International Consultant – Customs and Rules of Origin Expert (DCTS Customs Toolkit)

The International Trade Centre (ITC) is a joint technical cooperation agency of the United Nations and the World Trade Organization to promote and assist the competitiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in developing countries, countries in transition and least developed countries to make better use of trade as a platform for growth, development and job creation. ITC helps improving trading environments and facilitate better management of border operations, including through the implementation of the World Trade Organization (WTO) Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA).

About the project: The ITC implements the Making Trade Happen (MTH) project which builds on the achievements of the United Kingdom Trade Partnerships (UKTP) and SheTrades Commonwealth+ (STC+) programmes to strengthen the long-term capacity of trade institutions and SMEs. By embedding technical expertise within national trade support organisations, facilitating commercial partnerships, and helping exporters navigate evolving market requirements, MTH project aims to transform preferential market access into tangible trade opportunities, institutional resilience and lasting sustainable economic growth. The UK's Developing Countries Trading Scheme (DCTS) provides eligible developing countries with duty-free or preferential access to the UK market. However, utilisation of the scheme remains uneven due to structural and operational barriers, including challenges related to rules of origin compliance, exporter registration, self-certification, customs procedures, and post-clearance verification. To support the effective implementation of the DCTS, ITC is developing a practical, user-oriented Customs toolkit to strengthen the capacity of customs administrations in administering and verifying DCTS preferences. The toolkit will promote the consistent and effective implementation of the scheme across beneficiary countries by providing operational guidance aligned with international good practice.

In this context, the consultant will support the toolkit's technical development in close collaboration with His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC), partner customs administrations, other relevant institutions and key resource persons to ensure it reflects operational needs.

Description of Duties/Responsibilities

The International Consultant will work under the direct supervision of the Programme Officer, Trade and Investment Facilitation, and under the technical guidance of the Chief, Business-Driven Trade and Investment Facilitation, both based at the International Trade Centre (ITC) headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. The International Consultant will:

• Step 1: Inception and technical review: Review the DCTS legal framework, operational procedures and existing guidance, including HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) materials. Review relevant customs manuals, operational procedures and guidance on preferential trade agreements, rules of origin, origin verification and customs compliance. Define the proposed structure, format and content of the DCTS Customs toolkit, ensuring it is practical, user-oriented, aligned with project objectives and reflects international good practice. Prepare an inception report setting out the 1st proposed toolkit scope, structure, development approach and workplan.
• Step 2: Stakeholder consultations and technical coordination: Coordinate technical consultations with customs administrations from selected DCTS beneficiary countries. Engage HMRC and relevant international experts to validate operational approaches where appropriate. Consult selected Business Support Organisations (BSO) and other stakeholders to understand practical implementation challenges. Document operational practices, recurring implementation issues and priority capacity gaps.
• Step 3: Development of the DCTS Customs toolkit: The consultant is expected to propose the most relevant operational topics and tools, recognizing that the final structure and content of the toolkit will be agreed with HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) and ITC following a formal technical review and validation process. He / She will also provide peer-to-peer review to the draft “How to Benefit from DCTS ?” curriculum and its 4 modules to ensure technical accuracy, consistency, alignment with DCTS requirements, operational relevance, and suitability in beneficiary countries. Indicative topics may include: Overview of the DCTS and customs responsibilities, Operational workflows for self-certification, Exporter registration procedures, Import procedures for preferential claims, Documentary verification processes, Post-clearance verification procedures, Risk-based compliance management, Verification indicators and audit considerations, Common implementation challenges and mitigation measures, Good practices for customs engagement with exporters and Business Support Organisations, Practical templates, process maps, checklists and other operational tools. The toolkit should be developed in a practical, user-friendly format suitable for operational customs officers.
• Step 4: Technical review and validation: Undergo peer review of the draft toolkit with HMRC, partner customs administrations, other relevant institutions and key resource persons. Consolidate technical comments received during consultations. Revise the toolkit to reflect agreed recommendations. Prepare the final version for publication and implementation.

Qualifications/special skills

• Advanced university degree (master’s or equivalent) International Trade, International Law, Public Administration, Economics or another relevant discipline.
• At least 6 years of professional experience in customs administration, trade facilitation, or border management.
• Demonstrated expertise in preferential trade agreements, customs procedures and rules of origin.
• Proven experience developing customs operational manuals, guidance documents, toolkits or training materials.
• Experience working with customs administrations in developing or least developed countries.
• Strong experience facilitating technical consultations and multi-stakeholder engagement.
• Excellent analytical, drafting, and report writing skills.
• Desirable: Experience with the UK's Developing Countries Trading Scheme (DCTS), Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) or similar preference schemes. Familiarity with HMRC operational procedures. Experience working with the World Customs Organization (WCO), WTO, ITC or other international organisations. Experience supporting capacity building programmes for customs administration.
• Required Competencies: Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement skills. Strong project coordination and organisational abilities. Ability to translate complex customs procedures into practical operational guidance. Ability to work independently while coordinating multiple technical contributors. Strong attention to detail and commitment to producing high-quality technical outputs.

Languages

• Excellent written and spoken English.
• Knowledge of French would be an advantage.