National Consultant: Cosmetics Market Linkage Expert

Output 1: Due Date 12th June • Inception and assignment planning by 12th June: The consultant submits an inception report and workplan after signing the contract clearly outlining the methodology, buyer engagement strategy, key activities, and implementation schedule for the assignment. Output 2: Due Date, 26th June • Participating shea businesses prepared for trade fair engagement: The consultant provides pre-fair preparation support to all the selected STAR shea businesses, including guidance on relevant market entry requirements and certifications in Korea and review of company profiles, product positioning, key selling messages, and meeting readiness. This should include at least one report on market entry requirements and certifications in Korea and one fair-preparation/coaching session per participating business and one export-readiness/fair-preparation note for each business. • Buyer mapping and outreach conducted: The consultant develops a buyer mapping and outreach report and identifies at least 15 relevant buyers and market actors in the cosmetics and personal care sector, including importers, distributors, formulators, manufacturers, and brands with potential interest in shea-based ingredients. • B2B meetings secured for participating businesses: The consultant arranges and confirms at least 10 B2B meetings during the trade fair week including visit to company and during fairs, with a minimum of 3 buyer company visits before trade fair and 3 meetings during fairs per participating shea business. • Pre-fair briefing package prepared and shared: The consultant produces one consolidated pre-fair briefing package containing buyer profiles, meeting schedules, talking points, and engagement guidance, and shares it with the STAR team and all participating businesses before the fair. Output 3: Due Date, 15th July • Buyer feedback and lead tracking documented: The consultant develops and maintains a lead tracking sheet and documents all meetings held, including buyer feedback, commercial interest level, key requirements, and recommended next steps. At least 80% of confirmed meetings should result in documented buyer feedback and follow-up actions. • Post-fair follow-up plans prepared for participating businesses: The consultant prepares a post-fair follow-up matrix/action plan for each participating shea business, outlining leads generated, issues raised, documents or samples required, and recommended next steps for business follow-up. • Final consultancy report submitted: The consultant submits a final report within the agreed timeline after the trade fair, summarizing: o total number of buyers identified and contacted o total number of meetings confirmed and held o buyer feedback and market requirements o number of qualified or prospective leads generated o market intelligence and competitor observations o recommendations for follow-up and future participation

home-based in Seoul, Republic of Korea

ASAP to 31.07.26

The Strengthening Agribusiness Resilience and Competitiveness (STAR) project is a market systems development initiative implemented by the International Trade Centre (ITC) with support from the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA). The project aims to strengthen the competitiveness and resilience of agribusiness micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and producer organizations in Northern and North-Eastern Uganda, with a focus on selected value chains including shea, cassava, and oilseeds. Through a combination of technical assistance, market systems support, enterprise upgrading, producer linkage development, quality improvement, and business facilitation, the project seeks to improve the commercial performance of targeted MSMEs while creating wider benefits for smallholder farmers, especially women and youth. Under the shea value chain, STAR supports businesses to improve branding, product quality, processing practices, packaging, market readiness, and commercial linkages so that they can better access higher-value domestic, regional, and international markets. The project also promotes stronger connections between shea nut collectors and shea enterprises, with the broader objective of increasing incomes, strengthening resilience, and improving participation of Northern Uganda’s shea actors in more structured and rewarding markets. As part of this effort, the STAR project intends to facilitate 2 high-potential shea SMEs to participate in the in-cosmetics Korea trade fair, a leading business platform for the personal care ingredients and related industry actors. The 2026 edition is scheduled for 1–3 July 2026 at the COEX Convention & Exhibition Centre, Seoul. The event brings together ingredient suppliers, R&D professionals, formulators, marketers, distributors, and buyers from Korea and beyond. This trade fair offers an opportunity for STAR-supported shea businesses to showcase Uganda’s shea butter, shea oil and shea cosmetic products, explore buyer requirements, assess market potential, and initiate commercial discussions with prospective off-takers, distributors, formulators, and cosmetic brands. To increase the visibility of Nilotica Shea, a side event, The Korean-African Beauty Business Dialogue will be organised with the partners. The dialogue will bring together African beauty businesses participating in the trade fair and Korean companies already engaging to share their exporting experience on the cosmetics industry and its supply chain. The targeted participants will be businesses interested in African market expansion and stakeholders with a strong interest in the African beauty and cosmetics market. The expected number of participants is 50 to 100.To maximize the value of participation, the project seeks to engage a qualified consultant to coordinate, and facilitate participation of shea businesses in the trade fair and organize strategic business-to-business (B2B) meetings, including the Korean-African Beauty Business Dialogue between selected STAR shea businesses and relevant buyers and stakeholders during the trade fair. It is expected that the facilitation will be in a manner similar to internationally recognized trade promotion and export coaching models used in trade fair participation programmes. 2. Purpose of the Assignment The purpose of this consultancy is to support the STAR project in identifying Korean buyers and market players to facilitate market connections to Uganda’s Nilotica shea sector during the In-cosmetics trade fair in Seoul, South Korea. The consultant will: 1. Identify market opportunities in Korea by profiling relevant buyers, market actors, and understanding regulatory and import requirements for shea-based cosmetic ingredients. 2. Facilitate business linkages by arranging and confirming targeted B2B meetings between selected STAR shea businesses and prospective buyers before and during the trade fair. 3. Strengthen company preparedness by supporting participating shea businesses with pitch refinement, product positioning, and overall readiness for buyer engagement. 4. Support strategic visibility and networking through organization of the Korea–Africa Beauty Business Dialogue in collaboration with relevant partners. 5. Provide on-site facilitation and coordination during the trade fair to ensure effective meetings, communication, and advisory support. The consultant will report to the STAR Project Manager or designated STAR technical lead and will work closely with the project team, participating shea businesses, and any relevant trade promotion or market access partners. 4. Scope of Work The consultant will undertake the following tasks: A. Pre-fair preparation The consultant shall: • Review profiles, product catalogues, and export readiness status of the selected STAR shea businesses and Ugandan shea sector overall. • Provide market intelligence on how shea butter and sesame oil is known and promoted as a cosmetic ingredient; regulatory requirements, market demand for shea products, promotion and import conditions, and applicable standards as well as pricing for exporting shea-based cosmetic ingredients, and sesame oil to Korea, including cosmetic ingredient registration, safety documentation, labeling requirements, and relevant certifications. • Support participating businesses on how to position themselves to international buyers, including refinement of company profiles, key selling messages, elevator pitches, preparing product lists and product catalogues tailored to the cosmetics sector. • Identify and develop profiles of prospective buyers, distributors, importers, formulators, contract manufacturers, and other relevant business partners attending the fair. • Develop a buyer targeting and engagement plan aligned to the products and commercial priorities of the participating firms. • Initiate outreach to targeted companies and schedule B2B meetings with dates, times and venue details in coordination with the STAR project team and participating businesses. • Brief participating businesses on buyer expectations, meeting etiquette, product positioning, and key market considerations in Korea and the wider cosmetics ingredients market. B. On-site support during the trade fair The consultant shall: • Coordinate and manage the B2B meeting schedule during the fair. • Facilitate introductions and moderate meetings where necessary to ensure focused commercial discussions with targeted buyers. • Provide business interpretation and communication support, where required, to ensure effective engagement between the shea businesses and buyers. • Capture real-time feedback from buyers on product specifications, quality expectations, documentation, pricing, volumes, certification, packaging, traceability, and commercial terms. • Support the organization and delivery of a dedicated side event, the Korea–Africa Beauty Business Dialogue • Advise the STAR team and shea businesses on emerging opportunities, risks, and necessary follow-up actions during the event. • Track all buyer engagements systematically, including walk-in opportunities, and document leads according to their potential and required follow-up actions. C. Post-fair follow-up and reporting The consultant shall: • Compile a summary of all meetings held, including buyer profiles, key discussion points, commercial interest level, and next steps. • Document relevant market trends, competing ingredients, comparable shea or African natural ingredient offerings, packaging and branding approaches, sustainability claims, and innovation themes visible at the trade fair. • Provide practical market intelligence to STAR and the participating businesses on how Uganda’s shea products compare with competing suppliers and what adjustments may be needed to improve marketability. • Prepare a post-fair action plan for each participating shea business outlining recommended follow-up actions to advance discussions. • Advise the businesses and STAR project on how to sustain engagement with promising leads after the fair, including follow-up messaging, sample or document sharing, and sequencing the next commercial steps. • Submit a final consultancy report with findings, lessons learned, market insights, and recommendations for future international buyer engagement. STAR Project Responsibilities The STAR project will: • Identify and confirm the shea businesses participating in the assignment. • Provide relevant company profiles, product information, and available promotional materials. • Review and approve key deliverables. • Facilitate coordination with participating businesses and support necessary logistical arrangements as agreed. The consultant will be responsible for: • Delivering the assignment professionally and within agreed timelines. • Maintaining regular communication with the STAR team. • Ensuring confidentiality of business-sensitive information shared by participating businesses and buyers. • Exercising due diligence in buyer outreach, meeting confirmation, and representation of the STAR project and participating businesses. Copyright Clause: The consultant has to ensure that she/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 the prior written permission from ITC. 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.

• An advanced university degree in business, international trade, marketing, agribusiness, or a related field. • At least 5 years of relevant professional experience in export market linkage facilitation, B2B matchmaking, trade promotion, or international business development. • Demonstrated experience working with natural ingredients, cosmetic raw materials, shea, oils, botanicals, or related products. • Proven track record in organizing and facilitating business meetings at international trade fairs or B2B platforms. • Strong understanding of buyer requirements in the cosmetics and personal care ingredients sector. • Familiarity with the Korean market or Asian cosmetics ingredients market will be a strong advantage. • Excellent stakeholder engagement, communication, and negotiation skills. • Ability to produce high-quality business reports and practical follow-up recommendations.

• Fluency in English (written and spoken) is required. • Knowledge of Korean language is required.

• Technical proposal describing understanding of the assignment, methodology, and workplan • Financial proposal with detailed cost breakdown • Updated CV • Examples of similar assignments previously undertaken • At least three professional references The assignment is expected to be conducted over a period of approximately two and a half months (15th May to 30th July 2026), covering pre-fair preparation, on-site facilitation during the event, and post-fair reporting. Home-based consultancy in Seoul, Korea. The consultant will work partly remotely during the preparation phase and will be required to provide on-site support in Seoul, during the week of in-cosmetics Korea.

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.