Programme Component Manager at Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ)

The Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH (German Agency for International Cooperation) is an international enterprise owned by the German Federal government, operating in many fields across more than 130 countries.

In Nigeria, GIZ's portfolio includes among others, a programme to support the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in its regional integration goals. The programme aims to strengthen sector-specific capacities in the areas of Peace and Security, Customs and Trade as weir as Strategic Management and Organizational Development in the ECOWAS Commission.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Technical Advisor

Vacancy No: 097
Location: Abuja
Organization: GIZ Nigeria, AfCFTA programme

Background
GIZ. Solutions that work.

• As a service provider in the field of international cooperation for sustainable development and international education work, we are dedicated to shaping a future worth living around the world.
• GIZ has over 50 years of experience in a wide variety of areas, including economic development and employment promotion, energy and the environment, and peace and security.
• The diverse expertise of our federal enterprise is in demand around the globe – from the German Government, European Union institutions, the United Nations, the private sector, and governments of other countries.
• We work with businesses, civil society actors and research institutions, fostering successful interaction between development policy and other policy fields and areas of activity. Our main commissioning party is the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).
• The registered offices of GIZ are in Bonn and Eschborn. Our approximately 23,500 employees, almost 70 percent of whom are national personnel, work in around 120 countries (July 2020) GIZ has worked in Nigeria since 1974. Since 2004, GIZ has maintained a country office in the capital city Abuja.
• Currently 466 national and 63 international employees, 37 regional staff, 4 integrated specialists and 3 development workers are working in the country (January 2025).

The Project
Support to ECOWAS African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)

• The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) has become a major focus for the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and its member states. They are working to leverage their achievements at the regional level to negotiate and implement the AfCFTA in the most beneficial way possible.
• The ECOWAS Commission plays a major role in preparing the operational instruments of the AfCFTA, such as common rules of origin and joint digital payment system and is also participating in some aspects of the negotiations on behalf of the member states. It is important for ECOWAS to coordinate and harmonize its initiatives and efforts with the continental trade agenda. The GIZ AfCFTA project is supporting the ECOWAS Commission in these efforts, as well as in the implementation of the AfCFTA at the national level.
• Successful implementation of the AfCFTA in the ECOWAS region requires a modern unified legal framework for cross-border trade, detailed implementation guidelines and accompanying measures, good cooperation among member countries, and active partnerships with the private sector.
• In recent years, regional cooperation has intensified through ECOWAS, particularly in the areas of trade facilitation and common customs legislation. Nevertheless, the institutional and regulatory framework in the ECOWAS region is currently not sufficiently in place for the successful negotiation and implementation of the AfCFTA.
• The support project to ECOWAS toward AfCFTA implementation is funded by the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany and aims at supporting ECOWAS Commission and the Member States toward developing/ instituting credible framework conditions for effective and beneficial implementation of AfCFTA protocols.
• The project directly addresses the required improvements in terms of the quality of ECOWAS Member States' participation in the AfCFTA negotiations, the design of the legal and technical framework, and the design of implementation measures in Member States. This entails intervention at different levels: ECOWAS Commission, Member States institutions and the private sector.

Tasks

• Lead strategic planning, monitoring and self-evaluation of the trade facilitation and trade in services component.
• Provision of technical advisory services to ECOWAS Commission, especially the trade directorate and other relevant directorates.
• Responsible for cooperation related to trade in services and trade facilitation with other international organizations such as World Customs Organization, ITC, UNCTAD amongst others.
• Oversee different component activities to be agreed and implemented in close cooperation with partners.
• Coordination with other program components, EAT, MOVE and other projects and units (HQ, regional departments and country offices).
• Representing the component and the project, where relevant, vis- a-vis partners, donors etc.
• Oversight responsibility for communication and visibility aspects of the component and support same for the entire project.
• Budget planning and monitoring with the AV, finance colleagues and other relevant staff.
• Ensure management of the component and measures and of all the related activities such as the management of subcontractors or consultant assignments, in consultation with the Head of Programme.

Required Qualifications, Competence and Experience
Qualifications:

• Masters Degree in International Trade, Law, International Relations, Economics, Business Administration, or a related field.

Professional experience:

• Minimum of 8 years' working experience in international trade or regional economic integration with special focus on Africa
• Experience working with ECOWAS Commission and its Member States.
• Experience working in and implementing European Union funded projects is required.
• Experience working with diverse stakeholders, including governments, NGOs, youth and women groups and the private sector in ECOWAS Member States.
• Experience in interagency coordination, managing diverse interests of multiple stakeholders in different ECOWAS countries.

Other knowledge, additional competences:

• Good working knowledge of ITC technologies (related software, phone, fax, email, the internet) and computer applications (e.g. MS Office).
• Good management and organisational skills.

Salary
According to GIZ Salary Scale for Band 5.

Application Closing Date
8th December, 2025.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should send their CV and letter of motivation as one document with complete contact details to: recruitment-nigeria@giz.de using the Job Title and Vacancy Number as the subject of the mail.

Note

• GIZ is an equal opportunities employer committed to diversity. All qualified candidates, regardless of disability, age, sex, ethnicity, race,and religion are encouraged to apply.
• Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.