International Consultant for Advancing Inland Waterways Transport and Strengthening Maritime Governance Systems in South Sudan

Organizational Context

The role is an International Consultant within the UN Secretariat, specifically the Economic Commission for Africa. It aims to support the Government of South Sudan in enhancing its Inland Waterways Transport and Maritime Governance Systems. This involves strengthening the maritime administration, addressing institutional gaps, and improving technical competencies. The assignment is crucial for national policy development.

Job Purpose

The purpose of this role is to support the Government of South Sudan in significantly advancing its Inland Waterways Transport and Maritime Governance Systems. The consultant will contribute by strengthening the national maritime administration, identifying and addressing institutional gaps, and establishing robust Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). A key contribution involves improving technical competencies within the administration through targeted training programs. The role will also generate a comprehensive legal gap analysis, facilitating the drafting of legislative and regulatory instruments essential for the domestication of priority IMO conventions. Ultimately, this assignment aims to deliver a consolidated, stakeholder-backed package for policy decision-making, thereby enhancing safety oversight, vessel inspection, port operations, and multimodal transport management. This work is critical for bolstering South Sudan's maritime capabilities and ensuring alignment with international standards.

Responsibilities

The consultant will primarily focus on institutional strengthening and legal framework development for South Sudan's maritime sector. Key responsibilities include conducting a thorough institutional capacity assessment of the maritime administration, analyzing its structure, staffing, and functional deficiencies. This involves developing and validating Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and operational guidelines for both inland waterways transport and general maritime administration, engaging relevant stakeholders throughout the process. A significant duty is to design and deliver specialized training programs covering critical areas such as safety oversight, vessel inspection protocols, efficient port operations, and comprehensive multimodal transport management. Furthermore, the consultant will undertake a detailed legal gap analysis to ensure national frameworks align with relevant International Maritime Organization (IMO) conventions. Based on this analysis, the role requires drafting essential legislative and regulatory instruments to facilitate the domestication of priority IMO conventions. Finally, the consultant will organize and support stakeholder consultations and technical validation workshops concerning IMO accession and domestication, culminating in the preparation of a comprehensive endorsement package, including finalized legal instruments and strategic recommendations, for government consideration and decision-making.

Work Experience

A minimum of ten years of experience is required in trade and logistics development, facilitation, policy formulation, and economic/trade analysis, specifically focused on maritime transport. Additionally, five years of experience in providing capacity building in transport and logistics, including maritime transport, is essential. Three years of progressive experience in high-level institutional support and strategic advisory services to senior government officials, contributing to policy implementation and public sector coordination, is also required.

Skills

Institutional capacity assessment and development; SOP and operational guideline development and validation; Training design and delivery (safety oversight, vessel inspection, port operations, multimodal transport); Legal gap analysis and legislative drafting; Stakeholder engagement and workshop facilitation; Strategic advisory and policy implementation support; Public sector coordination; Fluency in English.

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