Conferences Performer (French Cabin), ECOWAS Commission 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: Conferences Performer (French Cabin), ECOWAS Commission

Location: Abuja (FCT)
Job type: Full-time
Category: P5

Job Description

• Language combination : French A, English C or Portuguese C. (Mastering a B language among the other two official languages of the Community will be an asset.)
• The incumbent of the post shall provide, in accordance with the professional standards in force, interpretation services for the meetings and events of the Commission, guaranteeing a high-level linguistic and terminology quality and the appropriate use of ECOWAS institutional jargon.
• He/she contributes to the establishment, updating and enrichment of a terminology database, as well as the compilation of specialized glossaries.

Role and Responsibilities

• Provide interpretation services for meetings and events assigned by the Language Coordinator and the Directorate;
• Ensure interpretation (simultaneous, consecutive, whispered or liaison), in the appropriate linguistic combination, speeches, interventions and statements;
• Be prepared to be regularly assigned to sensitive meetings;
• Assume the function of head of the language team when he/she is appointed for a given meeting;
• Assist, where appropriate, the Language Services Coordinator in the selection, training and organisation of recruitment tests of potential independent interpreters with a view to registering them on the list of freelancers;
• Participate in the creation and feeding of a terminology database and the compilation of specialized glossaries;
• Perform any other related tasks, depending on the needs of the service.

Qualifications

• Hold a Master’s Degree or a Bachelor’s Degree in Conference Interpretation, issued by a recognized university or institute.
• Justify ten (10) years of experience in conference interpretation, including at least four (4) as an employed interpreter;
• Demonstrate impeccable accuracy, consistency and fidelity in terms of the style and nuances of the target language and source language;
• Demonstrate a proven understanding of the evaluation methods of interpreting teams;
• Be able to meet the highest standards of confidentiality;
• Master terminology and documentary research techniques and be able to exploit a wide variety of information sources;
• Demonstrate a high level of professionalism and a solid mastery of the topics covered;
• Engage in a continuous process of professional and personal development and stay informed about the evolutions of the business;
• Demonstrate a proven understanding of a wide variety of accents, as well as an ability to manage variations in throughput and style;
• Be able to find appropriate cultural equivalents and take into account the cultural context; to do so, a thorough knowledge of the languages and cultures concerned is required;
• Demonstrate a proven ability to maintain team cohesion and comply with cabin driving rules;
• Have a perfect command of the target language and an excellent knowledge of the source language. A good knowledge of the third working language of ECOWAS would be an asset
• AGE LIMIT: At most 45 years.

Skills:

• Have a good command of artificial intelligence and electronic tools related to document exploitation and meeting preparation;
• Have a good command of glossary preparation software and related tools;
• Be familiar with ISO standards for fixed and mobile interpretive equipment;
• Have general knowledge of the operation of interpreting equipment, including the appropriate use of the console, including to ensure “return”.

ECOWAS Working Environment

• ECOWAS offers a work environment that reflects the values of gender equality, diversity, integrity and healthy work-life balance. We are committed to ensuring gender parity within the organization and, therefore, we strongly encourage women to apply for positions that match their skills.
• Individuals from ethnic minority groups, indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities and other under-represented groups are also strongly encouraged to apply. Diversity, equity and inclusion are at the heart of ECOWAS staff.

Annual Salary
UC 66,123.9 (USD 104,330.42)

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

• Any incomplete application will be rejected.
• The assessment of qualified candidates will include a written exercise and a skills-based interview
• Selection and appointment will be subject to a work history check and references and other administrative requirements.
• ECOWAS does not charge any fees for applications, processing, training, interviews, tests in relation to application or recruitment processes and is not concerned with information on the bank accounts of candidates.