Consultancy – Export Development Consultants and Visual Designer to Develop Exporters’ Guide

Consultancy – Export Development Consultants and Visual Designer to Develop Exporters’ Guide

We are searching for an experienced Consultancy – Export Development Consultants and Visual Designer to Develop Exporters’ Guide at our Egypt facility. 

PROJECT DESCRIPTION 

Trade Reform and Development in Egypt (TRADE) is a USAID-funded project whose objective is to increase Egypt’s international trade by increasing exports from small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the activity’s “selected sectors”; Engineering Products, Food Processing, Home textiles, Ready Made Garments, Chemicals, Printing and Packaging, and Building Materials 

The TRADE Activity will achieve the following three Results: 

1)Enhanced Export Capacity of SMEs, in particular New and Expanding Export- Ready Enterprises (NEEREs) in the Selected Sectors. 

2)Strengthened Public and Private Trade-Support Institutions (e.g., Trade Associations, Export Councils, etc.); and 

3)Improved Trade and Investment Policy, Regulatory and Institutional Environment 

In this assignment, The USAID TRADE project aims to hire up to three individual national consultants, to work together on developing a comprehensive Exporters’ Guide. Up to two national consultants will provide in-depth knowledge of the local Egyptian export landscape, including institutional mapping. Moreover, the consultant(s) will contribute global expertise and insights into building an export guide following international best practices. By the end of the mission of both consultants, another national consultant (Visual/Creative Designer) shall work on the formatting and design of the export guide to be user-friendly and easy to navigate. Interested individual consultant(s) can apply separately to the relevant parts of the assignment based on their expertise and qualifications.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities: 

ASSIGNMENT BACKGROUND:

In the dynamic and ever-evolving world of international trade, the success of a nation’s export sector hinges on the ability of its businesses, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), to navigate the complexities of the global marketplace. This is where the critical role of Trade Support Institutions (TSIs) comes into play, and one of their valuable contributions lies in providing information, disseminating knowledge, and sharing insights about trade regulations, export procedures, cultural differences, and best practices. For this purpose, TSIs conduct workshops and seminars and provide offline and online resources such as comprehensive exporter guides.

Exporters’ guides are indispensable tools in overcoming the challenges companies face when venturing into the export arena. These guides provide step-by-step instructions on developing an export strategy and marketing plan, preparing products for export, methods and channels for exporting, financing export transactions, methods of payments, logistics, and regulatory compliance, empowering businesses to navigate the sophisticated web of the exporting process effectively.

By streamlining the process and providing clear, structured information, exporter guides save companies valuable time and resources, allowing them to plan their export activities strategically. This increased efficiency benefits individual firms and contributes to the overall productivity and growth of the national export sector.

Transparency is another critical aspect where exporters’ guides excel. By clearly outlining the export procedures, regulations, and requirements, these guides enhance the transparency of the export landscape. This transparency equips companies with the knowledge they need to make informed decisions and avoid potential pitfalls and surprises. Increased transparency also enhances trust and confidence in the export ecosystem, ultimately driving greater business participation and engagement.

The capacity-building aspect of exporters’ guides cannot be overlooked. These comprehensive resources serve as valuable educational tools for SMEs, empowering them to expand their export activities. By providing information on export financing, market access, and other relevant topics, exporter guides help build the necessary skills and knowledge within companies, enabling them to navigate the complexities of international trade with greater confidence and success.

Through their years of experience and expertise in this field, Expolink has identified a critical need for a comprehensive Exporters’ Guide given the complexities and several bottlenecks in the Egyptian foreign trade system[1]. USAID TRADE recognizes the importance of providing comprehensive technical support to Expolink in this area. Therefore, the project aims to hire three consultants, two nationals and one international, to work closely with the Expolink team. One national consultant will provide in-depth knowledge of the local Egyptian export landscape, including institutional mapping, and the international consultant will contribute global expertise and insights into building an export guide following international best practices. By the end of the mission of both consultants, another national consultant shall work on the formatting and design of the export guide to be user-friendly and easy to navigate. Together, they will collaborate with the USAID TRADE team and Expolink to create a detailed and practical Exporters’ Guide to empower Egyptian private sector businesses to enhance their export capabilities and succeed in international markets.

TASKS

National Consultant(s) :

• Review and analyze existing exporter guides and best practices from other countries to identify relevant content and structure.
• Collaborate with Expolink, and USAID TRADE teams to develop the outline and content for a comprehensive Exporters’ Guide for Egyptian businesses.
• Conduct a comprehensive scan of Egypt’s current export landscape, including the stakeholders and their roles, trade regulations, and export procedures and services, including institutional mapping.
• Identify and document local export procedures, regulations, and compliance requirements.
• Develop a plan and process for regularly updating and maintaining the Exporters’ Guide, which will involve specific steps or actions to ensure it remains relevant and up-to-date with the evolving export landscape.
• Develop a dissemination and promotion plan and guide the Expolink team on effectively disseminating and promoting the Exporters’ Guide.

Visual/ Creative Designer :

• Format and design the Exporters’ Guide to be user-friendly and visually appealing.
• Implement interactive elements and navigational aids for ease of use.
• Conduct user testing to ensure the guide’s accessibility and functionality.
• Finalize the layout and prepare the guide for publication and distribution.
• Provide recommendations for digital dissemination and update strategies.

DELIVERABLES:

• A document reviewing and analyzing existing exporter guides and best practices from other countries to identify relevant content and structure.
• Institutional and regulations mapping of the local Egyptian export landscape, highlighting the stakeholders and their roles, trade regulations, and export procedures and services.
• An outline developed collaboratively by the consultant(s) for the comprehensive Exporters’ Guide.
• Complete content in an editable, user-friendly, and visually appealing Exporters’ Guide, designed to be easily navigable. (in Arabic language)
• A dissemination and promotion strategy to ensure the Exporters’ Guide effectively reaches the target audience of Egyptian exporters.
• A maintenance and update plan for the Exporters’ Guide, including a clear process and timeline for periodically reviewing and revising the content.

EXPECTED OUTCOMES:

• Empower Egyptian SMEs with a practical and comprehensive Exporters’ Guide that enhances their export capabilities and competitiveness in international markets.
• Increase the efficiency and transparency of export operations for Egyptian businesses, leading to improved productivity and growth of the national export sector.
• Strengthen Expolink’s capacity to support the development of Egyptian private-sector exports.
• Ensure the Exporters’ Guide remains a valuable and up-to-date resource for Egyptian exporters, continuously supporting their efforts to navigate the evolving export process.

[1] For more information about the complexities of the Egyptian foreign trade system, please review the Business Process Analysis through the link below:

BPA Booklets and summary: https://eces.org.eg/en/eces_event/business-process-analysis-on-exporting-and-importing-few-specific-products-export-of-ready-made-garments-and-home-textiles/

Required Qualifications:

National Consultant(s):

• At least ten years of extensive knowledge and experience in the Egyptian export landscape.
• In-depth knowledge of international trade regulations, best practices in export promotion, strong understanding of export procedures, regulations, and best practices in the Egyptian context.
• Proven experience in assessing export ecosystems and providing strategic guidance to TSIs.
• Proven track record in developing educational and capacity-building resources for exporters.
• Familiarity with best practices in maintaining and updating similar guides or resources over time.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills to work effectively with the Expolink team.
• Experience in creating maintenance and update plans for similar guides or resources.
• Excellent planning, organizational, Arabic writing skills.

Visual/ Creative Designer :

• Proven experience in designing user-friendly and visually appealing documents, guides, or manuals. A portfolio showcasing previous design projects, particularly those demonstrating the ability to create easily navigable and editable documents.
• Experience working on projects involving large-scale document design and layout, preferably within the context of international trade, export, or business guides.
• Proficiency in design software such as Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop), Microsoft Office Suite (Word, PowerPoint), and other relevant tools.
• Knowledge of web-based design tools and platforms that support collaborative editing and updating, such as Canva, Google Docs, or other similar tools.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills.
• Exceptional attention to detail, ensuring consistency in formatting, typography, and overall design aesthetics.

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Our company provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetics.

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