Operations Officer - Trade Logistics

Job #:	122295
Title:	Operations Officer - Trade Logistics
Job Stream:	Private Sector Development
Location:	To Be Determined
Closing Date:	10/28/2012
Background / General description:
Improving the investment climate in Africa is one of three core priorities of the IFC/World Bank Group strategy in Sub-Saharan Africa. IFC manages the Investment Climate Advisory Services of the World Bank Group, which comprise staff based in the hub offices of Nairobi, Dakar and Johannesburg and across the continent, who work with a team of product specialists in Washington, DC and Istanbul. The Investment Climate Advisory Services have supporting Sub-Saharan African countries to design and implement investment climate reform programs nearly a decade, and have scaled up their efforts significantly in recent years. The programs assists client countries to implement a range of investment climate reforms, including economy-wide reforms of aspects of business regulation, supporting international trade and investment, regional integration as well as addressing obstacles to private sector investment in leading industries, such as agribusiness, infrastructure, tourism and health. The team’s objective is to support African countries’ efforts to create a positive investment climate to increase their competitiveness and private sector investment. About the Trade Logistics product The Trade Logistics product focuses on helping developing economies in improving performance indicators such as time and cost to import and export through targeted technical assistance on simplifying and harmonizing trade procedures including documentation, customs, and inspections performances, admin related policies and regulations and their enforcement, both at national levels as well as within strategic sectors such as agribusiness. This Product is being developed into a standardized and scalable product which is being rolled out in partnership with IFC regional departments, relevant WB units, other agencies and with donor support. The Investment Climate Advisory Services are seeking an Operations Officer (Trade Logistics), to be based in either Accra, Ghana or Dakar, Senegal.
Duties and Accountabilities:
• Lead the implementation of Trade Logistics projects. Tasks include, but are not limited to, management of project teams, supervision of consultants, liaison with client and donor partners, and coordination of technical inputs in project implementation. • Oversee project design for all Trade Logistics projects in West and Central Africa, to ensure that results frameworks and indicators are appropriate, that progress is being made against agreed results, and taking corrective action when necessary. • Monitor and evaluate performance using IFC’s monitoring and evaluation framework, working with M&E specialists and team staff. • Lead the dialogue with the authorities on Trade Logistics issues in West and Central Africa. • Develop and design with limited assistance new Trade Logistics projects, based on client demand and regional priorities, in collaboration with the Regional Program Manager. • Contribute to building a roster of trusted consultants in various domains of Trade Logistics technical assistance that can be mobilized in the region. • Contribute to the development of a knowledge management strategy to include a practical plan for sharing information garnered through the program. • Conduct research on related topics where appropriate. • Supervise the elaboration and finalization of written reports to clients (e.g., analysis, findings, cases, recommendations), in collaboration with the country Project Leader. • Liaise with other experts in the Trade Logistics field and assist in maintaining a network of investment policy practitioners across the Africa region. • Help identify and manage consultant teams delivering technical assistance to IFC clients, ensuring timely delivery of results according to terms of reference. • Internally process technical assistance projects, including drafting of reports, client proposals, internal approval documentation, consultants’ terms of reference and legal documents. • Actively involve the Trade Logistics Global Product team in the scoping, design, and implementation of the program.
Selection Criteria:
• A master or other equivalent advanced degree in investment law or policy, private sector development or economic policy, development economics, international development or related discipline • At least 7 years of relevant experience in the areas of trade facilitation and/or trade logistics, experience in border management, Customs, use of IT in trade facilitation and related areas would be valued • Demonstrated experience managing tasks and people. • Strong ability to collaborate with teams working in a wide range of countries and with different products; • Experience designing and implementing an institutional change program with knowledge, strategic, and operational impact within a large organization, with specifically • An ability to integrate strategic and operational activities within an organizational matrix setting; • Strong analytical, writing, and communication skills; • Previous experience with the World Bank Group’s institutional and operational procedures highly desirable; • Fluency (spoken and written) in English and French. Women are strongly encouraged to apply.
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