Principal Officer - Trade in Services (AfCFTA)

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AU Values

• Respect for Diversity and TeamWork • Think Africa Above all • Transparency and Accountability • Integrity and Impartiality • Efficiency and Professionalism • Information and Knowledge Sharing

Organization Information

Reports to: Head of Trade In Services Division Directorate/Department: Trade In Services Number of Direct Reports: 0 Number of Indirect Reports: 0 Job Grade: P4 Contract Type: Fixed-term Location: Accra, Ghana

Purpose of Job

The staff is responsible for coordinating and leading technical activities under the AfCFTA Protocol on Trade in Services, including services trade negotiations, implementation, stakeholder engagement, and capacity-building programmes, in support of the Division's strategic objectives.

Main Functions

• Provide technical support in the implementation of activities under the AfCFTA Protocol on Trade in Services and related initiatives.
• Coordinate and contribute to services trade negotiations and the implementation of negotiated commitments by State Parties.
• Contribute to the design and development of strategies, policies and programmes in alignment with the Directorate’s objectives and priorities.
• Support the development and implementation of the Division’s business continuity plan and risk mitigation measures.
• Develop and maintain strategic partnerships with State Parties, Regional Economic Communities (RECs), development partners, private sector organizations, and other relevant stakeholders.
• Conduct research, policy analysis, and monitoring developments in trade in services to inform the Directorate’s work and policy recommendations
• Develop technical guidance notes, training materials, reports and other knowledge products to support implementation of the AfCFTA Protocol on Trade in Services.
• Represent the Division or Directorate and contribute technical expertise at meetings, conferences, negotiations, and other regional and international fora, as required.
• Contribute to resource mobilization efforts and the implementation of projects and programmes under the Division.

Specific Responsibilities

• Assist the Head of Division in the preparation and implementation of the Division’s Annual Action Plan and related programmes and activities under the AfCFTA Protocol on Trade in Services including the development of offers and scheduling of commitments. • Provide technical support to State Parties in the negotiation and implementation of commitments under the AfCFTA Protocol on Trade in Services. • Support capacity building initiatives for State Parties and stakeholders on all technical and legal aspects of trade in services. • Contribute to the development, management, and implementation of technical assistance programmes and projects relating to trade in services negotiations including the development and finalisation of offers and draft schedules of specific commitments in the different services sectors. • Conduct research, policy analysis, and prepare technical papers, reports, briefing notes, and recommendations on trade in services issues. • Prepare progress reports on trade in services negotiations including on the schedules of specific commitments, and technical inputs on trade in services matters, for inclusion in the Secretary-General’s annual report and other institutional reporting processes. • Develop training materials and deliver technical assistance, workshops, and training programmes on trade in services issues, including the development of offers and finalization of draft schedules of specific commitments for State Parties and relevant stakeholders. • Formulate advice and recommendations for State Parties on matters relating to trade in services negotiations, especially the work related to schedules of specific commitments. • Coordinate and provide technical support to the Committee on Trade in Services, its Sub-Committees, technical working groups, and related negotiation processes to ensure their smooth and effective functioning.

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• Provide targeted and specialized technical support to the Sub-Committee on Specific Commitments, other relevant Sub-Committees and the Committee on Trade in Services in:
  1. Assessing and monitoring of market-access and national treatment commitments undertaken by State Parties and ensuring that they are consistent with the relevant requirements of the Protocol on Trade in Services.
  2. Evaluating the compliance of the Schedules of Commitments of State Parties to the requirements of Article 22 of the Protocol on Trade in Services;
  3. Establish a mechanism for the removal of restrictions on trade in services under the AfCFTA Protocol on Trade in Services;
  4. Monitoring the removal of State Parties’ non-conforming measures and barriers to trade in services in their Schedules of Specific Commitments;
  5. Ensuring that compensatory adjustments offered by State Parties during the proposed modifications of their Schedules of Specific Commitment are made on a most-favoured-nation basis;
  6. Carry out consultations on the ongoing processes at national and regional levels on domestication of commitments made under the AfCFTA Protocol on Trade in Services, and adoption of new, or significant modification of existing, measures by State Parties;
  7. Proposing activities for technical assistance and capacity building to support the negotiations on trade in services and implementation of the Schedules of Specific Commitments of State Parties;
  8. Preparing annual reports on the status of the Schedules of Specific Commitments by State Parties to facilitate the negotiation of additional Commitments and the implementation, monitoring and evaluation of existing Commitments; and
  9. Carrying out any other functions assigned by the Committee on Trade in Services in furtherance of the objectives of the Protocol on Trade in Services.
• Represent the Division in meetings, negotiations, conferences, workshops, and stakeholder consultations, as required
• Carry out any other tasks, as may be assigned by the Head of Division as may become necessary

Academic Requirements and Relevant Experience

• Master’s degree in international trade, development economics, international relations, international business, international law, political science or relevant disciplines
• 10 (ten) years of relevant and progressively responsible experience out of which 6 (six) should be at managerial or expert level involving at least 3 (three) years supervisory role OR
• Bachelor’s degree in international trade, development economics, international relations, international business, international law, political science or relevant disciplines.
• 12 (twelve) years of relevant and progressively responsible work experience out of which 6 (six) and 3 (three) years of experience should be at managerial or expert level and in a supervisory role respectively.

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, Spanish and Swahili) and fluency in another AU language is an added advantage.

Leadership Competencies

Developing Others

Strategic Insight

Change Management

Managing Risk

Core Competencies

Building Relationship

Fosters Accountability Culture

..Learning Orientation

Communicating with Influence

Functional Competencies

Conceptual Thinking

Job Knowledge and Information Sharing

Drive for Result ....

Continuous Improvement Orientation

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TENURE OF APPOINTMENT:

The Appointment will be made on a fixed-term contract for a period of one (1)/ two (2) years, of which the first six (6) months will be considered a probationary period. Thereafter, the contract may be renewed up to two times based on positive performance assessment and subject to the availability of funds.

GENDER MAINSTREAMING:

The AU is an equal opportunity employer, and qualified women are strongly encouraged to apply.

LANGUAGES: Proficiency in one of the AU working languages (Arabic, English, French, Kiswahili, Portuguese, and Spanish) is mandatory, and fluency in another AU language is an added advantage

REMUNERATION:

The salary attached to the position is an annual lump-sum of US$ 115,147.00 (P4 Step 5), inclusive of all allowances for internationally recruited staff, and US$ 98,199.34, inclusive of all allowances for locally recruited staff of the AfCFTA Secretariat.

-Applications must be submitted no later than 07 July 2026, 11:59 p.m. UTC. -Only candidates who meet all job requirements and are selected for interviews will be contacted. -Consideration will be given only to those candidates who have submitted a fully completed online application with a curriculum vitae (CV), an African passport, and the required academic qualifications, such as Diplomas, Bachelor's degrees, Master's degrees, and any relevant certificate in line with the area of expertise. -Candidates from less-represented countries within the African Union are strongly encouraged to apply for positions that fit their profiles. These countries include Algeria, Angola, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Comoros, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Eswatini, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Mali, Morocco, Namibia, Niger, Sahrawi D.R., Sao Tome and Principe, Seychelles, Somalia, and Tunisia.

Requisition ID: 3019