Programme Officer (Fibres, Textiles and Cotton), DECI/SEC (FT-LTD), P3

Org. Setting and Reporting

This position is located in the International Trade Centre’s Section on Sector and Enterprise Competitiveness within the Division of Enterprise Competitiveness and Institutions (DECI). The Sector and Enterprise Competitiveness (SEC) Section helps developing country MSMEs address the challenges around sustainable value-chain development, catalysing sector-wide transformation, and improving market linkages – including using new digital channels. The Fibres, Textiles and Clothing (FTC) programme improves the international competitiveness of the fibres, textiles and clothing as well as leather sector in developing countries. Working along the value chain, special emphasis is given on how the sector can improve its competitiveness, while addressing important development aspects such as women’s empowerment, youth employment and contributing to reducing climate change. FTC emphasizes the business case for addressing these overarching challenges while helping companies as well as the T&C sector in selected countries to meet ever increasing market requirements. The programme builds capacity of SMEs to take over additional functions along the value chain at production, pre- and post-production stages. In addition to the work with SMEs directly, the programme supports the institutional ecosystem around the sector to improve support services creating a holistic approach to the sector. As part of this approach, the FTC programme puts special emphasis on south-south cooperation as an effective tool to improve performance, link stakeholders across the value chain and to tap into new markets. The Fibres, Textiles and Clothing team at the International Trade Centre (ITC) encourages small businesses to grow through sustainable practices. By providing training, coaching and research, ITC drives competitiveness while ensuring social and environmental responsibility. FTC focuses on clothing manufacturing, a labour-intensive industry found in many developing countries. We support small businesses to move from simple cut-and-sew operations to complete package offerings, giving them a better foothold in the global apparel market. On textile FTC works on environmental sustainability and lean manufacturing. The FTC flagship programme is the Global Textile and Clothing (GTEX) programme that enhances the export competitiveness of the T&C in selected countries. Other projects include cotton in Africa (Zambia and Tanzania) and cashmere in Nepal, as well as leather in East Africa. The goal of this job function is to support the management and implementation of project activities related to the textiles and clothing and the wider light manufacturing sector. This includes supporting MSMEs with knowledge and coaching, including through developing new tools and methodologies on how to help them understand market trends and to develop their pre-and postproduction services to make their businesses more competitive and become preferred suppliers of international brands and retailers.