AU 35,815.21/USD 56,509.24

Deadline For Application : 15th May 2024

ROLE OVERVIEW

The Assistant assists the Programme Officers in the efficient day-to-day program activities of the Institution as may be required by programme officers.

The incumbent initiates tasks and provides administrative assistance in all activities associated with programme activities.

ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES

·       Draft Terms of References, invitation letters, and reports of internal meetings.

·       Prepare working documents for internal and external meetings of the Programme Unit;

·       Liaise and follow up on internal and external correspondence for programme activities.

·       Assist with managing and organizing the administrative activities for programme meetings.

·       Assisting in accommodation requirements during workshops; seminars and fora.

·       Maintains a database of participants at programme meetings.

·       Ensure a properly maintained filling system in Programme Unit.

·       Assist in the preparation of periodic status reports of the Programmes Unit, drafting of minutes of meetings, speeches, letters, and other relevant documents as needed in the Programme Unit.

·       Assist in the updating of Focal Points lists within member countries.

·       Liaising with the Focal Points within Member Countries for follow-up actions on the transmission of correspondences.

·       Monitoring and fulfilling the material needs of the Programme Unit.

·       Assist in the monitoring of all Conventions; Memorandum of Understanding; Agreement for Programmes between the Institution and third parties.

·       Establish a database of partners and other stakeholders intervening in programme activities.

·       Participate in the management of the Documentation Centre;

·       Undertake other related tasks, that may be assigned by Programmes officers.

ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

·       Minimum Brevet de Technicien (BT)/OND or equivalent in a field relevant to a specialized or focus area; specialized training in programme/ project management is desirable.

·     A minimum of 5 years of progressively responsible experience in programme or project administration, technical cooperation, or related area is required.

·     Working knowledge of Programme Management in Gender, including proficiency in computer applications.

·      Ability to organize information/data to facilitate the work of the programme Officers including knowledge of relevant ECM filing systems and correspondence-related procedures, guidelines, and processes to prepare and use administrative documents and templates”.

·     Knowledge of and ability to identify the required resources for programs/ projects and to perform specific specialized activities aimed at the effective and efficient functioning of the Programme team.

·     Knowledge of internal policies, processes, and procedures generally and those related to Programme/project administration, implementation and evaluation, technical cooperation, programming, and budgeting.

·     Demonstrated knowledge of project management methods (including budget management, reporting monitoring, and evaluation).

AGE LIMIT

Be below 50 years old. This provision does not apply to internal candidates.

ECOWAS KEY COMPETENCIES

·       Ability to assume a credible presence when explaining rules, standards, and expectations (e.g. deadlines) to ensure compliance and work expectations are met.

·       Ability to motivate self and/or others to engage in discussions that will result in recommendations to improve processes, templates, or other work tools.

·       Ability to engage in positive approaches to teamwork and participate actively in discussions and the achievement of team goals.

·       Ability to take responsibility for own career and performance with the occasional guidance from the supervisor/mentor.

·       Ability to build capacity of self and others by sharing knowledge, tools, expertise, and experience with others to remain proficient and well informed in the execution of assigned role.

·       Interpersonal, listening, and multitasking skills with a good understanding of client service responsibilities and role in representing ECOWAS values in all interactions.

·       Ability to take initiative to resolve routine problems associated with assigned tasks using good judgment in involving colleagues or superiors as required.

·       Ability to work as part of a team to resolve concerns, and problems and improve services.

·       Ability to manage own time effectively and organize own work area in a manner that will meet performance expectations related to assigned client services.

·       Ability to direct people to the appropriate source for further information and ask for help when overwhelmed with client demands.

·       Ability to apply culturally relevant and appropriate approaches with people from diverse cultural backgrounds.

·       Good diversity management skills to interact with individuals in a culturally appropriate manner and by ECOWAS rules/policies.

·       Ability to recognize preconceived notions and stereotypical views of certain groups and individuals and to successfully adopt inclusive and culturally appropriate behaviors.

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

·       Knowledge of diversity management as it relates to daily work expectations and assigned tasks.

·       Knowledge of the ECOWAS mandate and operational goals of relevance to assigned responsibilities.

·       Ability to keep up to date with Departmental activities, schedules, and goals pertinence to own work team and functional area.

·       Knowledge of ECOWAS procedures relevant to assigned work and the ability to apply sound judgment in their application.

·       Demonstrated strong interest and commitment to ECOWAS values and activities in daily assumption of duties.

·       Excellent ability to maintain, process, and provide accurate information as part of assigned tasks.

·       Ability to organize files and information for easy retrieval and record keeping.

·       Ability to spot mistakes, act promptly to correct them, and learn from experiences.

·       Knowledge and ability to challenge and question fundamental assumptions regarding accepted ways of doing things in the spirit of improvement.

·       Ability to use current technology to communicate effectively e.g. office software programs, including spreadsheets, word processing, and graphic presentation software; ability to type and format presentations, reports, manuals, newsletters, and website content, and proficiency in information communication technologies (ICT).

·       Well-developed information sharing skills using technology and established processes and practices.

·       Advanced verbal assertiveness and communication skills with a demonstrated ability to acknowledge and understand the validity of others’ viewpoints and to respond constructively.

·       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.

·       Ability to allocate time for specific tasks in a manner that will meet deadlines and quality/quantity expectations.

·       Good organizational skills with an excellent ability to break down work into smaller parts and focus on the most important steps first.

·       Ability to contribute to maintaining organizational performance standards throughout the implementation of new processes, practices, and plans adopted by the Department and of relevance to assigned tasks.

·       Ability to monitor progress and to consider new goals in the context of assigned responsibilities.

·       Ability to follow through with commitments made to others.