Trade for Development Attaché At UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office

The United Kingdom Mission (UKMis) to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and United Nations (UN) in Geneva is looking for an experienced and motivated individual to support the work and policies of the UK on trade for development issues at the WTO and UN, and provide wider support in the Mission on UK WTO delegation coordination and related matters.

Main Duties and Responsibilities:

• 2021 is a busy year for both the WTO and UNCTAD (United Nations Conference on Trade and Development) with the UNCTAD XV Conference in October 2021 and the WTO Ministerial Conference (MC12) in December 2021. You will be part of UKMis Geneva’s trade and development team supporting the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office’s (FCDO) and Department for International Trade’s (DIT) engagement and work on the development aspects of multilateral trade negotiations at the WTO and UNCTAD with a particular focus on UNCTAD XV and MC12. The UK is a major global actor in trade and development;
• You will support colleagues on the text negotiations for UNCTAD XV and, in the run-up to MC12, will provide analysis and support on the development aspects of the various potential outcomes (eg, fisheries, trade and health, etc), particularly those relevant to developing countries and Least Developed Countries (LDCs);
• Outside of the Ministerial Conferences, and as part of the regular work of the WTO, you will lead on WTO Working Parties on Accessions, the Working Group on Trade, Debt and Finance, and the Working Group on Trade and Transfer of Technology. You will provide research, stakeholder engagement and policy support for colleagues on the WTO Committees for Trade & Development (and sub-committees) and Trade Facilitation, and the Informal Working Group on Trade & Gender.
• You will also engage on Commonwealth issues related to trade and development, in particular with the Commonwealth Small States Office in Geneva, and keep a watching brief on other trade-related agencies, think-tanks and NGOs to inform FCDO colleagues of any issues, opportunities and events of policy interest;
• You will provide some WTO delegation coordination support on behalf of the wider Trade & Economic team. This is likely to be focused on administrative, logistical and policy support, including on MC12-related issues, but may also encompass support for ministerial and senior officials’ visits, and wider corporate tasks. You may also be asked to make contributions to supporting the work of the wider Mission, and will be encouraged to engage in corporate and social initiatives.

Essential qualifications, skills and experience

• Fluent written and spoken English (minimum C1 level according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages *);
• Knowledge and experience working in Trade Policy;
• Need to be pro-active and a self-starter, and able to work independently on objectives and tasks set by colleagues;
• Able to communicate effectively and engage with external and internal partners, often at senior levels;
• Excellent drafting skills, and able to take notes quickly, providing clear and concise reports and analysis on trade, development and economic policy and programme issues.

Desirable qualifications, skills and experience

• French language would be advantageous;
• Prior general knowledge of international development policy and practice, especially related to trade and development policy;
• Prior knowledge of the workings of the WTO and UN.