National Technical Expert - LICA-10

The National Technical Expert will support the management and implementation of project activities for the BOOST project in Lao PDR, focusing on capacity building and technical support to business-support organisations and companies to increase trade between the EU and Lao PDR. The role involves coordination with project partners, monitoring, reporting, and ensuring alignment with ITC methodologies and EU standards.

Responsibilities

• Act as a technical expert for Outputs 1 and 2 – Business-Support Organisations (BSOs) and businesses; provide technical support to the roll-out of activities, including support to defining activity content with ITC technical experts, identifying and mobilizing partners and beneficiaries, organizing preparatory and follow-up meetings and consultations, presenting activity content, objectives and expected results to stakeholders, moderating technical meetings.
• Closely follow-up with project beneficiaries; support coaching and hands-on training activities whether through indirect assistance (with other experts) or direct assistance; provide advisory support and guidance for capacity building under Outputs 1 and 2, ensuring needs-driven interventions, skills transfer and exchange of best practices; provide specialized technical inputs to the project team and national stakeholders.
• Contribute to needs assessment for BSOs and businesses relevant to the project; provide inputs for capacity building and training material addressing the needs of BSOs and businesses.
• Keep abreast of any development relevant to Outputs 1 and 2 in Lao PDR; ensure that project activities remain up to date and evidence based.
• Coordinate closely with ITC HQ technical specialists to ensure consistency with ITC methodologies and alignment with relevant initiatives.
• Provide support and input to concept notes when relevant; disseminate information about training programmes, workshops; contribute to the identification of participants/trainees with relevant expertise/needs to ensure maximum impact and coverage; ensure a constant communication with BSOs and businesses about project activities.
• Prepare and distribute activity application surveys, events in the event tracking platform; feedback forms; monitoring questionnaires; impact surveys; contribute to the analysis of results, the integration of relevant feedback into upcoming activities and the implementation of mitigation and improvement measures when necessary.
• Collect evidence of activity completion; classify pictures, data and proofs for filing and archiving purposes; draft activity reports following agreed templates.
• Contribute to project progress reports; provide inputs and analysis linked to the involvement of BSOs and businesses in the project.
• Serve as a focal point for communication and coordination with project partners at the technical level for Outputs 1 and 2, for the smooth implementation and delivery of project activities.
• Keep detailed track of interactions with project partners and beneficiaries; maintain internal files with evidence / minutes of meetings and consultations.

Requirements

• An advanced university degree (Master’s or equivalent) in Agribusiness or related studies is preferred, or in International Trade, Economics, Business Administration, Development Studies, or related field.
• A first-level degree (Bachelor’s degree or equivalent) in the specified fields of studies with two additional years of relevant work experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
• A minimum of five (5) years of experience in agribusiness related fields, work experience within an agribusiness will be advantageous, business management, result-based project/programme management monitoring or evaluation, administration or related area is required.
• Experience working in Lao PDR is required.
• Experience working with the private sector – with Business-Support Organisations or with companies – in Lao PDR is desirable.
• Experience in trade-related technical assistance is desirable.
• Experience of implementing European Union (EU) projects is desirable.
• Advanced knowledge of English is required.
• Knowledge of Lao is required.

Skills

• Agri-Business Expertise
• International Trade
• Business Management
• Project Management
• Programme Monitoring
• Programme Evaluation
• Administration
• Trade Related Technical Assistance
• EU-funded Project Implementation
• Capacity Building
• Technical Support
• Private Sector Engagement
• Business-Support Organisations
• Reporting
• Coordination
• ITC Methodologies
• English
• Lao

Languages

English, Lao