Africa and Middle East Trade Specialist

Position Overview

This position serves as the Trade Specialist for the Illinois Department of Commerce’s Office of Trade and Investment (OTI) with a focus on Africa and Middle East markets. The Africa and Middle East Trade Specialist will cover a designated geographic territory and counsel Illinois businesses in export opportunities and strategies to successfully navigate export growth in a market(s) within the territory. Key responsibilities include coordination and execution of annual group trade missions to international trade shows; marketing of OTI international business development programs to business representatives, associations, and government audiences; and serving as the content expert on the regional market for the Bureau. We invite motivated individuals to apply.

Essential Functions

• Confers and liaisons with regional market staff to identify Illinois industries and services that have the greatest export potential in the assigned region.
• Maintains current Africa and Middle East market and industry information, economic trends and international trade policies in order to develop and advise management on long term strategies and goals for marketing and promoting Illinois products and services.
• Provides international marketing expertise to Illinois companies to export their products and services to Africa and Middle East regions.
• Represents the OTI, DCEO and the State of Illinois at both public and private organization meetings and at international events with foreign dignitaries and representatives from Illinois’ international community.
• Maintains and tracks client/company information and program activity data in order to measure program results, activities, goals and objectives.
• Performs other duties as required or assigned which are reasonably within the scope of the duties enumerated above.

Minimum Qualifications

• Requires knowledge, skill, and mental development equivalent to completion of four (4) years of college, preferably with courses in business or public administration. 
• Requires prior experience equivalent to three (3) years of progressively responsible administrative experience in a public or business organization, preferably in the field of international marketing.

Preferred Qualifications

• Prefer two (2) year or more experience working as an international trade consultant performing duties such as market research or business lead generation with a focus on Africa and Middle East.
• Prefer two (2) years or more experience in sales, marketing, business development or business counseling with a focus on international markets.
• Prefer two (2) years or more experience in sales, marketing, business development or business counseling with a focus on domestic markets.
• Prefer two (2) years or more experience developing or managing a budget.
• Prefer two (2) year or more experience with end-to-end trade show management, including planning, managing, and executing.
• Prefer two (2) years or more experience with end-to-end accountability (owning, managing, and delivering) for multiple projects simultaneously.
• Prefer two (2) years or more experience in public facing role that includes presenting or promoting both in domestic and international settings.
• Prefer two (2) years or more experience collecting and analyzing data, developing recommendations, and presenting to executive leadership.
• Prefer intermediate experience using Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint.
• Prefer intermediate experience using client management and project management systems.

Conditions of Employment

• Requires appropriate, valid driver's license. 
• Requires ability to travel both domestically and internationally in the performance of duties, with overnight stays as appropriate.
• Requires completion of a background check and self-disclosure of criminal history form.
• Overtime is a condition of employment, and you may be requested or required/mandated to work overtime including scheduled, unscheduled, or last-minute overtime. This may require the ability to work evenings and weekends.

The conditions of employment listed here are incorporated and related to any of the job duties as listed in the job description

About the Agency

The mission of the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) is to create equitable economic opportunities across the State of Illinois. By attracting and supporting major job creators, investing in communities, strengthening Illinois’ world-class workforce, fostering innovation, and ushering in the new clean energy economy, DCEO works to fortify Illinois’ reputation as a global economic powerhouse while ensuring Illinois is the best state to live, work and do business