Trade Facilitation Director – ATIP at Abt Associates

Abt Associates, a major American research, technical assistance, and international development company, seeks highly qualified candidates for the Trade Facilitation Director position for the anticipated five-year USAID-funded Ghana Trade and Investment Activity. The project’s purpose is to improve the enabling environment for Ghana’s economic growth, including, but not limited to: i) facilitating growth in export-oriented trade; ii) improving and developing quality production standards; iii) catalyzing investments in private enterprises operating in the high-value commercial crops; iv) promoting job creation, particularly among women and youth; v) promoting economic diversification; and vi) increasing foreign exchange revenues from high-value export crops. The Trade and Investment Activity will facilitate investments in firms that trade goods across borders, spur innovation, and build the capacity of the entire trade sector. The position will be based in Accra, Ghana and is contingent upon project award to Abt Associates.

The Trade Facilitation Director will provide strategic leadership, management, and technical direction; and will support to the project team, client, and counterparts in the implementation of all project activities that will build the capcity of Ghana’s agricultural trade sector. The Trade Facilitation Director will maintain close relationships with private industry stakeholders, national and regional institutions promoting trade, and with organizations that are supporting trade logistics and those building the capacity of businesses to meet quality standards. S/he will provide expertise in trade policy, trade facilitation, improve logistics for regional and international trade and will report to the Deputy Chief of Party.

Key Roles and Responsibilities

• Liaise with relevant USAID and national-level stakeholders/counterparts to support the identification and development of effective strategies, policies, and approaches to increase Ghanain exports.
• Provide subject matter expertise as necessary to: track export market trends; analyze and identify tariff and non-tariff barriers to trade (including tax regimes, policies, phytosanitary risks and quality standards); and identify constraints and opportunities for women- and youth-owned enterprises to participate in high-value trade.
• Identify and develop opportunities to build capacity of public and private organizations, associations, and firms to advocate for policies that promote or facilitate export of high value Ghanian products.
• Identify and develop opportunities to build capacity and technical skills of exporters, to meet applicable quality standards and volume requirements, and obtain necessary certifications that will enhance the value of the exported goods.
• Identify and disseminate digital solutions and other technologies that enhance market access and efficiency in trade.
• Supervise and provide technical oversight of work conducted by the project’s technical personnel, short-term technical advisors, and subcontractors related to trade and trade facilitation.
• Coordinate with the monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) team on trade-related assessments and track progress of implementation and results.
• Other duties as assigned.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in business, agribusiness, economics/trade, or other relevant field
• Minimum of 12 years relevant work experience, including in trade policy and export promotion approaches
• Experience in leading program technical design and implementation, including managing and supervising teams, and in building local technical capacities
• Experience conducting constraints analyses, preferably in areas such as tax regimes, trade regimes, and other impediments relevant to agricultural trade/markets
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with inter-governmental or government representatives and other stakeholders including private sector representatives and trade associations, particularly at the regional level
• West Africa work experience required, Ghana experience strongly preferred
• USAID experience preferred
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Fluency in English required

Minimum Qualifications

• (10+) years of experience and a bachelor degree OR the equivalent combination of education and experience