Policy Advisor Economic Relations

Main duties and responsibilities:
1. Act as the File Manager for economic and trade file.
2. Coordinate and work closely with the Ministry of National Economy and its various departments on national economic and trade policy issues in relation to Permanent Status Negotiations.
3. Liaise with other PA institutions on the national economic and trade policies and options.
4. Liaise with international organizations such as the World Bank, IMF and others who monitor economic development in the PNA.
5. Acquire data from relevant sources including the PCBS, ICBS, PA Ministries, UN organizations, World Bank and other relevant sources and integrate them into the relevant sections of the Reference Guide.
6. Develop ToRs and contract consultants to draft alternative Trade Agreement Options.
7. Assist in pursuing membership negotiations with the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and World Customs Organization (WCO).
8. Provide support to the Ministry of National Economy in JEC and Ministerial Meetings with Israeli counterparts as many of these meetings have a clear linkage with Permanent Status positions and interests.
9. Monitor and Evaluate Economic Projects especially those affecting Permanent Status positions.
10. Identify all Palestinian positions which require strengthening or development from scratch, plan distinct research projects to meet these needs and communicate the conclusions and its implications to the relevant parties.
11. Work with relevant negotiators, ministers and external advisers to develop an overall strategy for the negotiation of all issues within the file, including the sequence according to which issues will be addressed, positions which should not be compromised and those where a fallback position is acceptable.
12. Ensure coherence of work with negotiation positions developed for other files and informing other advisers of significant developments within one’s own file such as leadership decisions, meeting outputs and events in the international diplomatic community.
13. Monitor how Israeli policies are impacting Palestinian rights and long‐term interests and recommending to the leadership the steps which should be taken in response.
14. Analyze how Palestinians should respond to any Israeli actions or initiatives by foreign governments intended to support the peace process, or to prepare for any upcoming diplomatic event, and communicating these recommendations to the NAD or other members of the Palestinian leadership.
15. Summarize PA position in preferential access agreements and the country’s status with regard to international and regional trade agreements and groupings
16. Review Israeli laws and regulations pertaining to trade in addition to signed agreements between PLO and GoI and propose measures to strengthen PLO position during Permanent Status negotiations.
17. When PA joins WTO, summarize the place and responsibilities for trade policy in the country and the main structures for interaction between the country and the WTO. Discuss any coordination systems that are in place to deal trade matters, both within Government and between Government, the private sector and civil society. Summarize the country’s status with regard to international or regional trade agreements.
18. Review and assess the participation of country officials and private sector representatives in international standard‐setting processes and highlight any cases where such participation has affected the Permanent Status Positions.
19. Review and assess the involvement of these officials/representatives in influencing the laws and regulations set in particular major markets to which the country exports. What have been the main obstacles to participating in such processes? Has it been a lack of timely notification of proposed regulations, language barriers, local capacity weaknesses, or other factors?
20. Review and assess the participation of public officials and/or private representatives in
the deliberations of international industry/commodity organizations with regard to the
 setting of standards.
21. Review and assess relevant experiences of the local private sector in the formation of industry ‘codes of practice’ at an international or regional level and discuss constraints in participating in such processes.
22. Draw conclusions about the country’s overall strengths and weaknesses in participating in international standard‐setting processes and recommend measures which could be taken to strengthen such participation and influence.
23. Review and assess existing Palestinian laws and regulations and determine the extent to which they are consistent with current international norms.
24. Provide a summary on past, on‐going, and planned programs to refine the legal arrangements and strengthen local capacities to implement trade‐promoting standards and technical regulations.

Qualifications, experience and skills required:
1. Post graduate degree in Economics, preferably in trade or macroeconomics.
2. At least 5 years of extensive experience of macroeconomics, policy formulation and assessment.
3. Experience in project management is preferred.
4. Extensive knowledge in the Palestinian and regional economy.
5. Extensive experience in public speaking.
6. Demonstrated, dynamic, and inter‐personal communications capability and capacity to work within and lead a team.
7. Excellent command of written and spoken English and Arabic.
8. Excellent command of Microsoft office.

Interested applicants must send their resume, cover letter setting out how they meet the
required qualifications and references to the following email address by July 12th 2010.