Technical Assistance Officer

VN Category (INT / EXT / EOI):

ExternalApplication Deadline:

05-03-2024Grade:

Job Category:

ProfessionalContract Type:

L-PostAnnual Salary:

CHF94,116.00The recruitment policy of the WTO is to seek to attract and retain staff members offering the highest standards of competence, efficiency and integrity. As an Equal Opportunities Employer, the WTO gives full regard to merit and diversity.

The Secretariat of the WTO is seeking to fill the position of Technical Assistance Officer in the Intellectual Property, Government Procurement and Competition Division ("the Division"), to contribute especially to technical assistance and related work centred on the WTO Agreement on Government Procurement and competition policy.

This is an External Vacancy Notice. This is a fixed-term contract funded through extrabudgetary trust funds. The duration will be one year with the possibility of extension up to a maximum four years, subject to availability of funds and incumbent's level of performance.

General Functions

Under the supervision of the Division Director and the Head of the Government Procurement and Competition Policy Group, and in collaboration with other senior professional staff, the incumbent will primarily coordinate and deliver technical assistance activities in the area of the Government Procurement Agreement 2012 (GPA 2012) for developing country WTO Members (including those considering or negotiating their accession to the Agreement or considering observer status in the WTO Committee on Government Procurement) and will support related work of the Committee. These activities address legal, economic and policy issues concerning government procurement law and policy within the international trade system and in domestic legal and administrative systems, with a particular focus on the needs and priorities of developing country WTO Members, and deal with the interaction between trade-related government procurement law and policy and wider development and good governance considerations. The incumbent will also contribute as appropriate to technical assistance and other activities in other areas covered by the Division, notably on competition policy and trade and health.

More specifically, the incumbent will carry out the following functions:

1. Perform a key role in the planning, coordination and delivery of WTO technical assistance activities in the area of the GPA 2012 and related policy areas, and contribute to the planning, coordination and delivery, as required, of technical assistance activities in other areas covered by the Division, including competition policy, trade and health and related intellectual property matters; and coordinate and contribute to the update and further development of training approaches and materials for technical assistance purposes.

2. Contribute to the Secretariat's assistance and advice to the WTO Committee on Government Procurement.

3. Contribute to the planning, coordination and delivery of outreach activities, focused on the needs of developing country WTO Members; ensure effective institutional and professional relationships; facilitate liaison and coordination with other relevant international and regional organizations, non-governmental organizations, academia and professional organizations, in the area of government procurement and other areas under the Division's responsibility; and ensure that the WTO's web-based information and documentation related to technical assistance are useful and up to date.

In addition and as required, the incumbent will be asked to contribute to the following functions:

4. Contribute to the provision of expert technical and policy advice to Members, governments acceding to the GPA 2012, other Divisions, senior management and other intergovernmental organizations principally regarding the GPA 2012 and related legal and policy issues as well as other areas covered by the Division, including competition policy.

5. Conduct and collaborate on research and analysis, including on the trade, development, welfare and good governance dimension of government procurement policy and of the GPA 2012 in particular, and on other matters covered by the Division, including competition policy and trade and health. Prepare inputs to selected Trade Policy Review reports on government procurement and competition policy.

6. Participate in and contribute to other activities of the Division.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education:

An advanced university degree, preferably in law, economics, international relations or a related field, including coverage of international trade/the WTO and preferably government procurement. A basic university degree in the aforementioned disciplines complemented by directly relevant professional experience that is deemed equivalent to an advanced university degree may be considered.

Knowledge and Skills:

Technical Knowledge and Skills:

Advanced knowledge of the legal, economic and policy principles underpinning the WTO and the multilateral trading system in general and very good knowledge of the legal, economic and policy principles underpinning the plurilateral GPA 2012 and related market access commitments. Good familiarity with competition policy and government procurement at the domestic level would be an asset.

Advanced drafting skills (proven ability to draft clearly, accurately and concisely reports and other technical documents dealing with complex issues requiring little, if any, revisions).

Advanced presentation skills, including an ability to speak publicly on technical subjects to a non‑technical audience.

Familiarity with Microsoft Office applications such as Word, PowerPoint, and Excel, and some familiarity with publishing in the on-line environment.

Behavioural Skills:

Planning and organizational skills, including coordination of teamwork, working on several projects simultaneously and meeting of project objectives and deadlines.

The following interpersonal skills are required: the ability to work harmoniously with others as a member of a team, while contributing independently to the team's objectives; the ability to build and maintain effective working relationships with colleagues; the capacity to communicate effectively and with tact in a multicultural international setting; and the ability to persuade others to a point of view using facts.

Work Experience:

Minimum of three years' relevant professional experience, including experience in organizing and/or delivering technical assistance or equivalent activities particularly in a trade policy setting.

Languages:

Excellent command of English, both oral and written, including the ability to carry out a technical assistance activity and the ability to prepare and review written drafts on technical matters, is essential (minimum C1 level according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR)). Ability to organize and conduct a technical assistance activity in Spanish would be an asset.

Shortlisted candidates will be assessed on their language skills as part of the selection process.

Additional Information:

Only applications from nationals of WTO Members will be accepted.

The recruitment process will be undertaken as per Administrative Memorandum No. 976 (OFFICE(16)/15) on Staff Promotions and external recruitment through Vacancy Notices.

For non-entry level positions, the position may be offered at a lower grade if the selected candidate does not fully meet all the required qualifications.

Should the successful candidate hold a regular or fixed-term contract under the regular WTO budget, the contractual status shall be changed to a one or two-year fixed-term contract in accordance with the contractual arrangement set out in the vacancy notice.

The WTO may use various communication technologies such as video or teleconference for the assessment and evaluation of candidates. The recruitment process may also involve the use of various forms of testing, assessment centres, interviews and reference checks.

Applicants may be required to sit a written examination.

Applicants will be contacted directly if selected for an interview.

Candidates not selected whose performance in the selection process nevertheless shows them to be suitable for a similar position may be kept on a roster for up to 24 months, and may subsequently be called upon as and when the need arises for additional resources.

All applicants are encouraged to apply online as soon as possible after the vacancy has been posted and well before the closing date – Geneva (Switzerland) time – stated in the vacancy announcement.

PLEASE NOTE THAT APPLICATIONS RECEIVED AFTER THE CLOSING DATE WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.

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