Strategic Planning Officer at the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is a regional group of fifteen West African countries. Founded on 28 May 1975, with the signing of the Treaty of Lagos, its mission is to promote economic integration across the region.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Strategic Planning Officer

Location: Abuja
Institution: ECOWAS Parliament
Grade P1/P2/P3
Status: Permanent
Directorate: Office of Secretary General
Division: Bureau & Strategic Planning
Line Supervisor: Bureau & Strategic Planning Manager

Role Overview

Under the supervsion of the Bureau & Strategic Planning Manager, the incumbent shall assist the Parliament situate itself properly within the strategic vision of the Community by helping to define and implement a well targeted plan and evaluating its impact.

Role and Responsibilities

Support and contribute to the review and development of the Parliament’s quadrienal Strategic Plan;
Develop monitoring reports to track the progress across the Parliament in achieving the outcomes of the Strategic Plan;
Provide advice and support to Divisions in the development of monitoring plans for their project design documents;
Support the creation of good monitoring practices in the Secretariat by planning and conducting spot audits of monitoring practices by divisions and follow up with feedback and suggestions;
Keep track of the challenges and issues raised through monitoring reports from Divisions to see how this will impact on the ability of the Secretariat to meet the objectives of its Strategic Plan;
Contribute to the preparation of the Secretariat’s six-monthly reports and the Annual Performance Report for presentation to the Secretariat’s governing bodies’ meetings.
Co-ordinate and contribute to divisional and inter-divisional meetings to support determining how divisions can achieve the strategic planning outcomes ;
Undertake research, where and when necessary, on issues of strategic importance and relevance to the implementation of the Secretariat’s Strategic Plan.

Academic Qualifications And Experience

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in Public Administration, Project Management, Economics from a recognized University.
2 years of progressively responsible professional working experience in managing programmes or projects or related area is required;
Knowledge of Institution or agency programe area and ability to identify the required resources to contribute to effective and efficient functioning of the programme team.
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 motivate self and/or others to engage in and successfully complete tasks at hand;
Demonstrated experience leading conversations that will either provide participants with new information, ideas or awareness or elicit feedback;
Ability to positively influence co-workers when faced with challenges and work problems to help trigger solutions and build confidence;
Ability to respect chain of command in an appropriate manner;
Ability to lead in the management of own career and performance and to seek assistance/coaching when required.
Well-developed client service skills including a positive attitude, creative thinking skills, good work ethic, teamwork experience, time management skills, flexibility;
Ability to take initiative to resolve problems and improve quality and/or quantity of work by identifying alternative solutions and discussing appropriateness/approach with supervisor;
Strong desire to help others and capacity to empathize to generate mutual understanding;
Ability to work as part of a team in supporting and addressing the needs of clients and stakeholders;
Ability to multitask and to meet client service/stakeholder management standards and objectives of pertinence to assigned responsibilities.
Ability to perceive the moods and feelings of others from various cultural backgrounds, and to understand interests, needs, and perspectives so as to prevent/address misunderstandings and complaints;
Well-developed ability to relate well with people from varied backgrounds and sound understanding of diverse cultural differences especially within West Africa;
Ability to listen attentively to people’s ideas, requests and concerns and to understand and internalize the need for diversity management in everyday workplace practices;
Ability and responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work;
Ability to factor in diversity when providing services, responding to requests, recognizing and releasing preconceived notions and stereotypical views of certain groups and individuals.
Basic understanding of the ECOWAS organization mandate and its functions;
Ability to explain the ECOWAS programs and projects relevant to tasks and demonstrated understanding of data used by the department/institution/agency, including knowing where data resides in the system, the ability to see how the data in the system interrelates and how data entries and changes may impact data in other parts of the system.
Knowledge of ECOWAS routine procedures and practices as it relates to assigned responsibilities;
Ability to apply ECOWAS standards in emailing, reporting, correspondence, etc. and to accept and implement changes as directed.
Excellent numeracy skills with the ability to collect, collate, classify and summarize data systematically.
Demonstrated ability to assist in conducting primary and secondary research activities in accordance with instructions and/or best practices in research techniques (e.g. interviews, tests, desk research);
Ability to identify inconsistencies in reasoning and to articulate findings clearly;
Ability to use creativity and initiative in the generation of alternative solutions to a problem;
Ability to gather, analyze and arrange information in a logical sequence.
Ability to provide useful feedback when asked and to use feedback constructively when given;
Demonstrated ability to use computers with superior word-processing skills and proficiency in the use of database (e.g. access), spreadsheets (e.g. excel), inter/intranet, email and social media;
Tact, diplomacy and well-developed interpersonal skills;
Ability to write accurate, clear and well-organized text;
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.
Well established time management skills with the ability to make well considered/reasoned decisions regarding own work and to follow them through;
Ability to use action planning skills, set priorities, develop work goals and identify the steps needed to achieve goals of relevance to own work area;
Ability to work well and meet objectives of tasks when under pressure or when exposed to uncertainties, challenges and/or changing work environments;
Ability to understand and contribute to team/work unit goals and plans as well as to collective decision-making.