Communication Specialists at the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is a regional grouping with 15 Member States in West Africa (three landlocked and one island) with a population of about 300 million with an annual economic growth rate of around 6%. The ECOWAS Commission is one of the eight Regional Economic Communities supporting the African Union to coordinate the implementation of continental and regional integration and development programmes in the West African region.

We are currently recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Communication Specialist

Vacancy code VA/2015/B5302/8239
Location: Lome, Togo
Duration: 1 year subject to availability of fund and good performance
Department/office: AFO, CIOH, Cote d'Ivoire
Contract type: Fixed Term

Background Info - Job-specific

• ECOWAS has studied the feasibility of a regional food security reserve (ASSR), intended only for emergency operations in the event of cyclical food crises.
• The proposal to create an ASSR was adopted by the ECOWAS Agriculture Ministers in September 2012 and by the Heads of State in February 2013; thus, the 42nd regular session of the Conference of Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS held in Yamoussoukro (Republic of Côte d'Ivoire) adopted an additional act (AS / 2/02/13) establishing a regional food security reserve, and instructed the Commission to take the suitable measures to its actual start.
• On this basis, the Commission has worked to mobilize its international financial partners to supplement this allocation.
• The European Union (EU) was willing to support ECOWAS in the implementation of the reserve and to consider the support to be implemented as part of a project in line with the region's decisions.
• The proposed project aims to support ECOWAS in the implementation of its regional food security strategy storage, based on complementarity / subsidiarity between three lines of defense to address these repetitive food crises: Stocks close, national stocks, and finally, a regional food security reserve for regional solidarity to play in a major food crisis.
• The goal is to help respond effectively to food crises and strengthening the resilience of households in a perspective of sustainable regional security and food sovereignty, through the promotion of food reserve systems at different levels of urgency.
• The project is funded by the European Union and will be implemented through centralized management with the French Development Agency (AFD), the Spanish Agency of International Cooperation for Development (AECID).

Functional Responsibilities
Under the authority and direct supervision of the Executive Director of the ARAA, Expert in Communication will be responsible for:

• Ensure the reporting and briefing notes on all the activities of the ARAA
• Produce items on the Agency's achievements and ensure the publication in appropriate media
• Ensure the quality of documents produced by the Agency
• Ensure good flow of internal and external information
• Participate in the implementation of the communication plan
• Manage the Department's website Agriculture, Environment and Water Resources and ARAA
• Develop the Agency's library safeguarding archives

Control and Monitoring of Activities
The tasks of specialist communication are as follows:

• Design and monitor the production of information materials (leaflets, brochures, magazines, newsletters, all informative and promotional materials in compliance with the visibility of the ECOWAS)
• Contribute to strengthening staff capacity including technical teams, and collect useful information from them for the visibility of their results
• Updating the website and other tools / communication materials
• Facilitate contacts with the media (local, regional and international)
• Support the organization of campaigns or production of media outlets to promote the capitalization and dissemination of experience
• Contributing to good visibility of the Agency and to inform its missions and actions, in particular at regional and international meetings
• Translate documents produced by experts in a language understood by the partners
• Archive all Agency documents and set up a library
• Manage Agency to set up library

Competencies:

• Have strong knowledge of general communication
• Have a very good capacity of oral and written communication
• Have good capacity for teamwork
• Have great interpersonal skills, an open mind, and a good general knowledge
• Have a great capacity for synthesis and restitution
• Have experience in communications product development: Side Event, event organization
• Having a good command of computer skills (Microsoft Office) and communication tools
• Have knowledge in the design of web pages.
• Have excellent skills with an ability to solve the agricultural sector development issues
• Education / Experience / Language requirements

Education

• Higher Diploma equivalent to a BAC + 4 in Communications or related field is required
• A higher level of BAC + 5 degree or more in the field of communication would be an asset

Experience:

• A minimum of five (5) years experience in the field of communication institutions is required
• Have three (3) years experience in the field of communication is accepted instead of five years, for a holder of a BAC + 5 or more
• Have a good knowledge of the agriculture sector in the West African region

Language:

• Being fluently bilingual in French and English, both written and spoken
• Knowledge of Portuguese would be an asset

Additional Requirements:

• Have the nationality of a member state of ECOWAS or CILSS member States not members of ECOWAS
• Enjoy their civic rights and be of good character

Application Closing Date
30th August, 2015.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online

Note

• This job ends at the closing date at midnight, Copenhagen (CET)
• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for maintenance
• We strongly encourage qualified women to apply.