Trade Expert (ECOTRADE)

Location: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Organization: Expertise France

Deadline: 22 August 2025

Job Description

Trade Expert (ECOTRADE) (M/W)

Mission description

1)      General objective

To provide technical assistance that will ensure the active implementation across all 4 (or possible 5) Strategic Objectives of the Project.

 

2)      Specific objectives

• Capacity Building

o   Support with the organisation of training programs, hands-on workshops and advisory services for SMEs and women-led businesses

o   Support in the development of practical tools and resources

• Facilitate Public-Private Dialogues

o   Diagnose the capacity of the public and private sectors to engage in the implementation of the AfCFTA

o   Coordinate workshops to facilitate exchanges between the public and private sectors

• Provision of Technical Assistance

o   Provide technical support in the implementation of activities across all components of the Project

o   Provide technical support in reviewing and promoting policies related to all components of the Project

• Stakeholder Engagement

o   Support with the establishment of the Project’s governance mechanisms (including the setting up and coordination of the Project’s Steering Committee and other Project internal technical committees)

o   Support the Project Team in developing and maintaining effective relationships with all relevant stakeholders and introduce relevant stakeholders to the Project Team

o   Support the Project Team in formalizing partnership agreements (mainly MoUs) with concerned stakeholders

• Monitoring and Evaluation

o   Support the development and structuring of the Project’s M&E framework

o   Contribute to project monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) through reporting and feedback

o   Draft the knowledge management strategy for the Project

 

The service provider must provide this service in line with the agreed procedure and timelines of Expertise France:

 

Methodology and Tasks

• Review relevant project documents (to be shared once contracted)
• Participate in an Inception Meeting with the ECOTRADE team and other stakeholders to define expectations
• Ensure consistency with Expertise France and EU implementation guidelines.
• Hold intermittent meetings with ECOTRADE, where required, to track progress of work

 

1)      Anticipated deliverables (not exhaustive)

1.       Develop training manuals, tools and resources

2.       Execute needs assessments and support with capacity building interventions to address these needs

3.       Leverage on Public-Private Dialogue for Results (PPD4R) mechanism to create forums in facilitating exchanges between the public and private sector

4.       Provide technical assistance to support the implementation of Project activities

5.       Advise and support the Project Team on the establishment of the Project’s Steering Committee

6.       Facilitate stakeholder engagements and support in formalizing agreements with concerned stakeholders

7.       Contribute to the Project’s monitoring and evaluation functions, knowledge management and reporting

 

Note:

1. The above Deliverables are indicative.
2. Specific Deliverables with actual deadlines will be indicated in respective Purchase Orders that will be issued for each assignment under this Framework Agreement.
3. All deliverables must be submitted in English and follow the EU’s standard format for project documents (templates will be shared).

 

2)      Coordination

The expert will work under the direct supervision of Mrs. Meron Dagnew, Team Leader of the ECOTRADE Project. This will be the service provider’s sole contact person for Expertise France

E-mail: Meron.Dagnew@expertisefrance.fr.

Coordination with the Ministry of Trade and Regional Integration (MoTRI), Private Sector Associations and other stakeholders may be required.

 

 

Project or context description

The ECOTRADE Project is a four-year initiative (2025–2029) funded by the European Union and implemented by Expertise France. It supports Ethiopia’s implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), with a focus on strengthening institutional capacity, promoting private-sector-led regional value chains, and supporting knowledge systems.

The rationale behind the Project and its focus on supporting the implementation of the AfCFTA in Ethiopia with a focus on the private-led value chain development (VCD) approach is based on the following elements :

• Ethiopia, with the fastest-growing youth population, stands to benefit the most if the country implements trade facilitation measures that cuts red tape and simplifies customs procedures for the private sector. Nevertheless, it requires expertise in various areas to guide policymakers and chain actors in the implementation of the AfCFTA.
• In countries such as Ethiopia, which are affected by fragility and conflict, the private sector plays a critical role in providing jobs, income, and stability. Hence, providing technical support to private sector players to build their internal capacity to start trading across borders, or increase their trade volumes, or/and geographical coverage is paramount and must take centre stage.
• The Private Sector will need to be capacitated to increase their readiness across various strategic sectors to take advantage of new opportunities unfolding under the new single market that the AfCFTA creates.
• The promotion of value chains is a complex challenge within the realm of private sector development and beyond; therefore, the potential of such interventions for local economic development and poverty reduction through trade in value added and RVCs is significant.
• Promoting value chain development is increasingly being recognized as a promising approach to address not only economic development, decent job creation, equitable and inclusive growth, but a wider range of social and environmental development issues, thus able to legitimise stronger efforts to support private sector development.
• Increasing openness to AfCFTA will lead to higher competitive pressure on regional but also on Ethiopian domestic markets. This regional integration, where production and trade relationships are nowadays much more coordinated, leaves less space for individual firms and small enterprises to design, produce, and market on their own. Thus, it is important to understand how to integrate in value chains in a way that allows for incorporation of a growing number of the workforce and increasing levels of productivity and incomes for SMEs and women-led businesses.

 

The Project currently has four (4) Strategic Objectives (SOs), with the possibility of a fifth to be added (implementation of the Digital Trade Protocol).

The 4 SOs are:

• Specific Objective 1: The private sector is actively engaged alongside the government to support the AfCFTA’s successful implementation
• Specific Objective 2: Regional value chains are integrated, and trade/transport connectivity is facilitated with a focus on increasing women’s participation in commercial and logistics processes
• Specific Objective 3: Relevant authorities in the implementation of the AfCFTA are supported
• Specific Objective 4: Academic institutions and research institutions are supported

 

In line with the above, the ECOTRADE Project is seeking to engage the services of Trade Experts within a Framework Agreement to support with the structuring and implementation of these interventions.

Required profile

• Advanced degree in International Trade, Economics, Business, or related field.
• Minimum 5 years’ experience in private sector development, trade policy, or international development.
• Proven experience with SME capacity building, export promotion, value chain development, and public-private dialogue (preferably in Africa).
• Excellent communication, facilitation, and report writing skills.
• English required; Amharic an asset.

Additional information

The expert will work under the direct supervision of Mrs. Meron Dagnew, Team Leader of the ECOTRADE Project. This will be the service provider’s sole contact person for Expertise France

E-mail: Meron.Dagnew@expertisefrance.fr.

 

Coordination with the Ministry of Trade and Regional Integration (MoTRI), Private Sector Associations and other stakeholders may be required.

Selection criteria for applications

The selection process for candidates will be based on the following criteria :

• Candidate’s training/skills/experience
• Candidate’s knowledges related to local context (country or region intervention)

Deadline for application : 2025/08/22 23:55.

 

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