Job Description
Selection criteria for applications
The selection process for candidates will be based on the following criteria :
- Candidate’s training/diplomas related to the expert assignment
- Candidate’s skills linked with the expert mission
- Candidate’s experiences linked with the expert mission
- Assessment of the candidate’s skills in the sought-after domain
- Candidate’s understanding of the mission’s role in the cooperation project
The African Union Commission (AUC) Department of Economic Development, Trade, Tourism, Industry and Minerals (ETTIM) through its two Directorates is undertaking the development and harmonization of policies and programmes in supporting the implementation of continental frameworks such as the AU Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs) strategy, African Commodities Strategy, the AU Action Plan for Boosting Intra-African Trade (BIAT) and supporting the operationalization of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). These are namely; (1) Economic Development, Integration and Trade (EDIT) responsible for issues on trade policy development, and (2) Industry, Minerals, Entrepreneurship and Tourism (IMET).
It is against this context, and based on priorities identified by the African Union Commission (AUC), Department of Economic Development, Trade, Tourism, Industry and Minerals (ETTIM), that Expertise France, proposes to provide technical assistance to the Department, through facilitating the recruitment of three youth volunteers. Under this programme, the youth volunteers will be assigned roles to support the implementation of key industrialization and trade policy frameworks under the mandates of the two Directorates. These interventions are envisaged to positively impact on the sustainability of the AfCFTA implementation process. The volunteers will thus, provide specialised technical support in three specific areas informed by identified strategic current, emerging and future technical needs of the EITTIM Department, to enhance its mandate towards. This is part of the broader AUC continental human capital development programme that targets youth for ongoing mentorship in various fields/sectors, to better prepare them to effectively participate into Africa’s social, economic and political development agenda. The Youth Volunteers will be integrated into the Department’s work flow, delivering targeted technical support, informed by an agreed Work Plan developed in close collaboration with the Department.
The youth Experts will have the following professional profiles: (1) Junior Communications Officer; (2) Junior Private Sector Development Officer; and (3) Junior Trade, Tourism and Natural Resources Officer.
The Youth Experts will work under the direct supervision of the Head Division of Industry, Innovation and Minerals. While the majority of the tasks are on-site, work within the EITTIM Department at the AUC, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, the youth volunteers may be requested to travel as part of the duties and responsibilities. In order to achieve the above-mentioned objective, the three youth volunteers will be assigned to deliver the following roles;
Communications Officer:
The Junior Communications Officer will perform the following tasks:
- Assist in the development and design of advocacy materials for dissemination of continental industrial and trade development related policy frameworks and initiatives in African continent;
- Develop digital assets for multimedia and graphics projects, including websites, advertising, animation, emails and social media;
- Documenting industrial related events and uploading quality material on various media platforms;
- Designs any new dissemination materials and content generated to enhance advocacy for the Department and generating awareness/visibility guided by the Brand Guidelines and African Union Communications Policy;
- Assist with community building and engagement of African Media Houses to maintain good relationship with the Media;
- Maintain proper archiving and documentation of media assets generated over time;
- Maintain the database of communication target audience;
- Supports the implementation of the overall communications and advocacy strategy and to contribute to the development and review of corporate advocacy plans and programme; and,
- Support program planning, implementation, coordination and follow-up as appropriate; and further perform other duties as required by ETTIM management.
Junior Private Sector Development Officer;
The Junior Private Sector Development Officer will perform the following tasks:
- Support the implementation of the African Union Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) strategy, the Accelerated Industrial Development of Africa (AIDA), through working with Member States, and regional economic communities to promote domestication of these key continental industrial development frameworks;
- Support investment promotion, private sector and entrepreneurship development, and explore ways to leverage technology and innovation for accelerated socio-economic development in Africa;
- Design programmes to enhance the role of regional Business Membership Organizations (BMOs)/ Chambers of Commerce and Industry in driving continental industry and trade policy advocacy in the context of the AfCFTA implemenation;
- Work with the Department to map business climate related constraints across the continent to enhance market intelligence gathering for enhanced mobilization of regional cross border investment capital, and regional value chain development;
- Support the organization of the 14th Edition of AU Private Sector Forum as well as Business Forums with partners;
- Assist in the preparation of a continental programme for women and youth entrepreneurship development in Africa;
- Assist in the development of a continental strategy with Regional Economic Communities (RECs) for quality and sustainable investment in Africa; and
- Perform other duties and tasks that may assigned by the supervisor (s).
Junior Trade, Tourism and Natural Resources Development Officer.
The Junior Trade, Tourism and Natural Resources Development Officer will perform the following tasks:
- Assist in the Department’s work flow focused on the development of regional, and continental trade policy to enhance implemenation of the AfCFTA agreement;
- Provide assistance to the Department in its work with Member States to facilitate Trade Facilitation and Customs Administration Measures under BIAT Action Plan;
- Participate in thematic research initiatives covering trade policy, trade facilitation, trade barriers, with a view to improve the continetal trade regime, as well as provide objective trade policy reforms at MS, and regional level, in the context of the AfCFTA implemenation;
- Provide administrative support during the organization of strategic Departmental events such as the Africa Integration Day, and the 3rd Intra-Africa Trade Fair (IATF);
- Provide programme support for the operationalization of the AU Action Plan for Boosting Intra-Africa Trade (BIAT) Agenda;
- Assist in packaging and promoting urban tourism products among the domestic and regional market;
- Provide assistance in developing a roadmap for mobilization of investments in the tourism sector to accelerate Africa’s inclusive socio-economic development and contribute towards expanding opportunities for Africa on the global Tourism value chain;
- Provide assistance to the Department’s workflow in the area of natural resources development, with special focus on mineral resources development (mineral beneficiation), oil and gas to promote resource-based regional value chains in the continent.
- Provide technical assistance in strengthening the continental networks of Commodity producers in the Minerals, Agriculture, Energy, oil and gas sectors; and
- Perform other duties and tasks that may assigned by the supervisor(s).
Core Competencies
- Ability to communicate clearly;
- Ability to write clearly and concisely;
- Be committed to work;
- Ability to work harmoniously in a multi-cultural environment; and
- Possess the highest standard of moral conduct and integrity
Expected Duration
- This placement is expected for an initial period of twelve (12) months, upon signature of the contract.
Project or context description
The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), conformed by 54 of the 55 African countries, is the first step to achieve the objective of a continental single market. With a journey that started in March 2018 in Kigali, Rwanda, when the AfCFTA Agreement was opened to signature, significant milestones have been registered that include 46 ratifications of the Agreement to date, and recent endorsement of the Competition Policy, Investment and Intellectual Property Rights Protocols, by the 36th AU Ho/SG Summit on the 19th of February, 2023. This landmark agreement offers significant promise for the continent’s transformation, and will open up new economies of scale and create stronger foundations for economic diversification.
The AfCFTA is expected to boost intra-African trade, to promote structural transformation and to generate significant employment opportunities in Africa, especially for women and young people. Despite the high political momentum and the strong economic rationale, realizing the AfCFTA will require strengthening institutional capacities to complete negotiations and to implement and honor the agreements, with the active involvement of the private sector and effective cooperation between stakeholders at continental, regional and national level.
Description of the TE TAF
The Team Europe Technical Assistance Facility to support the AfCFTA and Continental Economic Integration (TE TAF) seeks to contribute to the African economic Integration agenda through mainly the realization of the AfCFTA. It has two specific objectives: (1). Secretariat – with focus on strengthening the institutional capacity to coordinate negotiations, as well as provide oversight on the implementation of the Agreement, and (2). to be an efficient, reactive and flexible mechanism to answer to the needs of the African Union (AfCFTA Secretariat, AUC and some AU Specialized agencies), RECs, AU Member States and other potential continental partners and regional private sector organizations, working on fostering the AfCFTA and economic continental integration.
The AU Commission, specifically the Department of Economic Development, Trade, Tourism, Industry and Mining (ETTIM), plays a key role in the implementation of the AfCFTA, providing continental trade, and industry policy oversight and coordination responsibilities, to drive harmonization of legal instruments across member states. Output 2 under TE – TAF, focuses on; The Capacity of AUC to advance Continental Economic Industrial Policies complementary to the AfCFTA is strengthened. In line with this Output, ETTIM has been driving implementation of key industrialisation and trade policy frameworks under the agenda 2063’s works streams that include the Accelerated Industrial Development of Africa (AIDA), AU SME Strategy, Africa Union Commodity Strategy, the Boosting Intra – African Trade (BIAT), and the Africa Mining Vision.
During the period November 2022 to January 2023, an ETTIM – TAF 2023 Joint Work Programme has been developed, and is now under implementation.
Description of the TE TAF
The Team Europe Technical Assistance Facility to support the AfCFTA and Continental Economic Integration (TE TAF) seeks to contribute to the African economic Integration agenda through mainly the realisation of the AfCFTA. It has two specific objectives: (1). Secretariat – with focus on strengthening the institutional capacity to coordinate negotiations, as well as provide oversight on the implementation of the Agreement, and (2). to be an efficient, reactive and flexible mechanism to answer to the needs of the African Union (AfCFTA Secretariat, AUC and some AU Specialized agencies), RECs, AU Member States and other potential continental partners and regional private sector organizations, working on fostering the AfCFTA and economic continental integration.
Funded by the EU, Agence Française de Development, the German Ministry of Development Cooperation (BMZ) and Sweden, the Team Europe Technical Assistance Facility will be implemented by GIZ, Expertise France, and FIAPP under the guidance of the AfCFTA Secretariat. The TE – TAF is implemented through the Project Management Unit (PMU), based at the AfCFTA Secretariat, in Accra, Ghana, whose mandate is to mobilize technical assistance to deliver interventions that foster to enhance implementation of the agreement. Each implementing partner agency (Expertise France, GIZ and FIIAPP) is represented in the PMU.
Required profile
Qualifications for the Youth Volunteers’
The Youth Volunteers will be selected on a competitive basis, and meet the following criteria for the each of the targeted role;
Communication Officer;
- Must have obtained a Bachelor’s degree or an advanced/ post graduate (Masters) qualification in a related academic field, preferably in Communication and mass media; Public Relations; Marketing, and Journalism;
- Good understanding of brand Communication, media dissemination platforms including social media, knowledge in digital marketing techniques and effective communication on digital platforms;
- Experience in development of audio-visual content for advertising, blogging, and content development.
Junior Private Sector Development Officer
- Must have obtained a Bachelor’s degree or an advanced/ post graduate (Masters) qualification in a related academic field, preferably in Economics, International Trade, and Business Administration.
- Experience in the Private Sector Development (including SMEs development, enterprise development, investment promotion, and export development.)
- Familiarity with African Union policy frameworks such as the Accelerated Industrial Development of Africa (AIDA), AU SME Strategy, relevant experience with Regional Economic Communities, and private sector organizations, in the context of driving Africa’s structural transformation initiatives (industrialisation), will be an added advantage.
Junior Trade, Tourism and Natural Resources Development Officer.
- Must have obtained a Bachelor’s degree or an advanced/ post graduate (Masters) qualification in a related academic field, preferably in International Trade; Economics, Tourism and Hospitality, Natural Resource Management, and Mineral Resource Development.
- Experience in the trade policy analysis and research, tourism development, and natural resource management.
- Knowledge of the Africa Union Commodity Strategy, the Boosting Intra – African Trade (BIAT), and the Africa Mining Vision is an added value.
- Knowledge of the Africa Union continetal development framework, such as BIAT, and the AfCFTA Agenda will be an added advantage.
Experience and other key requirements.
- Be nationals of a Member State of the African Union.
- Have a minimum of 1 year volunteerism/ work experience in national, regional or international organization in the relevant filed of work targeted for the specific Youth Volunteer role (Communication; Private Sector development and Trade, Tourism and natural resource development)
- Be fluent in at least one of the African Union working languages (Arabic, English, French or Portuguese);
- Be no more than thirty-five (35) years of age at the time of selection; and
- Possess the highest standard of moral conduct and integrity.
Required Skills
- Proficient computer skills (MS Word, Excel and Power Point);
- Proficiency with e-mail and internet applications;
- Good interpersonal skills;
- Ability to communicate both orally and in writing;
- Proficiency in one of the AU officials working languages (French, English, Portuguese, Arabic, Spanish, and Kiswahili) and fluency in another AU language(s) is an added advantage.