National Consultant, Dominican Republic, EUDR Cocoa sector

The Consultant is expected to deliver the following outputs during the contract period: Output 1: by 15th March: Customized EUDR materials (including guidelines, handbooks, business scenarios, and training materials) for the Dominican Republic cocoa sector
• Inputs and proposed adaptations to ITC EUDR guidance materials reflecting the Dominican Republic cocoa context, in compliance with ITC's quality requirements and required level of detail;
• Revised and contextualized materials submitted to ITC in Spanish, using ITC-provided templates, in compliance with ITC's quality requirements and required level of detail. Output 2: by 30th April: Support to delivery of capacity building activities
• Successful coordination and support of up to two EUDR-related training workshops and/or consultation meetings for the cocoa sector;
• For each event: preparation of participant lists, brief summary reports, and supporting documentation as required by ITC and according to the templated provided. Output 3: by 30th April: Ongoing coordination and progress reporting
• Bi-weekly short periodic progress notes on stakeholder engagement, activities conducted, and emerging issues related to EUDR and cocoa in the Dominican Republic, as required by ITC. Adjustments may be made to the timeline and the number of workshops, as needed to meet project requirements.

Work Location:

home-based (Dominican Republic)

Expected duration:

ASAP

Duties and responsabilities:

The International Trade Centre (ITC), a joint agency of the World Trade Organization and the United Nations, supports inclusive and sustainable trade development by enabling small businesses in developing and transition economies to improve their competitiveness and access international markets. ITC is implementing the EU-funded Climate Competitiveness Project, which supports sector-specific capacity building for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in partner countries. The project focuses on strengthening competitiveness in the context of climate-related and environmental market requirements, including emerging sustainability regulations affecting access to international markets. In parallel, ITC is supporting public and private stakeholders globally in preparing for compliance with the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), which entered into force in June 2023. The regulation introduces mandatory due diligence requirements for operators and traders placing selected commodities (including cocoa) on the EU market, with a focus on deforestation-free production, traceability, and legality. In the Dominican Republic, cocoa is a strategic export commodity, particularly for access to European markets. Ensuring that cocoa value chain actors are informed, prepared, and equipped to comply with EUDR requirements is therefore critical to maintaining and strengthening the country's export competitiveness. Within this context, ITC will recruit a National Consultant in the Dominican Republic to support the implementation of EUDR-related capacity building activities for the cocoa sector under the Climate Competitiveness Project. The consultant will play a key coordination and technical support role, including organizing trainings, supporting the customization of guidance materials, and facilitating engagement with national stakeholders. The activities will be done in collaboration with the EU-ACP Business Friendly project. Objective of the assignment The objective of this consultancy is to support ITC in coordinating and delivering EUDR-related capacity building activities for the cocoa sector in the Dominican Republic, with a focus on:
• Organizing and supporting delivery of national training and consultation activities
• Customizing ITC guidance materials (guidelines, handbooks, training modules) to the Dominican Republic cocoa context with a focus to ensure compliance with EUDR and other related regulations.
• Facilitating coordination with public and private stakeholders involved in cocoa production, trade, and sustainability Description of Duties/Responsibilities The Consultant will work under the overall guidance of the ITC Project Manager for the Climate Competitiveness Project and under the direct supervision of ITC's EUDR focal point, in close coordination with relevant ITC technical experts. The Consultant will be responsible for the following tasks: 1. Stakeholder coordination and engagement
• Act as a national focal point for ITC activities related to EUDR and link with EU-ACP Business Friendly project team for wider cocoa sector level in the Dominican Republic;
• Establish and maintain working relationships with relevant public institutions, cocoa sector organizations, producer associations, exporters, cooperatives, and other stakeholders;
• Support dialogue and coordination between public and private sector actors involved in EUDR preparedness and cocoa sustainability. 2. Customization of EUDR guidance materials for the cocoa sector
• Support the contextualization and customization of existing ITC EUDR guidance materials (including guidelines, handbooks, business scenarios, and training materials) to the Dominican Republic cocoa sector;
• Collect and integrate country- and sector-specific information, including institutional roles, value chain structures, and existing initiatives;
• Contribute to ensuring materials are practical, accurate, and aligned with national realities and stakeholder needs. 3. Support to training and capacity building activities
• Support the planning, organization, and delivery of EUDR-related training workshops and information sessions for cocoa value chain actors;
• Assist with logistical coordination, participant outreach, and facilitation support for training events;
• Contribute to the preparation of presentations, agendas, and supporting training materials in coordination with ITC. 4. Reporting and coordination with ITC
• Coordinate closely with ITC headquarters on work planning, timelines, and activity implementation;
• Prepare short activity summaries, workshop reports, and progress updates as requested by ITC;
• Participate in coordination calls and internal briefings related to the assignment. Copyright Clause: The Individual Contractor has to ensure that she has obtained the necessary permissions with regard to intellectual property rights required to perform 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 Individual Contractor 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.

Qualifications and special skills

• University degree in economics, business administration, agriculture, environmental studies, international trade, or a related field;
• Extensive relevant professional experience may be accepted in lieu of a formal degree
• At least 5 years of proven experience in project coordination, technical assistance, or capacity building in the agricultural or agri-food sector;
• Demonstrated familiarity with the cocoa sector in the Dominican Republic is a strong asset;
• Experience related to sustainability standards, traceability, or EU market requirements is desirable;
• Experience working with international organizations or donor-funded projects is an advantage Skills
• Strong organizational and coordination skills;
• Ability to engage effectively with public and private sector stakeholders;
• Good analytical, drafting, and communication skills;
• Ability to work independently while coordinating closely with an international team.

Languages:

Language Fluency in Spanish and workable level of English.

Additional information:

20 days of work in the period from ASAP to

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.