TradeMark Southern Africa Jobs

TradeMark Southern Africa (TMSA) is a GBP100m programme, funded by the UK’s Department for International Development, supporting the regional integration processes of East and Southern Africa. It works in support of the activities of the COMESA-EAC-SADC Tripartite process. This mainly involves supporting the design and planned implementation of the COMESA-EAC-SADC Free Trade Area, improving economic competitiveness of the region and reducing costs of cross-border transactions through a transport corridor approach addressing both trade facilitation issues and infrastructure constraints. TMSA functions under the legal and fiduciary auspices of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA).

Duty Station

This position is based in the TMSA Programme Management Unit, Pretoria, South Africa.

The Position

Customs and Border Processes Expert

The Customs and Border Processes Expert will be responsible for coordinating COMESA-EAC-SADC Tripartite customs related aspects of the TMSA work programme with specific responsibility for the implementation of the Integrated Border Programme in countries that are part of the North South Corridor.

Responsibilities

The Customs and Border Processes Expert will perform the following tasks:

• Facilitate and coordinate technical support for the implementation of a customs modernisation programme through the Tripartite Task Force;
• Coordinate and support SADC Secretariat and the Member States in the implementation of Integrated Border Management Projects;
• Develop and implement work programmes in the areas of customs capacity building, customs reform and modernization and improved border post operations
• Provide secretarial and technical support to the Tripartite Trade and Customs sub-committee and assist with implementation of its work programme; and
• Perform any other relevant tasks and activities as determined by the TMSA Programme Director and Deputy Programme Director.

In executing these functions the Customs and Border Processes Expert shall work under the guidance of the Programme Manager responsible for Customs and Trade Related Issues and shall work closely with the Programme Managers for Trade Policy based at the PMU and in COMESA, EAC and SADC Secretariats.

Qualifications and Competencies

The Customs and Border Processes Expert should have the following skills and experience:

• A relevant degree in economics, international trade or development studies and at least 5 years of relevant experience of dealing with customs, regional integration and trade related issues in Southern and East African countries. In particular, the Expert should have intimate knowledge of customs, trade impediments and other trade facilitation issues affecting the southern and eastern Africa countries;
• Well conversant with the regional integration agenda, particularly the regional trading agreements and factors affecting the flow of traded goods across border crossings;
• Excellent report writing and analytical skills including high proficiency in office software packages.
• Ability to communicate at all levels; and
• Must be a team player. The ability to work as one of a team of professional staff from different nationalities and backgrounds is of considerable importance.

Reporting

The Customs and Border Processes Expert shall report to the TMSA Programme Director through the Programme Manager, Customs and Trade Related Issues on all matters.

Contractual Terms

The successful candidate will be contracted by COMESA on a fixed-term contract up to the end of the TMSA programme in November 2014. The contract may be renewed or renegotiated subject to approval by DFID of a programme extension beyond November 2014.

Industrial Development Expert

Duty Station

This position is based in the TMSA Programme Management Unit, Pretoria, South Africa.

The Position

The Industrial Development Expert will be responsible for identifying, coordinating and implementing TMSA project interventions that support the COMESA-EAC-SADC Tripartite Industrial Development work programme, with particular emphasis on improving region-wide regulatory regimes, administrative processes and procedures and / or incentive structures for increased regional competitiveness.

Responsibilities

• The Industrial Development Expert will perform the following tasks:
• In close collaboration with the Deputy Programme Director and Programme Manager M&E, identify, prepare and manage the implementation of project interventions in the TMSA work programme;
• Provide technical and Secretariat support to the Tripartite Industrial Development sub-committee and assist with the implementation of its Work Programme.
• Collaborate with development partners, multilaterals and private sector organisations to maximise financial and technical support to the Tripartite Corridor Work Programme and minimise duplication of effort;
• Provide technical support to the industrial development agendas of the Regional Economic Communities; and
• Perform any other activities as determined by the TMSA Programme Director and Deputy Programme Director.

In executing these functions the Industrial Development Expert shall work under the guidance of the Deputy Programme Director and Programme Manager M&E and shall work closely with the Programme Managers for Industrial Development based at the PMU and in COMESA, EAC and SADC Secretariats.

Qualifications and Competencies

The Industrial Development Expert should have the following skills and experience:

• A relevant Master’s degree in Economics, Law, International trade or Development Studies
• At least 5 years of relevant experience in operations and/or research related to private and financial sector development in Southern and East African countries. In particular, the Expert should have a strong understanding of substantive issues in comparative institutional and regulatory analysis in southern and eastern Africa countries;
• Well conversant with the regional integration agenda, particularly the regional trading agreements and factors affecting the flow of traded goods across border crossings;
• Excellent report writing and analytical skills including high proficiency in office software packages.
• Ability to communicate at all levels; and
• Must be a team player. The ability to work as one of a team of professional staff from different nationalities and backgrounds is of considerable importance.

Reporting

The Industrial Development Expert shall report to the TMSA Deputy Programme Director.

Programme Manager Corridors

Duty Station

This position is based in the TMSA Programme Management Unit, Pretoria, South Africa.

The Position

The Programme Manager Corridors will be the lead coordinator responsible for developing and implementing strategic transport corridor approaches and project interventions in the region, including infrastructure and transport facilitation measures.

Responsibilities

The Programme Manager will be mainly responsible for the day-to-day management and coordination of the COMESA-EAC-SADC Corridor Work Programme. This will include identifying and managing strategic programme interventions aimed at improving operational efficiencies along key transport corridors in the region.

The Programme Manager will perform the following tasks:

• In close collaboration with the Programme Director and Tripartite Task Force Infrastructure Sub-Committee, identify, prepare and manage the implementation of project interventions;
• Provide technical and Secretariat support to the Tripartite Infrastructure sub-committee and assist with the implementation of its Corridor Work Programme, covering roads, rail, border posts, ports, ICT and energy;
• Collaborate with development partners, multilaterals and private sector organisations to maximise financial and technical support to the Tripartite Corridor Work Programme and minimise duplication of effort;
• Support and advance transport facilitation agendas of the Regional Economic Communities; and
• Perform any other activities as determined by the TMSA Programme Director and Deputy Programme Director.

In executing these functions the Programme Manager shall also work closely with the TMSA Programme Manager Infrastructure, and the Tripartite Project Preparation and Implementation Unit (PPIU).

Qualifications and Competencies

The Programme Manager should have the following skills and experience:

• A relevant degree in economics or engineering
• At least 5 – 10 years of relevant experience of management transport or logistic systems in developing countries
• Well conversant with the regional integration agenda, particularly the regional trading agreements and factors affecting the flow of traded goods across border crossings;
• Excellent report writing and analytical skills including high proficiency in office software packages.
• Ability to communicate at all levels; and
• Must be a team player. The ability to work as one of a team of professional staff from different nationalities and backgrounds is of considerable importance.

Reporting

The Programme Manager shall report to the TMSA Programme Director.

Programme Lead, Mozambique Regional Gateway Programme (MRGP)

Background

The MRGP is jointly funded by DFID Mozambique and DFID Southern Africa over 5 years from October 2011 to March 2016. DFID Southern Africa provides funds in support to a regional component of the programme to help ensure that transport corridor developments translate into trade benefits for Mozambique’s landlocked neighbouring countries (Zambia, Malawi, Zimbabwe and Botswana).

The regional component of the MRGP has three specific outputs: conducting studies and projects to support the improvement of landlocked countries links and access to energy, roads and railways of the Beira and Nacala corridors completed and implemented; project preparation financing to bring projects to bankable stage completed; and donor coordination through the Tripartite’s Nacala and Beira corridor groups in order to establish a common regulatory environment strengthened. The regional component is implemented through a Programme Management Unit that functions under the legal and fiduciary auspices of COMESA.

The Position

DFID Southern Africa is looking for a Programme Lead, who will have responsibility for the overall implementation of the MRGP’s regional component. This position is based at the Programme Management Unit (PMU) offices, Pretoria, South Africa, housed at TradeMark Southern Africa, Pretoria. The position’s salary is taxable by the South Africa Revenue Service.

Period

As soon as possible. Contract: 3 years renewable until end of March 2016.

Responsibilities

The Programme Lead will need to perform the following tasks:

• Management of the PMU in order to achieve the outcome and deliver the outputs.
• Preparation of the MRGP annual work programmes, quarterly and annual reports, log frames and cost estimates;
• Overseeing implementation of all MRGP projects and technical assistance contracts
• Management coordination with other donors, Regional Economic Communities, Development Finance Institutions and private sector entities.
• Performing any other relevant tasks and activities.

Mandatory Qualifications and Experience

• A relevant degree, such as business administration, engineering + business administration, infrastructure/trade economics.
• At least 10 years of relevant experience in regional integration, infrastructure and trade issues in Southern or East African countries.

Preferred Experience: proven track record of:

• successfully managing large government or donor-financed programmes and strong programme cycle management skills; and
• successfully managing a multi-disciplinary team of experts in a donor-financed programme.

Application Process

Applications and CV’s must be submitted on-line at www.trademarksa.org. Candidates who do not meet the specific qualification and experience criteria need not apply. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Applications close on 31 July 2012.

In case you are unsuccessful using the online application form, please send your contact details and CV to info@trademarksa.org.

Recruitment application form