Job Description
AECOM International Development is seeking a Trade Component Lead for the anticipated USAID West Africa Trade and Investment program. The anticipated program will seek to increase global competitiveness and intra-regional trade, strengthen agriculture value chains, and improve food security in West Africa. This position is most likely to be based in Abuja, Nigeria.
Responsibilities:
The Trade Component Lead will be responsible for the management and execution of component activities of the program. The overarching goal is to improve the production, business capacity, market linkages and increase trade in West Africa. The Component Lead will report to the Chief of Party (COP). He/ She will analyze regional and international trade landscape, devising foreign direct investment (FDI) attraction strategies for the region. The Component lead will maintain and track development activities and evaluate progress in meeting strategic priorities. The Lead must be flexible, pragmatic, and able to think creatively to implement activities in a responsive manner. Additionally, the Lead must be willing to travel throughout the region and carry out other tasks assigned by the COP while ensuring proper management of the component.
Roles & Responsibility
- Assist the Chief of Party with policy development, strategic planning, and coordination of strategies.
- Coordinate with stakeholders to provide programmatic support to the global value chains such as cashew and shea throughout the West Africa region.
- Draft terms of reference for specific technical assignments as requested
- Review technical, monthly, quarterly and annual reports and provide substantial guidance and comments
- Review consultant reports, assure consistent quality control and timely submission to clients
- Closely work with M&E team to improve performance management data
- Assist the COP with work planning to identify the most appropriate mix of activities for each global value chain
- Develop innovative tools and disseminate information to partners within the state government and private-sector
- Support varying trade activities to advance the goals of the project
- Promote team work and communication to encourage an interactive, cooperative, collaborative, and customer-focused work environment staff, client and stakeholders
- Perform other duties and special programs as assigned
Minimum Qualifications
- A graduate degree in a relevant major, such as economics, agriculture, agribusiness, trade facilitation, business administration
- At least 10 years of experience working on trade related programs including at least 5 years’ experience working on trade issues in Sub Sahara Africa
- Must have analytical skills and experience to achieve tangible results in a challenging environment
- Excellent interpersonal and problem solving skills.
- Knowledgeable about regional and international trade fundamentals and familiarity with various investment vehicles
- Must be a critical thinker and possess rigorous analytical capabilities.
- Solutions-oriented, good attention to detail and follow-up.
- Ability to prioritize workload, must be highly organized, detail-oriented, handle various tasks simultaneously and work independently within limited time constraints with little or no supervision.
- Demonstrates respectful behavior and promotes teamwork and communication to encourage an interactive, cooperative, collaborative and customer focused work environment among division
- Demonstrated ability to work with host government and cooperating partners in implementing a complex program under challenging circumstances
- Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively in English, both verbally and in writing. Proficiency in French preferred.
- Nigerian candidates are highly encouraged to apply.
- Qualified women are highly encouraged to apply.
About the Organization
AECOM is a premier, fully integrated professional and technical services firm positioned to design, build, finance and operate infrastructure assets around the world for public- and private-sector clients. With nearly 100,000 employees — including architects, engineers, designers, planners, scientists and management and construction services professionals — serving clients in over 150 countries around the world, AECOM is ranked as the #1 engineering design firm by revenue in Engineering News-Record magazine’s annual industry rankings, and has been recognized by Fortune magazine as a World’s Most Admired Company. The firm is a leader in all of the key markets that it serves, including transportation, facilities, environmental, energy, oil and gas, water, high-rise buildings and government. AECOM provides a blend of global reach, local knowledge, innovation and technical excellence in delivering customized and creative solutions that meet the needs of clients’ projects. A Fortune 500 firm, AECOM companies, including URS Corporation and Hunt Construction Group, have annual revenue of approximately $19 billion. More information on AECOM and its services can be found at www.aecom.com.
