Director of the Institute for Training and Technical Cooperation

The Director leads the Institute for Training and Technical Cooperation (ITTC), overseeing WTO's technical assistance and training activities aimed at supporting developing and least-developed countries. The role involves strategic planning, resource mobilization, staff leadership, and fostering partnerships to enhance trade capacity and participation in the multilateral trading system.

Responsibilities

• Planning, setting priorities and overseeing the WTO's training and technical cooperation activities with regard to all matters under the Institute's purview; identifying, attracting, and coordinating financial resources to support technical assistance goals.
• Ensuring the effective implementation of the training and technical cooperation activities which are delivered by the Institute; coordinating the Institute's work with that of other Divisions, including substantive contributions to the work of other Divisions.
• Leading and supervising the work of ITTC, providing guidance to staff in carrying out their duties, setting objectives required, reviewing output and performance of the staff, supporting the development of the knowledge and skills of staff, and ensuring appropriate staff training plans are in place and executed.
• Developing and implementing monitoring and evaluation frameworks for the training and technical co-operation activities under the Institute's purview; improving these frameworks to ensure a more robust monitoring and measuring of results, as well as mid to long- term impact of such activities.
• Building relationships with Members and external partners in order to ensure optimal delivery of training and technical cooperation activities as appropriate. Liaison with WTO Members, relevant international organizations, academic institutions, NGOs, parliaments and private sector entities.
• Taking a forward-leaning approach in exploring how AI and other frontier technologies can contribute to the efficacy and effectiveness of Technical Assistance and Capacity Building delivery in the organisation

Requirements

• An advanced university degree in Economics, International Trade Law or other related fields. Alternatively, a basic university degree in the aforementioned areas combined with proven professional expertise equivalent to an advanced degree may be considered.
• Good knowledge of the WTO system and of trade policy issues.
• Ability to provide strategic direction and vision to the work of the Institute.
• Ability to identify emerging issues with implications for technical co-operation and to translate them into innovative work programmes.
• Understanding of the donor community; experience in and capability to mobilize funds.
• Very good skills in public speaking, presenting and dealing with the media in order to communicate the work of the Division to a wide range of audiences.
• Strong leadership and managerial skills and proven ability to motivate and manage a multidisciplinary and multicultural team.
• Ability to be a strong team player and interact effectively across multiple stakeholder groups.
• Intellectual flexibility, good technical and political judgement, as well as strong networking and communication skills.
• Excellent political sense and the ability to interact effectively with multiple high-level stakeholders.
• Fifteen years of relevant experience, including substantial work experience in an international environment.
• Extensive senior-level experience in formulating, implementing and evaluating technical co-operation programmes gained through working in an international organization, a national administration or a multilateral agency.
• Well established contacts with key actors and stakeholders in the field, with experience of operating at a senior level within a political decision-making environment.
• Extensive experience in donor engagement and resource mobilization.
• Excellent knowledge of English, including an ability to write accurately, precisely and quickly, as well as a good working knowledge of either French or Spanish are required.
• Good knowledge of the third official language would be a distinct advantage.

Skills

• WTO System Knowledge
• Trade Policy Analysis
• Strategic Planning
• Technical cooperation programmes
• Donor Engagement Strategies
• Resource Mobilization
• Public Speaking
• Media Relations
• Leadership
• Team Management
• Multicultural Team Leadership
• Stakeholder Engagement
• Networking
• Political Judgment
• Program Evaluation
• International Organization Experience
• Technical Cooperation
• Fundraising
• English Writing
• French Language
• Spanish Language

Languages

English, French, Spanish