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.

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 Coordination Officer will work closely with WCO Members, experts, and internal stakeholders to facilitate expert mobilization in support of WCO capacity-building activities and technical assistance programmes. The position also requires close collaboration with colleagues responsible for curriculum management and e-learning to ensure coherence across the Unit’s activities and contribute to the effective delivery of the WCO’s capacity development objectives.

Main accountabilities

Under the supervision of the Head of Unit, Expert Mobilization & Curriculum Management, the Experts Coordination Officer will focus on the following key activities:

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.
Develop, monitor and report on key indicators to assess the expert deployment in capacity-building activities;
Draft policy, technical documents and procedures to streamline expert mobilization processes and maximize their effectiveness and impact;
Undertake targeted studies and analyses, drawing on data and evidence gathered from databases and other relevant sources;
Formulate recommendations and propose follow-up actions based on identified gaps, cost implications, expected benefits, and resource constraints;
Plan, organize and deliver pre-accreditation workshops and refresher training, and other initiatives aimed at strengthening and expanding the pool of experts;
Contribute to the evaluation of candidates’ competencies as part of the expert accreditation process;
Foster sustained engagement of accredited and recognized experts by identifying and promoting opportunities for continuous professional development and awareness of emerging policy developments;
Coordinate the Virtual Working Group on Expert Deployment, including support in planning activities and monitoring outcomes;
Deliver training, capacity building and technical assistance, as required;
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;
Represent the WCO at meetings, seminars, conferences, in Customs administrations, in other international and regional organizations and/or intergovernmental organizations;
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;
Draft briefing notes, presentations/speeches to be given by the Secretary General and other Secretariat staff as assigned;
Draft content for WCO publications and contribute to publications produced jointly with partner international organizations;
In cooperation with the Communication Service, prepare communications materials on experts management activities, as required;
Liaise with Members’ personnel, including Customs Attachés posted in Brussels; and
Undertake collaborative work with other Units in the WCO, as directed.

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.

Education

University degree in a relevant field or an equivalent combination of education, training and/or experience.

Essential qualifications, experience and competencies

Minimum 5 years of relevant professional experience, preferably in an international organization, Customs administration, or public administration.
Experience in coordinating or implementing capacity-building programmes in the context of international cooperation in Customs matters and/or experience in expert accreditation or expert roster management.
Demonstrable interest in the strategic objectives and modernization of the WCO.
Strong sense of initiative and ability to autonomously plan and progress work, prioritize effectively and handle competing demands.
Strong analytical skills and the ability to communicate concepts clearly, both orally and in writing.
Strong inter-personal skills, intercultural awareness and the ability to work effectively with colleagues and stakeholders.
Good knowledge of computer applications and information systems, in particular MS Office.

Desirable qualifications, experience & competencies

Previous experience working in or with international organizations.
WCO accreditation in one or more fields of expertise
Experience in trainer evaluation.

Languages

Fluency in English and/or French, the official languages of the WCO.
Knowledge of the other official WCO language and/or additional languages would be considered an asset.

Contract and conditions

Staff member under WCO contract of three (3) years, with the possibility of renewal.
Probationary period: six (6) months.
Full-time employment (thirty-seven (37) hours and forty (40) minutes weekly) at WCO Headquarters in Brussels, Belgium.
Thirty (30) days of paid annual leave.
Salary based on the Co-ordinated Organisations’ salary scale, grade B4, step 1; amount of 4,817.37 EUR/month (remuneration exempted from income tax in Belgium).
The basic salary can be augmented by allowances based on the staff member’s eligibility, and it is subject to the mandatory withholding of terminal allowance (for retirement planning) and medical and life & disability insurance contributions.

This position is subject to the WCO Staff Manual (for permanent staff). If a candidate is related to current WCO staff members (spouse, father, mother, son, daughter, brother or sister), they are required to specifically indicate this in the application.

Application and recruitment process

Interested candidates should submit their application for review no later than midday Central European Time on 21 September 2026, including a CV and motivation letter in English or French. This application should be sent by email to: [email protected].

The subject line of the email sent by each candidate should clearly indicate the job vacancy for which they are applying.

The onus is on the applicant to demonstrate how they meet each of the essential qualifications and requirements. Applicants are encouraged to describe tangible achievements in their CV and motivation letter, as well as to include contact details for referees.

Only short-listed candidates will be contacted for an assessment, which may include a written test and/or an interview. All short-listed candidates may be requested to provide copies of their original diploma, certificates and proof of relevant experience. Pre-selected candidates may also be subject to reference checks to confirm the information provided in their application.

Interested candidates may submit a request for additional information via email, providing their full name and contact details.

The evaluation of applicants will be conducted on the basis of the information submitted in the application, according to the criteria for the position and the applicable WCO rules.