DAI East Africa Jobs - Country Representatives

Call for Application: Country Representatives

Are you interested in East African Community integration and competitiveness? So are we. 

Development Alternatives Inc. (DAI), an international development company that manages the East Africa Trade and Investment Hub, is currently accepting applications for East Africa Trade and Investment Hub Country Representatives. 

We have positions available in Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, and Burundi.

The East Africa Trade and Investment Hub is a five-year U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) project that partners with East African and U.S. businesses and the East African public sector to attract investment that drives economic growth.
 
DAI is looking to hire country representatives to coordinate and facilitate East Africa Trade and Investment Hub activities and assistance at the country-level. Country representatives will be based in their home country and liaise with Nairobi-based project staff, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), and the East African Community public and private sector.  

We encourage candidates with the following qualifications to apply:
  • A firm understanding of economics, public policy and international trade.
  • A MBA or master’s degree in one of the above fields.
  • At least five years of experience analyzing, implementing, and working to improve trade policy and global competitiveness in developing countries, preferably East Africa.
  • Strong English language skills - both written and oral
  • The country’s citizenship or other eligibility to work in the country for which you are applying.
  • Prior experience on USAID and/or international donor programs is desirable.
Country Representative Scope of Work

Background: The East Africa Trade and Investment Hub is a five-year U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) project that partners with East African and U.S. businesses and the East African public sector to attract investment that drives economic growth. 

One of its goals is to transform East African private sector enterprises into vibrant global trading partners. 

Improving the region’s trade competitiveness, deepening regional integration, encouraging the diversification of exports beyond natural resources, and promoting broader, more inclusive economic growth will lead to more food secure and resilient East African communities. 

The East Africa Trade and Investment Hub is the U.S. government’s flagship project under the presidential Trade Africa initiative, launched in 2013 to boost trade and investment with and within East Africa.

Objectives and Duties

The Country Representative (CR) will support the four major components of the East Africa Trade and Investment Hub project 

1) Investment and Technology; 

2) Agriculture and Agribusiness; 

3) African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA)/Trade Promotion; and 

4) Policy and Regulatory Reform.

The CR will report directly to the East Africa Trade and Investment Hub Deputy Senior Economic Policy Expert but will work closely with all of the project’s component leads. The CR will function as a key counterpart with Trade Africa points of contact (POC) at each USAID bilateral Mission.

This group, East Africa Trade and Investment Hub representatives and Trade Africa POCs, will serve as the Economic Monitoring Unit that monitors and reports on key policy and regulatory issues related to East Africa Trade and Investment Hub interventions. 

The group will work in tandem with the Policy and Regulatory Reform team, collaborating with other components as need be, to gather, collate and assess evidence for trade and investment policy and regulatory reform dialogue with policy makers and regulators from the perspective of an investor.
 
The CR, in collaboration with their USAID Trade Africa POCs, will coordinate and facilitate East Africa Trade and Investment Hub activities and assistance at the country-level, under the supervision of the East Africa Trade and Investment Hub Deputy Senior Economic Policy Expert, to improve regional integration and investment as well as engage with public and private sector partners and stakeholders in their respective countries and across the East African Community (EAC) to facilitate the harmonization, implementation, and uptake of regional trade and regulatory policy, agricultural and investment reforms, as well as trade promotion initiatives.

The CR will be responsible for, but not limited to, the following detailed tasks:
  • Provides input for conceptualization, development, planning and implementation of East Africa Trade and Investment Hub work on EAC regional cooperation, integration and trade.
  • In coordination with the Deputy Senior Economic Policy Expert, guide and manage technical strategy and activities to harmonize needed reforms under the four major components.
  • Identify best practices, disseminate knowledge and establish a forum for exchange of ideas on EAC regional cooperation, integration and trade if one does not already exist.
  • Lead, monitor, and report on key research data and analysis requirements related to the four component areas.
  • Manage and direct overall assistance to East Africa Trade and Investment Hub’s activities related to the EAC Common Market Scorecard in their respective countries.
  • Monitor and report on the status of all donor and government activities related to trade in country, the EAC, and major trading partners.
  • Take the lead on and manage operations of the country Economic Monitoring Unit.
  • Convene and manage the private-public working groups tasked with shepherding remedies and solutions to the EAC Common Market Scorecard National Committees based on benefit-cost analysis, preliminary regulatory impact assessments.
  • Assist in the provision of direct assistance to key stakeholders at the country level and especially representative business associations, institutional investors and sector specific trade associations, to support economic impact through the sound implementation EAC Common Market instruments.
  • Assist in the provision of direct assistance to improve the regulatory management systems, governance processes and procedures, and institutions in the country, including building networks to advocate and drive reforms.
  • Assist in the provision of technical assistance to improve trading of goods and services within the country, the EAC, and major trading partners.
  • In coordination with the DSEPE, facilitate knowledge management and outreach on EATIH activity implementation at the country-level.
Qualifications:
  • MBA or Master’s degree in economics, public policy, international trade, trade law/policy, political economy, or related area, with international experience preferred.
  • At least five years of experience analyzing, implementing, and working to improve trade policy and global competitiveness in developing countries, preferably in East Africa.
  • Strongly preferred experience serving in an advisory capacity to government officials on trade policy, foreign direct investment and global competitiveness issues.
  • Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with the private and public sector
  • Ability to use the latest ICT technology and computer software programs.
  • Excellent English writing and communication skills.
Base of Operations:
  • Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
  • Bujumbura, Burundi
  • Kampala, Uganda
  • Kigali, Rwanda
Reporting: The Country Representatives will report to the East Africa Trade and Investment Hub Deputy Senior Economic Policy Expert.

How to Apply

Interested applicants should send their CV and a cover letter via email to RecruitmentTIH@DAI.com by February 10, 2015, 11.59 Eastern Standard Time. 

Only candidates who send their information by the deadline will be eligible. 

Please write “Application for Country Representative” in the subject line.

Please also indicate for which country you are applying. 


Visit www.eatradehub.org to learn more about this position.