Strengthening Capability for Integrated Border Management in Lebanon (EU IBM Lebanon Phase III)

Posting Date: 26/01/2021

Deadline for Applications: 15/02/2021 

Contract starting date: 01/03/2021 (tentative)

Duty Station: Beirut, Lebanon  

Contract Duration: 4 months 

Project background

The International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) is an international organisation tasked with promoting innovative, comprehensive and sustainable migration policies. With 18 Member States and over 60 projects active throughout Europe, Africa, Asia and Latin America, ICMPD is a growing and ever-more relevant presence in its field. The organisation’s greatest assets are its 200+ staff members, who personify its values of commitment, integrity, partnership, respect, and innovation in actions and decisions.

Please note that this position is subject to approval and availability of project funds.

Objective 

ICMPD is looking for a qualified short-term Customs Expert to support the activities related to the specific customs/trade facilitation domain and provide input based on the below described tasks and requested deliverables. 

ICMPD is inviting all interested candidates to apply for the above-mentioned position for the European Union Funded ‘Strengthening Capability for Integrated Border Management in Lebanon (EU IBM Lebanon – Phase 3)’. 

The overall objective of this project is to seek to leverage the sustained commitment, and past investment in Lebanon, through ICMPD’s expertise and thereby achieve the following Specific Objectives:

1. To enhance border governance.
2. To reinforce right based approach and IBM coordination contributing to enhanced border security and trade facilitation.
3. To contribute to the security and stability of border communities. 

Previous EU-Funded project, together with the Lebanese Customs Administration designed Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to increase levels of compliance, revenue security and facilitation relating to the control of cross border trade. The purpose of the SOPs is to make Customs working procedures transparent, predictable and unified all over the Lebanon according to the Customs Legislation. SOPs cover these areas of customs work:

• Legislative provisions
• Introduction to search
• Principal considerations (Risk, Purpose, Skills)
• Selection for examination
• Construction
• Visual search of the vehicle
• Physical search of the vehicle
• The detailed search
• Search report
• Health and safety consideration

Tasks

• To support the ICMPD team in the negotiation process with LCA for the revision of already drafted Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and where necessary, the expert needs to provide technical expertise to draft the new SOP(s) or to adapt the existing ones;
• To provide technical expertise to the Lebanese Customs Administration in preparation of the implementation plan on the gradual implementation of the SOPs.
• To assist Lebanese Customs in prioritization of those SOPs that should be urgently  implemented;
• To prepare and deliver the knowledge-exchange activities, such as workshops, training events and mentoring related to those SOPs that were approved by Lebanese Customs Administration for implementation.

Deliverables:

• The SOPs assessed and adjusted to the regulatory framework of the Lebanese Customs.
• The implementation plan drafted and submitted to the Lebanese Customs Administration management for  approval;
• Workshops, coaching and training events for practitioners on approved SOPs delivered.

Reporting lines

The Expert will work with and report to the designated Project Specialist on content issues and who will provide input and comments on deliverables as needed and the Senior Project Manager in terms of administrative issues.

Qualifications and Experience

Qualifications and skills

• University degree or at least 10 years of professional experience on Customs and Trade Facilitation
• Sound communication skills
• Ability to work un-supervised and at a distance
• Fluency in English

General professional experience

• Working in Customs, border management, law enforcement or similar agencies
• Working with an international project(s)
• Working in sensitive ethnic, political and confessional environments

Specific professional experience

• At least 10 years of appropriate professional experience with Customs
• Proven working experience with the international project (s) in the field of Customs
• Sound experience in drafting, reviewing, and implementation of internal regulations/Standard Operation Procedures within a Customs administration
• Experience in Customs Procedures, risk management  and development is a requirement 

Administrative Information 

• Payment 

Fees for the assignment are paid upon satisfactorily delivery of services, in line with the payment schedule stated in the contract and upon submission of required documentation. 

Application Process

Interested experts should send their CV with an indication of this announcement in the subject line of the email to Mr. Vladimir Pisar (Vladimir.Pisar@icmpd.org ) and Ms. Patricia Beyrouthy (Patricia.Beyrouthy@icmpd.org )