Director, Customs and Taxation, Commission of ECOWAS at Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is a regional grouping composed of 12 Member States, with the mandate to promote economic integration, social cohesion and political stability throughout West Africa. As a reference Intergovernmental Organisation (IOU), ECOWAS acts through a sound institutional framework, led by the Commission and the Community Parliament, with the aim of harmonising policies, fostering a “borderless” region and safeguarding democratic governance for more than 400 million citizens.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Director, Customs and Taxation, Commission of ECOWAS

Location: Abuja (FCT)
Job type: Full-time
Degree: D1

Description of the Function

• Ensure the leadership and management of technical activities related to the consolidation of the ECOWAS Customs Union and the harmonisation of domestic taxes within the Community.

Function and Responsibilities

• Direct regional reforms in the tax and customs areas.
• Monitor the implementation of the ECOWAS Trade Certificate (ETC) and disputes related to these matters.
• Monitor Member States in the tax transition process.
• Establish a comprehensive regional framework to facilitate dialogue between stakeholders.
• Represent the commission in the dialogue on relevant policies at regional and international level.
• Follow the international commitment to taxation and customs.
• Monitor the state of implementation of the common market in the areas of taxation and the customs union.
• Establish the mechanism for resolving disputes under the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme (ETLS).
• Develop programmes to ensure harmonisation of customs regulations and domestic taxes and the management of the ECOWAS tax transition programme in the Member States.
• Develop and communicate the ECOWAS regional compliance programme on customs tariffs and Community provisions relating to domestic taxes in the Member States.
• Define and maintain standard operating procedures relating to compliance with customs tariffs and taxes in accordance with the regional ECOWAS compliance programmes.
• Develop, advise and make recommendations on customs policy in accordance with ECOWAS regional rules and regulations.
• Develop policies to ensure more favourable conditions for economic operators, in line with the ECOWAS agenda for the simplification of trade.
• Initiate and provide policy advice to increase revenue and reduce the risks of fraud and smuggling in Member States.
• Act on any other tasks that may be requested by the direct supervisor.

Requirements
Academic Qualification and Experience:

• Master (or equivalent) in Social Sciences, Business Administration, International Relations, International Diplomacy, Public Administration, Law or Political Science, obtained from a recognized university.
• 12 years of progressively responsible professional experience in the application of the principles of economic and social development, usually gained through experience in the development and management of programmes in an international organisation, preferably in the context of West Africa; practical experience in regional integration, trade, infrastructure and natural resource management.
• In-depth knowledge of the development of economic and social policies in key areas of regional integration, trade, investment, infrastructure development, land policy, agricultural development and industrialization.
• Proven knowledge of regional cross-border cooperation in West Africa, migration in West Africa and migration policies, the Protocol on Free Movement, the Right of Residence and Establishment and related decisions, as well as the delimitation and demarcation of borders.
• Knowledge of the regional rules and regulations of ECOWAS concerning the tariff classification of goods, the origin of goods, and compliance policies on customs tariffs and taxes.
• Age Limit: Be under 50 years old

Key Skill of ECOWAS:

• Senior leadership experience in establishing strategic partnerships, working collaboratively and building consensus with various internal and/or external stakeholders on complex issues in a multidisciplinary government or international organization.
• Knowledge of the mandate of ECOWAS, strategic plan/priorities, as well as the state/economic, political and social trends of the Member States, with regard to their own scope of work.
• Consistency in actions, values, methods, confidentiality, ethics, measures, principles, expectations and results that connote a deep commitment to doing the right thing for the right reason, regardless of the circumstances.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with Heads of Institutions, elected officials and statutory officials to facilitate compliance, build commitment, resolve conflicts and gain support for change.
• Ability to properly respect the hierarchy.
• Ability to promote a culture where each person feels responsible for the results.
• Ability to exercise leadership, management and technical supervision for all project activities and implementation of programs in accordance with the legal and administrative practices and standards of ECOWAS.
• Ability to conduct periodic assessments of staff performance in accordance with ECOWAS performance management system and to guide staff to ensure high levels of motivation, commitment, capacity and teamwork.
• Capacidade de coordenar a gestão de projetos, controles internos e administração de recursos financeiros e de abordar questões de forma confiante e capaz, enquanto toma decisões que exemplificam a imparcialidade e apartidarismo.
• Capacidade de exercer a iniciativa e a desenvoltura necessárias para abordar simultaneamente uma variedade de necessidades das partes interessadas, realizar múltiplas tarefas e alcançar resultados positivos.
• Ability to create synergies with customer groups and others to achieve objectives in defining and evaluating service standards and indicators.
• Ability to motivate and implicate others in promoting and adopting best practices in customer services.
• Ability to identify and improve services and interactions with customers through appropriate networks and to create innovative ways to approach them in a responsible and transparent manner.
• Knowledge of the anti-discriminatory/human rights regulation environment and the ability to advance strategies to promote an inclusive work environment and a healthy organisation that respects cultural diversity and gender equality and is free from harassment.
• Understanding of diverse cultural views, especially from West Africa, sensitivity to group differences and gender issues, and ability to contribute, defend and/or develop gender-sensitive policies and cultural diversity.
• Ability to promote an interactive, diverse and inclusive work environment and can effectively bring together a broad spectrum of ideas and experiences to solve problems, develop projects/programs and improve results.
• Ability and responsibility to incorporate gender perspectives and ensure equitable participation of women and men in all areas of work.
• Ability to remain objective in conflict management, regardless of cultural/position and gender differences, and encourage other employees to overcome cultural and gender bias and differences.
• Understanding of the organizational structure, culture and dynamics of the ECOWAS work environment.
• Ability to apply knowledge of the ECOWAS legal framework, strategic priorities and operational standards to develop/modernize policies and programmes and/or implement policies and programmes in a sustainable and effective manner.
• Well-developed business, social and political acumen, demonstrating a strong commitment to ECOWAS' vision and mandate, together with a broad knowledge of economic, political and social situations and trends in the Member States.
• Good judgment and decision-making capacity in matters relating to the development of policies and strategies important for the achievement of the ECOWAS mandate and the improvement of results for Member States
• Ability to analyze reports, as well as socio-economic and institutional dynamics and recognize areas of potential obstacles or challenges and develop innovative and alternative solutions to address barriers and achieve strategic/operational priorities.
• Ability to anticipate and interpret the effects of environmental changes (social, economic and political), as well as their impact and make recommendations.
• Ability to identify/address strengths and weaknesses, stimulate creativity, reduce resistance to change and improve the achievement of strategic objectives.
• Ability to make prudent decisions regarding the management of human, financial and material resources.
• Ability to listen carefully and understand the perspectives of others to make informed statements, decisions, or recommendations.
• Ability to build multiple external collaboration relationships to support strategic and operational objectives; identify key issues and accommodate key players with well-designed communication and stakeholder management plans.
• Ability to communicate with clarity and conviction, make compelling presentations that promote new perceptions, ideas and perspectives, and a better understanding of issues and challenges.
• Demonstrate active listening skills to encourage stronger communication within team members, demonstrate care and make them feel valued, and drive employee involvement across institutions and agencies.
• Excellent negotiating and conflict management skills with a focus on building and nurturing effective and collaborative relationships.
• Proficiency in information and communication technologies (ICT).
• Fluency in oral expressions and written in one of the official languages of ECOWAS (English, French and Portuguese). Mastery of a second language will be an asset.
• Ability to draw up plans, define clear objectives consistently, and have effective oversight of performance management practices to ensure that goals and standards are met.
• Ability to define effective goals/results and manage change in a resilient, serene and positive way in an uncertain and ambiguous environment.
• Ability to enable the development of organizational and individual talent through the implementation of strategic, operational, programmatic, project and individual plans.
• Ability to implement plans, mobilize/envelop people, identify critical success factors, mitigate risks, analyze indicators and results, initiate corrective action and strengthen capabilities to ensure sustainability.
• Ability to establish rigorous monitoring and evaluation practices and to learn from setbacks and errors to ensure continuous improvement.

ECOWAS Working Environment

• ECOWAS provides a working environment that reflects the values of gender equality, diversity, integrity and healthy work-life balance.
• We are committed to ensuring gender parity within the organisation and therefore strongly encourage women to apply for positions that match their competencies. People from ethnic minority groups, indigenous populations, people with disabilities and other underrepresented groups are also strongly encouraged to apply. Diversity, equity and inclusion are at the heart of ECOWAS staff.

Annual Salary
UC 81.435.54 (USD 128.488.99)

Application Closing Date
10th May, 2026.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online

The documents required for the application include:

• Resume
• Cover Letter
• Application form

Important Information and Notice

• Failure to comply with any of these requirements will result in the deletion of the application.
• The assessment of qualified candidates will include a written exercise and a competency-based interview.
• Selection and appointment will be subject to work history and reference checks and other administrative requirements.
• ECOWAS does not charge any fees for applications, processing, training, interviews, tests related to application or recruitment processes and does not care about the information of candidates’ bank accounts.