Project title: EU-Kazakhstan trade and economic cooperation

Reference number: EC-INTPA/TSE/2025/EA-RP/0036

Duty station: TBD (estimated Almaty, Kazakhstan)

Provisional date of invitation to tender: 21st October 2025

Indicative start date of the project: 30th April 2026

Estimated Project duration: 36 months

Deadline for submission of the 1st round of applications: 20th October 2025

Project description:

Kazakhstan is the largest economy in Central Asia and an important trade partner for the EU. In the context of growing prominence and international attention placed on Central Asia, Kazakhstan has the potential to become the key hub for investment and regional trade thus securing its sustainable economic growth and resilience. Achieving this target requires removal of trade barriers as well as sustained efforts to diversify the export basket to nonresource tradable products and services and to improve technical competences and qualityassuring services. The EPCA which guides the relations between EU and Kazakhstan has also a role to play in this endeavour. Once fully implemented, the EPCA with its ambitious Trade and Sustainable Development Chapter, will facilitate foreign investment and diversification while ensuring sustainable economic growth benefiting the Kazakh society as a whole. Against this backdrop, this service contract will aim to support the EU-Kazakhstan trade and economic cooperation by supporting the implementation of the EPCA, enhancing the business and investment climate, improving access to quality infrastructure and promoting SME-oriented and non-resource oriented export strategy.

INDICATIVE KEY EXPERT PROFILES

Key Expert 1: Team Leader

Qualifications and skills:

University degree in the fields of Economics, Business Administration, Finance, Law or equivalent relevant professional experience of at least 10 years (supplementing the specific professional experience mentioned below).

Ability to manage teams and deadlines, good communication and inter-personal skills, qualities of dialogue, negotiation and prioritization.

Excellent command of English.

Working knowledge of Russian is a strong advantage

General professional experience:

Preferably 15, but minimum 10 years of professional experience in at least 2 of the following areas: a) implementing Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreements (EPCA) or Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreements (DCFTA); b) trade facilitation / trade cooperation; c) improving investment climate and facilitating investment promotion; d) business regulatory reforms and creating a business enabling environment; e) export promotion; f) quality infrastructure; g) facilitating economic / trade policy dialogues; h) institutional development and capacity building of trade institutions

Minimum 8 years of experience in programme/project management of development cooperation programmes, preferably EU funded;

Specific professional experience:

Minimum 3 years of proven experience as Team Leader or in another management position in internationally funded technical assistance projects/programmes, preferably in EU-funded technical assistance projects in the areas of trade and economic cooperation;

Minimum 3 years of experience with implementation of EPCAs (European Partnership and Cooperation Agreements);

Minimum 2 years of experience in trade and economic cooperation issues in the countries of Central Asia Region;

Experience in Kazakhstan and knowledge of Kazakhstan´s Government trade and economic policies would be an advantage.