E T Consultant

E T Consultant

Description

Do you want to build a career that is truly worthwhile?The World Bank Group is a unique global partnership of five institutions driven by a bold vision to create a world free of poverty on a livable planet. As one of the largest sources of funding and knowledge for developing countries, we help solve the world’s greatest development challenges. When you join the World Bank Group, you become part of a dynamic, diverse organization with 189 member countries and more than 120 offices worldwide. We work with public and private sector partners, invest in groundbreaking projects, and use data, research, and technology to bring tangible and transformative change around the globe. For more information, visit www.worldbank.org.

Trade Policy and Facilitation Unit (WKPTT)

The Trade Policy and Facilitation Unit (WKPTT) is part of the Prosperity Vice-Presidency. In WKPTT, we are responsible for delivering analytic, advisory, financial, and convening services in the areas of trade policy, trade facilitation, logistics and connectivity, and regional integration.

Duties and accountabilities: 

The ETC will play a central role in advancing WKPTT's trade policy reform and trade facilitation agenda, with a primary focus on non-tariff measures (NTMs), regulatory alignment with trading partners, and quality infrastructure (QI). A particular area of emphasis is agricultural trade and the sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) regulatory environment, where the ETC will bring technical depth including inter alia on food safety, animal and plant health standards, risk analysis, and compliance with the import requirements of agricultural domestic and export markets. The ETC will provide substantive technical inputs to Development Policy Operations (DPOs), analytical and advisory services (ASA), and country dialogue — bringing deep knowledge of how regulatory and trade policy reforms are designed, sequenced, and implemented. The ETC will also contribute to knowledge dissemination through reports, policy notes, and engagement with government counterparts and development partners.

A. Policy Reform Analysis and Design under NTMs
Lead technical analysis of non-tariff measures — with particular focus on  SPS measures and technical barriers to trade (TBT), as well as import licensing regimes and other behind-the-border regulations — with a focus on understanding their design, economic rationale, and reform pathways. In the agricultural sector specifically, assess how SPS measures governing food safety (e.g., maximum residue levels, contaminant limits, microbiological standards), plant health (e.g., pest risk assessments, phytosanitary certification), and animal health (e.g., disease-free status, veterinary equivalence) affect the ability of client countries to access export markets. Evaluate the extent to which NTMs reflect legitimate regulatory objectives versus unnecessary trade restrictiveness, drawing on WTO SPS and TBT Agreement disciplines, Codex Alimentarius standards, IPPC guidelines, and OIE frameworks. Develop substantive policy recommendations on NTM rationalization, reform sequencing, and institutional arrangements, tailored to the regulatory capacity and political economy of specific country contexts.

B. Regulatory Alignment and Harmonization with Trading Partners
Provide technical expertise on processes and instruments through which countries align their regulatory frameworks with those of key trading partners and regional blocs — including mutual recognition agreements (MRAs), equivalence determinations, harmonization of standards, and conformity assessment procedures. In the agricultural context, this includes supporting client countries in navigating the specific SPS import requirements of major markets such as the EU (including the General Food Law, Official Controls Regulation, and pesticide MRL frameworks), the United States (USDA-APHIS, FDA, and FSIS requirements), and regional bodies such as AfCFTA, ASEAN, and MERCOSUR. Analyze gaps between client countries' regulatory and institutional frameworks and the requirements of their main export markets, and identify actionable pathways to narrow those gaps — including investments in national SPS systems, accreditation of conformity assessment bodies, and pest or disease surveillance programs. Support country teams in designing reform programs that strengthen regulatory coherence and improve market access prospects for agricultural and food exporters.

C. Operational Inputs to DPOs and Advisory Engagements
Provide substantive technical contributions to the design and implementation of Development Policy Operations and other lending instruments, with a focus on NTM-related prior actions, policy triggers, and results frameworks grounded in regulatory reform logic. In operations with an agricultural trade dimension, this includes designing DPO conditions and technical assistance components that address SPS legal frameworks, food safety authority mandates, laboratory accreditation systems, and pest and disease management programs. Prepare country-specific policy notes, technical assessments, and analytical briefs that translate reform options into operationally actionable recommendations, ensuring that lending and advisory products reflect up-to-date knowledge of the regulatory landscape and the SPS and TBT requirements of trading partners.

D. Country Dialogue and Stakeholder Engagement
Engage directly with government counterparts — including trade ministries, agriculture ministries, food safety authorities, national plant protection organizations (NPPOs), and veterinary services — as well as regulatory agencies, industry associations, and development partners on NTM reform processes and regulatory alignment strategies. Prepare and deliver presentations, workshops, and technical briefings that communicate reform options clearly to both technical and policy-level audiences. Contribute to building client government capacity to assess and manage NTMs, strengthen SPS systems, and engage effectively in international standard-setting bodies such as Codex, IPPC, and OIE. Support and contribute to quantitative assessments — including trade cost analyses and estimates of the market access effects of SPS and NTM reforms — working alongside economists and analysts with modelling expertise.

E. Knowledge Dissemination
Contribute to the preparation and dissemination of knowledge products — including research reports, policy notes, blogs, and presentations — that communicate findings on NTM reform, SPS regulatory alignment, agricultural trade competitiveness, and regional integration to a broad range of audiences. Ensure outputs are accessible and policy-relevant, and tailored appropriately for both technical specialists and senior policymakers.

Reporting and Coordination
The ETC will report to the WKPTT Program Manager and work closely with WKPTT team members, as well as external and internal clients.

Selection Criteria

• Masters or Advanced Degree in relevant field (economics, international trade, agricultural economics, law, or public policy with a strong focus on agricultural trade and trade regulation), with at least 8 years of relevant professional experience on agricultural trade and competitiveness issues (or PhD degree in relevant field, and at least 5 years of relevant professional experience);
• Demonstrated technical knowledge of non-tariff measures — with particular depth in SPS and TBT measures — and of the policy reform processes through which they are designed, rationalized, or aligned with international standards. Familiarity with the WTO SPS and TBT Agreements, Codex Alimentarius, IPPC, and OIE frameworks is expected.
• Direct experience advising governments or development partners on SPS regulatory reform and market access compliance, including food safety legislation, phytosanitary systems, veterinary equivalence arrangements, or laboratory accreditation. Experience working on agricultural trade competitiveness in developing country contexts is a strong advantage.
• Strong understanding of the SPS and food safety import requirements of major trading partners and regional blocs — including the EU's General Food Law and pesticide MRL regulations, USDA and FDA requirements, and relevant AfCFTA or regional protocols — and ability to assess client country compliance gaps and reform options in that light.
• Solid analytical skills and comfort working with data and quantitative evidence, including the ability to interpret and contribute to econometric analyses and trade cost assessments in support of the policy reform agenda. Proficiency in statistical tools such as Stata or R is an advantage.
• Experience preparing policy-facing analytical outputs — including country assessments, technical briefs, and DPO-related materials — for government counterparts, operational teams, or development partners.
• Experience contributing to World Bank operations (DPOs, technical assistance, or similar) or comparable analytical and advisory engagements in a trade policy or agricultural trade context is an advantage.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English, with the ability to produce high-quality reports, policy notes, and presentations for both technical and non-technical audiences. Demonstrated ability to communicate clearly policy prescriptions for maximum impact.
• Ability to manage multiple workstreams simultaneously, work effectively in multidisciplinary teams, and engage substantively with government officials, regulatory counterparts, and agricultural sector stakeholders.
• Working knowledge of French, Spanish, or Portuguese is an advantage.

WBG Culture Attributes:

1. Sense of urgency: Anticipate and quickly respond to the needs of internal and external stakeholders.
2. Thoughtful risk-taking: Challenge the status quo and push boundaries to achieve greater impact.
3. Empowerment and accountability: Empower yourself and others to act and hold each other accountable for results.

World Bank Group Core Competencies

As per WBG policy, an Extended Term (ET) appointment is subject to a lifetime maximum of three (3) years. Former and current ET staff who have completed or are in the process of completing their third-year ET appointment are not eligible for future ET appointments.

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