National Consultant

Job Posting Organization:
The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) was established to promote economic and social development in African countries. The ECA's mission is to deliver ideas and actions for an empowered and transformed Africa, informed by the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the African Union's Agenda 206

• The organization supports member States in advancing economic diversification, regional integration, digital transformation, and inclusive development, with a particular focus on gender equality and youth empowerment. The Subregional Office for North Africa (SRO-NA), based in Rabat, serves seven member States in North Africa and plays a crucial role in strengthening macroeconomic management, promoting employment creation, enhancing regional integration under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), and advancing digital transformation policies. The ECA operates in multiple countries across the African continent, working towards sustainable development goals and fostering collaboration among member States.

Job Overview:
The National Consultant position is integral to the ECA's project aimed at enhancing the digital and financial capacity of women-owned micro-, small, and medium-sized enterprises (W-SMEs) in Africa. The consultant will be responsible for conducting a comprehensive assessment of the digital and financial inclusion gaps affecting W-SMEs in one of the project’s focus countries. This role involves supporting the organization and delivery of a National Stakeholders Workshop, which will serve as the official national-level launch of the project. The consultant will also develop a Country Module on the Institutional and Regulatory Ecosystem for Digital Trade and Digital Finance, ensuring it is accessible to W-SMEs with disabilities. The consultant's work will culminate in the preparation of a country-specific policy paper that includes actionable recommendations and an implementation plan to assist policymakers in designing and implementing inclusive and gender-responsive digital trade policies. The position requires a deep understanding of the structural, regulatory, and market barriers affecting W-SMEs, as well as the ability to translate these insights into practical policy tools and institutional guidance.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The National Consultant will have a range of duties and responsibilities, including but not limited to: conducting a comprehensive assessment of the digital and financial inclusion gaps affecting women-owned SMEs; organizing and facilitating the National Stakeholders Workshop; developing a Country Module on the Institutional and Regulatory Ecosystem for Digital Trade and Digital Finance; preparing a National Diagnostic Report that reviews national digital trade, e-commerce, fintech, and regulatory frameworks; conducting stakeholder mapping analysis; identifying priority constraints and reform areas; preparing background notes and an agenda for the National Workshop; summarizing key findings and recommendations from the workshop; and drafting a Country Policy Paper that identifies institutional, regulatory, and market barriers affecting W-SMEs, aligning with AfCFTA digital trade provisions, and providing prioritized and sequenced policy recommendations. The consultant's performance will be evaluated based on the timely submission of deliverables, technical quality of outputs, responsiveness to feedback, effective contributions to stakeholder consultations, and integration of gender-responsive and disability-inclusive considerations throughout the analytical and policy outputs.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess an advanced university degree (Master's degree) in economics, trade, digital economy, business administration, or a closely related field. A first-level university degree combined with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the master's degree. A PhD in a relevant discipline would be considered an advantage. Additionally, candidates should have a minimum of seven years of progressively responsible professional experience in economic analysis, trade policy, SME development, digital economy policy, or related fields. Proven experience in facilitating stakeholder consultations and delivering workshops is essential, as is demonstrated experience in policy analysis, particularly in the areas of digital trade and fintech. Knowledge of AfCFTA-related processes is desirable, along with experience working with government institutions, ministries, regulatory bodies, or international organizations. Experience in integrating gender equality considerations into economic or trade policy analysis is also an advantage.

Educational Background:
The educational background required for this position includes an advanced university degree (Master's degree) in relevant fields such as economics, trade, digital economy, business administration, or closely related disciplines. A first-level university degree may be accepted in combination with additional qualifying experience. A PhD in a relevant discipline would be beneficial and enhance a candidate's profile for this consultancy role.

Experience:
Candidates should have a minimum of seven years of progressively responsible professional experience in areas such as economic analysis, trade policy, SME development, and digital economy policy. This experience should include proven capabilities in facilitating stakeholder consultations and delivering workshops. Additionally, candidates should have demonstrated experience in policy analysis, particularly in the areas of digital trade and fintech, and knowledge of AfCFTA-related processes is desirable. Experience working with government institutions, ministries, regulatory bodies, or international organizations is also important, as is experience in integrating gender equality considerations into economic or trade policy analysis.

Languages:
Fluency in one of the working languages of the UN Secretariat, which are English and French, is required for this position. Fluency in the other language is desirable. Knowledge of Arabic is considered an advantage, as it may facilitate communication and engagement with a broader range of stakeholders in the region.

Additional Notes:
The consultancy is expected to last for a duration of five months. The position is not specified as full-time or part-time, but the consultant will be expected to deliver all outputs to the required standard and within the agreed timeframe. It is important to note that the United Nations does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process, including application, interview, or training. The organization does not concern itself with information on applicants’ bank accounts.