COMESA EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES FEB 2012

The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), in an effort to boost regional trade in agricultural commodities, established the Alliance for Commodity Trade in Eastern and Southern Africa (ACTESA), as a specialized agency of COMESA in 2009 with the main aim of increasing farmer productivity and incomes in the Eastern and Southern Africa region through trade in strategic agricultural commodities.

ACTESA responds to the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP)’s Pillar II and III agenda, that seek to improve rural infrastructure and trade-related capacities for market access and increase food supply, reduce hunger, and improve responses to food emergency crises respectively.

The specific objectives of ACTESA are to:

1. Improve competitiveness and integration of staple foods markets in the region through improved micro and macroeconomic policies as the drivers of staple food markets;
2. Improve and expand market facilities and services for key agricultural commodities;

3. Increase the commercial integration of smallholder farmers into national and regional markets.

ACTESA is poised to contribute to increasing agricultural productivity by focusing its efforts on building market information systems, providing services and increasing commercialization of smallholders in the following sub-sectors: grains, cereals and pulses; oil seeds; roots and tubers; livestock and fisheries; forest and natural products; tree and plantation crops, and agriculture inputs.

Two senior level vacancies have arisen in the COMESA’s implementing Agency – ACTESA namely Chief Executive officer (CEO) and Director Trade and Markets (DTM). These vacancies are international positions and have no nationality restrictions.

1. CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

• Under the overall supervision of the Secretary General and direct supervision of the Assistant Secretary General (Programmes) with respect to programmes and the Assistant Secretary General (Administration and Finance) with respect to administrative and finance matters, implement all the programmes of ACTESA;

• Lead Process of developing the strategy and operational plans of ACTESA, with support from multiple partners as well as regional stakeholders;

• Keep the organs of the organisation abreast of all of ACTESA’s outputs and results on a regular basis;


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• Manage and supervise all ACTESA incorporated agricultural markets and food security activities such as Strengthening Trade in Agricultural Inputs at Regional Level in Africa (STAR), African Agricultural Markets Programme (AAMP), Food and Agricultural Market Information System (FAMIS), COMESA Regional Agro Inputs Program (COMRAP), Guiding Investments for Strengthening Agricultural Markets in Africa (GISAMA), SPS –conformity to World Trade Organisation (WTO)/Economic Partnership Agreements(EPA) and livestock trade activities;

• Liaise with development partners and private sector entities to develop alliances within ACTESA;

• Provide leadership and active coordination to all activities of ACTESA;

• Coordinate activities with affiliated market projects, particularly GISAMA, FAMIS, COMPETE and other relevant emerging markets and food security activities;

• Oversee the Regional Competitiveness Analysis (RCA) and the production of the ACTESA Annual Regional Competitiveness Reports for staple foods;

• Ensure that ACTESA delivers results against the milestones and indicators laid out in its own Operational Plan;

• Ensure effectiveness and efficient management of ACTESA’s financial and human resources;

• Any other duties that may be assigned to you by the Secretary General from time to time.

Qualifications and Experience

 An advanced degree (Masters) in agriculture or related fields, or in Business Administration. A PhD will be an added advantage;

 At least 10 years relevant practical experience in agricultural policy and trade with emphasis on commodity trade;

 Demonstrated effectiveness in conducting policy dialogue with senior government officials, farmer organizations, the private sector, development partners and other relevant stakeholders;

 Ability to think innovatively and strategically in dealing with policy issues while maintaining a strong client focus;

• Ability to promote client/beneficiary participation in ACTESA;

• Strong written and verbal communication skills;

• Demonstrated ability of making effective preparations to diverse audiences;

• Superior client orientation, interpersonal and diplomatic skills, ability to work with all levels of staff, clients, and partners;

• Professional experience in the Eastern and Southern Africa region;

• Absolute integrity, proven sound operational and business judgment, and sensitivity to political economy, social, and cultural factors;

• Leadership and management experience in a multicultural organisation;

• Proficient in English or French. Working knowledge of the second language will be an added advantage.

Job Location:

The job holder will be based at the COMESA/ACTESA Head Office in Lusaka and will travel within the region in executing his/her duties. The contract is for a period of two years, renewable depending on performance.

2. DIRECTOR TRADE AND MARKETS (DTM)

Key tasks:

• Lead ACTESA efforts to expand structured trade and staple crop markets in Eastern and Southern Africa ;
• Build alliances with existing regional and national private and public institutions and programs involved with staple food markets and value chains;
• For those food commodities that are sufficiently organized, set up meetings and other mechanisms to facilitate members of the value chain to come together as an industry to improve competitiveness;
• Identify barriers to efficient regional trade in the targeted staple commodities along the specific market chains, and mobilize means to overcome them;
• Working with the Chief Executive Officer, oversee the Regional Competitiveness analysis (RCA) and the production of the ACTESA Annual Regional Competitiveness Reports for staple foods;
• Monitor performance of emerging market facilities and services, starting with those supported by partners such as USAID, DFID, WFP, AGRA, the EC and others and would include bulking centres, warehouse receipt systems, commodity exchanges, SMS-based market information systems, finance systems, training programmes etc;

• Develop and implement a strategy to communicate opportunities, results and lessons learned to producers’ organisations and farmers’ federations in the region, as well as to national and regional policy forums in COMESA; and

• Any other duties that may be assigned to you by the Chief Executive Officer from time to time.

Qualifications and Experience

 An advanced degree (Masters) in agriculture or related fields or Business Administration with a focus on markets and policy reform. A Phd will be an added advantage.

 At least 10 years relevant practical experience in agricultural trade, with emphasis on grain trade.

 Demonstrated effectiveness in conducting policy dialogue with senior government officials, farmer organizations, the private sector, development partners and other relevant stakeholders.

 Ability to think innovatively and strategically in dealing with policy issues while maintaining a strong client focus.

 Ability to promote client/beneficiary participation in ACTESA.

 Strong written and verbal communication skills.

 Demonstrated ability of making effective preparations to diverse audiences.

 Superior client orientation, interpersonal and diplomatic skills, ability to work with all levels of staff, clients, and partners.

 Professional experience in the Eastern and Southern Africa region

 Absolute integrity, proven sound operational and business judgment, and sensitivity to political economy, social, and cultural factors.

 Proficient in English or French. Working knowledge of the second language will be an added advantage.


Job Location:

The job holder will be based at the COMESA/ACTESA Head Office in Lusaka and will travel within the region in executing his/her duties. The contract is for a period of two years, renewable depending on performance

Applications with the applicants detailed curriculum vitae including names and details of three referees should be addressed to:


The Director of Administration

Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa
COMESA House,
P.O Box 30051,

Lusaka
Zambia

Email: recruitment@comesa.int


Closing date: 23rd April, 2012.

Only short-listed candidates will be contacted for interviews.