Job details

Job title:  Programme Manager, Trade

Facilitation Line Manager title:  Director, Trade Policy and Facilitation

Grade: JG6 Direct reports: None

Department:  Trade Environment Location: Nairobi, Kenya

The Programme Manager will support the Director, Trade Policy and Facilitation in coordinating the alignment of trade facilitation practices and goals to TMA’s strategy and ensuring that trade facilitation is streamlined in all aspects of the relevant TMA’s projects and interventions. He/she will ensure establishment of clear linkages of trade facilitation to organizational objectives at both the national and regional levels. The position will involve provision of technical and operational support to border agencies in the implementation of trade facilitation initiatives such as, but not limited to Integrated Border Management (IBM), Authorised Economic Operators Schemes (AEOs), Authorised Supply Chains (ASC), Trade Procedures Re-engineering, Training and Capacity Building, among other instruments under the WCO Safe Standards Framework.

The manager will also provide technical and operational support on customs matters including customs management regulations (CMR), common tariff nomenclature (CTN) and tariffs. This will entail supporting domestication of tariff schedules, HS transposition, customs capacity building, simplification and harmonization of customs processes and procedures, customs union and single customs territory among other customs issues. Other aspects of the position will involve leading and coordinating TMA’s implementation of trade facilitation and customs arrangements emerging from trade agreements such as the WTO TFA, AfCFTA, World Customs Organization, EAC Single Customs Territory, among others.

Trade Facilitation Programme Management & Operations

• Support the Director, TP/TF formulate and implement the TMA Trade Facilitation strategy as per the prevailing Theory of Change;

• Support the Director, TP/TF to formulate and manage TMA’s trade facilitation programming at continental, regional and national levels;

• Provide technical leadership and management in the implementation of TMA’s trade facilitation projects and interventions;

• Manage the Innovations and Ideation of the next generation concepts in trade facilitation and customs; incubating them and translating them to implementable and practical solutions in addressing trade regulatory and policy challenges in the trade and business environment;

• Support TMA’s research work related to trade facilitation programming and customs– providing insights to the results and impact of TMA programming in trade facilitation;

• Manage trade facilitation projects programme delivery by ensuring good practice Project Cycle Management (PCM) in terms of project design, procurement, contract management, outcome/output-based planning, reporting and financial management, and results-oriented monitoring, learning and evaluation;

• Lead, manage and mentor trade facilitation team members, TP/TF team members and other members of the Trade Environment Department on trade facilitation matters;

• In line with TMA strategy, manage the operational/implementation technical inputs and quality assurance on TMA’s work on trade facilitation and customs in general and with specific focus on Integrated Border Management, Customs Modernization, customs management regulations, tariffs, Trade Procedures Re-engineering, Implementation of Border Stakeholders Coordination Frameworks, implementation of trade agreements, among others;

• Work closely with the Director, TP/TF, TMA regional and country offices by managing the support and operations of trade facilitation and customs programmes to enhance implementation of regionally or globally agreed trade facilitation and customs agreements;

• Contribute and support policy analysis and research, to inform trade facilitation and customs measures as well as promote dialogue among TMA key stakeholders;

• Support implementation of OSBP sustainability strategy plan detailing how current and future border operations will be sustained by lead agencies;

• Support implementation of bilateral agreements with EAC neighbouring states to create a framework of operationalising OSBPs and IBM programmes;

• Manage and Coordinate IBM/CBM related outputs and activities by liaising with Country OSBP Program managers to ensure that all border agencies implement the OSBP concept once construction work and installation of equipment for new OSBPs are completed;

• Manage and coordinate the development and implementation of Environmental and social safeguard measures management plan at TMA funded OSBPs;

• Manage the development of Key Performance Indicators at TMA funded OSBPs such as border dwell time and costs to cross to cross the border;

• Manage the exploration of potential new areas of engagement around trade facilitation, customs and regional integration that are in line with the TMA Strategic plan;

• Manage, conduct and coordinate training for purposes of operationalization of OSBPs and capacity building of border officials at all TMA funded OSBPs using OSBP board rooms at respective OSBPs;

• Support domestication of customs management regulations and tariff schedules agreed at regional and continental level;

• Support harmonization and simplification of customs processes and procedures at the regional and continental level;

• Support enhancement and upgrading of the trade information portals at national and regional level; and

• Support development and implementation of the Authorized Economic Operators schemes at the national and regional level.

• Support the Director, TP/TF to manage trade facilitation and customs capacity development activities at regional and national level (e.g., managing Communities of Practice, training, coaching, information sessions), with partner organisations and for TMA staff.

• Manage the work with country and regional teams to provide technical advice and input on trade facilitation and customs, internally and/or with partners.

• Support the Director, TP/TF to manage a regular programme of topical seminars and talks for TMA staff on research findings, from key informants on trade facilitation, customs and other trade related issues.

• Support the Director, TP/TF to manage any training programs designed for trade negotiators, private sector and civil society stakeholders to better participate and execute agreements related to trade facilitation.

• Contribute to research and knowledge materials including flagship publications, policy and research studies, economic research papers and briefs related to trade policy.

• Through training and capacity building programmes, improve and deepen TMA staff and partner organisations’ understanding of trade facilitation, customs and trade related facilitation issues.

• Manage teams in regular informal and formal reflection, knowledge sharing and learning events.

Strategy and Results

• Support the Director, TP/TF in working with Knowledge & Results to carry out trade data analysis to assess the impact of TMA support towards enhancing trade facilitation in the regions of TMA operations.

• Use trade data and policy analysis to identify and draw linkages between trade facilitation, customs and infrastructure development programs with a view to informing operational options, enhancing effectiveness of TMA interventions and/or informing strategic decisions.

Communications

• In collaboration with the Communications team, provide material for publication, demonstrating results and good practice in TMA’s work especially around flagship trade facilitation and customs projects.

• Provide information and data towards the preparation of reports and communication materials.

Partnerships.

• Manage strategic and general partnerships with key organizations, stakeholders and partners including national Government agencies and international and regional non-governmental, private sector and civil society organisations with a focus on trade facilitation and customs dialogue, trade capacity building and sharing of knowledge and best practices.

• Support the Director, TP/TF develop and maintain strong working relationships with the heads of Trade, customs and Trade facilitation teams in Regional Economic Communities, particularly the EAC, IGAD, AfCFTA and other multilateral trade organizations such as WTO, WCO, UNCTAD, ITC and EIF as well as non-governmental trade organisations.

• Manage TMA’s contributions and inputs to the Aid for Trade, work around post Bali WTO TFA and other trade related discussions at regional and global levels, working closely with all relevant Directors and teams across TMA.

• Apply the highest standards of controls and risk management practices and behaviours and embed a positive risk and control culture.

• Demonstrate prudence, sound judgement and appropriate and timely escalations in management of all types of risk (including fraud risk) applicable to my role.

• Understand and comply with the relevant end-to-end processes including applicable risks and controls.

• Seek to identify, understand and escalate risk events/incidents/ issues on a timely basis focusing on fixing root-causes and taking ownership of identified mitigating actions.

• Complete all relevant mandatory trainings within the stipulated timelines.

Organisational positioning

Senior Director,

Trade

Environment

Director, Trade

Policy and

Facilitation (JG4)

Manager, Trade Facilitation (JG6)

Manager, Trade Policy (JG6)

Academic qualifications, technical knowledge and experience

• An undergraduate or postgraduate degree in the areas of Commerce, Business Administration, Economics, Management, International Trade Policy, International Customs Law and Administration or related field with equivalent experience in areas of Trade Policy or Customs/Trade Facilitation issues with 7 years working experience.

• Undergraduate degree holders will have at least seven (7) years of relevant working experience (at least five (5) years of relevant working experience working in Trade Policy/Customs/Trade Facilitation related matters.

• Significant work experience with cross border agencies and work experience in an international multicultural environment.

• Good understanding of the multilateral trading systems and their implication to regional integration.

• Experience working with regional economic communities required.

• A good understanding of trade facilitation and customs context under regional integration in East and Southern Africa as well as the AfCFTA.

• Good understanding of the dynamics of trade facilitation and customs impacting trade at national, regional and at the global levels.

• Very good understanding of the multilateral trading systems and their implication for regional integration.

• Significant knowledge of the trade and development needs of developing countries.

• Good understanding of trade facilitation, infrastructure and transport/logistics.

• Good understanding of Customs and its related trade and transport interfaces.

• Experience in working with private sector and civil society to deliver trade capacity support and to support trade facilitation related advocacy.

Additional/background information

TMA’s intervention under the trade facilitation portfolio will assist EAC Partner States, IGAD, COMESA, SADC and AfCFTA Member States to deepen their integration agenda, align national legislation to regional and continental instruments, harmonize and simplify customs procedures and processes, and streamline their operational cross border procedures to ease intra-regional trade as well as that with the rest of the world. This shall contribute to TMA’s mission of Growing Africa’s prosperity through trade.

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