·       Director of Parliamentary Affairs and Research,

·       Legal adviser,

·       Head of Division, Communication

·       Head of Division, Protocol

·       Bureau Manager/Head, Strategic Planning

·       Office Manager

To serve as chief adviser to the Speaker of Parliament on administrative and procedural matters, and to manage the day-to-day running of the secretariat of Parliament. To provide leadership and direction for managing the efficiency and effectiveness of the Parliament with respect to the implementation of the Supplementary Act on Enhancement of the Powers of the Parliament and ensuring compliance with relevant Community Texts.

ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

The Secretary-General is the Head of the Administrative Secretariat of the Parliament.  Under the authority of the Speaker, he/she performs the following functions.

·       Act as chief adviser to the Speaker on matters of Parliamentary Procedure.

·       Ensure compliance with community texts, rules and regulations.

·       Oversee the day-to-day running of the Secretariat of the Parliament.

·         Provide continuity from one Legislature to the next and to be the main depository of institutional memory.

·       Act as the channel of communication between the Speaker and other Members of Parliament and the Secretariat.

·       Oversee the preparation of the order paper, reports and proceedings of the Parliament, the Bureau and the Committees and ensure their publication and safe custody.

·       Oversee the recruitment, deployment, supervision and management of the staff of the Parliament.

·       Act as the Accounting Officer of the Parliament.

·       Prepare and manage the annual budget of the Parliament and submit quarterly and annual statements to the Bureau.

·       Perform any other duties as may be assigned by the Speaker.

ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

·       Master’s degree (or equivalent) from a recognized university in a discipline related to the mandate of the organization and the position. These include Masters International Relations, Masters in Public Administration, Masters in Business Administration or any other related field.

·       Fifteen (15) years of progressively responsible experience in international relations, law, business management,  financial management, political affairs, peacebuilding in a senior leadership capacity with a minimum of 5 years’ experience working on issues related to the ECOWAS region; experience working with Member States and delegations in the context of international organizations; extensive experience in programme and project planning, management, financing and oversight.

·       Knowledge of policy and strategy development, change management and related issues, with broad geographical outcomes/impacts.

·       Extensive experience in supervising large and diverse teams

·       Ability to lead the development, management/review of reports and papers on technical and policy issues.

·       Knowledge of ECOWAS policies, management, administrative, budgetary and staffing systems, procedures and regulations.

·       Minimum of 5 years progressive senior leadership experience in establishing strategic partnerships, working collaboratively and building consensus with multiple stakeholders on critical and/or complex issues.

AGE LIMIT

Be below 50 years old. This provision does not apply to internal candidates.

ECOWAS KEY COMPETENCIES

·       Demonstrated passion and commitment to public service principles, values and ethics, and the practice of accountability in public sector management.

·       Ability to inspire, motivate and engage others to solve problems and resolve conflicts, to modify leadership style, to meet situational requirements, and to lead successfully in uncertain and volatile environments; to develop a culture where people hold themselves personally accountable for results.

·       Exhibit consistency on actions, values, methods, confidentiality, ethics, measures, principles, expectations and outcomes which connotes a deep commitment to do the right thing for the right reason, regardless of the circumstances.

·       Well-developed political acumen, superior judgement, tact and diplomacy to work with various interest groups and stakeholders, to influence/enlighten policy direction, to implement and promote adherence to governance principles, the regulatory environment and corporate vision, and to advance strategic priorities associated with the ECOWAS mandate.

·       Ability to respect chain of command in an appropriate manner.

·       Demonstrated ability to promote a balanced perspective on the organization’s leadership and governing body to keep ECOWAS mission, vision, and values at the forefront of employee decision making and actions.

·       Ability to conduct high-stake negotiations with high-level clients while taking account of different stakeholder agenda, cultural norms, situational factors, ECOWAS interests; to demonstrate the ability to partner with internal and external clients.

·       Ability to identify and capitalize on synergies with other institutions, specialized agencies, national and regional assemblies and key actors and partners to achieve objectives;

·       Ability to personally commit to advancing ECOWAS goals for improved client services and stakeholder relations; to ensure appropriate measures are established to deliver client service excellence.

·       Knowledge of Parliamentary business requirements, balanced with an understanding of internal capacity, culture and climate.

·       Understand diverse cultural views especially within west Africa, and sensitive to group differences; see diversity as an opportunity, challenges bias and intolerance.

·       Understanding of the ECOWAS organizational structure, workplace culture and its dynamics.

·       Play a leadership role in shaping the ethics, values and culture of the organization by consistently communicating and exemplifying them.

·       Ability and passion to actively support diversity management policies and principles, act as role model and a champion and advocate of diversity policies and principles.

·       Understand inclusion, the impact of unconscious bias, and how to manage and leverage differences; ability to make/apply the connection between diversity and innovation, and to oversee a talent system that remains inclusive, transparent, and well understood.

·       Ability and responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work.

·       Ability to identify roadblocks to principles of equity, fairness and transparency, to oversee diversity indicators for planning and programme development and to create a workplace free of discrimination  and harassment.

·       Knowledge of ECOWAS Parliament, other ECOWAS Institutions and specialized agencies, and how they interrelate as well as understanding of operations of national and regional parliaments, their cultural and geopolitical ties and shared common interests.

·       Excellent knowledge of ECOWAS Parliament’s mandate, legal framework and approaches to policy development.

·       Proven  knowledge of the Supplementary Act and rules and procedures of the ECOWAS Parliament, the implementation of which is necessary for smooth running of the institution.

·       Establishment of sound internal controls as well as the monitoring and evaluation of programmes, plans and policies.

·       Sound knowledge of ECOWAS procurement, financial and human resources policies and practices as well as internal reforms and capacity development initiatives.

·       Ability to think creatively and innovate or generate alternatives, visualize new possibilities, challenge assumptions, and be open to additional information.

·       Ability to prioritize action steps to stay focused on key objectives while handling multiple demands and competing priorities.

·       Ability to make trade-offs/compromise while understanding the potential advantages and disadvantages of an idea or course of action.

·       Ability to analyze reporting or working relationships between several departments, agencies and institutions, and recognize areas of potential obstacles or challenges and produce  solutions or alternatives to achieve strategic priorities.

·       Ability to obtain information, opinions and recommendations from various sources to inform decisions, produce conclusions and to drive change.

·       Continually working to broaden own knowledge and experience communicating with various stakeholders, partners and media to see connections and patterns across seemingly unrelated fields of knowledge.

·       Communicate strategically, considering such aspects as optimal message timing, and form of communication; skillfully handles complex on-the-spot questions from others, such as Parliamentarians and senior public officials, special interest groups, citizens or the media.

·       Communicate complex issues clearly and credibly with widely varied audiences using two-way communication to gain others’ input and understanding.

·       Strategically build networks and contacts to support ideas, initiatives and directives; ensure communication plans are developed and implemented so audiences are informed in a timely manner.

·       Exhibit active listening skills to encourage stronger communication amongst  team members, to show care and make them feel valued and to  drive employee engagement in all institutions and agencies.

·       Ability to clearly articulate links between the organization’s strategy and the institution’s goals; generate and communicate broad and compelling organizational direction, inspiring others to pursue that same direction; convey enthusiasm about future possibilities.

·       Act as a champion or sponsor of change programmes and agenda.

·       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.

·       Sound ability to develop clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies; identify priority activities and assignments; adjust priorities as required; allocate appropriate amount of time and resources for completing tasks.

·       Foresee risks and provide for contingencies when planning; monitor and adjust plans and actions as necessary and use time efficiently.

·       Translate the strategic direction, including vision, mission and values into effective strategies; develop, lead and ensure meaningful communication of shared vision, values, mission and strategic direction to inspire and influence others; position the organization to deal with emerging and long-term trends, issues and opportunities.

·       Champion the development of proactive strategies and use strategic alliances to extend organizational and ECOWAS impact.

·       Establish performance expectations, inspire excellence and recognize performance; oversee the implementation and monitoring of performance management programmes to ensure all employees meet performance expectations.