·       Legal Documentalist

ROLE OVERVIEW

Under the supervision of the Director, Research & Documentation, the incumbent shall be responsible for the effective management of the Court’s Library and of all ECOWAS official documents, in order to support the dispensation of justice by the Court and the provision of research opinions and other legal services by the Department of the Research and Documentation.

ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES

·       In consultation with the Director, Research and Documentation, design and develop sound policies and procedures for the smooth and effective running of the Library and Documentation Division, including defining clear criteria for the delivery of documentation services, proper guidelines for the use of the Library and strong strategies for the development and effective management of the collections of the Library, in order to ensure that relevant information resources and legal materials both in print and non-print formats are identified, acquired and maintained in the Library.

·       Supervise and motivate the Library and Documentation team, monitor staff performance, and ensure the quality of work as well as timely delivery of output within the Division.

·       Organize and manage the staff of the Library and Documentation Division in a way to enable them to play a key role in the discharge of the overall mandate of the Research and Documentation Directorate, including the development and utilization of research tools, such as jurisprudence Indexes, thematic reports, judgments summaries, etc.

·       Support the research work by providing expert opinion and assistance in developing and applying legal research strategies, policies, and guidelines that will enhance the production and dissemination of legal opinions, fact sheets, jurisprudence notes and a digest of case-law for the use of the Court.

·       Undertake budget preparation and implementation, develop annual procurement and work plans, secure necessary approvals and monitor implementation.

·       Communicate effectively to promote the library and advocate for its needs.

·       Provide regular performance feedback to the Director, Research and Documentation, and share information as appropriate with the Library and Documentation team.

·       Shape and apply strategies for the promotion and development of the library, combining traditional resources with innovative information technologies.

·       Aggregate contents from various primary and secondary sources and synthetize relevant information to create customized products for Library users.

·       Ensure quick and easy access to information resources and legal materials through research tools development, bibliographic references on various topics pertaining to effective justice dispensation and delivery.

·       Lead the library through its digitalization process to an integrated resource center and manage effectively electronic documents and contents.

·       Advise on available legal research software, online sources, and legal databases worthy of the Court’s subscription in order to support and facilitate the research work on judicial matters.

·       Apply appropriate security measures to preserve and safeguard the collections of the library.

·       Provide advice and support in respect of records keeping document production and information dissemination.

·       Liaise with other libraries, book Publishers and international resource centers to facilitate access to scarce sources of information and accommodate the evolving needs of the Court.

·       Perform any other duties as may be assigned by the Supervisor.

ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

·       Master’s degree or equivalent in Library Science or a related field from a recognized University.

·       10 years of experience in documentation support functions, such as referencing and terminology, editing and handling of official documentation, is an asset, of which two (2) must be in a managerial position.

·        Experience with documentation, performance, and financial information management systems such as Documents, Conference and Production Management System (DCPMS) and an enterprise resource planning system like SAP/UMOJA.

·       Knowledge and understanding of theories, concepts and approaches relevant to a particular sector, functional area or another specialized field.

·       Experience with a regional or international organisation is desirable

AGE LIMIT

Be below 45 years old. This provision does not apply to internal candidates

ECOWAS KEY COMPETENCIES

·       Ability to lead in assigned programmes and projects by providing the necessary managerial and operational expertise required for the fulfillment of the organization’s mandate.

·       Ability to lead by example and organize teamwork to encourage cooperation to achieve targeted results, champion and build momentum for change and to bring about employee engagement; develops and implement internal controls for pilot program to manage potential barriers to implementation.

·       Ability to respect the chain of command in an appropriate manner.

·       excellent self-management skills, demonstrating ethics and integrity, confidentiality and displaying due regard for internal controls of rules, delegations, and transparency.

·       Ability to bring together complementary skills/expertise, assess individual contributions and recognize/address accomplishments and shortcomings in a manner that brings continued success to the organization.

·       Knowledge of program management at the level usually acquired from a certification in program management.

·       Ability to research benchmarks and trends to bring about the best recommendations for the development and improvement of programs/projects that will best serve the community/organization.

·       Well-developed networking and interpersonal skills to seek feedback, information, and data from a network of professionals from multiple countries/sectors/organizations and to identify and prioritize the most critical community requirements.

·       Ability to manage and coordinate client management initiatives and make recommendations.

·       Ability to develop and implement best practices in client services.

·       Ability to develop and implement stakeholder management plans, programs, and initiatives to obtain buy-in on new initiatives, to better understand dissenting views, to obtain resources and to increase perceptions of success.

·       Ability to be diplomatic, tactful, and respectful of other people from varied backgrounds, understanding diverse cultural views, especially within West Africa, with the ability to convert diversity into opportunities to improve program/operational outcomes.

·       Ability to create a diverse and inclusive interactive environment that benefits from diverse strengths bringing together innovative practices.

·       Ability to remain objective in managing conflict regardless of cultural differences /positions and gender differences and encourage other staff to overcome cultural and gender bias and differences.

·       Ability and responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work.

·       Ability to serve the interest of culturally diverse multinational teams/organizations/communities and persons with disability without prejudice and bias.

·       Understanding of the ECOWAS organizational structure, associated dynamics and expectations as required to collaborate, participate, contribute, and lead effectively.

Knowledge of the ECOWAS mandate, strategic plan/priorities, as well as the economic, political, and social situation and trends in member states, as pertains to own scope of work.

Knowledge of ECOWAS best practices, program management approaches and research techniques to lead and/or contribute to the development or assessment of programs, projects, or initiatives.

·       Knowledge of the ECOWAS rules and procedures in order to appropriately interpret and apply directive text, provide technical advice, coach others and assess performance.

·       Ability to analyze a situation by using indicators to assess the costs, benefits, risks, and chances for success in making decisions.

Ability to pull together information from different sources to identify the cause of problems, consequences of alternative causes of action, potential obstacles, and ways to avoid the problem in the future.

·       Ability to break down very complex situations/information into simple terms to explain recommendations and conclusions aimed at solving problems or improving operations/programs/projects.

·       Ability to develop new insights into situations, apply innovative solutions to problems and to design new methods of addressing issues or disconnects where established methods and procedures are inapplicable or no longer effective.

Ability to communicate with impact, clearly and concisely in a succinct and organized manner conveying credibility & confidence when making presentations, setting expectations, and explaining complex issues.

·       Ability to listen intently and correctly interpret messages from others and respond appropriately.

·       Accomplished technical writing and editing skills.

·       Exhibit active listening skills to encourage stronger communication amongst team members, to show care and make them feel valued and to drive employee engagement in all institutions and agencies.

·       Ability to give constructive feedback, provide recognition, address shortcomings, and motivate direct reports to work at peak performance.

·       Proficiency in information communication technologies (ICT).

·       Fluency in oral and written expressions in one of the ECOWAS official languages of the Community (English, French & Portuguese). Knowledge of an additional one will be an added advantage.

• Organizational and project/program management skills with significant experience identifying timelines, targets, costs, and resources necessary to deliver on operational/program/project outputs in line with result-based management approach.
• Ability to set effective goals and targets for self, others, and the work unit and adjusting work or project priorities in response to changing circumstances.
• Ability to use participatory approach in project planning and identify gaps affecting the achievement of program/project expectations and to design and implement intervention plans required to build the desired task.
• Ability to implement rigorous monitoring and evaluation practices and to set in place regular reporting schedules relevant to key outputs.
• Ability to plan, organize, control resources, and to comply with policies, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals.