Junior Professional Officer (Sector Development Methodology, Monitoring and Data Collection), Geneva

Closing date: Sunday, 26 April 2015

Junior Professional Officer

Sector Development Methodology, Monitoring and Data Collection

International Trade Centre

Closing date: 26 th April 2015

General information

Title: Junior Professional Officer, Sector Development Methodology, Monitoring and Data Collection

Country: Switzerland

Location (City): Geneva

Agency: Division of Market Development/Sector Competitiveness (DMD/SC) Duration of Assignment: Initially one year with the possibility to extend up to 3 years Grade: P1 step 1 or P2 step 1 in the first year, depending on the level of education and relevant working experience

Note

This post is opened in the context of the Junior Professional Officer (JPO) scheme sponsored by the Government of the Netherlands and is addressed exclusively to candidates from developing countries. Candidates MUST BE NATIONALS OF DEVELOPING COUNTRIES THAT APPEAR ON THE LIST OF THE FOLLOWING ELIGIBLE COUNTRIES FOR THE DUTCH JPO PROGRAMME: http://www.nedworcfoundation.nl/pdf/List%20of%20eligible%20developing%20countries%20- %202015.pdf

For criteria see the website of Nedworc Foundation: http://www.nedworcfoundation.nl/Index.htm?hoofdpath=/NL/JPO/General%20Information.htm&ho ofdhash

Please read the criteria and FAQ section carefully before considering applying

Duties, responsibilities and Output Expectations

General

The International Trade Centre (ITC) is a joint agency of the United Nations and the World Trade Organization, focusing in particular on developing the export capabilities of small and medium-sized businesses in developing and transition economies. ITC is 100% 'Aid for Trade', supporting trade that delivers inclusive and sustainable development results.

The Sector Competitiveness section of the ITC is composed of five teams: Product Sector Development, Cotton Fibre Textiles Clothing / Netherlands Trust Fund - phase III (NTF III), Services Sector Development, Trade and Environment and Poor Communities and Trade. The JPO will work primarily with the Products Sector Development team and the Cotton Fibre Clothing Textiles / NTF III but also have a cross cutting role serving all five teams in conceptualizing sector development and in ensuring consistency across the portfolio.

The JPO will have varied interactions with experts on all of the teams as well as with the Chief The goal of this position is to support the Chief SC to build on the learnings of NTF III and other projects to ensure SC develops and maintains a common approach to project design, implementation, management, monitoring and collecting data and reporting and support other projects outside the section also to benefit from these tools.

Responsibility

The Junior Professional Officer will:

• Participate in research, analyses, design and development of SC approaches with test implementation in the field.
• Assist with implementation, monitoring and evaluation activities for projects including reviewing relevant documents and reports, identifying problems and issues to be addressed, proposing appropriate actions and incorporating back into SC's overall approaches, services and products;
• Perform consulting assignments, in collaboration with the client, by planning facilitating workshops, through other interactive sessions and assisting in developing the action plan the client will use to manage the change.
• Assist in policy development, including the review and analysis of issues and trends, preparation of evaluations or other research activities and studies.
• Undertake survey initiatives, designs data collection tools, review, analyse and interpret responses, identify problems/issues and prepare conclusions.
• Prepare various written outputs, e.g. draft background papers, analysis, sections of reports and studies, inputs to publications, contributes to the design of new projects.
• Support Chief, SC on outreach activities, conduct training workshops, seminars, etc., make presentations on assigned topics/activities.
• Participate in or lead field missions, including provision of guidance to external consultants, government officials and other parties and drafting mission summaries.
• Coordinate activities related to budget and funding (programme/project preparation and submissions, progress reports, financial statements) and prepare related documents/reports (pledging, work programme, budget, financial monitoring and controls, etc.).
• Perform other duties as required.

Training component:Learning elements and expectations

On completion of the assignment, the Junior Professional Officer will be expected to have acquired a clear understanding of trade related technical assistance

Through the assignment, the Junior Professional Officer will:

• Gain knowledge of trade related technical assistance project implementation.
• Work closely with ITC senior thought leaders on refining and disseminating ITC's approach to sector development.
• Carry out field visits in order to gain a better understanding of ITC's work on the ground.
• Liaise with other sections to get a wider understanding of trade development.

The JPO training programme includes the following learning elements:

• The Junior Professional Officer will be involved in design and implementation of trade related technical assistance projects/programmes.
• Junior Professional Officer will have the opportunity to work at some level on the entire portfolio of Sector Competitiveness and of Sector Development projects. Specific projects and countries include: - Fiji : Improving Key Services to Agriculture and Livestock - Uganda and Kenya : Improving Export Competitiveness in IT/ITES Sectors - Kenya : Improving Export Competitiveness in the Avocado Sector
• The JPO position includes a Duty travel and training allowance (DTTA) of $4000 per year which may be used for learning activities related to the assignment and career development

Supervision

Supervisor: the JPO will work under the overall supervision of the Director, Division of Market Development, and direct supervision of the Chief, Sector Competitiveness,

Content and methodology of supervision

The JPO will, in collaboration with their Chief, prepare a personal work plan which will identify the key objectives and actions to be achieved as well as a personal development plan for the JPO. It is expected that the JPO will work independently to a large extent however, the Chief will be on hand to provide coaching and mentoring when required. In addition to regular informal feedback the Chief will provide formal feedback to the JPO through the performance appraisal system. Following an agreed work plan a performance discussion will take place mid-term and then a final evaluation discussion will take place at the end of year review.

Required Qualifications and Experience

Education

• Advanced university degree in economics, business, international development or international relations or related field.

(Note: A first level university degree in in economics, business, international development or international relations or related field and at least 3 years of relevant professional experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.) Part of the candidates' academic training must have taken place in a developing country that appears on the following list of eligible countries of the Dutch JPO Programme. http://www.nedworcfoundation.nl/pdf/List%20of%20eligible%20developing%20countries%20- %202015.pdf

Working experience

• Preferably two with a maximum of 4 years of relevant professional experience conceptualizing and implementing development programmes preferably in trade.
• Field experience in developing countries is a plus.

Languages

• Advanced English and working knowledge of French or Spanish.
• Knowledge of other UN official languages is an asset.

Mandatory knowledge and skills

• Good communication skills including drafting and writing of technical reports
• Ability to quickly summarize difficult topics
• Ability to work in a team
• Tact and diplomacy dealing with individuals in a multi-cultural setting, both internally and externally
• Knowledge of economic development and trade, developing countries

Desirable knowledge and skills

• Project writing and logical framework design
• Knowledge of export marketing and management
• Theory and practice of sector development (e.g. value chain development or cluster competitiveness)
• Knowledge of technical issues related to specific sectors

Background information on Agency/Department/Section

The Sector Competitiveness Section (SC) manages sector-wide transformation bringing companies, institutions and government together, formulating strategy and helping envision and manage wide- scale change. SC provides product and market intelligence, builds linkages to global value chains, develops direct linkages between buyers and sellers and provides sector specific advice on value chain optimization and innovation. SC also provides advice on improving sustainability of value chains, resilience and adaptation to climate change. Finally, SC is particularly focused on connecting poor communities to global markets. SC supports four main focus area in ITC:

• Connecting to value chains: SME competitiveness, diversification and links to export markets
• Strengthening trade and investment support institutions
• Promoting and mainstreaming inclusive and green trade
• Strengthening trade and investment support institutions

Netherlands Trust Fund - phase III (NTF III) is a programme cutting across the products and services teams focused on building sustainable exporter competitiveness in four countries (Myanmar, Bangladesh, Uganda and Kenya) and four sectors (outsourcing, tourism, horticulture and coffee). The programme is a collaboration between ITC and the Dutch Centre for the Promotion of Imports (CBI) focused generating additional trade and creating jobs. It uses an integrated approach to sector competitiveness built around for output areas:export strategy and planning; (ii) building institutional capacity of support institutions within the sector; (iii) improving performance of exporting companies and (vi) build new contacts and technical collaborations between exporters and buyers. NTF III has developed a number of planning, monitoring and technical tools which can be used across the section and across ITC.

Other programmes in SC such as Trade and Environment, Poor Communities and the products team have also built approaches that should be further shared beyond the programmes in areas such as project monitoring and evaluation, public private partnerships, geo-localization of project beneficiaries and other areas.

How to apply

For information on how to apply please click here. Or copy the following web link in your browser: HTTP://WWW.INTRACEN.ORG/ITC/ABOUT/WORKING-WITH-ITC/ITC-CAREERS/HOW-TO-APPLY/

Applicants will be contacted only if they are under serious consideration. Applications received after the deadline (26th April 2015) will not be accepted.