AU)

The African Union (AU) is a continental body consisting of the 55 member states that make up the countries of the African Continent. It was officially launched in 2002 as a successor to the Organisation of African Unity (OAU, 1963-1999).  We are an Integrated, Prosperous and Peaceful Africa, driven by its own citizens and representing a dynamic force in the global arena.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Principal Officer Trade Facilitation

Requisition ID: 268
Location: Accra, Ghana
Organization: African Union Commission - AUC
Reports to: Head of Transit and Trade Facilitation Division, Director of Trade in Goods and Competition (TiGC)
Department: Directorate of Trade in Goods and Competition (TiGC)
Division: Customs Administration Division
Number of Direct Reports: 3    
Number of Indirect Reports: 2
Job Grade: P4

Purpose of Job

• To provide technical support for the effective coordination of policy related activities at Transit and Trade Facilitation Division in the AfCFTA Secretariat.

Main Functions

• Contribute to set the vision for the Transit and Trade Facilitation Division and ensure and facilitate successful implementation of its overall strategy.
• Coordinate the work of the Senior Policy officers and ensure that work assigned is done on time.
• Contribute to the design of strategies and policies consistent with the Transit and Trade Facilitation Division and the the Directorate of TiGC’s goals in order to address the pertinent issues in the relevant area.
• Contribute to the design and plan policy programmes to achieve the required strategies.
• Support the secretariat work at the Sub-committees on Customs Cooperation, Trade Facilitation and Transit and any relevant meetings to ensure the effective functioning these Subcommittees; and
• Support engagement of stakeholders within Members States and RECs in designing and implementing the required strategies.

Specific Responsibilities
Cooperate and Undertake with Effectiveness:

• Oversee State Parties implementation of provisions of Annex 4 on Trade Facilitation, of the Protocol on Trade in Goods under the AfCFTA Agreement
• Establish common methodology and approach to develop proposals on addressing trade facilitation issues in accordance with guidance from the Sub-Committee on Customs Cooperation, Trade Facilitation and Transit under the AfCFTA.
• Ensure harmonisation of customs legislation, rules and regulations and procedures in relevant areas of trade facilitation for implementation in the AfCFTA.
• Ensure adoption and use of harmonised trade facilitation instrument under the AfCFTA.
• Formulate and manage technical assistance programmes in support of trade facilitation in Africa.
• Develop and formulate advice and recommendations to AfCFTA State Parties in areas trade facilitation following the rules and regulations and standards of the World Customs Organisation.
• Provide appropriate technical and other AfCFTA trade facilitation related advice during the technical meetings on Customs Cooperation, Trade facilitation and Transit Sub-Committee.
• Provide administrative and technical assistance on all issues pertaining to Sub-Committees on Customs Cooperation, Trade facilitation and Transit.
• Ensure that appropriate venues, public address and other conference facilities, translation and interpretation services, and secretarial support are provided for all Sub-committee on Customs Cooperation, Trade facilitation and Transit and related meetings of the AfCFTA implementation structures.
• Identify and collaborate with the AfCFTA Member States working on the trade facilitation issues.
• Identify areas for capacity enhancement activities for consideration by the Sub-Committees on Customs Cooperation, Trade facilitation and Transit and ensure alignment of these activities with the Member States’ capacity building initiatives.
• Identify and schedule collaborative work areas on trade facilitation under the AfCFTA.
• Prepare high quality factual reports, technical advisory notes and other relevant information notes as well as recommendations to enable the effective functioning of the Sub-committees on Customs Cooperation, Trade facilitation and Transit and any other relevant meetings.
• Serve as a data resource in seminars and workshop on trade facilitation issues under the AfCFTA.
• Undertake the required documentation for AfCFTA Member State representatives participating in all trade facilitation relevant meetings; ensures the timely production and dissemination of minutes of technical meetings.
• Ensure development and implementation of the AfCFTA Agreement work plan including stakeholder engagement; and
• Circulate to State Parties on monthly basis status reports on trade facilitation activities.

Supervise and Undertake with Excellence:

• All studies and advocacy programs on trade facilitation issues under the AfCFTA.
• Ensure that agreed deadlines of input to the periodic reports of the Division on issues relating to trade facilitation within the Directorate of TiGC are met.
• Manage work of staff under supervision including short-term experts to undertake subject-specific research into areas of concern to Member States’ representatives participating in technical meetings.
• Preparation of speeches and regular briefs for senior staff and makes presentations on customs, trade facilitation and transit issues for specialist or non-specialist audiences; and
• Leads in the preparation of flagship publications and policy papers on trade and trade facilitation in Africa.

Support Mobilization of Stakeholders:

• Proactively establish and operationalize Africa Network related to trade facilitation which shall be responsible for coordination and consultation with relevant stakeholders, Facilitate policy dialogue amongst stakeholders.
• Ensure cooperation and liaison with State Parties’ AfCFTA National Implementation Committees and the relevant AfCFTA sub-committees and structures with respect to all trade facilitation issues to facilitate the implementation of the AfCFTA Agreement.
• Undertake capacity building initiatives in liaison with Member States and other partners, on all technical and legal aspects pertaining to trade facilitation provisions in order to facilitate the implementation and enforcement of AfCFTA instruments and best practices.
• Initiate and formulate policies, programmes and projects aimed at promoting cooperation with respect to trade facilitation issues among the Member States of the AfCFTA Agreement.
• Conceptualise and deliver training sessions, workshops and seminars to AfCFTA Member States.
• Collaborate and develop good working relations and partnerships with relevant organisations such as UN Economic Commission for Africa, the World Trade Organisation, the World Customs Organisation amongst others.
• Liaise with other Divisions of the TiGS Directorate on all matters related to research and Protocols on Trade in Goods and Competition whenever expertise on these matters are required; and
• Perform any other duties as may be assigned by the Director of TiGC.

Academic Requirements and Relevant Experience

• A Master’s Degree in International Finance, Economics, International Trade, International Business/Public Administration with ten (10) years of experience in the area of customs cooperation, trade facilitation and transit issues at regional or multilateral level of which six (6) years at a managerial level and 3 years at supervisory level.
• A Bachelor’s International Finance, Economics, International Trade, International Business/Public Administration with twelve (12) years of experience in the area of customs cooperation, trade facilitation and transit issues at regional or multilateral level of which six (6) years at a managerial level and 3 years at supervisory level.

Required Skills:

• Management experience and ability to relate and facilitate interactions with others.
• Ability to think critically and solve problems.
• Ability to communication orally and in writing.
• Reports writing and presentation skills.
• Planning and organisational skills.
• Ability to negotiate diplomatically.
• Ability to delegate the appropriate responsibility, accountability and decision-making authority; with regard to performance management and professional development.
• Conscientious in observing deadlines and achieving results.
• Familiarity with international and regional policy processes and policy analysis in the relevant area; and
• Proficiency in one of the AU working languages (Arabic, English, French, Portuguese and Spanish) and fluency in another AU language is an added advantage.

Leadership Competencies:

• Strategic Focus
• Strategic Risk Management
• Change Leadership
• Developing Organizational Capability.

Core Competencies:

• Teamwork and Collaboration
• Drives Accountability Culture
• Learning Orientation
• Effective Communication.

Functional Competencies:

• Conceptual Thinking
• Job Knowledge and Information Sharing
• Drive for Results
• Continuous Improvement Orientation.

Tenure of Appointment

• The appointment will be made on a regular term contract for a period of three (3) years, of which the first twelve months shall be considered as a probationary period. Thereafter, the contract will be for a period of two years renewable, subject to satisfactory performance and deliverables.

Remuneration

• Indicative basic salary of US$ 42,879.00 (P4 Step1) per annum plus other related entitlements e.g. Post adjustment ( 57% of basic salary), Housing allowance US$ 27,290.88.00 (per annum), and education allowance (100% of tuition and other education-related expenses for every eligible dependent up to a maximum of US$ 10,000.00 per child per annum), for internationally recruited staff and a maximum of $3,300 per child per annum for locally recruited staff.

Application Closing Date
31st May, 2021.