Programme Officer, Youth Capacity Building, and Insertion 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.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Programme Officer, Youth Capacity Building, and Insertion

Job Code: 20003553
Location: Ougadougou, Burkina Faso
Institution: ECOWAS Commission
Grade: P3/P4
Status: Permanent
Agency: ECOWAS Youth and Sports Development Centre (EYSDC)
Departement: Human Development And Social Affairs
Directorate: EYSDC
Division: Youth Policy And Programmes Implementation
Line Supervisor: PPO Youth Policy and Programmes Implementation

Role Overview

• Under the supervision of the PPO Youth Policy and Programmes Implementation, the PO Youth Capacity Building and Insertion shall assist in identifying, designing, proposing, and implementing policies and programmes for building the capacity of young people towards self-employment and entrepreneurship and their post-training insertion into the economic mainstream of member States and the region.

Role and Responsibilities

• Participate in initiating, designing, and implementing policies and programmes to promote, build and develop the capacity of young people for entrepreneurship and job creation.
• Collaborate in initiating projects and programmes aimed at promoting and building the skills of young people for job creation.
• Analyse economic issues and their effects on the lives of young people in the region and submit reports and recommendations thereon.
• Participate in initiating programmes to enable youth to contribute to the improvement of economic activities and their viability.
• Contribute to the design, implementation and monitoring of projects aimed at reducing youth poverty as well as putting in place mechanisms for the dissemination of information, knowledge, and innovative and best practices for the reduction of poverty among young people.
• Identify, analyse, and carry out documentary research on innovative trends and practices for the reduction of youth poverty, and their consequences on young people within the region.
• Identify and implement programmes and projects, where possible, with the collaboration of partners, for the economic insertion of young people and the economic reintegration of returning youth migrants
• Interface with, and canvass for funding from international development partners on matters relating to youth capacity building and economic integration in West Africa.
• Liaise and organize meetings with partners and other organizations to develop partnerships for youth capacity building and insertion.
• Represent the Centre in internal and external meetings as may be required.
• Assist in initiating and implementing budgets for Programme Sectors under his/her purview.
• Implement the ECOWAS policy and programmes on youth capacity building and insertion.
• Ensure that knowledge and experiences gained are analyzed and incorporated into the youth development programmes of the Centre or other such initiatives.
• Perform any other tasks as may be assigned by the supervisor and the Director.

Academic Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration, Public Administration, the Social Sciences or in a similar discipline from a recognized University;
• 5 years of progressively responsible experience in youth development and capacity building
• Deep knowledge of the mission, policies, and relevant institutional orientations on youth development and employability.
• Deep knowledge of training and capacity building strategies for youth development.
• Good knowledge of the activities of non-governmental organisations and civil society organisations in the field of youth capacity building.
• Ability to manage programmes for building the capacity of youth towards self-employment and entrepreneurship and their post-training insertion and for the general development and empowerment of youth across the region.

Age Limit:

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

ECOWAS Key Competencies:

• Ability to persuade/influence others to consider a certain point of view, adopt a new idea or implement new methods and practices.
• 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 the chain of command in an appropriate manner.
• Ability to resolve challenges that occur with minimal direction and/or to recommend and explain solutions or alternatives for approval.
• Ability to utilize the Code of Ethics to manage self, others, information, and resources.
• Ability to mentor others and create feedback loops with supervisors, colleagues, and subordinates to build strong working relationships and improve performance.
• Contribute to maintaining the organizational unit’s performance goals and standards.
• Interpersonal skills with the ability to keep a client informed of progress or setbacks in projects of relevance to the timeline, quality, and quantity.
•  Ability to proactively interact with clients and build strong trusting relationships based on mutual respect and regular discussions.
• Ability to establish and sustain professional credibility with clients/stakeholders in a manner that anticipates their needs mitigates issues and carefully balances professional obligations with the need to be sensitive and responsive to their needs.
• Ability to counsel, advise, consult, and guide others on matters pertaining to assigned client service responsibilities and established client service standards.
• Demonstrate respect for cultural differences, fairness, and ability to relate well with people from varied backgrounds, nationality, gender, ethnicity, race and religion.
• Understanding of diverse cultural views especially within West Africa, with sensitivity to group differences; ability to challenge bias and to practice tolerance and empathy.
• Ability to listen actively, consider people’s concerns and apply judgment, tact, and diplomacy.
• Ability to work in a diverse and inclusive interactive environment that benefits from diverse strengths.
• Ability and responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work.
• Ability to encourage, empower, and advocate for people in an unbiased and transparent manner.
• Knowledge of ECOWAS institutions, sectors, programmes, and policies.
• Knowledge of ECOWAS internal operational requirements of programs, projects, services, and systems required to achieve work assignments and meet performance goals.
• Knowledge of rules and procedures of ECOWAS associated assigned responsibilities and ability to explain these clearly to others.
• Knowledge of the ECOWAS culture, structures and performance issues and priorities impacting assigned responsibilities.
• Knowledge of member states development trends, indicators, challenges, and opportunities as it relates to project/programme assigned to own position.
• Ability to study data/information from a variety of sources, identify anomalies, trends and issues, present findings, and make recommendations.
• Ability to break down problems or processes into key parts to identify and solve gaps in service, quality assurance, compliance, and performance targets.
• Knowledge of and ability to apply techniques to generate creative ideas and new approaches to meeting goals.
• Ability to use evidence and research to inform policies and programs and identify relevant and appropriate sources of information, including stakeholders, regional institutions and/or internal committees.
• Demonstrate operational computer proficiency using appropriate tools.
• Ability to make sound use of graphics and tables to effectively present numerical data to write semi-complex technical reports/proposals and edit/check templates, letters, etc.
• 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.
• Proficiency in information communication technologies (ICT).
• 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.
•  Identify, organize, and monitor tasks throughout to facilitate execution.
• Ability to contribute and/or lead on projects as per accepted project management standards and techniques, to co-ordinate contributions by others to set and meet deadlines.
• Ability to organize work, set priorities, and work within timelines, giving attention to details, stakeholders, indicators, and risks.
• Ability to identify, collect and assess indicators to monitor performance and to take proactive remedial action as required.

Annual Salary

• UA39,738.72 / USD62,699.75; UA46,539.98 / USD73,430.77.

Application Closing Date
15th May 2024.

Method of Application
Interested and qualified candidates should send their correctly filled Application Form, Curriculum Vitae (CV) and a Motivation Letter to: [email protected] using the Job Title as the subject of the mail.

Click here to download the application form (Docx.)

Note

• Female applications are encouraged.
• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted
• Applications initially submitted with only the CV remain acceptable.
• ECOWAS does not charge a fee for recruitment and will not request for your account details.