Program Officer (PO) – Monitoring & Evaluation at 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: Program Officer (PO) – Monitoring & Evaluation – P5

Ref.: ECW/HR/08051935
Location: Abuja, Nigeria
Grade: P5
Department: Office of the Vice President
Institution: ECOWAS Commission
Line Supervisor: Director Strategic Planning Monitoring and Evaluation

Role Overview

Under the supervision of the Director of Strategic Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, the Principal Programme Officer for Monitoring and Evaluation will be responsible for the implementation of the monitoring and evaluation plan of the Community as well as the coordination of the monitoring and evaluation plans of the different Institutions and Agencies.

Role And Responsibilities

Develop a regional monitoring and evaluation framework or plan of the Community, based on the regional results framework and concise impact, outcome and output indicators;
Develop appropriate tools for data collection, analysis and reporting on the implementation of programmes at the regional and institutional/agency levels, including mid-term reviews, impact assessment, programme performance and terminal evaluation;
Develop, in collaboration with key stakeholders, key performance indicators (KPIs) to monitor ECOWAS programme and activities within the Commission and in other ECOWAS Institutions and Agencies, and make recommendations for improving the effectiveness and efficiency of programme implementation;
Draft the quarterly, mid-year and annual progress and performance reports of the Commission;
Undertake periodic field missions to monitor and assess programme implementation and progress, and to ensure compliance with operational procedures (results and logical frameworks);
Conduct capacity needs assessment of M&E Officers of Institutions and Agencies, develop and carry out training programmes to build their capacity;
Assess on a regular basis the efficiency of programmes/activities by mapping the financial resources utilized to the results of these programmes/activities;
Work closely with the Division of the Planning, Programming and Coordination to strengthen the capacities of the M&E focal points of the ECOWAS Institutions and Agencies, in Result Based Management so as to ensure efficient achievement of the goals and objectives of the Community;
Ensure that ECOWAS institutions, and Agencies deliver high quality outputs in a timely and efficient manner;
Prepare and maintain a data base of the programs and projects of Institutions and Agencies, with an in-built mechanism for data quality control.

Academic Qualifications And Experience

Master’s degree or equivalent in Business or Public Administration, Management, Statistics, Economics, Political Science or other social sciences from a recognized university;
10 years of relevant experience;
Knowledge of institutional evaluation, environmental assessment, result based management and strategic evaluation;
Professional technical knowledge/expertise in methodology of monitoring & evaluation, including theories, standards and models, quantitative/qualitative/mixed methods, validity/reliability testing of data, data analysis and interpretation, and statistical inference methods;
Understanding of various approaches and methods of programme and project monitoring & evaluation.

Age Limit:

Be below 50 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 implements internal controls for pilot program to manage potential barriers to implementation;
Ability to respect chain of command in an appropriate manner;
Excellent self-management skills, demonstrating ethics and integrity, confidentiality and displaying due regards 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 co-ordinate 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 respect 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, 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.
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.