Executive Secretary (ACALAN) at African Union (AU)

The African Union (AU) is a continental body consisting of the 55 member states that make up the countries of the African Continent. It was officially launched in 2002 as a successor to the Organization of African Unity (OAU, 1963-1999). We are an Integrated, Prosperous and Peaceful Africa, driven by its own citizens and representing a dynamic force in the global arena.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Executive Secretary (ACALAN)

Req Id: 2761
Location: Bamako, Mali
Contract Type: Regular
Reports to: Director, Social Development, Culture and Sports
Directorate/Department/Organ: Health, Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development (HHS)
Division: African Academy of Languages (ACALAN)
Number of Direct Reports: 6
Number of Indirect Reports: 4
Job Grade: P6
Number of Positions: 1

Purpose of Job

• Directs and manages the daily operations of ACALAN in order to achieve the strategic objectives of the Office, those of the Department of HHS/Social Development, Culture and Sports Directorate’s overall goals. 

Main Functions

• Designs and implements policies, programs and projects to achieve the Academy’s strategic objectives. 
• Manages the work of the Academy, supervises direct reports and ensures timely delivery of the office’s goals through its deliverables, which are expressed through staff performance assessed in line with the respective policy and system.
• Designs strategies and programs to contribute to the effective implementation of relevant AU Policy Organs Decisions; 
• Ensures the delivery of the office’s annual targets in line with the directorate’s overall goals and ensures robust and timely monitoring and reporting;
• Provides technical leadership and ensures efficient functioning of all Units within the Office
• Engages stakeholders within Members States and Regional Economic Communities (RECs)/Regional Mechanisms (RMs) and relevant international organisations in designing and implementing strategies. 
• Maintains thematic partnerships in support of the mandate of the Office;  
• Maintains regular working relations with senior stakeholders in Member States and partner institutions in the execution of the Office’s mandate.  
• Represents the organisation and communicates its position at conferences. 
• Contributes to the preparation of periodic financial and budget execution reports and monitor budget execution at division level. 
• Ensures the effective management of funds contributed to the organization;  
• Manages risk within the Office and recommends mitigation strategies 
• Contributes to the development of the departmental business continuity plan and ensures implementation at division level 
• Maintains a positive work environment that facilitates collaboration and information sharing and is conducive to attracting, retaining, and motivating diverse talent. 

Specific Responsibilities:

• Initiate the preparation and formulation of appropriate programmes, policies and strategies related to the African Academy of Languages (ACALAN) at the continental level and in monitoring their implementation within Member States.
• Prepare programmes and budget proposals, project and funding proposals and relating to programmes of the Academy.
• Set direction for the Academy's activities, plans, priorities, and workflows and facilitate communication and cooperation in the Academy and with other Divisions in the Directorate/Department.
• Monitor operational activities and programme implementation in terms of expenditure and substance and prepare progress reports with recommendations for corrective action to the Director when necessary. Ensure delivery of activities.
• Coordinate and monitor all aspects of ACALAN's mandate and provide expertise, policy advice and technical leadership within the Department of Health, Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development (HHS) and African Union Commission (AUC).
• Advocate for and sensitize Member States and other stakeholders on commitments of Heads of State and Government with regards to the core activities of ACALAN.
• Prepare and manage Ministerial Conferences and other meetings and activities including the preparation of documents and reports.
• Promote, coordinate and harmonize the activities and programmes of the sectors/units within the Office and with relevant directorates/departments of the Commission.
• Study and analyse problem situations and major trends and plan and harmonize related programmes and issues in Members States as well as global commitments in relation to programme areas within the Academy.
• Represent the Office in all meetings and activities related to ACALAN and report back on issues discussed and on action required; assist the Director in enhancing cooperation and collaboration with relevant departments of the Commission, Member States. UN Agencies, AU partners, specialized institutions and Nongovernmental organizations (NGO's) and other relevant organizations.
• Promote African and International regional cooperation in collaboration with Member States, RECs and inter-governmental organizations, NGOs particularly in implementing decisions and AU Plans of Action.
• To ensure overall management of the Academy; including staffing issues, performance, quality assurance, and grievance.
• To prepare ACALAN's budget, manage it and resource mobilize to secure additional funding for the implementation of programmes.
• To produce and submit periodic reports on activities including specific missions and progress reports on the implementation of various policy instruments and decisions to the ACALAN's programming focus.
• To perform any other duties as may be assigned.

Academic Requirements and Relevant Experience

• Candidates must have at least a Master's Degree in Linguistics, African Studies, Languages or any other relevant Social Science discipline.
• Candidates must have at least 14 (fourteen) years of progressively relevant working experience in Language Planning, or Politics of Language in Africa, of which at least 7 and 5 years should be at managerial and direct supervisory levels respectively.

Required Skills:

• Strong leadership skills 
• High level interpersonal and negotiation skills 
• Strong strategic and planning skills
• Excellency communication, presentation and report writing skills 
• Strong computer skills 
• Planning, budgeting and organizational skills 
• Strong program formulation and management skills, particularly those related to languages and their cultivation, preferably in the African Context.  
• Proficiency in one of the AU working languages is required, fluency in any other AU language is an added advantage.

Leadership Competencies:

• Strategic Perspective
• Developing Others
• Change Management
• Managing Risk.

Core Competencies:

• Building Relationships
• Foster Accountability Culture
• .Learning Orientation
• Communicating with impact.

Functional Competencies:

• Conceptual Thinking
• Job Knowledge and Information Sharing
• Drive for Results
• Fosters Innovation.

Tenure Of Appointment

• The appointment will be made on a regular term contract for a period of three (3) years, of which the first twelve months shall be considered as a probationary period.

• Thereafter, the contract will be for a period of two years renewable, subject to satisfactory performance and deliverables.

Remuneration

• Indicative basic salary of US$ 61,023.00 (P6 Step1) per annum plus other related entitlements e.g. Post adjustment (52% of basic salary), Housing allowance US$ 22,968.00 (per annum), and education allowance (100% of tuition and other education-related expenses for every eligible dependent up to a maximum of US$ 10,000.00 per child per annum), for internationally recruited staff and a maximum of $3,300 per child per annum for locally recruited staff.

Application Closing Date
19th September 2025; 11: 59 P.M.