Senior Project Officer - Trade-Related Issues, Customs And Trade Policy

FUNCTIONS OF THE POST

The Senior Project Officer (SPO), Trade-Related Issues, is responsible for monitoring and reporting to the Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED) the actions of Member States with respect to implementation and compliance with Treaty commitments relating to trade in goods. The functions also spans: the liberalization of intra-regional trade, integration of markets for goods and the operation and administration of CSME Customs, tariff policies, action to facilitate the achievement of compliance with Treaty obligations and COTED decisions by Member States, research aimed at clarifying and improving CSME trade policy instruments and rules aimed at enhancing the efficiency of these instruments, and the administration of arrangements for free movement of goods. The SPO facilitates the development and implementation of projects within the customs and trade policy component of the Single Market and Economy work program, or as directed and prepares and presents progress reports and technical papers to COTED. 

This position is deemed to be relevant, efficient, and effective when: 

• It develops proposals which succeed in impacting positively on market integration, trade and free movement of goods; 
• It successfully facilitates Member States implementing their Treaty obligations and policies, and obligations of Community organs; and 
• It prepares timely progress reports on the implementation of arrangements for liberalization and full market integration and trade, and free movement of goods, and proposes a range of potentially effective recommendations where necessary. 

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

Candidates must possess a Bachelor of Science Degree in Economics or related field, plus at least five (5) years of relevant experience in a trade-related field. Experience in administering trade and customs policy will be an asset. Such experience should ideally be gained from one or more of the following: 

• Customs administration in a CARICOM Member State
• An International Trade Policy Organization 
• A Revenue Board 
• Ministry of Finance or Ministry of Trade 
• A private sector organisation 

Candidates must possess specialised training and good working knowledge in: 

• Strong written and oral communication skills 
• Trade Policy Administration 
• Liberalisation of Trade in Goods issues 
• Free Movement of Goods 
• International Trade in Goods 
• Negotiations 
• Economic Integration 

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Activities 

• FACILITATES the implementation by Member States of the CSME commitments, policies, and other measures relating to liberalization and free movement of goods; 
• DEVELOPS proposals for strategies, polices, instruments and administrative systems aimed at enhancing the effectiveness of the CSME arrangements for trade in goods; 
• OVERSEES the execution of studies to assess the impacts on Member States and the CSME of implementing the policies relating to the CSME arrangements for trade in goods; 
• RECEIVES, EXAMINES and PROCESSES applications from Member States for suspensions of the CET and for derogations from the Rules of Origin; 
• PREPARES reports for presentation and consideration at COTED; 
• PROVIDES technical support as necessary to the External Trade Programme on issues arising under trade agreements between the Community and Third States and groups of Third States, particularly in respect of trade in goods provisions of such agreements; 
• DEVELOPS proposals for the Customs and Trade Policy work programme; 
• PREPARES quarterly performance reviews for input to the Customs and Trade Policy’s quarterly report; and 
• PREPARES and SUBMITS mission reports. 

In addition to the Results and Activities outlined above, the incumbent is expected to perform any other relevant duties and responsibilities in keeping with job functions.

EDUCATION GRANT

The Officer shall be eligible for the payment of an education grant in respect of children (including stepchildren and legally adopted children) who require reasonable education facilities that are not available at the assigned duty station or whose education the Officer would not want to disrupt in relocating to take up this appointment. 

The grant shall apply to children under the age of twenty-three (23) years and shall not exceed seventy-five per cent (75%) of the cost of tuition (including textbooks), room and board up to a maximum total of EC$16,200.00 per year per child for a maximum of two (2) children at any one time. The grant is payable for a maximum of five (5) years. 

SETTLEMENT GRANT

On assumption of duty in Guyana, the Officer shall be paid a settlement grant in respect of the staff member, his or her spouse and each eligible child or other approved dependent. The number of dependents eligible for Settlement Grant shall not exceed six (6) persons. 

RECRUITMENT AND APPOINTMENT

Appointment may be on the permanent establishment or on secondment from a Public Service or a statutory body of a Member State or approved regional organisation. It will be subject to such staff rules and policies, rules, regulations, orders and instructions as exist and as may be introduced from time to time with respect to service with the Caribbean Community Secretariat. 

An Officer recruited from outside the assigned duty station, on first appointment, will be provided economy class air passages by the most direct route for the Officer, spouse and children (provided they are below the age of eighteen (18) years, unmarried and dependent on the Officer) and for such other dependents not exceeding two (2) as may be approved by the Secretary-General, provided that the number of children and other dependents does not exceed six (6) in all. 

In addition to passages, the Officer will be granted the following transportation allowances: 

• ocean freight charges, including insurance, for shipping personal and household effects to Guyana, not exceeding 45.3 cubic meters, plus a motor car (if the Officer already owns one); 
• the cost of transporting baggage, personal and household effects from the home of the Officer to the place of embarkation and from the port of disembarkation to the place of residence in Guyana; and
• the cost of packing and crating personal and household effects. 

LEAVE 

The officer will be eligible for the grant of vacation leave at the rate of twenty (20) working days a year and a leave grant after every twelve (12) months of service in respect of the officer, spouse and up to two (2) dependent children. 

PRIVILEGES AND IMMUNITIES

The officer will be granted the privileges and immunities extended to officials of the Caribbean Community in accordance with Article 8 of the Community’s Headquarters Agreement with the Government of Guyana. 

GROUP HEALTH AND LIFE AND ACCIDENT INSURANCE

Subject to acceptance by the Secretariat’s insurance carrier, the Officer will be required to participate in the Secretariat’s group health, life and accident insurance schemes. With respect to the health insurance, the Officer will contribute fifty per cent (50%) of the premium. The life and accident insurance scheme is non-contributory. 

SUPERANNUATION

An Officer appointed to this post will be required to participate in the Secretariat’s Defined Contribution Pension Plan and contribute 7 per cent of basic salary per month, while the Secretariat will contribute 13 percent of the Officer’s basic salary to the pension plan. Where the appointment is on secondment, the Secretariat will pay to the Officer’s substantive employer, over the period of secondment, a contribution not exceeding twenty-five per cent (25%) of the pensionable salary normally payable to the Officer by that employer so as to maintain the pensionable status of the Officer in the substantive employment. 

APPLICATIONS

Applications in English Language with full curriculum vitae details, including the email addresses of three (3) referees (at least two of whom must be familiar with the applicant’s work)