Director Policy and Standards, Geneva

World Customs Organization; Brussel Hoofdstad; Sur place; EUR 136 000 - 162 000; Plein temps

Résumé du poste

The World Customs Organization seeks a Policy and Standards Director to lead the newly structured Policy and Standards Directorate in Brussels. You will oversee strategic policy development, coordinate with implementation teams, and represent the WCO with Members and partners at high-level fora.

This senior role requires strong policy, leadership, and stakeholder-management skills. You will guide cross-functional teams, ensure coherence across instruments, and drive the Organization’s strategic

Qualifications

• Minimum 10 years of senior-level policy experience is typical for this role.
• Strong knowledge of international trade and customs policy instruments is expected.
• Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams and engage with high-level stakeholders.

Responsabilités

• Oversee Policy and Standards Directorate activities and ensure alignment with the Organization’s strategic objectives.
• Provide leadership and management for policy development across key trade and customs domains.
• Represent the WCO at high-level fora and meetings with Members and partners.

Connaissances

Leadership

Strategic thinking

Policy development

Analytical skills

Communication

Formation

Undergraduate degree in a relevant field

Description du poste

POLICY AND STANDARDS DIRECTORATEDirector

1. INTRODUCTION

1. INTRODUCTIONThe World Customs Organization (WCO) is an independent intergovernmental body,established in 1952 as the Customs Co-operation Council (CCC), whose mission is toenhance the effectiveness and efficiency of Customs services across the globe. The WCOrepresents 187 Customs administrations that collectively process approximately 98% of worldtrade. As the global centre of Customs expertise, the WCO is the only internationalorganization with competence in Customs matters.As a forum for dialogue and exchange of experiences between Customs delegates, the WCOoffers its Members a range of Conventions and other international instruments, as well astechnical assistance and training services provided either directly by the Secretariat, or withits participation. The Secretariat also actively supports its Members in their endeavours tomodernize and build capacity within their Customs administrations, as well as fosteringinternational cooperation among them.As part of a larger modernization plan for the Organization, the WCO implemented a newstructure as of 1 July 2025. The Secretariat currently has two technical Directorates thatoperate under the broad supervision of the Secretary General and the Deputy SecretaryGeneral. One Directorate holds responsibility for developing WCO policy and standards, whilethe other is responsible for supporting implementation of the said policies and standardsthrough capacity delivery, coordination of international operations and technical assistance.2. BACKGROUND AND SHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE VACANT POSITIONThe Policy and Standards Directorate (PSD) was established to recentre attention andcompetences around the content of the WCO’s instruments and tools and to be able toproduce and maintain WCO tools and instruments in an efficient and coherent manner. ThePSD is responsible for the broad majority of WCO working bodies, with a policy developmentfunction, managed under the leadership of the Director of Policy and Standards.The PSD consists of two Sub-Directorates, each managed by a Deputy Director:Nomenclature and Revenue (N&R) and Enforcement, Facilitation and Technology (EFT). N&Rdevelops and maintains the Organization’s key instruments and tools on Nomenclature,Valuation and Origin. EFT focuses on policy development on topics related to Enforcementand Compliance, Facilitation and Data and Technology.

The Director Policy and Standards is charged with overseeing this work and is responsible forensuring appropriate coordination with the Implementation and Capacity DevelopmentDirectorate, as well as other relevant areas within the Organization. The Director is alsoexpected to represent the WCO at high-level fora or in meetings with important stakeholders.

3. MAIN ACCOUNTABILITIES

• Overseeing all activities of the Policy and Standards Directorate;
• Assuming direct responsibility and accountability for ensuring the expected qualityand the timely completion of activities pertaining to the Strategic Plan portfoliosand work stream falling within the area of the Directorate, and doing so withinbudgetary allocations;
• Supervising and ensuring the implementation of the Organization’s directives inthe Directorate and the execution of the work decided upon;
• Safeguarding the WCO’s credibility, integrity, and results;
• Providing leadership, management direction and support to the work of theDirectorate in areas of Customs Procedures and Facilitation Instruments relatedto, for example: Revised Kyoto Convention (RKC), SAFE Framework of Standards(SAFE)/Supply Chain Security, WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA),E-Commerce Framework of Standards, Coordinated Border Management, TimeRelease Study;
• Providing leadership, management direction and support in the areas of CustomsCompliance and Enforcement, Public Health and Consumer Safety, IntellectualProperty Rights;
• Providing leadership, management direction and support in the areas ofNomenclature, Valuation and Origin;
• Enabling and promoting active and consistent coordination between the teamsdeveloping policies and standards and the teams supporting Memberadministrations with implementation of these policies and standards, avoidingduplication and strengthening institutional coherence;
• Ensuring appropriate input for the monthly Management Committee meetings,preparing high-quality reports and proposals, including the identification of issueswarranting leadership attention, supporting the development of corporateapproaches that ensure coherence and consistency in the Organization’s actions,and executing such approaches consistent with the scope of responsibilities of thePolicy and Standards Directorate;
• Representing the WCO at high level fora or in meetings with Members, relevantpartners and stakeholders, to promote the WCO’s mandate and strategicinitiatives;
• Assuming responsibility for the performance management and development of thestaff in the Directorate;
• Fostering a respectful and high-performing work environment by motivating andleading staff in the Directorate in support of WCO Strategic Objectives;
• Advising and assisting the Chairpersons of WCO working bodies under theDirectorate’s purview in the accomplishments of their tasks, in particular, drawingup agendas and drafting reports.

The person appointed will also be required to perform such other duties as may be assigned and may be subject to reassignment within the WCO Secretariat.

4. EDUCATION

A minimum of an undergraduate degree in a relevant field and/or an acceptable combinationof education, training and/or experience.

5. ESSENTIAL QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

• Minimum 10 years of relevant and professional experience with responsibilitiesequivalent to those carried by the post;
• Comprehensive knowledge of Customs laws, rules and practices, preferably inmultiple discipline areas within the purview of the Directorate;
• Experience working in the WCO Secretariat, or a Member’s Customsadministration, for or with international organizations, or other private sectorexperience with responsibilities equivalent to those carried by the post;
• Management experience, preferably in senior administrative positions withinCustoms with responsibility for managing subordinate supervisors and directengagement with agency leadership, and demonstrated ability to use resourceseffectively to accomplish organizational objectives;
• Proven ability to understand and manage policy and sensitive issues arising fromthe above-mentioned areas of work;
• Personal qualities such as to ensure the establishment and maintenance of fruitfulrelations with Staff, WCO leadership, Members and other stakeholders in pursuitof the WCO’s objectives;
• Experience translating policy objectives into implementable approaches (for theDirectorate and/or for Customs administrations);
• Ability to prepare strategic documents, policy papers, reports, briefings, andrecommendations for senior leadership and working bodies;
• Strong strategic thinking, analytical and communication skills
• Proven experience in working effectively under pressure in a multicultural andcross-institutional environment;
• Good knowledge of the WCO’s policies and priorities; and
• Solid and good knowledge of computer applications and information systems.

6. LANGUAGES

English and French are the official languages of the WCO. The successful candidate must befluent in at least one of the official languages and ideally possess good working knowledge ofthe other official language.

7. CONTRACT AND CONDITIONS

• Staff member under graded official WCO contract of five (5) years;
• Recruitment at grade A6, step 1;
• Probationary period: six (6) months;
• Full-time employment (37 hours and 40 minutes weekly) at the WCOHeadquarters in Brussels, Belgium;
• 30 days of annual paid leave;
• Salary based on Coordinated Organizations scale with a starting salary amountof 13,358.57 EUR/month (remuneration exempted from income tax in Belgium);
• The basic salary can be augmented by allowances based on staff member’seligibility, and is subject to the mandatory withholding of terminal allowance (forretirement planning) and medical and life & disability insurance contributions;
• Starting date: Projected for September 2027.This position is subject to the WCO Staff Manual. If a candidate is related to current WCO staffmembers (spouse, father, mother, son, daughter, brother or sister), they are required toexpressly indicate this in the application.

9. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

The WCO values commitment to the principles of integrity, transparency and accountability aswell as values diversity among its staff members. Applications from qualified candidates,irrespective of gender, will receive equal treatment and due regard will be paid to theimportance of recruiting nationals from WCO Members on as wide a geographical basis aspossible. The age limit for employment at the WCO is 65. Please note that the WCO Headquarters is anon-smoking environment.

Any personal data collected and processed as part of the recruitment procedure will be inaccordance with the WCO's Personal Data Protection Policy (available on the WCO website:https://www.wcoomd.org/en/about-us/legal-instruments/policies.aspx) and any questions orcomplaints may be addressed to the WCO's Data Protection Officer ([e-mail]).