Senior Advisor on Tax Harmonisation and Customs Union Implementation in the EAC-GIZ Cooperation Programme

GIZ - Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit

Gross-Gerau, Germany

Field of activity

The East African Community (EAC) is the regional intergovernmental organisation of the Republics of Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda and the United Republic of Tanzania. The primary aim of the EAC is to extend and deepen economic cooperation between the partner states. Article 83(2)(e) of the Treaty obliges the states to ‘harmonize their tax policies with a view to removing tax distortions in order to bring about a more efficient allocation of resources within the Community.‘ A Customs Union was established for this purpose in 2005. The Customs Union Protocol subsequently adopted features the removal of internal taxes and non-tariff barriers on intra-EAC trade.

The realisation of the common market, which entered into force on 1 July 2010, is a strong commitment to deepening and extending EAC integration. Tax neutrality is critical for a well-functioning common market. Article 32 of the Common Market Protocol provides that ‘the Partner States undertake to progressively harmonize their tax policies and laws on domestic taxes with a view to removing tax distortions in order to facilitate the free movement of goods, services, and capital, and the promotion of investments within the Community.

The EAC Secretariat is the executive body of the EAC. It is responsible for planning, coordinating and communicating the milestones of the integration agenda and for monitoring the implementation of decisions at partner state level.

The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) supports the EAC Secretariat through its programme ‘Support to the EAC integration process‘. The fields of cooperation include organisational development, deepening regional economic integration through support on implementation of the common market, and institutionalisation of public-private dialogue.

In the area of common market implementation, issues on which GIZ and the EAC Secretariat are cooperating include implementation of selected elements of the Customs Union and tax harmonisation, in particular. The objective of cooperation on tax harmonisation is to ensure that the tax systems of the partner states interfere as little as possible with free trade and free competition.

To reinforce the process of harmonising domestic taxes under the Common Market framework and to fully implement the Customs Union, the EAC and GIZ now wish to recruit a senior advisor on tax harmonisation and the Customs Union.

Your tasks

The overall objective of the assignment for the senior advisor on tax harmonisation and the Customs Union in the EAC-GIZ cooperation programme will be to provide support services to the EAC Secretariat on coordinating EAC tax harmonisation with a view to realising the Common Market and on implementing the Customs Union.

The key roles and responsibilities of the successful candidate will involve:

• Providing technical expertise on tax harmonisation policy formulation;
• Supporting the EAC Secretariat in coordinating consultants in the field of tax harmonisation and Customs Union implementation;
• Assisting the EAC Secretariat in strengthening the EAC‘s technical working groups and preparing subsequent meetings with their various agencies;
• Providing inputs in technical meetings on tax harmonisation and the Customs Union;
• Supporting the EAC Secretariat in strengthening the institutional dialogue between the EAC and the private sector with regards to tax and customs procedures;
• Providing technical support in capacity development on tax harmonisation and the Customs Union with the EAC Secretariat (e.g. training for revenue authorities or customs officers);
• Assuming management responsibilities for associated staff in the area of tax and customs; and
• Supporting coordination of activities with initiatives by other donors and playing an active role in GIZ‘s quality and knowledge management and its relevant sector networks.

Your profile

The ideal candidate for the position will have the following minimum qualifications and experience:

• A master‘s degree or higher in economics, finance, public policy or law, specialising in macro-economics;
• A Ph.D. in the relevant subject would be an advantage;
• A minimum of seven (7) years of relevant professional experience in the area of fiscal policy formulation and implementation and/or tax administration at national, regional or international level;
• Experience of working with regional economic organisations and of working in the EAC region would be an added advantage;
• Strong social skills and cultural sensitivity;
• A high degree of management and advisory skills;
• Great political and diplomatic sensitivity in the context of complex interrelations;
• Fluency in English is required; and
• A good knowledge of French would be desirable.

What we offer you

With an international remit and a multicultural working atmosphere, we are successful because we share knowledge across disciplinary frontiers. Your professional and personal development is important to us. Whether it is the multifacetted day-to-day challenges in one of our partner countries or the considerable scope for applying creativity in your work - there are plenty of good reasons to join our motivated team.

Your application

Please send your application including contact information (telephone number and email address) via our e-recruiting system at www.giz.de/en. Under “Jobs and careers“, “GIZ job opportunities”, enter the Job ID 16364.
Assignment period: February 2014 - February 2016

If you are interested, please do not hesitate to apply until 13.12.2013.
If these positions remain advertised online on our website beyond this deadline, we are still interested in receiving applications. We welcome job applications from people with disabilities.

Other information

The job will involve frequent travel within the EAC region.