Legal Adviser 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. Considered one of the pillars of the African Economic Community, the organization was founded in order to achieve collective self-sufficiency for its member states by creating a single large trading bloc through an economic and trading union. It also serves as a peacekeeping force in the region. The organization operates officially in three co-equal languages French, English, and Portuguese.

We are currently recruiting for the position below

Job Title: Legal Adviser

Department: Office of the President
Directorate: Legal Affairs
Grade: P4
Supervisor: Principal Legal Adviser
Reference: ECW-COMM/REC/LEG-P/001/2012
Duty Station: Abuja, Nigeria

Duties and Responsibilities

• Participates in negotiations and in other agreements, conclusion sand dispute settlement procedures;
• Drafts Community Acts, particularly Supplementary Acts of the Authority of Heads of State and Government, Regulations, Directives and Decisions of the Council of Ministers;
• Draft other legal acts, such as conventions, Agreements and Contracts for the Commission;
• Prepares programmes relating to legal and judicial policy harmonization, conceived by the Director and assists in the monitoring of their implementation;
• Formulates draft cooperation agreements on legal and judicial matters between Member States;
• Monitors the Commission’s working relationship with the parliament and the Court of Justice;
• Ensures the privileges and immunities of the Commission are effectively protected and enjoyed among its staff, as provided in the Headquarters Agreement, the ECOWAS General Convention on Privileges and immunities and the other international conventions;
• The Legal Adviser assists the Director through the Principal Legal Adviser in the execution of assignments that fall within their respective spheres of responsibility;
• Give legal advice to the Statutory Appointees and to all the staff of the Commission;
• Formulates legal opinions at statutory and in-house meetings of the Commission to facilitate understanding and decision-making;
• Attends meetings of various Committees of the Commission and gives legal advice.

Qualifications/Experience/Skills

Educational Qualification

• A first level university Law degree
• Possession of a higher degree would be an advantage.

Experience

• Seven (7) years professional experience preferably in legal practice or international law practice.
• Relevant knowledge acquired within an international organization would be an advantage

Age
Candidate should not be 50 years old or over at the point of recruitment and must be a citizen of one of the ECOWAS member states.

Language
Must be fluent in one of the official languages of the Commission; English, French and Portuguese. A working knowledge of another would be an advantage.

Remuneration
Annual Salary: USD 44,328 - USD 51,637

Application Closing Date
3rd April, 2014

Method of Application
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online