Southern Africa Trade and Investment Hub (SATIH) Recent Job Opportunity

The USAID Southern Africa Trade and Investment Hub engages with partners across the region to increase sustainable economic growth, global export competitiveness, and trade in targeted Southern African countries. It supports these objectives by (a) increasing exports from Southern African countries to South Africa, (b) increasing exports from targeted Southern African countries to the United States (under the African Growth and Opportunity Act [AGOA]), (c) boosting capital and technology flows from South Africa to other Southern African countries, and (d) providing targeted trade facilitation support to Zambia.

The Hub works with market actors to identify and resolve enterprise constraints and to implement sustainable solutions through market-based trade and investment facilitation services. The Hub’s programming closely reflects the U.S. Government’s partnership with Southern African private enterprises, U.S. government agencies, Southern African Development Community (SADC) member states, local and regional trade associations, and other development partners. The Hub partners with the USAID Bilateral Missions through the Regional Mission in the successful delivery of its objectives.

 

 

Job Title: Zambia Trade Facilitation Agreement Program Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures Specialist
Location: South Africa

Purpose of Activity

The Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Specialist will coordinate with government stakeholders, the private sector, and civil society organizations, to design, and support the implementation of SPS measures that are enabled through the SADC Trade Facilitation Program, the Tripartite Trade and Transport Program, the World Trade Organization (WTO) Trade Facilitation Agreement and other international and regional trade protocols and agreements.

Responsibilities and Tasks

The SPS Specialist will provide the following support through the Zambia Trade Facilitation Agreement (ZTFAP) Project under the Hub:

• Technical assistance to the Zambian private sector to support them to voluntarily comply with SPS standards
• Guidance on mobilizing Zambian private sector resources for the development of testing and inspection capabilities
• Technical assistance to Zambian SPS authorities to domesticate the SPS Annex to the SADC Protocol on Trade
• Support in the review and customization of a phytosanitary information database in Zambia based on the WTO model
• Strengthen the Zambia National SPS Committee
• Coordinate capacity building efforts with relevant partner organizations to address SPS related threats to trade, and support stakeholder consultations and trainings
• Collaborate within the Hub to identify specific topics of critical interest (e.g., customs clearance, transport and logistics issues) for private sector partners in line with Hub objectives.
• Provide input to annual work plans, weekly reports, quarterly and annual reports, success stories, briefs, and any other communication needs requested by the project
• Provide inputs on reporting on performance targets and results for the Zambia Buy-In team, as outlined in the USAID/Southern Africa approved project monitoring and evaluation plan (PMEP), as agreed with the Hub Zambia Country Representative
• Submit trip reports within the prescribed time.
• Undertake other tasks as assigned by the Hub Zambia Country Representative.

Deliverables

• Organize and conduct workshops to inform the private sector on best practices in SPS as guided by international standards and best practices.
• Provide African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) program manuals/exporter toolkits to exporters and extension officers.
• Establish accredited laboratory services.
• Conduct training-of-trainers.
• Review existing SPS Committee mandates and conduct a gap analysis.
• Design and development of an SPS Committee strategic plan.
• Assistance to implement the SPS strategic plan.
• Undertake needs assessment of industry SPS testing capabilities in Zambia.
• Establishment of an innovation investment partnership fund that will facilitate the creation of accredited laboratory services in Zambia.
• Support the review and validation of Zambian SPS legal texts.
• Design and development of a Zambian pest database.

Qualifications:

• At least Master’s degree in Agricultural Safety and Health, and relevant disciplines, preferable with SPS expertise;
• Substantial knowledge on Trade analysis, SPS regulations and measures, product standards, and accreditation system;
• Specific knowledge on SPS in SADC region is a strong asset;
• More than 5 years of working experience on SPS related to agricultural commodities, preferable with Feed the Future value chains;
• More than 5 years of working experience with international agencies and programs;
• Record of conducting analysis of Non-Tariff measures/ SPS survey;
• Experience implementing the WTO’s Trade Facilitation Agreement;
• Previous experience working on international development projects with a preference for running or starting up USAID projects in the field will be an advantage; and
• Ability to organize, present, and disseminate information, and to draft clear and concise documents with minimal supervision.

Supervisory Responsibilities

The SPS Measures Specialist will support relevant short-term consultant assignments in liaison with the ZTFAP Trade Facilitation Advisor.

Reporting & Performance 

The SPS Measures Specialist will be based in Lusaka, Zambia and will report to the Hub Zambia Country Representative.

To apply

Send applications, including a cover letter explaining your desire to join the DAI team, CV and three references to SATIH-Recruitment@dai.com. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

 

Application Deadline: December 23, 2019