Result of Service Expected Outputs and Timelines: Output 1: Monthly report, including progress on national stakeholder liaison, SME engagement, in-country activity delivery planning and monitoring, and operations report, sent in electronic format by 31 January 2025 (20 workdays). Output 2: Monthly report, including progress on national stakeholder liaison, SME engagement, in-country activity delivery planning and monitoring, and operations report, including key takeaways from the inward mission, sent in electronic format by 28 February 2025 (20 workdays). Output 3: Quarterly report, including an overview of the progress for the past three months on national stakeholder liaison, SME engagement, in-country activity delivery planning and monitoring, and operations report, sent in electronic format by 31 March 2024 (20 workdays). Output 4: Monthly report, including progress on national stakeholder liaison, SME engagement, in-country activity delivery and operations report sent in electronic format by 30 April 2025 (15 workdays). Output 5: Monthly report, including progress on national stakeholder liaison, SME engagement, in-country activity delivery and operations report sent in electronic format by 31 May 2025 (15 workdays). Output 6: Quarterly report, including an overview of the progress for the past three months on national stakeholder liaison, SME engagement, in-country activity delivery planning and monitoring, and operations report, sent in electronic format by 30 June 2025 (15 workdays). Output 7: Monthly report, including progress on national stakeholder liaison, SME engagement, in-country activity delivery and operations report sent in electronic format by 31 July 2025 (15 workdays). Output 8: Monthly report, including progress on national stakeholder liaison, SME engagement, in-country activity delivery and operations report sent in electronic format by 31 August 2025 (15 workdays). Output 9: Quarterly report, including an overview of the progress for the past three months on national stakeholder liaison, SME engagement, in-country activity delivery planning and monitoring, and operations report, sent in electronic format by 30 September 2025 (15 workdays). Output 10: Monthly report, including progress on national stakeholder liaison, SME engagement, in-country activity delivery and operations report sent in electronic format by 31 October 2025 (15 workdays). Output 11: Monthly report, including progress on national stakeholder liaison, SME engagement, in-country activity delivery and operations report sent in electronic format by 30 November 2025 (15 workdays). Output 12: Quarterly report, including an overview of the progress for the past three months on national stakeholder liaison, SME engagement, in-country activity delivery planning and monitoring, and operations report, sent in electronic format by 31 December 2025 (15 workdays). Work Location Home-based in South Africa with possible international travel. Expected duration 01.01.2025 - 31.12.2025 Duties and Responsibilities Background: The International Trade Centre (ITC) is a joint agency of the United Nations and the World Trade Organization for trade-related technical cooperation in developing countries. The Sector Competitiveness Unit (SEC) is responsible for developing and disseminating sector-level expertise for sustainable market-driven solutions. The United Kingdom Trade Partnerships (UKTP) Programme, funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, aims to increase trade from developing countries to the United Kingdom (UK) and the European Union (EU) by maximizing the benefits of UK and EU Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) and the UK's Developing Countries Trading Scheme (DCTS). The UKTP Programme works in partnership with government agencies, private sector organisations, public sector institutions, small and medium-size enterprises and other local stakeholders. In South Africa, the UK’s largest trading partner in Africa, the UK Trade Partnerships programme aims to boost South Africa exports, allowing international trade to flourish through collaboration on market access. UKTP will support SMEs to improve their competitiveness and navigate international markets in the food & beverage and cleantech sectors. The programme will also support select BSOs and associations to enable them to provide improved services to their members. Description of Duties/Responsibilities: The Consultant will work under the direct supervision of the UKTP Regional Coordinator and overall supervision of the UKTP Programme Manager. The Consultant will also work closely with sector experts and gender mainstreaming colleagues. As the in-country focal point, the Consultant will undertake the following duties: 1. Regularly liaise with national stakeholders, government and national agency officials, representatives of business support organisations, SMEs and the British High Commission in South Africa to ensure that: • There are smooth communications between ITC HQ and relevant stakeholders in the agricultural, processed foods and cleantech sectors as well as government and business support organisations (BSOs); • UKTP and ITC have full support from stakeholders in carrying out their activities; and • ITC has the latest intelligence regarding relevant policy and commercial developments for the target sector and beneficiaries. 2. Assess and monitor the progress of SME beneficiaries, including: • SME progress tracking (monthly); • Follow up on results with SME beneficiaries after each activity/event; and • Undertake the SME annual outcome survey. 3. In collaboration with the gender mainstreaming adviser, contribute to the gender action plans, including: • Identify and monitor gender constraints; • Prioritisation of the response actions; and • Act as the UKTP focal point for gender mainstreaming activities in South Africa. 4. Coordinate and monitor the progress of in-country activities through: • Planning in-country delivery of activities; • Coordinating national sector expert consultants; • Liaising with experts from other relevant projects in South Africa; • Participating and following up remote training and advising; • Liaising with SMEs and providing them with support for trade fairs and market tours; • Identifying and collating information on success stories to be disseminated in programme communications materials. 5. Facilitate UKTP operations in South Africa, including: • Support technical teams in the implementation of activities carried out by ITC in-house experts (in-country and online); • Contribute to planning and organising ITC and/or FCDO missions to the region and accompany the delegations when required; • Support shared facilitated exchange between beneficiaries and UK importers / partners (online/ in-country); • Act as the local focal point with vendors and source documentation for ITC to process; • Liaise with beneficiaries and collate documentation required from them to prepare travel and visa arrangements; • Review documentation and official correspondence, including MOUs, official letters and other written material to comply with ITC’s requirements; • In case of financial authorisations with UNDP, prepare rosters and collate necessary documentation, liaise with the local UNDP office to ensure project transactions are duly recorded and all invoices/rosters are completed, and This contract will include support for activities to achieve the following project outputs: 1. Provision of institutional advisory services to improve the membership services offered by business support organisations 2. Provision of advisory services to increase capacity to export to international markets provided to firms 3. SMEs introduced to overseas markets The consultant should ensure that gender equality and women’s empowerment is mainstreamed in all activities. The consultant should ensure that UK International Development visibility guidelines are upheld. Copyright Clause: The Consultant has to ensure that s/he has obtained the necessary permissions with regard to intellectual property rights required to perform his/her services under this consultancy contract and for the subsequent dissemination by ITC in any form. Documentary proof is to be submitted to ITC. Should any license fee be due for the use of copyrighted materials of third parties, the Consultant shall request prior written permission from ITC. S/he has further to ensure to obtain accreditation to event(s), if required. ITC champions workforce diversity, inclusion, gender equality and gender parity and considers all qualified persons - of all genders - equally, including those with disabilities, without discrimination or prejudice of any kind. Qualifications/special skills Undergraduate degree (BA/BSC or other) Graduate degree in agronomy, business management, marketing, economics, or related field. Extensive relevant experience may be accepted in lieu of the university degree. Minimum of 10 years of relevant professional experience in trade-related technical assistance /trade promotion is required. • Previous experience working with South African businesses is required. • Previous experience in developing delivery plans, budgets, monitoring and reporting is required. • Knowledge of key government and institutional stakeholders in food & beverage /tech would be an asset. • Previous work within the UN system or international development finance institution would be an asset. Languages Fluent in English Additional Information Not available. No Fee THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.