Background
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Acceleration Framework Project, as a Development Services Agreement, is entered with the Government’s central authority – the General Secretariat of the Government, in order to provide services to a wider range of authorities at the national level, as the General Secretariat supports the work of the Government for general and operational affairs.
The Development Services Agreement is envisaged to provide a framework for services requested by the Government, for ongoing initiatives of the Government, for which it bears full accountability. The majority of development services envisaged under the Agreement relate to support to policy making through research, advocacy or policy alternatives, aimed at fulfilling priorities as articulated in the Government plans, presented before Parliament, and in line with progress in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. The Project includes, among the rest, support for fully capacitating the Sector for International and Development Cooperation of the General Secretariat of the Government.
In the context of growing trade and economic cooperation between the Republic of Serbia and the People’s Republic of China, there is a strong need to provide hands-on support to Serbian producers and exporters seeking to enter and expand in the Chinese market. Exporters face multiple procedural, logistical, and regulatory challenges, especially when exporting new or non-traditional Serbian products.
Given that the Government of the Republic of Serbia, through the General Secretariat, played an essential role in founding the Belt and Road Institute and has consistently supported its operations since inception, the proposed activity will be financed through this project. As a continuation of this foundational support, this initiative aims to further strengthen collaborative efforts and enhance bilateral trade relations between Serbia and China.
To address this, the Belt and Road Institute in Belgrade is establishing a position to oversee and support export and forwarding affairs with a specific focus on China. This role will serve as a liaison between Serbian companies, Chinese authorities, and logistics providers to ensure a smooth, compliant, and efficient export process. The presented Terms of Reference (ToR) shall contribute to the implementation of this activity.
Duties and Responsibilities
The Logistics Associate will be responsible for coordinating and facilitating the export process of Serbian products to China, providing technical and procedural guidance to exporters, liaising with forwarding agents, and ensuring that all documentation and compliance requirements are met to enable successful shipment and clearance.
Under the guidance of Technical Advisor–Belt and Road Institute, the incumbent is responsible for the following specific results:
Liaison and Coordination
Serve as the primary point of contact between Serbian exporting companies and Chinese counterparts (importers, forwarding agents, and relevant authorities). Support and advise Serbian businesses on the procedural and logistical aspects of exporting to China. Establish and maintain active communication with Chinese authorities and institutions relevant to trade (e.g., customs, quarantine, certification bodies).Documentation and Compliance
Provide guidance and support in preparing and reviewing export documentation (invoices, packing lists, certificates of origin, sanitary/phytosanitary certifications, etc.). Ensure that all paperwork is complete, accurate, and compliant with Chinese regulations and standards. Monitor changes in Chinese customs, trade, and product entry requirements and inform Serbian stakeholders accordingly.Export Facilitation
Assist companies in identifying suitable forwarding and logistics agents and support contract negotiations as needed. Facilitate timely resolution of issues arising during customs clearance, shipping, or handling processes. Support the introduction and registration of new products in China, including coordination of sampling, certification, and registration procedures where required.Capacity Building and Outreach
Organize training sessions or info days for Serbian exporters on exporting to China, including practical steps, timelines, and potential pitfalls. Develop checklists, guidance materials, and workflow tools to streamline export procedures for businesses.Reporting and Knowledge Sharing
Provide regular updates, briefs, and reports to the Belt and Road Institute on export trends, challenges, and emerging opportunities. Maintain a database of exporting companies, product categories, and transaction status for internal tracking.Network with partners and beneficiaries:
Maintain close cooperation with national and international partners and institutions relevant to the Belt and Road Institute and General Secretariat's work aimed to expand existing and build new partnerships. Maintain communication with project’s partners and beneficiaries on the implementation of the agreed activities, especially for the events, trainings, workshops. Establish record with contacts, pursue networking and information sharing and to follow up on partnership related issues. Advise national partners on opportunities for enhancement of cooperation with relevant national and international partners.The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.
Institutional Arrangement
The Logistics Associate will work under the overall guidance and supervision of Technical Advisor - Belt and Road Institute.
Competencies
Core Competencies:
Achieve Results: LEVEL 1: Plans and monitors own work, pays attention to details, delivers quality work by deadline Think Innovatively: LEVEL 1: Open to creative ideas/known risks, is pragmatic problem solver, makes improvements Learn Continuously: LEVEL 1: Open minded and curious, shares knowledge, learns from mistakes, asks for feedback Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 1: Adapts to change, constructively handles ambiguity/uncertainty, is flexible Act with Determination: LEVEL 1: Shows drive and motivation, able to deliver calmly in face of adversity, confident Engage and Partner: LEVEL 1: Demonstrates compassion/understanding towards others, forms positive relationships Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 1: Appreciate/respect differences, aware of unconscious bias, confront discriminationCross-Functional and Technical Competencies:
Business Management - Partnerships Management Ability to build and maintain partnerships with wide networks of stakeholders, Governments, civil society and private sector partners, experts and others in line with UNDP strategy and policies. Partnership Management - Private Sector Engagement Ability to identify, conduct outreach, and manage relationships with the private sector. Business Management - Working with Evidence and Data Ability to inspect, cleanse, transform and model data with the goal of discovering useful information, informing conclusions, and supporting decision-making. Business Management - Customer Satisfaction/Client Management Ability to respond timely and appropriately with a sense of urgency, provide consistent solutions, and deliver timely and quality results and/or solutions to fulfil and understand the real customers' needs. Provide inputs to the development of customer service strategy. Look for ways to add value beyond clients' immediate requests. Ability to anticipate client's upcoming needs and concerns. Business Direction and Strategy - Business Acumen Ability to understand and deal with a business situation in a manner that is likely to lead to a good outcome. Ability to make good judgments and quick decisions within such frameworks. Knowledge and understanding of the operational frameworks in the organization. Business Management - Operations Management Ability to effectively plan, organise and oversee different parts of corporate operations, simultaneously and in an integrated way, in order to convert the organisation’s assets into the best results in the most efficient way. Knowledge of relevant concepts and mechanisms.Required Skills and Experience
Education:
Secondary education is required, OR University Degree (Bachelor’s degree) in International Trade, Logistics, Economics, Business Administration, or a related field, will be given due consideration, but it is not a requirement.Experience:
Minimum 6 years (with Secondary Education) or 3 years (with Bachelor’s degree) of relevant work experience in international trade, logistics, forwarding, or export operations is required.Required skills:
Strong understanding of supply chain and logistics processes, including Incoterms and customs procedures. Strong attention to detail and accuracy in handling documentation. Proficiency in the use of MS Office package, especially Excel and Power Point.Desired skills:
Experience in managing complex export projects, with a proven track record of successfully navigating international trade agreements and compliance standards. Experience in navigating complex, multicultural trade operations. Experience in providing support and advice on trade and export-related matters. Experience with customs clearance procedures and coordination with certification authorities. Good organizational and time management skills/experience. Good application/experience of Results-Based Management. Excellent communication, coordination and interpersonal skills/experience. Sound understanding of Serbia's political, institutional, and socio-economic situation. Proven Ability to establish lasting relationships and substantive dialogue with clients. Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability. Demonstrates integrity by modelling. Treats all people fairly without favoritism.Languages:
Excellent knowledge of written and spoken Serbian and English. Knowledge of Chinese (Mandarin) is a strong asset.
Equal opportunity
As an equal opportunity employer, UNDP values diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate and, as such, we encourage qualified applicants from all backgrounds to apply for roles in the organization. Our employment decisions are based on merit and suitability for the role, without discrimination.
UNDP is also committed to creating an inclusive workplace where all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, are valued, can thrive, and benefit from career opportunities that are open to all.
Sexual harassment, exploitation, and abuse of authority
UNDP does not tolerate harassment, sexual harassment, exploitation, discrimination and abuse of authority. All selected candidates, therefore, undergo relevant checks and are expected to adhere to the respective standards and principles.
Right to select multiple candidates
UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement. We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.
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