Programme Officer Free Trade Area at 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. 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: Programme Officer Free Trade Area

Reference: ECW-COMM/REC/CUS-P/002/2012
Duty Station: Abuja, Nigeria
Department: Trade, Customs, Free Movement and Tourism
Directorate: Customs
Grade: P3
Supervisor: Principal Program Officer Customs Procedure

Job Description
The Programme Officer shall contribute to the consolidation of the regional integration process through the promotion of the ECOWAS free trade area. In that regard, the Officer shall strive to implement the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme (TLS) and any other regulatory texts governing intra-Community trade.

Duties and Responsibilities
His major duties are summarised as follows:

• Initiate actions for a qualitative and quantitative improvement in the volume of intra-Community trade:
• Build the capacity of public and private actors on the legal and regulatory provisions of the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme;
• Create and manage a stakeholder-accessible internet database on the companies and products under the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme;
• Supervise the work of National Approval Committees (NAC) and ensure the creation of a mechanism for the coordination of NAC activities;
• Brief and provide advice to the President of the Commission on conflicts that may arise in the implementation of the TLS;
• Analyse and draft the relevant reports and correspondences for a smooth implementation of the TLS.

Qualifications/Experience/Skills

• The expert must be a holder of a Masters degree in Trade, Industry, Law, or Customs;
• Must have five (five) years professional experience, with no less than three (3) in a regional integration organisation.
• Must have good grasp of the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme (TLS).
• Must have proven knowledge of the constraints in the development of intra-Community trade.
• Good grasp of customs procedures in the region would be an asset.

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 36,901 - USD 44,469

Application Closing Date
3rd April, 2014

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