Programme Officer, Customs at TradeMark Africa

This role requires an individual who balances practical programme management experience and technical familiarity and experience with trade facilitation concepts such as Customs and trade facilitation, regional economic integration, global , continental and regional agreements such as WCO(World Customs Organisation) and WTO (World Trade Organisation), EAC, COMESA, AfCFTA agreements among others.

The Programme Officer, Customs will ensure alignment to TradeMark Africa’s (TMA) project cycle management (PCM)-including design/formulation, mobilisation, implementation, review, and closure—while ensuring effective monitoring, reporting, and integration of cross-cutting themes such as risk management , gender, climate change, and safeguards. The Officer will also manage communications requirements for the Customs Sub-unit and support coordination with the EAC. They will align Programme knowledge management with TMA’s strategy to ensure long-term value and institutional learning.

Besides Programme management role, the job holder will support the design, coordination, and implementation of regional Customs and trade facilitation initiatives in line with global, continental, and regional trade agreements, frameworks, and mechanisms—including relevant laws, regulations, and protocols.

This role will work closely with the EAC Secretariat, Partner States, and development partners to advance trade facilitation reforms and improve trade efficiency. The Programme officer will also provide coordination support to regional teams when needed and contribute to the country and regional-level Programme implementation across TMA’s areas of operation

Roles and responsibilities

Technical Support

• Provide technical input in the design, planning and execution of trade facilitation initiatives across TMA programmes.
• Provide technical input in the development of strategic documents including preparing fundraising proposals, project appraisal reports (PARs), concept notes.
• Provide technical support in development terms of reference and participate in procurement evaluations for procurement of goods and services for the Trade & Customs unit.
• Provide support in managing active contracts through rreviewing contract deliverables and participating in contract review meetings.
• Represent the line manager in technical discussions with TMA teams, donors and implementing partners whenever needed.

Programme Delivery & Coordination

• Coordinate TMA’s programming with the EAC Secretariat in Arusha. This will include providing onsite direct engagements with focal points, planning and overseeing scheduled Programme Coordination Committee (PCC) meetings through preparing background material and meeting reports/minutes to ensure discussions and decisions are well documented and follow up implementation of annual work programme for the TMA-EAC programme.
• Assist the line manager in analyzing, compiling, and disseminating critical information related to programme performance (e.g. quarterly and annual performance targets, budget expenditure and forecasts milestones, mobilization, procurement, risk plans etc.) to inform targeted implementation.
• Work with the line manager in the development of programme-level documents such as annual business plans, work plans, communication plans, monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) plans and tools, programme progress reports, donor reports, and programme/project briefs.
• In consultation with the line manager, coordinate and ensure the inclusion of cross-cutting themes in the design and implementation of Customs projects. This includes liaising with the gender and inclusion, safeguards, and environment , climate change , corporate governance and risk management teams to obtain support and guidance on all areas of work implementation.
• In liaison with the line manager, analyze program outcomes based on individual project-level performance to contribute to team learning and discussions aimed at improving future programming within and across teams.
• Provide support in updating project information and documentation on TMA business and reporting systems, including work plans, monitoring plans, and risk plans.
• Provide support during quarterly and annual reporting through TMA business and reporting systems and completion of programme Progress Quarterly and Annual Progress Reports.
• Provide support in initiating project reports, closeout procedures and ensuring project documentation on evaluations, research and lessons learned are up to date.
• Support withmaintenance of accurate project documentation.
• Serve as the first point of contact for inquiries on the Customs programme and coordinate engagements with internal TMA technical teams, programme teams, and central support teams.

Results Monitoring & Reporting and Knowledge Management

• Regularly update Trade and CustomsUnit’s Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) tools through ensuring results frameworks are updated, all projects have updated monitoring plans with clear baseline data, indicators of success and targets.
• Liaise with implementing partners to ensure regular data collection to support evidence based regular reporting of results.
• Prepare periodic project and programme progress reports in line with corporate and donor reporting requirements.
• Provide support in development of knowledge products to document key lessons learnt, synthesize information useful for adoption of adaptive programming and building complementarities with other programmes.
• Maintain a library of Trade & Customs reference materials and working with the line manager to disseminate these through agreed channels.

Communications

• Collaborate with the communications unit to shape and monitor the programme’s communication plan in line with TMA’s Corporate Communication Strategy, business plan, and visibility commitments to funding agencies.
• Communicate programme progress and results effectively to internal and external stakeholders, supporting the delivery of high-quality outputs to ensure that TMA’s mission and vision are clearly communicated to investors and stakeholders, while motivating and inspiring donors, implementing partners, and other stakeholders.
• Liaise with the communications team to organize internal and external events and media training.

Office Management – Arusha office

• Maintain office services by ensuring office operations and procedures are implemented according to TMA's administrative policy and guidelines.
• Manage office services by organizing office operations, controlling correspondence, overseeing filing systems, reviewing and approving supply requisitions, and ensuring clerical functions are properly assigned, monitored, and implemented.
• Ensure office efficiency by planning and executing equipment procurement, office layouts, and office systems.
• Manage office suppliers by ensuring timely service delivery and processing payments.

People Management

• Serve as line manager to designated team members. This will include leading in the identification and onboarding of direct reports and providing day-to-day guidance and oversight to ensure smooth operations.
• Provide dedicated mentoring and coaching of their direct reports to ensure effective capacity building and growth within the team.
• Work with their direct report(s) to develop annual and quarterly Objectives & Key Results (OKRs), conduct regular performance check-ins and reviews, and identify capacity-building needs.
• Foster a supportive, inclusive, and high-integrity and high-performance team culture.
• Ensure team compliance with mandatory trainings, organizational policies and procedures.

Academic and professional qualifications

• Undergraduate degree in Economics , Customs and Trade Facilitation , International Trade , International Trade Law, Regional integration, Business Administration , ,Public Policy, Development studies.
• A Master’s degree in either of the fields mentioned above will be an added advantage.
• Post graduate diploma in Customs administration is preferred.
• Professional qualifications in project management is preferred e.g PRINCE 2 , PMP or equivalent
• Qualification Monitoring and Evaluation and / or communications will be an added advantage.

Work experience

• Minimum 5 years of experience for undergraduate degree holders or three years experience for Masters degree holders in Customs, trade, trade facilitation, or regional integration in public institutions, intergovernmental bodies, or donor-funded programmes
• At least 3 years’ experience in managing and coordinating projects, including monitoring and evaluation, knowledge management and communications activities for donor-funded programmes.
• Technical understanding of Customs processes and trade facilitation instruments, and their application within Regional Economic Communities such as EAC, COMESA,SADC,COMESA-EAC-SADC Tripartite, AfCFTA, and ECOWAS.
• Experience working with or through Regional Economic Communities (EAC, COMESA, SADC, COMESA-EAC-SADC Tripartite, ECOWAS, AfCFTA structures).
• Experience working with Customs or border authorities, and familiarity with regional coordination mechanisms and stakeholder engagement.