Policy and Trade Expert Job at Development Associate, Inc

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Job Title: Policy and Trade Expert – West Africa Staple Foods Markets Programme  

Employer: Development Associate, Inc. (DAI)

Location: Africa

Location Details: Based in Accra, Ghana – with travel to Burkina Faso, Niger and Nigeria

Department: Private Sector Development

Division: Economic Growth

DAI is an employee-owned global development company. For 40 years, we have worked on the frontlines of international development, tackling fundamental social and economic development problems caused by inefficient markets, ineffective governments, and instability. Currently, DAI is delivering results that matter in some 60 countries. Our integrated development solutions turn ideas into impact by bringing together fresh combinations of expertise and innovation across multiple disciplines—crisis mitigation and stability operations, democratic governance and public sector management, agriculture and agribusiness, private sector development and financial services, economics and trade, HIV/AIDS and disease control, water and natural resources management, and energy and climate change. Our clients include international development agencies, international lending institutions, private corporations and philanthropies, and national governments.

Objective of the programme: – The focus of the programme is on providing support to the production and trade in staple food markets between Ghana and Burkina Faso, and between Nigeria and Niger. The programme will work to enable policies that allow for equitable and efficient regional market development and will aim to tackle the cause of multiple market failures by deploying carefully targeted interventions across the region. The anticipated outcomes of the five year project are; better business models for agricultural production; better business models for agricultural marketing and; agriculture and trade policies and regulations rationalised and improved. – The programme consists of two main activities; 1) Challenge fund to provide finance to innovative business models in food production and marketing and 2) Policy Facility to provide evidence, analysis and advocacy for policy and regulatory reform.

Duties and Responsibilities:

•   Identify high potential policy options that enhance regional trade in West Africa

•   Commission studies and research that will provide the evidence base necessary to effectively advocate for policy reforms to key decision makers in the respective countries

•   Contribute to the knowledge and information dissemination on the state of policies affecting regional food trade in West Africa

•   Together with the Communication Expert present clear evidence highlighting the potential positive impact on the economy and food security of an improved regulatory  framework encouraging increased regional trade

•   Establish and maintain excellent working relationships with key decision makers and decision influencers at national and regional level

Requirements:

•   A Master's degree in economics, agro-economics or a related subject with some specialisation in the field of international trade

•   15 years' experience in working on policy reform with at least 5 years relating to agricultural production and trade

•   Sound knowledge of policies affecting food staple markets in West Africa

•   Proven track record of  working with government on reform and implementation of agricultural policy

•   Experience in working on donor funded projects

•   Fluency in French and English

Project Location: The Project will be based in Accra, Ghana with travel to Burkina Faso, Niger and Nigeria

Length of the project: 5 years

Anticipated Project Start date: October 2013

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