Technical Advisor (Trade Harmonization)

Job Description

Land O’Lakes Venture37 Bangladesh is seeking a highly experienced, competent, and results-driven expert in the field of cross-border Trade Harmonization and Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) to join the Bangladesh Trade Facilitation project as the Technical Advisor – Trade Harmonization. The Technical Advisor will lead BTF project activities related to (i) creating opportunities for growing agricultural exports, (ii) increasing participation of GoB and Bangladeshi stakeholders in international organizations, and (iii) improving/standardizing import and export procedures.

Background:

Land O’Lakes Venture37 is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit helping communities around the world build economies by strengthening agriculture from farm-to-fork, helping businesses grow, and linking farmers to markets. Since our start in 1981, we have been leveraging nearly 100 years of expertise in crop inputs, agricultural insights, dairy and animal nutrition from our close affiliate, Land O’Lakes, Inc., a farmer-owned agribusiness in the United States committed to fulfilling its purpose of feeding human progress.

Project Description:

United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)-funded Bangladesh Trade Facilitation project (BTF) will expand regional and international trade in agricultural goods by addressing systemic constraints to agricultural trade at Bangladeshi ports; simplifying and automating import and export processes; improving the capacity of government agencies, laboratories, and warehouses; and by fostering private and public investment in temperature-controlled logistics and cold storage facilities. The project aims to reduce trade costs, increase transparency, and enhance the capacity of relevant government agencies involved in facilitating trade of food and agricultural products. The project activities include improving infrastructure, introducing new technologies, and providing training and capacity building to relevant stakeholders.

Position Summary:

The Technical Advisor – Trade Harmonization leads implementation of BTF activities to ensure Bangladesh’s protocols, systems, and procedures are science and evidenced based, follow international best practices, and are consistent with international protocols. Working closely with Government of Bangladesh (GoB) agriculture and food regulatory and trade promotion agencies and with food and agriculture industries, the Technical Advisor manages project initiatives to (i) build opportunities to expand agricultural exports, (ii) increase participation of GoB and Bangladeshi stakeholders in international organizations , and (iii) improve/standardize import and export procedures. The Technical Advisor actively and collaboratively contributes to BTF strategy development and adaptation and manages project interventions, including identifying and managing international and Bangladeshi specialists who develop policies, manuals, and action plans and who deliver training and share knowledge and know-how. The Technical Advisor advises and guides Government to implement the improved procedures and practices and develops strategies for BTF to monitor and track the results of project interventions.

The position is based in Dhaka, Bangladesh, with frequent travel to visit ports, quarantine stations, and agricultural and food businesses’ production and processing centers.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Coordinate, manage, and monitor project activities that harmonize trade procedures and systems and increase export compliance.
• Coordinate and facilitate delivery of technical advice to Government of Bangladesh agencies and relevant industry associations on market and sanitary and phytosanitary measures (SPS) compliance issues that affect export trade.
• Collaborate with Government of Bangladesh officials, expert domestic and international consultants, and other stakeholders to identify opportunities to improve SPS systems, and protocols.
• Develop and promote strategies with BTF’s counterpart agencies to ensure adoption of sampling protocols and standard operating procedures for handling import and export consignments.
• Network with representatives of GoB and donor projects and participate in events and forums concerning SPS measures; food safety, quality, and standards; trade and trade facilitation; and export promotion.
• Contribute to compelling communication pieces and impact stories.
• Identify and onboard international and Bangladeshi technical consultants and advisory firms and oversee the contract management process, by developing clear objectives for assignments, reviewing deliverables, and assessing performance.
• Lead teams to implement workshops and training events and awareness programs, planning and coordination meetings, and the development and dissemination of technical and knowledge sharing materials.

Required Skills and Qualifications:

• An undergraduate degree in agriculture, international trade, business, economics, public policy, or another relevant field is required.
• A minimum of seven (7) years of relevant professional experience,
• Knowledge of the Government of Bangladesh policy and legal framework relevant to food and agricultural trade is required. Familiarity and/or experience with applying or advising on export compliance requirements, WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement, SPS Agreement, Codex Alimentarius Standards, International Plant Protection Convention, World Organization for Animal Health, and international trade laws and related processes is advantageous.
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively in a cross-functional team environment.
• Fluency and strong oral communication and presentation skills in both English and Bangla languages and excellent written skills in English and Bangla scripts.

Preferred Qualifications

• A Master’s degree in a relevant field is preferred.
• Experience supervising and managing staff.
• Experience working with Government regulatory and trade promotion agencies.
• Familiarity with plant and animal quarantine-related laws and procedures, export policy and procedures, trade organizations, Bangladesh’s stance on WTO TFA implementation, measures, and standards, and cross-border trading processes and procedures.
• Experience and knowledge about international best practices and coordination mechanisms for pest risk analysis (PRA), bio-security, Codex, and One Health initiatives.

Salary: Negotiable, competitive compensation package.

Job Location: Dhaka (Gulshan-2 or Banglamotor)

Only short-listed candidates will be contacted. No phone calls will be accepted.

DEADLINE OF APPLICATIONS: MAY 6, 2024

About the Organization

Land O’Lakes Venture37 is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit helping communities around the world build economies by strengthening agriculture from farm-to-fork, helping businesses grow, and linking farmers to markets. Since our start in 1981, we have been leveraging nearly 100 years of expertise in crop inputs, agricultural insights, dairy and animal nutrition from our close affiliate, Land O’Lakes, Inc., a farmer-owned agribusiness committed to fulfilling its purpose of feeding human progress.

Our team is made up of nearly 350 employees who are committed to market-led approaches, and passionate about collaborating locally to create lasting inclusive economic growth. By unlocking the potential of agriculture for nearly 40 years, the lives of more than 3 million people have been transformed through nearly 300 programs in more than 80 countries.