Professional Officer in Charge of Research 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 300million and 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.

The West African Health Organisation (WAHO) is seeking applications from suitably qualified ECOWAS candidates to fill the position below:

Job Title: Professional Officer in Charge of Research

Location: Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso
Institution: ECOWAS Parliament
Reference: VN 84
Grade: P4/01
Duration: Permanent
Immediate Supervisor:  Principal Officer for Research and Health Information                                         

Summary of Post and Assigned Duties

• The incumbent should be acquainted with the organization and management of research, research methodologies, assessing research quality and knowledge transfer/translation.
• The incumbent will be responsible for contributing to the implementation of guidelines in Research in the ECOWAS region.
• He/she shall be required to mobilize and engage the various stakeholders in health research; provide support to individual member States to improve their national health research systems; identify regional research priorities in partnership with all stakeholders; mobilize funds to carry out research according to regional priorities in order to contribute to the attainment of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Universal Health Coverage (CSU) and contribute to the coordination of a knowledge transfer/translation platform for better use of research results in the decision-making process in the ECOWAS region.
• He/she will help to foster relationship with existing networks, universities, research institutions, individual researchers and partners.
  

Description of Main Duties and Responsibilities
The incumbent shall:

• Implement the regional policy and plan for the development of research for health.
• Prepare a directory and update the list of structures involved in research for health in the ECOWAS region.
• Prepare a directory and make an updated list of completed or ongoing research in the region.
• Disseminate research findings to help decision-makers formulate evidence-based policies.
• Promote research on priority diseases in the region.
• Support the review of national research for health systems of ECOWAS Member States.
• Contribute to the drafting of the regional policy and plan for the development of research for health in the ECOWAS region.
• Critique and evaluate relevant scientific literature.
• Participate in the mobilization of resources for implementation of the regional policy and plan for research development in the ECOWAS region.
• Attend the evaluation of research proposals submitted to the Organization for financing.
• Support establishment and operations of a Research Committee.
• Assist the Research Committee to select research priority areas in the region.
• Liaise with universities, research institutions and individual researchers and encourage networking of researchers.
• Advise on the choice of institutions / individuals to undertake specific research for the Organisation.
• Participate in conferences / meetings / workshops / seminars of professional bodies, international agencies and private foundations, where issues relating to the progress of research are discussed.
• Participate in recommending research institutions to be designated as WAHO Collaborating Centres.
  

Education and Qualifications

• Degree in Medicine or Social Sciences from a recognized university and an advanced postgraduate qualification in public health / Epidemiology Research.

Experiences:

• At least seven (7) years of progressive professional experience at national and international levels in the field of Research, particularly in research management, health surveys and promoting the use of research with at least two (2) years in a position of responsibility.
• A postgraduate degree in public health, research methods, health economics or social sciences will reduce by two years, the required number of years of professional experience.
• Experience in managing programmes to strengthen national research for health systems or in managing a knowledge transfer/translation platform to support the use of research results in decision-making would be an added advantage.
• Relevant professional experience with an international organization or in a multicultural environment would be an added advantage.

Skills Required (Knowledge and Skills):

• Proven leadership, advocacy and networking skills
• Good experience in managing complex health projects funded by donors such as USAID, EU, World Bank, KFW, IDRC and other donors;
• Demonstrated ability to work as a team, lead a group and have interpersonal skills;
• Excellent oral and written communication skills;
• Demonstrated professional experience with health research institutions ;
• Ability to write grant proposals and to mobilize funds ;
• Competence in writing and publishing scientific papers;
• Good computer skills: MS Office applications;
• Ability to analyze scientific literature and make a concise and clear synthesis of the results ;
• Ability to work collaboratively with colleagues.

Age and Nationality:

• Candidates must not be more than 50 years of age at the time of recruitment and must be an ECOWAS citizen.

Languages:

• Must be fluent in one of the official languages of the ECOWAS (English, French or Portuguese).
• A working knowledge of anyone of the other languages would be an advantage.

Salary
28.499 UA per annum

Application Closing Date
2nd April, 2018.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should send their Applications and CV's to:  poresearch@ecowas.int

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Note: The qualifications listed in this advertisement are the minimum requirements for eligibility. Applications falling below these prerequisites will not be considered.