Administrative and Finance Assistant (ECOWAS Volunteer Programme) 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.

As part of the implementation of the ECOWAS Volunteers Programme (EVP), the Regional Office of the Programme is launching a recruitment process for the position below:

Job Title: Administrative and Finance Assistant (ECOWAS Volunteer Programme)

Location: Freetown, Sierra Leone
Category: ECOWAS National Volunteer (with supervisory duties)
Type of Contract: ECOWAS Volunteers Programme. Non-Family Position
Duration: One (01) year, with the possibility of extension if performance satisfactory and
budget available
Expected start date: 1st February 2022.

Brief Description of Project

• In line with the Vision 2020, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is implementing a volunteers programme that cuts across all sectors of the Commission and its sister Institutions.
• ECOWAS Volunteers are a group of men and women (18-35 years) from ECOWAS member States, with the ability to adapt to different social, cultural and political circumstances.
• They are deployed in community-based organisations, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and international specialized agencies active in the field of socioeconomic, cultural, political and humanitarian engagement.
• Volunteers will contribute to national and regional development and help to consolidate peace, recovery, national reconciliation and rehabilitation of communities where they are deployed.
• It is expected that members of this corps of volunteers will help to build the capacities of local assistants in the development and implementation of projects and programmes.
• This initiative complements the construction of the existing peace and national volunteer corps in member countries of ECOWAS. It helps to address the structural causes of vulnerability, instability and eruption of violence in the region and promote the contribution of youth to regional development and integration while harnessing and promoting the development of their professional competencies.

Organisational Framework of the Centre

• The Youth and Sports Development Centre (EYSDC) is one of the Directorates under the Social Affairs and Gender Department of the ECOWAS Commission. It is based in Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso) under the headquarters agreement signed between the Burkina Faso authorities and the ECOWAS Commission.
• Decision N° A/DEC 13/01/2005 of 19th January 2005 had adopted the organizational structure comprising of four Divisions (Youth, Sports, Administration and Finance, and TIC).
• However, since 2008, the Centre has undergone some structural modifications following the transfer of the ECOWAS Volunteers Programme (EVP) from the Political Affairs, Peace and Security Department of the Commission (CPAPS) to the EYSDC, under the Social Affairs and Gender Department.
• The EVP is centralized in organisation, but decentralized in its application to allow for flexibility and adaptation to the current realities of each country. The strategic directions, including the formulation of the overall vision, goals and objectives of the Programme, is the responsibility of the Regional Coordination Council (RCC), whose role, among others, is to ensure that the EVP becomes a genuine voluntary arm of ECOWAS.
• Being a cross-cutting programme, the ECOWAS Volunteers Regional Coordination Council (RCC) includes representatives of relevant departments of the ECOWAS Commission.
• The RCC is chaired by the Commissioner for Social Affairs and Gender of the ECOWAS Commission.
• She is assisted by the Director of the ECOWAS Youth and Sports Development Centre (EYSDC), as Alternate Chairman of the RCC.
• The executive arm of the RCC is the Regional Office, provided by the EYSDC in Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso).
• The programme’s regional coordination activities are coordinated by a Regional Coordinator under the supervision of the EYSDC Director.
• Although the EVP is under the Youth Division of the EYSDC, it is directly supervised by the EYSDC Director for effectiveness.
• At the National level, the National Coordination Council (NCC) serves as the national body through which national policy guidelines for the Programme are given.
• This Council works towards the understanding and entrenchment of the Volunteer Programme in the national environment.
• It also serves as advisor to the country office, which is responsible for the coordination of the Programme at national level.
• The NCC is chaired by the Head of the ECOWAS National Office in the country. It is made up of Focal Points/Representatives of the various ministries, Civil Society Organisations, United Nations Agencies and local youth associations involved in the implementation of the Programme at the National level.

Duties and Responsibilities
Under the supervision of the Country Coordinator of the ECOWAS Volunteers Programme in Sierra Leone, the Programme Admin and Finance Assistant will provide administrative and finance, secretarial, and logistic support to the EVP in Sierra Leone.

S/He will:

• Provide administrative assistance to the Country Coordinator;
• Develop and maintain a reliable filling system;
• Receive, screen and distribute incoming mails pertaining to programme areas, maintain an overview of the current situation, including a follow-up of the system to ensure timely action, preparing reminders on urgent action to be taken;
• Monitor and ensure correct application of EVP administrative and financial procedures as relates to ECOWAS Volunteers serving in Sierra Leone;
• Provide support to the management and execution of projects and activities, including preparation of terms of reference, management of budgets and drafting of financial reports; monitoring and reporting on results-based budget performance; 
• Prepare routine non-technical correspondence in English from brief verbal or written instructions, type documents;
• Register and monitor ECOWAS Volunteers contracts (end dates, renewals, extensions, redeployments, resignations, terminations, etc) in liaison with the Regional Office; 
• Forward signed volunteer contracts to the Regional Office; 
• Provide logistical support, including, but not limited to: organizing for travels, workshops, meetings and trainings, taking records and minutes of all meetings and filing them; 
• Follow up on and facilitate monthly VLA and other payments due to ECOWAS Volunteers (EVs) and keep track of programme expenses; 
• Coordinate and where necessary, arrange official travel for professional staff, ECOWAS Volunteers and partners including the preparation of itineraries, hotel accommodation, responsible for all follow-up actions required; 
• Research and prepare relevant background information and participate in all areas of meeting functions: take notes, draft minutes, type the reports and follow up on the production of the meetings final report;
• Assist the Country Coordinator in organising orientation/induction sessions for new, in-coming or out-going volunteers;
• Undertake other administrative and secretarial duties/activities related to the programme areas as required; 
• Scan, photocopy, and mail documents on request; 
• In the absence of the Country Coordinator, ensure uninterrupted and smooth functioning of the Country Office, in coordination with the Regional Office. 
• Travel as part of the mission and
• Perform any other duties that may be requested.

Required Skills and Experiences
Education:

• Post Secondary School Diploma or equivalent certificate in the Social Sciences, Business Administration, Management, Public Administration, Finance, Accounting, Project Management, Economics or any other related fields. Candidates with a Bachelor’s degree in the relevant fields will be given priority.

Experience:

• 3 years experience in administrative, finance or related field of work;
• Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint and other accountancy software;
• Good report writing and analytical skills;
• Good interpersonal skills;
• Familiarity with ECOWAS and UNV-UNDP rules, regulations and procedures and/or previous work experience with a regional or international organization will be considered an advantage;
• Experience in accounting (from budgeting and costing to expenditure control, cash management, financial recording and report preparation) will be an asset;
• Work experience with/in an international volunteer programme or organisation will be considered an added asset;
• Previous work experience as an ECOWAS Volunteer will be considered an advantage.

Language requirements:

• Excellent writing and oral English language skills. Knowledge of a second official language of ECOWAS (French and/or Portuguese) will be considered an asset/advantage.

Conditions of Service

• An initial 12 months contract will be offered with a total basic monthly living allowance of 683.13 USD or equivalent in local currency.
• A life and health insurance cover for the incumbent will be provided.
• Other allowances and conditions of service as stipulated in the EVP Management and Administration Manual and handbook of Conditions of Service shall apply.

Other Conditions:

• This position is open to ONLY nationals of Sierra Leone.
• Candidates must not be older than 38 years at the date of recruitment.
• The allowance for this position is that of an ECOWAS National Volunteer with coordination / supervision responsibilities (a ‘non family’ position).
• ECOWAS is committed to the promotion of gender equality and equity and therefore strongly encourages female candidates to apply.
• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Application Closing Date
1st December, 2021.