The ASEAN Secretariat invites

Indonesian citizens and ASEAN Nationals

with permanent resident status in Indonesia

to apply for the following position

at the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta

Strengthening Capacity of the ASEAN Secretariat in Regional Economic Integration and Policy Dialogue:

Background and Terms of Reference for Trade Economist

1.         Background and Objectives

After the 1997/98 Asian financial crisis, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) realized it needed to heighten regional cooperation and integration among its members. At the Ninth ASEAN Summit held in Bali, Indonesia, in October 2003, ASEAN leaders declared that an ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) would be the end goal of ASEAN economic integration by 2020; which was later accelerated to 2015 at the ASEAN Summit in January 2007 in Cebu, Philippines. The AEC aims to transform ASEAN into a stable, prosperous, and highly competitive region with equitable economic development, and reduced poverty and socioeconomic disparities.

To support this process, the ASEAN Secretariat (ASEC) is expected to (i) provide in-depth policy inputs for ASEAN policy dialogues on economic integration in regional forums and (ii) monitor and enforce AEC implementation. In August 2006, ASEC and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) which provided among others, for ADB’s support in enhancing ASEC’s institutional capacity; including the strengthening of the Bureau for Economic Integration and Finance (BEIF).

A Trade Economist (TE) will be assigned to the Office of the Principal Director of the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta and serve as the strategic person on matters relating to the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC).

2.         Terms of Reference for the Trade Economist

The TE shall assist in the coordinating, managing, and monitoring of regional economic integration activities and the AEC. The TE will assist in preparing the work plan for the Office of Regional Economic Integration (OREI) and the BEIF; examine and respond to emerging issues on the AEC; and help prepare policy briefs on related topics, delivering appropriate policy recommendations and measures.

The TE will train BEIF officers on issues related to economic integration, including FTA negotiations, rules of origin (ROO), services; develop projects and activities to support the implementation of the AEC; development and management of databases; and prepare capacity building activities in support of economic integration and coordinate the implementation of these programmes.

Other responsibilities include providing inputs for key speeches of the ASEAN Secretary-General and ADB President and senior staff of the ASEAN Secretariat on issues related to ASEAN economic integration; preparing terms of reference for international consultants as needed; providing in-house capacity development support as needed and appropriate; and undertaking other tasks as required by ASEC and OREI.

Candidates will have a postgraduate-level background in international trade, macroeconomics with specialty in services and/or investments and trade facilitation, economic competition, with in-depth expertise in international trade policies, regional economic cooperation, and trade negotiations; and substantial knowledge of current developments in economic integration in ASEAN. He or she will have strong leadership, analytical, liaison and communication skills. Experience in database system and interactive statistical tools is preferred.

The consultant will be supervised by OREI and will report directly to OREI for major assignments. However, consultants’ day-to-day work will be administered by BEIF. The consultants’ reporting system will be specified by OREI and BEIF.

3.         Expected Output

The deliverables include: (i) approved Work Plan which identifies clear outcomes and outputs, priority capacities, including technical and policy-oriented skills, and determine mechanisms for capacity development in BEIF; (ii) timely and effective research and policy briefings for AEM and AFM on issues related to ASEAN economic integration and policy dialogue (e.g., monetary and exchange rate policy, development of regional macroprudential indicators, financial capital markets, trade and investment); (iii) database system of macroeconomic indicators and (iv) regular status and/or progress reports on AEC implementation.

4.         Application

The above post shall be for a total of 12 person-months, with possibility for extension of one year. Candidates will be engaged by ADB on an individual basis and in accordance with its Guidelines on the Use of Consultants (2006, as amended from time to time).

Applications comprising of a cover letter addressing the requirements of the position description and a current CV are to be submitted to Mr. Jong Woo Kang, Economist of the Office of the Regional Economic Integration, Asian Development Bank by email at jkang@adb.org and mdiza@adb.org before the closing day of 7 June 2007. Only short listed applicants will be contacted.