Result of Service

Output 1 (20 days of work) – by 28 June 2024: • Weekly 1-page update on status of all assigned tasks; • Developed a template for maintenance of all project stakeholder contacts; • A tool developed for tracking project expenditure; • Supported the project team in tracking project activities and outputs; • A filing system for all project documents adopted together with the Project Operations Assistant; • Keep on file Minutes of meetings attended, weekly; • Letters, terms of references (ToRs), meeting agendas, presentations drafted under the guidance of the project team; • List of office equipment requirements drafted and submitted to the Project Manager; • Drafted for review rosters of participants, group travel forms, liaised with travellers to gather details as required (e.g. passports, banking registration details, etc.); preliminary calculations of DSA prior to HQ review and submission to Certifying Officers at HQ; • Collected quotations from vendors (e.g. catering, accommodation, venue, car rental, etc.), supported with drafting all documents to be submitted to HQ certifying Officer approval. Output 2 (20 days of work) – by 26 July 2024 • Weekly 1-page update on status of all assigned tasks; • Developed a template for maintenance of all project stakeholder contacts; • A tool developed for tracking project expenditure; • Supported the project team in tracking project activities and outputs; • A filing system for all project documents adopted together with the Project Operations Assistant; • Keep on file Minutes of meetings attended, weekly; • Letters, terms of references (ToRs), meeting agendas, presentations drafted under the guidance of the project team; • List of office equipment requirements drafted and submitted to the Project Manager; • Drafted for review rosters of participants, group travel forms, liaised with travellers to gather details as required (e.g. passports, banking registration details, etc.); preliminary calculations of DSA prior to HQ review and submission to Certifying Officers at HQ; • Collected quotations from vendors (e.g. catering, accommodation, venue, car rental, etc.), supported with drafting all documents to be submitted to HQ certifying Officer approval. Output 3 (20 days of work) – by 23 August 2024: • Weekly 1-page update on status of all assigned tasks; • Developed a template for maintenance of all project stakeholder contacts; • A tool developed for tracking project expenditure; • Supported the project team in tracking project activities and outputs; • A filing system for all project documents adopted together with the Project Operations Assistant; • Keep on file Minutes of meetings attended, weekly; • Letters, terms of references (ToRs), meeting agendas, presentations drafted under the guidance of the project team; • List of office equipment requirements drafted and submitted to the Project Manager; • Drafted for review rosters of participants, group travel forms, liaised with travellers to gather details as required (e.g. passports, banking registration details, etc.); preliminary calculations of DSA prior to HQ review and submission to Certifying Officers at HQ; • Collected quotations from vendors (e.g. catering, accommodation, venue, car rental, etc.), supported with drafting all documents to be submitted to HQ certifying Officer approval.

Work Location

Home-Based in Freetown, Sierra Leone, with possibility of local travel

Expected duration

03.06.2024 – 23.08.2024

Duties and Responsibilities

BACKGROUND: The International Trade Centre (ITC) is a joint agency of the United Nations and World Trade Organization based in Geneva. ITC’s mission is to enable small business export success in developing and transition- economy countries, by providing, with partners, sustainable and inclusive development solutions to the private sector, trade support institutions (TSIs) and policymakers. Having worked with SMEs for 60 years, ITC is familiar with the unique needs of SMEs, including youth and women-led enterprises, and has vast experience in improving their international competitiveness and connecting them with markets: • ITC’s Youth & Trade Initiative takes a market-led approach to address gaps in skills and enhance the competitiveness of young entrepreneurs. The programme works with ecosystem actors to strengthen the business environment for youth-led companies and provide pathways to youth employment in key value chains. ITC manages a global community supporting young entrepreneurs – Ye! Community, which connects youth entrepreneurs and key ecosystem actors to provide access to resources, tools, opportunities, and networks, to enhance their entrepreneurial capacities. • ITC ecomConnect has developed a well-practiced methodology accompanies SMEs on their digital journey through its training programme, research, and facilitation of innovative solutions, collaborative structures, partnerships, and digital tools and technologies. In addition, the ecomConnect programme works closely with a wide range of local stakeholders and partner agencies, especially BSOs, and provides them with capacity building and knowledge on online trade and exports. • ITC’s Tech Sector Development team supports the internationalization of African tech start-ups. ITC has implemented projects in Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Ghana, Mali, Senegal and Uganda focused on supporting local tech companies and digital freelancers, as well as the local innovation ecosystems. In 2019, ITC launched the #FastTrackTech initiative. FastTrackTech provides targeted coaching, matchmaking with potential clients and investors to digital entrepreneurs who aspire to international growth in Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Mali, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Zambia. • ITC SheTrades Initiative aims to create an ecosystem of integrated solutions that empower women economically through greater integration in trade and investment. The Initiative ensures that the right capacities and conditions are present for women to trade and that they are supported by an ecosystem of market partners and effective support organizations. At the same time, SheTrades works to remove inequalities in the trade policy space that hinder women’s participation. • ITC Institutions and Ecosystems section is dedicated to support and enhance the performance of business support organizations (BSOs). The support to BSOs is structured in three key pillars: assess, improve, and connect organizations. The end goal of the support is to ensure that MSMEs and startups receive targeted and well-structured support from efficient and professional organizations. • The ITC Trade Policy and Investment Facilitation (TPIF) Unit supports trade and investment policy formulation and implementation by working with policymakers to review and update policies and regulatory frameworks and informing and advising trade and investment negotiators. TPIF also assists chambers of commerce and other business support organizations (BSOs) to articulate MSMEs views effectively to ensure that policies, regulatory reforms, and negotiations all reflect a well-informed business perspective. Unemployment and underemployment are key drivers of poverty in Sierra Leone. At 10.1%, the youth unemployment rate is over double the national average, and 60-70% of the working population are classified as working poor. The digital economy provides opportunities for more and better paid jobs, and digitalization has the potential to drive SME competitiveness and growth. However, Sierra Leonean youth, especially young women, lack awareness of opportunities available in the digital economy as well as the relevant knowledge and skills to take advantage of them. Consequently, many youths are not employable in technology-related jobs. Youth entrepreneurship is key to reduce unemployment in Sierra Leone, yet most youth-led MSMEs, especially those led by young women, lack skills to adopt digital technologies in their businesses, maximize e-commerce opportunities, and secure financing. Young people and young entrepreneurs lack an effective and coordinated voice to influence policymaking processes related to the digital economy to ensure that their needs are met. At the business ecosystem level, entrepreneurship support provided by the government, development agencies, and NGOs rarely offer a combination of sector, digital, and entrepreneurship-oriented programmes. There is a lack of coordination among BSOs, tech service providers, and market partners. Business and digital support services are insufficient and not adapted to the needs of young people and young entrepreneurs. BSOs and tech hubs do not provide sufficient digital entrepreneurship support to youth-led MSMEs, and financial institutions have limited service offerings to support young women entrepreneurs to contribute to the digital economy. Implemented over a four-year period from June 2024 to 2028, the ‘Sierra Leone: Empowering youth through digital technologies’ project has the overall objective of contributing to economic growth and job creation in Sierra Leone by enhancing the participation of youth in the digital economy. To achieve this, the project will: • Increase the capacity of youth to use digital technologies for work, entrepreneurship and social inclusion; • Enhance the competitiveness of young entrepreneurs through the adoption of digital technologies; • Improve youth-specific service offerings of business support organizations and tech hubs; • Strengthen the inclusive national strategies and policies related to the digital economy. DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES: The Individual Contractor will work for ITC’s Women, Youth and Vulnerable Communities Section, under the overall supervision of the SheTrades Senior Programme Officer and the direct supervision of the SheTrades Associate Economic Affairs Officer, under the guidance of the Project Operations Assistant based in HQ, and in close collaboration with the National Project Coordinator. They are expected to take on the following duties: • Support in the coordination of project operations planning and preparation work for a four-year digital and youth project in Sierra Leone. • Monitor status of project proposals, gathering and filing of relevant documentation for review and approval. • Review project documents, cost plans/budgets, terms of reference, amongst others, for completeness and compliance with relevant rules and procedures prior to submission for final approvals at HQ. • Ensure coherence, accuracy and quality of drafted project documents, letters, rosters of participants, procurement offer reviews, amongst others, prior to submission to HQ for approvals. • Focal point for administrative and logistical coordination of project implementation activities, such as training sessions, workshops, community events, mobilization initiatives, etc., in close coordination with the Project Operations Assistant on all requests. • Comply with ITC operational processes, proactively follow-up locally on administrative actions, such as travel arrangements, training/study tours, authorization of payments, procurement of goods and services, etc. • Prepare and update regular reports, briefing notes, graphic and statistical summaries, accounting spreadsheets, etc., in support of the National Project Coordinator, in order to ensure timely monitoring of project expenditure and flag any issues as they arise. • Support in general office assistance; respond to complex information requests and inquiries of meeting participants, officials, project stakeholders, vendors, etc.; maintain files/records as per UN rules and regulations, for audit purposes; maintain clear filing system as aligned with HQ team file sharing practices and standards. • Liaise and report regularly on status of operational matters to the Project Manager, Associate Economic Affairs, Project Operations Assistant and other HQ teams associated with the project. • Be prepared to liaise with officials in country offices, implementing agencies, including Resident Representatives, National/Programme Coordinators, etc. 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

Completed Secondary Education. At least five years of experience in project administration, technical cooperation or related area. High motivation and commitment to the project and its deliverables. Excellent planning skills, pragmatism, agility, with strong ability to prioritise time-sensitive tasks. Tact, discretion and sense of protocol sensitivities when liaising with different stakeholders, including high-level officials. Proficient in MS office applications (essential MS Teams, Word and Excel). Excellent oral and written English communication skills. Knowledge of working with Enterprise Resource Planning systems (e.g. Umoja).

Languages

Advanced English is required (both written and spoken). Krio is an advantage.

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.