Historique

About the International Trade Centre
The International Trade Centre (ITC) is the joint agency of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the United Nations (UN). It is the only multilateral agency fully dedicated to supporting the internationalization of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). ITC's mission is to foster inclusive and sustainable growth and development through trade and international business development. ITC Headquarters is located in Geneva, Switzerland.

ITC projects and programmes contribute to the global efforts to achieve UN Global Goals for Sustainable Development and the Aid for Trade agenda.

ITC works at three levels:

• Strengthening the integration of the business sector of developing countries and economies in transition into the global economy;
• Improving the performance of trade and investment support institutions for the benefit of small and medium size enterprises (SMEs), and enhancing the abilities of trade support institutions to better support them;
• Improving the international competitiveness of SMEs.

About the “STRENGTHENING THE AGRICULTURE AND AGRI-FOOD VALUE CHAIN AND IMPROVING TRADE POLICY IN IRAQ” project 

ITC will be implementing the project “Strengthening the agriculture and agri-food value chain and improving trade policy in Iraq” between 2020 and 2025. This project, funded by the European Union, aims to contribute to inclusive growth and job creation, particularly for youth for Iraq citizens. It seeks to enhance the trade competitiveness of Iraq’s agribusiness value chain, while improving the country’s trade policy.
The principal government counterpart for this project is the Ministry of Trade. Additional project counterparts are the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Planning, and the Federation of Iraq Chambers of Commerce, among others.

Project objectives:

• Overall objective: Contribute to inclusive economic growth and job creation, particularly for youth in Iraq.

Project outputs (expected results) :

• Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME) competitiveness and sustainability strategies are designed for high-potential products targeting domestic markets;
• Productive and commercial value chain alliances and capacities of MSMEs to compete effectively enhanced;
• Increased capacities of the enabling business environment to better support value chain competitiveness (with a particular emphasis on the improvement of knowledge and skills for employment among youth);
• Iraq’s trade policy is improved for enhanced performance and value chain competitiveness.

Project team:
A Project Management Team (PMT) will be established to oversee daily activities, manage and track budget and resources, provide administrative oversight, including monitoring and compliance, and manage relationships with key partners.

The PMT is composed of

• The ITC headquarter-based Project Manager and Technical Lead who guide and coordinate technical and programmatic, administrative and financial aspects of the project in close collaboration with ITC Project Output Leaders, other international organizations and designated national counterparts;
• ITC technical officers/experts for the project outputs are responsible for the implementation of specific project activities under each output. All activities are implemented under the supervision of the ITC HQ Project Manager, in close coordination with the National Project Office and jointly with national partners and stakeholders;
• A Project office in Baghdad with international and national resident staff. The office will house three professional staff, namely a Project Coordinator, a Value Chain Expert and a Business Environment Adviser, as well as a Project Administrative Assistant. The team will be supported by three additional part-time staff: a Communication Specialist, a Monitoring and Evaluation Expert and a Security Referral. The office will assume coordination and day-to-day management and will also extend technical support to project implementation. The office will equally be the outreach, communication and development of working relations with stakeholders.

The Value Chain Expert will work under direct supervision of the National Project Coordinator and overall supervision of the ITC HQ Senior Project Manager. The full-time Value Chain Expert, based in Baghdad, Iraq, will oversee project-planning, implementation and assume day-to-day coordination with ITC HQ and national focal points at the Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Trade and other counterparts.

Devoirs et responsabilités

Under the direct supervision of the National Project Coordinator and overall supervision of the ITC HQ Senior Project Manager, the Value Chain Expert / Deputy Coordinator will be responsible for – inter alia - the following duties:
Management

• Assist the National Coordinator in supervising project teams towards implementation of the project’s work plan acting as a deputy in the preparation of detailed project implementation plan and activity- and partner-based budget for the entire project period.

Coordination:

• Maintain regular communication, ensure good information sharing; liaise with the relevant government departments, ministries and private sector institutions to obtain support for project implementation;
• Ensure synergies during project implementation, coherence with partners and beneficiaries' needs and expectations as well as with relevant projects in Iraq;
• Keep abreast with developments in the country and identify synergies and opportunities with other projects and initiatives.

Inception phase and value chain research:

• Support the design of surveys questionnaires and overall research design by providing quality inputs specifically relevant to the needs of SMEs in the targeted sub-sectors / value chains;
• Provide technical advisory support in the subsequent selection of agricultural commodities;
• Lead the implementation of value chains assessment in country using quantitative and qualitative data to identify gaps and develop recommendations on how to improve the selected value chains and enhance the impact:
  • Conduct value chain analyses for each of the selected commodities in targeted areas. The value chain assessments will entail: the agronomic production profiles (e.g. agricultural management practices, land ownership and use practices); value chain mapping (key stakeholders, flow of supplies and products, flow of funds and information, etc.); functional analysis of each value chain (profiling of industry structure, adoption of skills, technology and innovation); climate change implications; economic analysis of potential opportunities to add value along the chain; and policy and institutional conditions necessary to create suitable enabling environment for value chain development;
  • Based on the above tasks, contribute to the identification of constraints and barriers (financial, technology, infrastructure, human resources/skills, marketing, regulatory, policy, institutional) that must be addressed to enable the development of the value chains.
• Support the identification of farmers-MSMEs and youth collective actions in view of supporting the development of appropriate models for entrepreneurship initiatives or P&P strategic alliances in agribusiness; Coordinate local implementation and ensure satisfactory timely delivery of the SME and farmer Competitiveness surveys overseeing activities of project consultants and local partners;
• Coordinate local implementation and ensure satisfactory timely delivery of the market study and consumers’ survey, which will consist in a series of assessments of demand and market conditions for products within selected value chains including analysis of input and output markets, structure and dynamics between actors, procurement processes, related standards, existence of monopolies, identification of lead firms, etc.;
• Technical backstopping and quality control ensuring quality of the data collected and proper analysis considering the context;
• Organize and co-facilitate farmers group discussions (FGDs) and multi-stakeholder consultations ensuring that feedback from key stakeholders is reflected in the final draft;
• Lead the drafting of the inception report with particular focus on the agribusiness-related chapters.

Technical guidance

• Technical supervision of locally recruited consultants/experts ensuring that their deliverables are timely and meet expected quality standards;
• Technical backstopping and quality control regarding partners work, including regular monitoring visits of projects activities and written reports shared with the project team;
• Provide ground intelligence to technical leads in the process of output design;
• Provide technical inputs required by the project team and experts;
• Provides substantive support to consultative and other meetings, conferences, etc., to include proposing agenda topics, identifying participants, preparation of documents and presentations, etc;
• Participates in or leads field missions, including provision of guidance to external consultants, government officials and other parties and drafting mission summaries, etc.

Communication

• Ensure sufficient project visibility and respect of communication guidelines throughout project activities;
• Document project monitoring visits and share pictures or short videos on a regular basis;
• Participate in outreach activities; designs and conducts training workshops, seminars, etc., makes presentations on assigned topics/activities.

Reporting and accountability:

• As a Deputy assist the National Project Coordinator in ensuring compliance of rules and procedures thus guaranteeing smooth operation of the project including staff management, budget management, activity and results monitoring, project progress reporting, and compliance with UN and EU regulations;
• Contribute to progress reports against the project monitoring and results framework, including undertaking/coordinating information and data collection;
• Identify risks to project implementation and propose/put in place mitigation actions.

Maintenance of records:

• Maintain up to date records of all project-based activities and documents.

Undertake any other tasks agreed with the ITC HQ Project Manager, in support of efficient implementation of the project.

Compétences

ITC’S VALUES are: Integrity, Professionalism, Respect for Diversity

ITC’S CORE COMPETENCIES are: Communication, Teamwork, Planning & Organizing, Accountability, Creativity, Client Orientation, Commitment to continuous learning, Technological awareness.

ITC’S MANAGERIAL COMPETENCIES are: Vision, Leadership, Empowering Others, Managing Performance, Building Trust, and Judgment/Decision making.

unctional Competencies:

• Proven leadership and strong project management and coordination skills;
• Excellent interpersonal and conflict-resolution skills and ability to establish and maintain effective partnerships in a multicultural, multi-ethnic environment and respects diversity;
• Strong writing skills, with analytical capacity and ability to synthesize project outputs and relevant findings for the preparation of quality project reports;
• Build strong relationships with clients, focus on impact and result for the client and respond positively to feedback;
• Ability to work with accuracy under time constraints and pressure in a stressful environment; with patience, tactfulness, maintain confidentiality, take initiative and exercise good judgment;
• Consistently approach work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude.

Qualifications et expériences requises

Education and Work experience:

• Master’s degree in Agricultural Economics, Agricultural Development or Development Economics with a specialization in Agriculture and at least 2 years of practical experience in the field of agriculture and rural development in Iraq, especially related to agricultural enterprise development. The Expert must also have experience with value chain analysis, having conducted at least two value chain assessments as the lead consultant; strong knowledge of private sector operations in agribusiness;
• Proven experience in project management, administration or related field. Bachelor’s degree with additional 2 years of relevant experience will be accepted in lieu of Master’s degree;
• Experience in working with government and/or private sector counterparts would be an advantage;
• Knowledge of the UN system and procedures or experience of EU-related projects would be an asset;
• Previous experience with the UN System would be an asset.

Language Requirements:

• Advanced English with excellent written and oral communication skills is essential;
• Fluency in Arabic is required.

Required knowledge and skills:

• Demonstrated knowledge of challenges to trade and private sector development in Iraq;
• Demonstrated knowledge of challenges constraining farmer groups and MSME competitiveness in Iraq;
• Well-versed in techniques of value chain diagnosis;
• Demonstrated knowledge of demand and market conditions for agribusiness products in Iraq;
• Knowledge of relevant project management methodologies and techniques;
• Very good understanding of public and private trade support institutions in Iraq and their mandates as well as of private sector needs and expectations in Iraq;
• Good research, assessments and M&E skills;
• Good result-based management skills;
• Strong drafting and communication skills.

Note:

- Open for Iraqi Nationals only.
- The shortlisted candidates only will be informed of the next steps of  the recruitment process.