Trade Specialist Coordinator

Job Title: Trade Specialist Coordinator 

Shelter For Life International (SFL) is a Christian relief and development organization with over 30 years of history in providing humanitarian and developmental assistance to communities around the world. The SFL headquarters is located in Minnesota, USA. Our mission is to demonstrate Gods love by enabling people affected by poverty, conflict, and disaster to restore their lives and rebuild their communities. We strive to be socially and environmentally sustainable by employing cultural sensitivity, community participation, appropriate alternative technologies, and cost-effective methodologies to our programs, which are underpinned by human-centered design. Learn more at www.shelter.org.

Program Overview: 

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) through its Food for Progress (FFPr) program awarded Shelter for Life a five-year (2023-2028) climate smart horticulture value chain project called Climate Resilient Optimization for Productivity in Horticulture (CROP-H) in The Gambia. The project has the following strategic objectives:

1) To increase agricultural productivity in horticulture products while promoting climate change mitigating technologies and techniques; and 

2) To expand trade of agricultural products (domestically, regionally, and internationally) through improvements in the trade-enabling environment. The proposed program will develop and upgrade horticulture value chain linkages through the following four program goals: 1) Increased productivity and output; 2) Expand and improve quality exports,

3) Provide youth and women employment, and 4) improve incomes and standards of living for smallholder farmers in The Gambian horticulture sector.

Position Profile:

Shelter for Life is seeking a Trade Specialist Coordinator for the CROP-H project. This position requires intimate knowledge of the horticultural business sector and marketing environment. This position will plan, coordinate, and supervise marketing and business-related activities to promote horticultural fresh and processed product trade, and with a focus on trade between the Gambia and US markets. Specific responsibilities, roles and activities of the Trade Specialist Coordinator include:

1. Horticultural Marketing:

• Create and support market and business relationships through facilitating Buyer-Seller connections, locally, regionally and internationally, including to the USA. 
• Facilitate and create linkages between buyers and sellers of raw fruit and vegetables, value-added products and develop end-market opportunities.
• Strengthen engagement with private sector companies and civil society organizations (e.g., trade and business associations) on trade facilitation and expansion issues.
• Organize and conduct business-to-business (B2B) forums with project stakeholders including cooperatives/producer associations and buyers such as the hotel and tourist industry, exporters, and processors. 
• Organize and conduct trade advocacy workshops and forums designed to coordinate actions and dialogue between actors that influence policy on trade, simplify business procedures, reduce costs, and streamline clearance procedures.
• Coordinate the drawing up of memorandums of understanding (MOU) and agreements with partners and stakeholders. 
• Promote the adoption and increased use of digital market platforms between horticulture actors.

2. Supervision of the Trade Promotion and SPS Quality Officer and Oversight of SPS Activities:

• Oversight of capacity building activities on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Standards (SPS).
• Assist the Trade Promotion and SPS Quality Officer in improving the policy and regulatory framework in the sector. 
• Build and maintain close relations with relevant Government agencies for example, but not limited to, GIEPA, FSQA, GCCI, GRA, GPA, and MOTRIE, to advocate and promote harmonization of trade processes and coordinate positive actions that influence policy on trade, transportation of horticultural products, export, and other sectoral challenges.
• Implement activities that strengthen the institutional and regulatory framework for food quality control and SPS management.

3. Project Activity Management:

• Monitor and follow up on critical management and planning issues to ensure effective and timely project execution.
• Provide overall coordination, management, administration, and guidance on designated activities. 
• Coordinate preparation and submission of annual work plans and budgets.
• Compile, prepare, and submit timely monthly activity reports and semi-annual performance reports for the components supervised. 
• Ensures the responsible and judicious use of project resources. 
• Facilitate and follow up on capacity building activities for project staff and relevant stakeholders. 
• Provide technical support and managerial oversight to Project officers.
• Promote synergy between the different project components to ensure the delivery of desired results and impact.
• Manage review and finalize internal and external project documents, including donor deliverables, presentation decks, studies, and technical reports. 
• Provide contract administration of the service providers, experts or specialists hired for implementation and project support and assess their performance on a regular basis.
• Ensure responsibility for networking and communications to internal and external stakeholders.
• Undertake and approve staff performance evaluations and taking supportive and corrective measures as required.
• In collaboration with the MEL Manager, design, review, and continuously improve program implementation on the basis of results obtained, based on quantitative and qualitative data and feedback from project participants, clients, partners, and staff. 
• Assist the COP with other strategic and operational tasks as required by the project, while ensuring high quality programming execution and donor accountability.

This position will be based in the Banjul region of The Gambia, with regular visits to project field sites. This position will report to the Chief of Party.These essential functions are not to be interpreted as a complete statement of all duties performed. Employees will be required to perform other job-related duties as required. All work responsibilities are subject to having performance goals and/or targets established.

4. Position Qualifications and Skills / Required Profile:

• Master's degree in trade, business, policy, economics, agribusiness, or relevant discipline. 
• At least 3 years of demonstrated experience in trade, and experience creating an enabling environment, solving problems and barriers to trade.
• Demonstrated experience related to trade simplification, modernization, and harmonization of processes for the export and of agriculture products, preferably vegetables and fruit. 
• Familiarity with health and food safety, pest surveillance, phytosanitary certification, treatments, and inspections will be an asset.
• Preferred experience with project monitoring and evaluation systems and data analysis. 
• Preferred experience working with horticulture-related private sector companies and agri-businesses, and farmer groups and cooperatives. 
• Strong project management skills, including the ability to anticipate demand and manage multiple tasks and projects while meeting tight deadlines.
• Strong communication, interpersonal, community facilitation and coordination skills. 
• Outstanding written communication skills in English.

How to Apply:
Interested candidates who meet the qualifications are invited to apply by clicking Apply Here. Please ensure to submit your CV and a short cover letter through the application portal. Kindly note that applications sent by email will not be considered.
Application Deadline:
Please submit your application by February 27, 2026. Any applications submitted after this deadline will not be considered.
Note: We appreciate your interest in joining the Shelter for Life team. We will review applications carefully and only contact shortlisted candidates for interviews.
Shelter for Life International is an equal-opportunity employer and encourages female candidates and individuals from all backgrounds to apply.