International Consultant: A4A Programme Adviser on Market Development and Market Linkages - EU ACP Business Friendly Project

Organizational Context

The International Trade Centre (ITC) is a joint agency of the UN and WTO focused on trade-related technical cooperation in developing countries. The Alliances for Action (A4A) initiative aims to transform food systems and advance SDGs through producer partnerships, fostering ethical, climate-smart, and sustainable agricultural value chains. This role supports projects like EU-ACP Business-Friendly, contributing to MSME competitiveness and market access.

Job Purpose

This consultancy role focuses on advancing market development and linkages for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) within ITC's Alliances for Action (A4A) initiative. The purpose is to enhance the competitiveness and market access of MSMEs, particularly in the agri-food sector, by facilitating promotional activities, buyer engagement, capacity building, and product development. The role contributes to building resilient and sustainable value chains, enabling MSMEs to compete more effectively in global markets and achieve growth through mindful trade, production, and consumption systems, ultimately supporting sustainable development goals.

Responsibilities

Key responsibilities include developing and implementing market information dissemination activities, identifying and engaging potential buyers to build a database, and facilitating promotional events connecting MSMEs with buyers and experts. The role involves developing recommendations for capacity building workshops on market development and sales, producing MSME product catalogues, and facilitating business-to-business introductions to pursue commercial opportunities. Additionally, responsibilities include researching and recommending trade fairs, preparing MSMEs for trade events, facilitating South-South collaboration, providing technical support to Business Support Organizations (BSOs) and associations, assessing new MSMEs, and designing/supporting impact surveys. Reporting on project progress and outcomes is also a core duty.

Work Experience

The role requires experience in facilitating market development and linkage activities, including promotional events, buyer engagement, and B2B introductions. Experience in capacity building, developing training materials, and conducting workshops or ToT sessions is essential. Proven ability to support MSMEs in product development, market access, and trade show participation is also necessary. Experience with market research, strategy development, and impact assessment is beneficial.

Skills

Market development, Market linkages, Capacity building, Training delivery (including ToT), Buyer engagement, Product development, Trade show support, South-South collaboration, Technical assistance to BSOs, Impact assessment, Reporting, Market information dissemination, MSME support.

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