National Project Coordinator at the International Trade Centre (ITC)

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.

We are recruiting to fill the position position below:

Job Title: National Project Coordinator

Location: Lagos
Employment Type: Full-time
Travel: within Nigeria.

Background

• The International Trade Centre has started implementing a new project in Nigeria named "Improving SPS compliance to boost export capacity". The three-year project is financed by the WTO-Standards and Trade Development Facility (STDF) and seeks to reduce the number of rejections of Nigerian cowpea and sesame exports at international borders through better compliance with Maximum Residue Levels of pesticides and avoidance of Salmonella contamination in the targeted value chains. ITC is leading the implementation of the project with a national partner, the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) which is the Federal Government of Nigeria's apex institution for the promotion, development, and diversification of exports.
• The project goal is to contribute to increased income generation through the supply of high quality and safe agricultural products for international and regional markets. High value and regional market access shall be enhanced for Nigerian agri-food producers, processors, and exporters through improving the management of pesticide residues as well as pathogenic-micro-organisms and thus supplying high quality and safe agri-food products. Compliance to food safety standards, institutional support and capacity building will lead to responsible consumption, sustainable agriculture, and production. The Compliance to Codex Alimentarius standards will also reduce trade costs and fewer border rejections.

The project logic expects to achieve this goal through the implementation of three Outputs:

• Regulatory, quality control and traceability system for pesticides strengthened for the two selected agricultural value chains
• Enhanced capacity of project beneficiaries regarding management of pathogenic micro-organisms, pesticide residue management and compliance with international and regional quality and food safety requirements
• An effective public-private dialogue has been established and is used to share and discuss information on pesticide management and microbiological contamination for cowpeas and sesame.
• The project seeks a qualified National Project Coordinator to lead the execution of the project in Nigeria on part time contract (14 days a month). Office space will be provided at the NEPC HQ premises in Abuja.

Description of Duties / Responsibilities
The National Project Coordinator will work under the overall supervision of the Project Manager, DECI/SEC, ITC, and together with the National Project Assistant and the National Lead Expert on SPS in Nigeria. He/she will work in consultation with a number of national and international short-term consultants to undertake the following activities in direct support to the technical implementation of project outputs:

• Manage operational aspects for the organization and effective running of project events including training workshops, project steering committee (PSC) meetings, bilateral courtesy and technical meetings, inbound/outbound missions, by:
  • Preparing documents and materials, technical meeting schedules in liaison with project stakeholders.
  • Providing relevant information and expertise for the set-up and running of events.
  • Planning, mobilizing participants, facilitating logistics, including the preparation, collection and dissemination of documents and material, and the collection of inputs, records and minutes (list of participants, programs, material, promotion, evaluation, reports).
  • Following-up with the various event parties for the undertaking. processing, and completion of the events.
• Maintain communication flows with project team members, stakeholders, and beneficiaries, by managing information and requests related to project activities, events and meetings.
• Produce and maintain a contacts database of all project stakeholders incl. from the public and private sectors, project partners and beneficiaries in Manila and provinces, other development partners active in the areas of support of the project, etc.
• Produce and maintain an events table with all meetings, events, workshops and project activities including dates, resource persons, evaluation and monitoring documents, including financial and in kind- contributions to project activities
• Produce technical project meeting and discussion summaries as inputs for follow-up and monitoring by the project team under the various Outputs.
• Prepare content for project progress reports (incl. monthly reports for ITC Headquarters), quarterly and annual reports.
• Contribute to project monitoring and reporting, by adjusting/finalizing and disseminating project monitoring tools and materials such as evaluation forms/surveys; collecting, extracting and compiling qualitative and quantitative data from project teams, activities reports and project beneficiaries; reviewing final project reporting materials.

Expected Outputs and Timelines

• Monthly report on activities undertaken (by the 10 of each following month)
• Data for project monitoring collected from project beneficiaries, project materials and with project teams, and compiled (by the 10 of each following month)
• Technical events/meetings documents and materials prepared and sent to project stakeholders (May 2024 to October 2024)
• Technical project events/meetings organized (May 2024 to October 2024)
• Event/meeting minutes and discussion summaries produced (May 2024 to October 2024) 6. Monthly budget reports produced and submitted to ITC (by the 10 of each month)
• Project contact database updated (May 2024 to October 2024)
• Project event database updated (May 2024 to October 2024)
• PSC and output technical working group meetings prepared and conducted as required, with minutes of the meetings submitted and validated by ITC (May 2024 to October 2024)

Requirements
Education:

• Postgraduate Degree (MA / MSc / MBA, PhD or other). Advanced university degree in Agriculture, Science, Management, or a related field. Extensive relevant experience may be accepted in lieu of the university degree.

Work experience:

• In-depth knowledge and at least 10 years of substantial experience in international trade and project management, particularly in Nigeria. At least 10 years of experience in SPS related trade matters, ideally with a focus on food safety and plant health.

Language:

• Excellent spoken and written English
• ITC champions workforce diversity, inclusion, gender equality and gender parity and considers all qualified persons of all genders equally, including those with disabilities, without discrimination or prejudice of any kind.

Skills:

• Sound experience in project management support
• Excellent client relationship skills
• Very good organizational and communication skills
• Some understanding of results-based project management and reporting functions
• Excellent computer skills and proficiency in Microsoft Office software
• Ability to work in a multicultural environment
• Team spirit
• Ability to work under minimum supervision with efficiency, competence and integrity and in harmony with people of different cultural and national background.

Appliaction Closing Date
4th June, 2024.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should send their Resume and motivation letter to: [email protected] and cc: [email protected] and [email protected] using the Job Title as the subject of the mail.