Senior Trade Officer

Selection Process Nº: 206802-6

Salary: Competitive remuneration paid monthly

Contract Type: Indeterminate, Full time (37.5 hours per week)

Term Details: This position is a Locally Engaged Staff position, subject to the Terms and Conditions of Employment for LES in Cuba.

Job Function: Officer

Classification: LE-O2

Location: Embassy of Canada to Cuba

Number of Vacancies: 1

Closing date for application: 7 April, 2025 at 23:59 (Eastern Time, CANADA Time Zone)

Please use an online "time zone converter" to identify the specific closing hour in your country. 

 

Please consider that our application form has several pages to be filled, therefore, please take the time to complete it and correctly submit your application within the deadline.

 

The results of this selection process may also be used to establish one or more pools of fully or partially qualified candidates for similar term, indeterminate, part-time, or full-time openings in Cuba which might arise following the completion of this selection process. 

Summary of Duties

As a Senior Trade Officer, you'll play a pivotal role in advancing and expanding Canada’s trade opportunities in different sectors. Your key responsibilities will include: 

  • Provides strategic market advice and related services to enhance the export from Canadian companies, identifying and capitalizing on new market opportunities.
  • Foster and maintain strong relationships with key stakeholders, including government departments and agencies, local business and trade associations, Canadian exporters to promote bilateral trade and collaboration.
  • Conduct in-depth market research and analysis to identify trends, risks, and opportunities, providing actionable insights to drive informed decision-making.
  • Promote Canadian products through trade shows, exhibitions, and promotional campaigns, enhancing market visibility and competitiveness. 

In this role, you'll leverage your expertise to navigate the complexities of global trade, driving growth and innovation in different industries. 

 

Area of selection / Eligibility

  • This position is open to any person currently residing and legally able to work in Cuba (or who can get a work permit by their own means before an appointment).  

Please note that the Embassy of Canada to Cuba does not sponsor work authorizations directly or indirectly; and does not reimburse any travel costs to and from interviews/exams nor does it reimburse any relocation costs. 

The Government of Canada is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from diverse sections of the community. Candidates will be considered based on merit. Our organization offers an inclusive workplace where respect, teamwork, and collaboration are part of our culture. Canada’s missions abroad are committed to promoting and supporting an environment free from harassment and discrimination, as well as encouraging and supporting employees to learn and develop their skills and competencies. 

 

How to Apply 

Only candidates who follow the steps below will proceed to the next stage of the staffing process.

Before the closing date, please send your CV in English or French to LES-E-Recruitment-MXICO@international.gc.ca 

  • Subject must be labeled "HAVAN Trade”.
  • Your CV must be a PDF or Word file attached to your email (the recruitment team won’t click any hyperlink to consult / download external documents).
  • Your email body must contain specific examples that clearly demonstrate how you meet the 5 years of experience required (see the experience section below for more details).
    • The Embassy of Canada cannot make any assumptions about your studies nor experience. Simply saying you have the required qualifications or listing your current duties will not be sufficient. Instead, you must provide concrete and detailed examples that clearly explain where, when, and how you gained the experience.
    • No additional information will be sought beyond what you submit in your CV, hence, candidates who fail to clearly demonstrate how they meet the experience requirements will be disqualified.
  • Emails without a CV and/or sent after the closing date won’t be reviewed.

Important recommendations 

  • Candidates must use an e-mail address that they can access at any time.
  • Communication for this process will be sent via email. It is the responsibility of the candidates to ensure accurate contact information is provided and updated as required.
  • Candidates must provide an email address that accepts email from unknown users and regularly check their email, including spam folder.
  • Do not include personal data such as age, date of birth, gender, marital status, family status, religion or a picture in your CV. Please only include information relevant to the vacancy as requested in the job poster.

  

Essential qualifications  

Candidates will initially be screened against the Essential Qualifications relating to education, language* and experience. 

Candidates must clearly demonstrate when applying to the position how they meet each of these essential qualifications. 

*Language will be assessed further during the process. 

Education:

Candidates will be required to provide proof of the completion of their education. 

  • A University degree from a legally recognized institution.

Language:

Experience: 

Minimum 5 years of cumulative recent* experience working for a private or public organization in three or more of the following areas: 

  • International business development (e.g. increasing exports, developing promotional plans).
  • Managing client and stakeholder relationships and in providing client service support to customers/clients/end users.
  • Providing research and analysis, strategic advice, briefings, and written reports to management and/or clients on international business issues.
  • Researching and analyzing business trends and/or industry policies.

*Recent is defined from March 2018 onwards 

On the email body, please write a summary to demonstrate clearly how, when, and where you meet the experience requirement indicated above. 

 

Rated qualifications  

The Rated Requirements are part of the essential qualifications and relate to knowledge, abilities and competencies. Methods of assessment for rated requirements may include, but are not limited to, a written examination, an oral interview (online, pre-recorded or in-person), and reference checking. All qualifications must be met. 

Knowledge: 

  • Knowledge of Cuba’s business climate, especially as it relates to local business practices, market access for foreign companies.
  • Knowledge of local current trends and business practices in at least one of the following sectors:
    • Agricultural and agri-food 
    • Tourism
    • Renewable energy  
  • Knowledge of project and/or event management and communication plan.
  • Knowledge of software tools (e.g. MS Office) and Customer Relationship Management software.

Competencies:

  • Judgement and Discretion
  • Effective interactive communication (oral and written in the essential languages)
  • Strategic thinking and Decision Making
  • Resilience and Adaptability
  • Client Orientation
  • Initiative and Action Orientation (including the ability to generate new business opportunities)
  • Networking and Alliance Building
  • Working with Others and Horizontal Leadership 

Click here for a brief description of each competency 

 

Asset Qualifications 

Preference may be given to candidates who meet one or more of the Asset Qualifications. Candidates must clearly demonstrate in their application and, as required, during the selection process, how they meet any of the following asset qualifications: 

  • Advanced (similar to C1 in the CEFR) written and spoken proficiency in English. 
  • Intermediate (similar to B2 in the CEFR) written and spoken proficiency in French. 
  • Previous experience working in a diplomatic mission, international organization, foreign private company or similar.
  • Advanced knowledge and/or experience working in the agriculture, agri-food, infrastructure, and/or Clean-tech sector.
  • Experience working in Canada / with Canadian clients.
  • Master’s degree in business administration, marketing, finance, international relations.

 

Operational Requirements 

  • Willingness for occasional overtime outside normal working hours (i.e., evenings and weekends).
  • Availability to travel occasionally (national and international).
  • Willingness and ability to work in a combination of Cuban and Canadian statutory holidays, which means you will be required to work on certain Cuban holidays.
  • The embassy is an office-based work environment which does not offer remote or hybrid work arrangements. 

  

Conditions of Employment 

Conditions of employment must be met or complied with before being appointed to a particular position and are to be maintained throughout the employment while being the incumbent of this position. 

  • Hold a valid work authorization covering the entire employment period.
  • Security screening: Obtain a Reliability Status (security level) from the Government of Canada, which includes a criminal and credit background check (will be started once the staffing process is completed and may take ~4 weeks). 

Other conditions of employment: 

  • Approval from PALCO: maintain a work authorization covering the entire employment period (will be started once the staffing process is completed and may take ~4 weeks) 

 

Important Notes  

  • Only applications submitted in one of the official languages of Canada will be accepted (English or French).
  • Applicants may ask to be assessed in the official language of their choice, however, some assessments may only be conducted in English and/or Spanish since candidates have to demonstrate they meet each essential qualification in order to be eligible for an appointment.
  • Communication for this process will be sent via email. It is the responsibility of the candidates to ensure accurate contact information is provided and updated as required.
  • Candidates must provide an email address that accepts email from unknown users and regularly check their email, including spam folder.
  • Reference checks may be sought for candidates who are successful in all of the assessments.
  • Before an offer of employment can be made, successful candidates must provide a local residence address as proof of residence in the specified area of selection. This information is necessary to issue a letter of offer.
  • We are committed to providing an inclusive and barrier-free work environment, starting with the hiring process. If you need to be accommodated during any phase of the evaluation process, please contact us at LES-E-Recruitment-MXICO@international.gc.ca to request specialized accommodation. All information received in relation to accommodation will be kept confidential.
  • For Canadian citizens/residents and Canadian dual nationals, please note that it is your responsibility to enquire with the Canadian Revenue Agency about any possible taxation implications linked to an employment with the Government of Canada.
  • The tentative start date of this position is July 2025; however, some delays may occur during this selection process.