Experts Coordination Officer

World Customs Organization; Brussel Hoofdstad; Sur place; EUR 70 000 - 110 000; Plein temps

Résumé du poste

World Customs Organization in Brussels is seeking an Experts Coordination Officer to join the Expert Mobilization & Curriculum Management Unit. You will help manage the ACE database, oversee accreditation, and support capacity-building activities across the global network of experts.

The role emphasizes policy development, data-driven deployment, and coordination with national contact points and member administrations to ensure timely and effective expert mobilization and training.

Responsabilités

• Maintain, promote, and continuously enhance the ACE Portal, ensuring information remains accurate and up to date.
• Develop, monitor and report on key indicators to assess expert deployment.
• Draft policy, technical documents and procedures to streamline expert mobilization processes.
• Undertake targeted studies and analyses drawing on data from databases and other sources.
• Formulate recommendations and follow-up actions based on gaps, cost implications and resources.
• Plan, organize and deliver pre-accreditation workshops and refresher training.
• Contribute to the evaluation of candidates’ competencies as part of the accreditation process.
• Foster engagement of accredited experts by promoting continuous professional development.
• Coordinate the Virtual Working Group on Expert Deployment and monitor outcomes.
• Deliver training, capacity building and technical assistance as required.
• Prepare agendas, documents, briefings, and reports for working bodies and facilitate discussions.
• Represent the WCO at meetings and with member administrations.
• Establish and maintain relationships with Members to reflect needs in policies.
• Draft briefing notes and speeches for the Secretary General and staff as assigned.
• Draft content for WCO publications and contribute to joint publications with partners.

Description du poste

IMPLEMENTATION AND CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTORATE

IMPLEMENTATION SUPPORT SUB-DIRECTORATE

EXPERT MOBILIZATION & CURRICULUM MANAGEMENT UNIT

Experts Coordination Officer

1. INTRODUCTION

The World Customs Organization (WCO) is an independent intergovernmental body,

established in 1952 as the Customs Co-operation Council (CCC), whose mission is to

enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of Customs services across the globe. The WCO

represents 187 Customs administrations that collectively process approximately 98% of world

trade. As the global centre of Customs expertise, the WCO is the only international

organization with competence in Customs matters.

As a forum for dialogue and exchange of experiences between national Customs delegates,

the WCO offers its Members a wide range of conventions and other international instruments,

as well as technical assistance and training services provided either directly by the Secretariat,

or with its participation.

The Secretariat also actively supports its Members in their endeavours to modernize and build

capacity within their national Customs administrations, as well as fostering international

cooperation among them. To achieve this objective, it has developed a network of qualified

experts from amongst its Members who are called upon to assist the WCO in the delivery of

capacity building activities.

The pool of WCO accredited and recognized experts is a key asset in supporting the WCO’s commitment to provide effective implementation assistance and capacity-building support to its Members, as well as a hallmark of Customs-to-Customs cooperation.

2. SHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE VACANT POSITION

The Expert Mobilization & Curriculum Management Unit (EMCM) sits within the Implementation Support Sub-Directorate of the Implementation and Capacity Development Directorate. The Sub-Directorate is tasked with overseeing the full capacity building lifecycle, from assessment of Members’ needs to development of approaches to meet those needs, including deployment of WCO experts, development of curricula and E-learning, performance measurement and quality assurance.

In July 2025, the WCO Council endorsed a new Capacity Building Paradigm, which aims to establish a novel way to plan, deliver and assess capacity-building delivery and implementation support. At the heart of this paradigm is a call for shared responsibility among all stakeholders - the WCO, beneficiary Members, regional entities and technical experts - to ensure that capacity-building interventions are relevant, evidence-based and timely, as well as measurable and impactful.

A key element of the new paradigm is the expanded reliance on the pool of WCO accredited experts as a key asset in supporting the WCO’s commitment to provide effective implementation assistance and capacity-building support to its Members, as well as a hallmark of Customs-to-Customs cooperation.

The pool of experts is managed through the automated Accredited Customs Experts (ACE) database and its dedicated portal. It comprises accredited and recognized experts serving Customs administrations, as well as external experts from the private sector, academia, and international organizations.

The Expert Mobilization & Curriculum Management Unit is responsible for the overall management of World Customs Organization (WCO) policies, procedures, and systems related to the accreditation, management, and mobilization of WCO experts. In this role, the Unit works closely with the Virtual Working Group on Expert Deployment, a consultative body composed of Member representatives that supports the continuous improvement of expert mobilization processes and procedures.

In collaboration with designated contact points within Member administrations, the Unit ensures the accuracy and currency of the WCO expert database. It is also responsible for identifying opportunities to expand and diversify the global pool of experts, as well as assessing and supporting expert-related initiatives proposed by other WCO Units.

Furthermore, the Unit coordinates the planning and implementation of accreditation and refresher initiatives in cooperation with relevant Directorates, ensuring that experts remain qualified, engaged, and ready for deployment. Through these activities, the Unit plays a central role in maintaining and strengthening the WCO’s expertise network, thereby enabling the effective delivery of capacity-building activities managed by the other Units within the Implementation and Capacity Development Directorate (ICDD).

Reporting to the Head of the Expert Mobilization & Curriculum Management Unit, the Experts Coordination Officer will be responsible for the management, development, and effective mobilization of the WCO’s pool of experts. The incumbent will support the implementation and continuous improvement of related WCO policies, procedures, and systems, including the Accredited Customs Experts (ACE) database, to ensure the availability of highly qualified experts across the Organization’s priority areas.

The role is key to maintaining a diverse, balanced, and responsive expert network by promoting linguistic, regional, and gender balance in the pool of experts. The Experts

3. MAIN ACCOUNTABILITIES

1. Maintain, promote, and continuously enhance the ACE Portal, ensuring that information remains accurate, relevant, and up to date, through close collaboration with National Contact Points, Secretariat subject matter experts, and other Units responsible for the delivery and follow-up of capacity-building activities involving expert deployment.

2. Develop, monitor and report on key indicators to assess the expert deployment in capacity-building activities;

3. Draft policy, technical documents and procedures to streamline expert mobilization processes and maximize their effectiveness and impact;

4. Undertake targeted studies and analyses, drawing on data and evidence gathered from databases and other relevant sources;

5. Formulate recommendations and propose follow-up actions based on identified gaps, cost implications, expected benefits, and resource constraints;

6. Plan, organize and deliver pre-accreditation workshops and refresher training, and other initiatives aimed at strengthening and expanding the pool of experts;

7. Contribute to the evaluation of candidates’ competencies as part of the expert accreditation process;

8. Foster sustained engagement of accredited and recognized experts by identifying and promoting opportunities for continuous professional development and awareness of

9. Coordinate the Virtual Working Group on Expert Deployment, including support in planning activities and monitoring outcomes;

10. Deliver training, capacity building and technical assistance, as required;

11. Prepare agendas, documents, briefings, work programmes, reports, and web articles for working bodies in accordance with the relevant Standard Operating Procedure(s). Facilitate discussions in meetings, when appropriate;

12. Represent the WCO at meetings, seminars, conferences, in Customs administrations, in other international and regional organizations and/or intergovernmental organizations;

13. Establish and maintain effective working relationships with Members and other stakeholders to ensure their needs and perspectives are reflected in the development and implementation of policies, procedures, and programmes;

14. Draft briefing notes, presentations/speeches to be given by the Secretary General and other Secretariat staff as assigned;

15. Draft content for WCO publications and contribute to publications produced jointly with partner international organizations;

16. In cooperation with the Communication Service, prepare communications materials on experts management activities, as required;