Communication Officer at the 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.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Communication Officer - P3

Location: Abuja, Nigeria
Institution: ECOWAS Commission
Grade: P3
Department: Office of the President
Directorate: Communication
Division: Information and Communications
Line Supervisor: Principal Programme Officer, Information & Communication
Supervising: Programme Assistants Multimedia, Photographer & Cameraman, Videographer

Role Overview

• Under the overall guidance and supervision of the PPO, Information and Communication, the Communication Officer shall structure, collect, process and disseminate information on Commission’s activities and programmes.

Role and Responsibilities

• Structure, collect, process and disseminate information on Commission’s activities;
• Assist in enhancing and promoting Commission’s projects, programmes activities  and achievements;
• Assist for continuous improvement of internal and external communication of the Commission;
• Contribute to the definition, development  and implementation of communication plans and strategies;
• Contribute for content and design of various publications
• Implement successfully public awareness campaigns on the organisation’s activities;
• Strong computer skills (Word, Power Point & Internet surfing);
• Draft speeches, communiques, press releases and reviews;
• Design and structure press kits;
• Design advertisements
• Assist in drafting and designing the Commission’s information bulletin;
• Produce Regular updates for content of the Commission’s website;
• Provide continuous information to a dedicated network of regional and international media;
• Media coverage and support for communication related needs for meetings , press conferences, seminars etc;
• Assist in the coordination of interviews and media interaction’s for Commission’s management with local, regional and international press;
• Initiate partnerships and establish strong networks with regional and international media to increase visibility and raise awareness about Commission’s activities;
• Carry out any other assignment that may be assigned and regularly at short notice.

Academic Qualification and Experience
Education:

• Bachelor's Degree in Journalism, Public Relations, Mass Communication or related field from a recognized university.
• 5 years experience in journalism, communications and public relations;
• Knowledge in developing communication strategies and plans for internal and external communication;
• Ability to coordinate and manage complex communication campaigns and events;
• Ability to conceptualize and contribute to design communication campaigns that target  and multicultural audiences;
• Proven knowledge of communication and the ability to diplomatically handle sensitive situations with target audiences and cultivate productive relationships.

Age Limit:

• Be below 50 years old. This provision does not apply to internal candidates.

Ecowas Key Competencies:

• Ability to lead a team of trainees / junior staff and instil a spirit of teamwork to engage employees and achieve a well-defined set of activities;
• Ability to respect chain of command in an appropriate manner;
• Ability to mentor others and create feedback loops with supervisors, colleagues and the subordinates to build strong working relationships and improve performance.
• Ability to proactively interact with clients and build strong trusting relationships based on mutual respect and regular discussions;
• Demonstrate respect for cultural differences, fairness and ability to relate well with people from varied backgrounds, nationality, gender, ethnicity, race and religion;
• Ability to listen actively, consider people’s concerns and apply  judgement, tact and diplomacy.
• Knowledge of ECOWAS institutions, sectors, programmes and policies;
• Knowledge of rules and procedures of ECOWAS associated assigned responsibilities and ability to explain these clearly to others;
• Ability to study data/information from a variety of sources, identify anomalies, trends and issues, present findings, and make  recommendations;
• Knowledge of and ability to apply techniques to generate creative ideas and new approaches to meeting goals;
• Demonstrate operational computer proficiency  using appropriate tools;
• Ability to convey information clearly and concisely in a succinct and organized manner through both writing and verbal means;
• Exhibit interpersonal skills, make presentations, express opinions and debate ideas with others in a constructive manner;
• 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 develop,  implement an individual action plan for achieving specific work  goals;
• Ability to organize work, set priorities, and work within timelines, giving attention to details, stakeholders, indicators and risks.

Annual Salary
UA49,106.81, USD77,480.72

Application Closing Date
29th January, 2020.