Trade Resource Centre Business Model and Service Design Expert

Background

The Jobs and Economic Transformation (JET) Programme is supporting the UK–Ghana Chamber of Commerce (UKGCC) to establish and operate a Trade Resource Centre that will provide tailored trade-facilitation services to Ghanaian and UK businesses.
This intervention sits alongside the wider UK–Ghana Growth Partnership, which aims to position the UK as a credible partner of choice for inclusive economic growth in Ghana, drive UK investment in Ghana, increase trade in goods and services, and address specific constraints to trade and investment. Recent and ongoing collaborations between JET and UKGCC that this assignment seeks to build on include the UK–Ghana Trade and Investment Missions for the Automotive and Textiles and Garments sectors, the 2025 UKGCC Business Environment and Competitiveness Survey (BECS), investor profiling and deal-book development, the 2026 UKGCC Trade and Investment Summit, and engagement with UK and Ghanaian private-sector networks.
This Scope of Work corresponds to the “UKGCC Trade Resource Centre Design Consultant” role identified in JET’s UK Market Access operational documents under the sub-workstream Trade Resource Centre Operating and Financial model established.

Scope

JET seeks a Business Model and Service Design Expert to support the establishment of the Resource Centre operating and financial model. The purpose of this engagement is to design a modern, functional Trade Resource Centre that serves as a one-stop hub that provides trade information, capacity building support and advisory services for Ghanaian exporters to enable them to expand into the UK market by helping them navigate regulatory compliance, and leverage UK-Ghana Trade Partnership Agreement.

Engagement type: Short-Term Technical Assistance (level-of-effort / days based)
No. of advisers: One or more (the scope may be filled by a single adviser, a firm with a team of experts, or a consortium)

Level of Effort: Total number of days required for the scope is 30. Whether single advisor, a firm, team of experts or consortium, total expected number of days must not exceed 30 days.

Objectives

1. Trade Resource Centre Design: Support UKGCC to design and operate the Trade Resource Centre (TRC), a specialised trade facilitation hub equipped to assist Ghanaian and UK businesses to maximise the benefits of UK-Ghana Trade agreements, including the current Trade Partnership Agreement (TPA)

2. Service Ecosystem Redesign: Streamline, digitize, and optimize UKGCC’s trade support service delivery (e.g., market intelligence, networking, advocacy, advisory services, and cross-border business matchmaking, partner referrals and linkages to relevant institutions).

3. Operating and Financial Model Design: Develop a viable operating and financial model for the trade resource centre.

4. Operational Capability Roadmap: Identify internal capability gaps, digital tool requirements, partnership arrangements, and process improvements necessary to deliver the new service portfolio effectively.

Required tasks

Phase 1: Needs Assessment and Market Analysis

1. Current-State Evaluation: Audit existing service offerings, pricing structures, member acquisition costs, retention metrics, and operational bottlenecks.

2. Gap Analysis: Conduct a gap analysis of existing trade support services provided by UKGCC.

3. Benchmarking and Ecosystem Analysis: Analyse best practices from peer chambers of commerce, international trade support institutions (TSIs), and industry associations, including models for financing and delivery.

Phase 2: Service Architecture and Strategy Design

1. Service Portfolio Optimization: Define the core offering - new, updated, or retired service lines (e.g., market intelligence, export readiness assessments, trade compliance guidance, matchmaking/B2B networking, trade mission facilitation, networking forums, etc.).

2. Establish service delivery models (digital portal, helpdesk, one-on-one advisory). It is expected that the Trade Resource Centre will partner with other local, UK or international trade support organisations like the Ghana Export Promotion Agency and the UK Department of Business and Trade to support the delivery of trade services.

3. Design operational workflows, partner roles and referral processes, standard operating procedures (SOPs), and service-level agreements (SLAs).

Phase 3: Implementation Roadmap and Governance

1. Phased Rollout Plan: Develop an actionable implementation strategy including timelines, resource allocations, quick wins, and long-term milestones.

2. Capacity Building and Operational Setup Recommendation: Provide recommendations for staff upskilling, internal organization adjustments, partner coordination, and digital tool integration needed to support the new services.

Phase 4: Monitoring and Evaluation KPI and Measurement Framework:
Establish key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure business impact (e.g., export volume growth, resolved trade inquiries) and institutional impact (engagement, service adoption, member retention, net promoter score (NPS), revenue impact, and trade support outcomes.

Required Qualifications:

Essential criteria

1. Depth and seniority of experience: At least 8-10 years of relevant professional experience in business strategy, service design, business model development, organisational transformation, or trade support programme design.

2. Relationship-building and UKGCC fit: Experience working with chambers, membership or trade bodies, and a credible approach to establishing and sustaining productive relationships with organisational leadership, businesses, and institutional partners.

3. Industry Experience: Proven track record designing or strengthening service delivery models for chambers of commerce, trade support institutions (TSIs), industry associations, or professional membership bodies.

4. Functional Expertise: Deep expertise in service design methodology, business model frameworks, service portfolio development, operating models, member retention strategy, and revenue strategy.

5. Trade and Enterprise Understanding: Practical knowledge of trade support services, B2B networking, export advisory and business matchmaking.

6. Facilitation Skills: Strong experience leading co-creation workshops, executive briefings, and stakeholder alignment sessions, and translating stakeholder inputs into practical recommended models, processes, and implementation plans.

Desirable

1. Past or existing relationships with UK, US or European Government trade and investment bodies (for example the Department for Business and Trade or the British High Commission).

2. Experience designing support services specifically in trade and investment, and translating them into practical, sustainable delivery models.

Deliverables

No Deliverable Description and Criteria for AcceptanceDelivery timeline 1 Inception report and work plan

1. Inception report and work plan – confirming approach, methodology, success measures and timeline

2. Accepted by UKGCC and JET Portfolio Lead, approved by JET Team Lead

TBC 2 Diagnostic Audit Report

1. Market needs assessment that synthesises the current state of trade support services, target user feedback, current-state performance gaps, and benchmark findings. .

2. Accepted by UKGCC and approved by JET Portfolio Lead

TBC 3 Trade Resource Centre Business and Operating Model.

1. Trade resource Centre Operational Manual which includes detailed information on member categories and target users, value proposition, service delivery model, partner/referral model, operating requirements, and recommended monetization frameworks for the Trade Resource Centre.

2. Accepted by UKGCC and approved by JET Portfolio Lead
   partner roles and referral pathways), and touchpoint specifications for flagship services.

3. Accepted by UKGCC and approved by JET Portfolio Lead

TBC 4 Implementation Roadmap, M&E Framework & Sustainability Plan

1. Step-by-step action plan, resource estimates, change management guidelines, staff training plan and a KPI dashboard framework

2. Pilot test plan for first cohort of Ghanaian export ready businesses

3. Accepted by UKGCC and approved by JET Portfolio Lead

TBC 5 Monthly progress reports

1. Progress reports submitted monthly (and presented in agreed JET Format), detailing engagements and progress with activities

2. Accepted by UKGCC and JET Portfolio Lead

TBC 6 Final report and handover package

1. Final report consolidating the final Trade Resource Centre design, business and operating model, implementation plan, risks and mitigation plan, recommendations for pilot roll out. Final editable tools, blueprints, templates and any further supporting materials to be handed over to UKGCC.

2. Accepted by UKGCC and JET Portfolio Lead, approved by JET Team Lead

Period of Delivery

The consultant is expected to deliver this assignment from September 2026 – December 2026.

Monitoring

The Expert (s) will report to the JET Ecosystem Lead and coordinate with UKGCC and the JET team. The Consultant(s) shall submit monthly progress reports (status of activities, engagements, next steps) in the agreed JET format, participate in regular check-ins, and submit a final report on completion. Deliverables are subject to review and acceptance by UKGCC, the JET Ecosystem Lead and approval by JET Team Lead.

Application Instructions

If this assignment is of interest, please submit the following via the application portal or to benjamin.nimoh@thepalladiumgroup.com and ghanajet@thepalladiumgroup.com by September 15, 2026:

1. Curriculum vitae (maximum 3 pages) evidencing relevant experience and total years of experience.

2. Evidence of similar support provided to chambers of commerce, trade support institutions, membership-based industry organisations, or similar business support organisations and results achieved (maximum 2 pages): name or clearly describe at least 2 organisations the applicant has supported (and their international orientation), dates, description of services provided, concrete outcomes and references.

3. Approach note (maximum 2 pages) – brief description of methodology the applicant will use to undertake the assignment, and a proposed timeline against the deliverables outlined in this TOR.

4. Proposed daily fee rate and Level of effort required.

5. Applications meeting the essential criteria are scored against the weighted criteria in Section

Evaluation Criteria

Criteria-descriptionWeight Evidence assessed Relevant experience with chambers, trade support institutions, member-based orgs, or similar business support organisations 25% Track-Record Statement; CV Track record in service design, business/operating model development, and/or sustainable revenue model development for a membership-based organisation with demonstrated results 25% Track-Record Statement; CV; referees Depth and seniority of experience 15% CV (years; confirms rate-card band) Quality and relevance of proposed approach, including understanding of the Trade Resource Centre concept and feasibility of proposed methodology 25% Approach and Methodology Feasibility of proposed timeline and availability to complete the assignment 10% Approach Note Total 100%

Ethics and compliance: Adheres to anti-bribery, safeguarding, data protection, and conflict of interest standards.
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