DAI East Africa TIH Project Senior Agricultural Trade Expert Job in Nairobi Kenya

East Africa Trade and Investment Hub

Scope of Work: Component 2 Lead - Senior Agricultural Trade Expert
 

Background: The East Africa Trade and Investment Hub (TIH) project is intended to spur inclusive economic growth by promoting an enabling environment for trade and investment and increasing East African trade and investment, particularly to and from the United States. 

The project will build upon prior investments to increase regional trade competitiveness and reduce poverty.
 

Objectives and Duties: The Senior Agricultural Trade Expert will provide leadership and day-to-day management for activities to increase the competitiveness of selected regional agricultural value chains. 

S/he will work to design and lead strategies to address broad-based policy changes to advance regional integration and agricultural growth, including increasing the predictability of the policy environment, reducing tariff and non-tariff trade barriers, and supporting the approval and implementation of harmonized standards. 

S/he would also guide TIH’s technical assistance to improve the competitiveness of staple value chains focusing on promoting financing and trading mechanisms, facilitating commercial partnerships, and supporting the evolution of sustainable market information systems and ICT to promote regional trade and increase profitability for farmers and private-sector businesses.

The Senior Agricultural Trade Expert will be responsible for, but not limited to, the following detailed tasks:

• Design and lead strategies to improve the enabling environment for agriculture, including providing support to partner-country governments and regional economic communities to harmonize trade, facilitate harmonization and implementation of science-based food safety and nutrition standards, and support improved regulations on warehousing and financing systems that increase farmer income and increase trade opportunities;
• Oversee technical assistance to improve the regional competitiveness of commodities throughout the value chain, including facilitating commercial partnerships, and supporting the evolution of sustainable market information systems and ICT to promote regional trade and increase profitability for farmers and private-sector businesses.
• Work with producers and enterprises across East Africa to develop their capacity to identify and respond to regional and international business opportunities in the potential value chains;
• Facilitate strategic, commercially viable partnerships between value chain actors; and
• Facilitate private sector engagement and investment among various levels of target value chains including but not limited to producer, processor, wholesaler and exporter levels.

Qualifications:

• Minimum Bachelor’s degree required, Strongly preferred Master’s degree or equivalent in international trade, agricultural economics, public policy, business administration, agricultural development or related area or equivalent.
• At least ten years of relevant experience, five of which shall be in developing countries, preferably in Africa.
• At least five years of experience (strongly preferred over five years of experience) related to developing an enabling environment for agricultural investment and trade.
• Demonstrated ability in policy development and in providing technical assistance in implementation.
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with institutional and private sector partners and stakeholders in a multi-country setting.
• Excellent English writing, speaking, reading, with good communication skills.
• Ability to use the latest ICT technology and computer software program.

Supervisory Responsibilities: The Senior Agricultural Trade Expert will supervise the Component 2 team, including the agricultural trade specialist, the staple food markets specialist, and the agricultural trade advisor. 

Base of Operations:  Nairobi, Kenya
 

Reporting: The Senior Agricultural Trade Expert will report to the Chief of Party.

Interested candidates should e-mail their CV to EastAfricaTrade@dai.com.

Candidates must reference the position for which you are applying in the subject line of the email. 

CVs are due by September 18th, 2014.

No phone inquiries will be accepted and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.