Trade Economist

Position: Trade Economist

Description:

The American Sugar Alliance invites applications for a Trade Economist. The successful candidate will work under the supervision of the American Sugar Alliance (ASA) Executive Director, who in turn reports to and is managed by the Executive Committee of the American Sugar Alliance, who represent growers and processors of sugarbeet and sugarcane. This position is being considered as either a consultant or an employee.

About ASA:

The American Sugar Alliance is a national coalition of sugarbeet and sugarcane producers, including sugar farmers, sugar processors, sugar refiners, sugar suppliers, sugar workers and others dedicated to preserving a strong U.S. sugar industry. The American Sugar Alliance works to ensure that sugar farmers and workers in the U.S. sugar industry survive in a world of heavily subsidized sugar. Only through a united effort can these dedicated Americans continue to offer a plentiful, secure and reasonably priced sugar supply. The American Sugar Alliance provides the backing and support to meet this national need (see more information at https://sugaralliance.org).

Position Responsibilities:

• Monitor world and U.S. sugar trade and prepare daily summaries of relevant developments.
• Monitor and analyze all trade agreements relevant to the U.S. sugar industry.
• Advise industry leaders of the potential problems and opportunities contained in these agreements.
• Assist the industry in the development and advocacy of the industry’s position on trade.
• Provide economic and trade support for ASA and ASA’s trade-law advisors to help ensure effective sugar trade and commodity policies.
• Develop and provide presentations on trade and farm policy related to sugar;
• Attend monthly meetings of the ASA Executive Committee and other such meetings of industry representatives in the Washington, DC metro area.
• Attend other relevant trade and agricultural-related meetings deemed necessary.
• Assist with management of trade policy research projects with external consultants.

Other duties depending on experience:

• As needed, represent the sugar industry and defend/promote sugar policy:
• at Congressional hearings, briefings,
• at Executive Branch hearings,
• at domestic and international sugar industry conferences,
• in response to press inquiries working with ASA staff,
• at the USDA/USTR Agricultural Trade and Advisory Committee, and
• at international meetings, such as ISO, WTO, FTAA, etc.
• Write, or co-write, Congressional and Executive Branch testimony and formal submissions on domestic and trade policy issues.
• Represent the industry on the Sweetener ATAC, as needed.

 Required Qualifications:

• Economics degree (or related field) at the Master’s degree level.
• Experience with Executive Branch agencies, Legislative Branch committees, commodity groups, and commodity analysis.
• Familiarity with Title I of the farm bill and/or trade agreements, such as USMCA.
• Concise, persuasive oral and written communicator,
• Ability to explain complex economic concepts to non-economists.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with the negotiations of the WTO, USMCA, bilaterials and regional agreements.
• Economics degree (or related field) at the PhD level.
• Experience with Tariff/TRQ Information, specifically the U.S. Harmonized System Tariff Schedule, and in particular Chapter 17, “Sugars and Sugar Confectionery.”
• Relationships with key people at USTR, USDA (FAS) who play key roles in the agriculture negotiations.
• Relationship with Senate Finance Committee and/or House Ways and Means Committee staff.
• Relationships with the representatives of the other commodity groups in the U.S. and understanding of their positions on trade.
• Experience working with key trading partners (EU, Australia, Brazil, Japan, CBI, etc.).
• Advanced modeling skills (for example, in commodity supply-demand forecasting and/or trade modeling).
• Experience engaging with stakeholders through presentations, briefings, extension style outputs, or other applied communication activities.
• Experience with or knowledge of key trade reports published by government agencies (e.g., WASDE, BLS, Gain Reports, Sweetener Market Data, monthly Import and Re-export Sugar report,
• Experience working with trade data or large agricultural policy datasets.
• Experience producing applied policy analysis, extension publications, or short-form economic commentary targeted to producer, stakeholder, or policymaker audience.
• Experience with artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities.

Travel:   

•  Attend trade related meetings both domestic and global, as needed / approved.
• Attend Agriculture Committee meetings (WTO, USMCA, other).
• Attend and assist with ASA’s annual summer meeting.
• Support industry delegation when they attend meetings.

 Employment Classification:

• ASA is accepting applications for this position as either an independent consultant or an employee.
• For consultants, ASA needs to be the primary, but not sole, client of the consultant provided other clients do not present a conflict of interest.

Compensation:

• For a consultant classification, fees will be based on experience. No employee benefits will apply.
• For an employee classification, salary will be based on experience. ASA employee benefits include health, life and disability insurance and retirement contribution.

 Location of Office:

• Consultants will maintain their own offices, separate from ASA.
• Consultant will be responsible for all applicable tax, business, lobbying and other filings.
• Employees maintain offices at the ASA office located at 2101 Wilson Blvd, Suite 610B, Arlington, VA. This is located at the Courthouse Stop of the Metro's Orange Line.

Potential Timeline:

•  Applications received prior to August 1 preferred.
• Target start date for new hire is 2026-Q3/Q4.