Accountant – Regularization at the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) - 2 Openings

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: Accountant – Regularization

Location: Abuja, Nigeria
Job Status: Permanent
Institution: ECOWAS Commission
Grade: P3/P4
Department: Internal Services
Directorate: Budget & Treasury
Division: Disbursements
Line supervisor: Principal Officer, Disbursement
Supervising: Accounting Assistant

Role Overview

• Under the direct supervision of the Principal Officer, Disbursement, the Accountant (Regularization) has responsibility for coordinating, formulating, and executing programmes and plans aimed at the proper management of the Commission’s internal and external payments processing and regularization of advances.

Role & Responsibilities

• Reconcile bank statements with the general ledger (GL) to investigate variances.
• Reconcile accounts payable (AP) and receivable (AR) aging to the general ledger, addressing old or outstanding items.
• Review and reconcile prepaid expenses, accruals, and other balance sheet accounts.
• Audit financial transactions and documents to identify, analyze, and correct errors in data.
• Post, adjust, and review journal entries to ensure accuracy.
• Maintain financial security by enforcing internal controls and, where necessary, strengthening policies to prevent future errors.
• Prepare and file tax returns (e.g., VAT, Sales Tax, TDS, 1099s) and resolve tax notices.
• Assist in internal and external audits by providing accurate documentation.
• Execute monthly and annual closing procedures.
• Publish accurate financial statements (Profit & Loss, Balance Sheet).
• Assist in tracking expenses against budgets.
• Ensure accounting software (e.g., Tally, QuickBooks, SAP) is updated and properly utilized.
• Identify and implement improvements to streamline financial operations and reduce manual work

Academic Qualification and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree or its equivalent in Accounting, Banking & Finance, Economics, Finance, Management or in a similar field from a recognized University.
• A minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in finance, administration, budget, business administration and/or related area.
• Knowledge and technical competence to consolidate financial statements for inclusion in ECOWAS financial statements to be audited, and ability to respond to internal/external audit observations.
• In-depth practical knowledge of cash management practices, policies and procedures, and the ability to make appropriate recommendations to improve their accuracy, security timeliness and efficiency.
• Practical operational knowledge of various payments systems, banking terminology, pension fund practices and relevant financial management processes and policies

Age Limit:

• Be below 45 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 instill 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 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 organizational unit’s performance goals and standards.
• Interpersonal skills with ability to keep a client informed of progress or setbacks in projects of relevance to 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 need, mitigates issues and that 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 judgement, 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.

Salary
USD 56,591.37 Annually.

Application Closing Date
30th April, 2025.