National Consultant – Trade Facilitation Portal development, Juba, South Sudan (2 Positions)

Consultant Programme & Policy Finance & Economy

Contract

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Result of Service

Output 1: Appropriate individual daily reports, 4 team action weekly plans and 1 monthly portal progress report are submitted to ITC and MoTI and validated by ITC by 30 November 2024 Output 2: Documentation of procedures in relation to the export of Coffee by road is finalised and validated by ITC and if applicable certified by 30 November 2024 Output 3: Appropriate individual daily reports, 4 team action weekly plans and 1 monthly portal progress report are submitted to ITC and MoTI and validated by ITC by 31 December 2024 Output 4: Documentation of procedures in relation to the export of Gum Arabic by road is finalised and validated by ITC and if applicable certified by 31 December 2024 Timeline: All above duties need to be completed by 31 December 2024

Work Location

Home-based

Expected duration

2 months

Duties and Responsibilities

BACKGROUND: The International Trade Centre (ITC) has a unique mandate within the United Nations system to promote and assist the competitiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in developing countries, countries in transition and least developed countries to make better use of trade as a platform for growth, development and job creation. ITC helps improving trading environments and facilitate better management of border operations, including through the implementation of the World Trade Organization (WTO) Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA). The Market Access Upgrade Programme (MARKUP II) is an initiative by the European Union (EU) and the ITC, launched in August 2023. This project aims to promote economic growth in the East African Community (EAC) through private sector development and export promotion focused on selected sectors (i.e., avocado, cocoa, coffee, essential oils, French beans, gum Arabic, horticulture, leather, packaging, spices, and tea). MARKUP Phase II seeks to enhance sustainable and inclusive intra-African trade, pan-African trade, and trade with the EU through value addition, compliance, trade facilitation, investment, technology transfer, and institutional support. Among other interventions, under of MARKUP II aims at, including the establishment of one Trade Facilitation Portal (TFP) in South Sudan. Among other interventions, the MARKUP II project is committed to support the Republic of South Sudan in establishing National TFP. This portal – jointly developed by ITC and United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) - are compliant with the requirement of WTO TFA. They also contribute to improve business competitiveness through enhanced transparency and predictability of trade formalities. On April 17, 2024, ITC and Ministry of Trade and Industry (MoTI) jointly organized a National consultation of Border Regulatory Agencies (BRA) and private sector representatives to discuss the implementation of the TFP in South Sudan. This workshop raised awareness on the platform and led to a clear consensus on the designation of the MoTI as the lead agency responsible for its operationalisation, accompanied by detailed suggestions on governance, resources, and collaboration. ITC and the MoTI, with the support of the UNCTAD, are now collaborating within the framework of Memorandum of Understanding L24-185 to establish and develop the TFP. In this context, ITC recruits National Consultants, to support the establishment and development of the TFP in South Sudan. DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES The National Consultant will work under the direct supervision of the ITC global expert on Trade and Investment Facilitation Portals, the Facilitation Officer, and overall guidance and technical direction of the Senior Facilitation Advisor both at the ITC headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. The National Consultant will provide support to the MoTI in the development of an online portal describing step-by-step the import, export, and transit procedures for cross-border trade of selected commodities. The National Consultant will be visiting all required BRAs in order to: 1. Fully ensure the mapping of relevant procedures in relation to the export of coffee by road 2. Fully ensure the mapping of relevant procedures in relation to the export of gum Arabic by road For thereafter assignments, additional product-groups will be selected based on their economic significance, trade volume, and strategic importance to the country's trade policy, as identified based on discussions with the MoTI. For this purpose, the National Consultant will undertake the following tasks: A. Initial collection of information • Identify and sequence the steps of the relevant cross border trade procedures. • Collect all pertinent information on all procedures and steps, such as: o Name of the procedure and the steps o Agent(s) in charge (with photos, addresses, working hours) o Expected result(s) for each step (notice / receipt of payment, etc.) o Document to be submitted (request form / declaration form, etc.) o Time required to complete the step (the real estimate by the authority in charge) o Cost (cost borne by the user to carry out the procedure, if applicable) o Legal basis of the procedure (applicable laws, decrees, circulars and / or regulations) o Person responsible in case of complaint (photos of the officers and offices, addresses, working hours, etc.) o Additional information (if any) B. Transfer information into the portal • Type, save, and publish all information on the portal using all required key features. • Scan, upload, save, and publish photos/documents on the portal. C. Additional information collection • Present the collected information to the agencies involved in order to fill in missing data, make necessary changes, and confirm the veracity and completion of the uploaded information. D. Review, download and finalize • Scan, download, save, and publish additional information on the portal. • Modify incorrect information, if necessary. • Address tickets/comments posted by ITC. • Finalize documentation of each step. E. Provide analysis to ensure consistency of the TFP to the respective products. • Provide analysis to ensure full consistency of the TFP in all languages of the procedures into all TFP languages (Arabic and English) F. Certification Subject to validation, after consultation with the National Coordinator and with ITC: • Print the certification form and obtain signature/certification by relevant agency when appropriate. • If necessary, organise official certification meeting to obtain signature/certification by relevant agency. G. Coordination, planning, support and reporting • Participate into regular meetings with all team members to discuss progress / difficulties and define objectives and priorities. • Share updates/reports on activities with ITC: o Daily update with 2-3 bullet points. o Every Friday, the daily update is accompanied by an action plan for the upcoming week. o Every last Friday of the month, the daily update is also accompanied by a progress report. The progress report includes achievements of the completed month, challenges/difficulties, and lessons learned/recommendations based on activities. • Draft the minutes of weekly meetings, when requested. • Support TFP activities as appropriate. Copyright Clause: The consultant has to ensure that she has obtained the necessary permissions with regard to intellectual property rights required to perform her services under this consultancy contract and for the subsequent dissemination by ITC in any form. Documentary proof is to be submitted to ITC. Should any license fee be due for the use of copyrighted materials of third parties, the consultant shall request the prior written permission from ITC. ITC champions workforce diversity, inclusion, gender equality and gender parity and considers all qualified persons - of all genders - equally, including those with disabilities, without discrimination or prejudice of any kind.

Qualifications/special skills

Postgraduate degree (MA/MSc/MBA, PHD or other) University degree in Business Administration, Information System Management, Software Development, Transport and logistics, Organizational Management, Public Administration, Law or any other related field. Minimum 12 months’ professional experience on trade facilitation and/or trade development issues Proven hands-on experience in project planning, management and monitoring. Previous work experience in managing great volumes of information and data and/or managing software and applications would be an asset REQUIRED SKILLS: Specialized knowledge of trade facilitation measures and intra-regional cross-border trade. Excellent presentation and communication skills. Good public relations, negotiation and dialogue skills. Ability to engage with public and private sector stakeholders effectively and constructively. Excellent analytical and writing skills. Ability to work independently and in a team under limited supervision. DESIRABLE SKILLS: Expertise in regulatory frameworks, customs procedures, and/or logistics in South Sudan. Logical mindset. Attention to detail. Results-focused determination and attitude. Ability to multi-task and meet tight deadlines.

Languages

Excellent written and oral communication in Arabic and English.

Additional Information

Not available.

No Fee

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.

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