Protocol Assistant (Generic) at Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)

Welcome to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). Established on May 28 1975 via the treaty of Lagos, ECOWAS is a 15-member regional group with a mandate of promoting economic integration in all fields of activity of the constituting countries.

Member countries making up ECOWAS are Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Cote d’ Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Senegal and Togo

Considered one of the pillars of the African Economic Community, ECOWAS was set up to foster the ideal of collective self-sufficiency for its member states. As a trading union, it is also meant to create a single, large trading bloc through economic cooperation.

Integrated economic activities as envisaged in the area that has a combined GDP of $734.8 billion, revolve around but are not limited to industry, transport, telecommunications, energy, agriculture, natural resources, commerce, monetary and financial issues, social as well as cultural matters.

Expectations of economic integration have always been high and a lot has been accomplished by the regional group since the endorsement of the treaty which gave it the required legal teeth. Going by current assessments, the regional body has exceeded the expectations of its founding fathers. Today, the organisation is being acknowledged globally as a successful regional body. ECOWAS can be seen now as a toast to a workable integration and regional co-existence.Institution: ECOWAS Commission
Grade: P3
Status: Permanent
Department: General Administration and Conference
Directorate: Conference & Protocol
Division: Protocol
Line Supervisor: Logistics & Reception Officer

Role Overview

Under the supervision of the Logistics & Reception Officer, the incumbent will provide day-to-day administrative and protocol support services, ensuring the smooth delivery of services whilst providing needed support to the Principal Protocol Officer

Role and Responsibilities

Undertake protocol duties relating to all meeting and event logistics, immunities and privileges, consular services and other related areas as assigned, for the Commission, its staff and guests;
Receive, review and screen all incoming protocol correspondence and documents and perform preliminary checks for accuracy and completeness;
Provide support for all diplomatic accreditations to the Commission and the Community;
Provide all necessary physical and administrative support for implementation of Headquarters Agreement;
Provide necessary support for all airport and travel services, including reception, dispatch, luggage, consular, etc;
Collect and process necessary supporting documents for travel-related claims as directed;
Provide support where necessary to General Administration for security arrangements for Commission’s premises and at venue of events and meetings;
Coordinate and interface with logistic services providers  and users of services;
Update periodically and monitor accuracy of Commission’s diplomatic directory and that of partners;
Performs other duties as assigned.

Academic Qualifications and Experience

Brevet de Technicien Superieur (BTS) / Ordinary National Diploma (OND), Bachelors in Social Sciences and Humanities, Social Sciences, Diplomacy and Etiquette, Logistics Management, Shipping, Clearance and Forwarding, Project Management, Public Administration or other related field.
High Proficiency in MS Office Suite,
5 years’ experience in  the specific area of protocol relevant to job function, preferable in an International Organisation or in a multi-lateral setting, and/or experience in international travel arrangements, procedures and processes;
Knowledge of travel related processing requirements and logistics, visa applications and processes, ticketing and reservations
Knowledge of ECOWAS conference policies, procedures and practices, accepted norms, rules and customs of international diplomatic protocol, including practices developed within the ECOWAS System.
Knowledge of planning and implementation of  administrative and logistical arrangements for meetings, conferences, and workshops within and outside base station;
Ability to research, select, organize and summarize information required for the preparation of meetings and to identify issues, formulate opinions, make conclusions and recommendations
Knowledge of order and rules of precedence
Basic accounting, graphics design

Age Limit:

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

Key Competencies:

Ability to assume a credible presence when explaining rules, standards and expectations (e.g. deadlines) to ensure compliance and work expectations are met;
Ability to motivate self and/or others to engage in discussions that will result in recommendations to improve processes, templates or other work tools;
Ability to engage in positive approaches to team work, participate actively in discussions and the achievement of team goals;
Ability to take responsibility for own career and performance with the occasional guidance from the supervisor/mentor;
Ability to build capacity of self and others by sharing knowledge, tools, expertise and experience with others to remain proficient and well informed in the execution of assigned role.
Interpersonal, listening and multitasking skills with a good understanding of client service responsibilities and role in representing ECOWAS values in all interactions;
Ability to take initiative to resolve routine problems associated with assigned tasks using good judgment in involving colleagues or superiors as required;
Ability to work as part of a team with the ability to explain client interactions to resolve concerns, problems and improve services;
Ability to manage own time effectively and organize own work area in a manner that will meet performance expectations related to assigned client services;
Ability to direct people to the appropriate source for further information and ask for help when overwhelmed with client demands.
Ability to apply culturally-relevant and appropriate approaches with people from diverse cultural backgrounds;
Good diversity management skills to interact with individuals in a manner that is culturally appropriate and in accordance with ECOWAS rules/policies;
Ability to recognize preconceived notions and stereotypical views of certain groups and individuals and to successfully adopt inclusive and culturally appropriate behaviors;
Ability and responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work;
Knowledge of diversity management as it relates to daily work expectations and assigned tasks.
Knowledge of the ECOWAS mandate and operational goals of relevance to assigned responsibilities;
Ability to keep up-to-date with Departmental activities, schedules and goals of pertinence to own work team, functional area;
Knowledge of ECOWAS procedures relevant to assigned work and the ability to apply sound judgment in their application;
Demonstrated strong interest and commitment to ECOWAS values and activities in daily assumption of duties.
Excellent ability to maintain, process and provide accurate information as part of assigned tasks;
Ability to organize files and information for easy retrieval and record keeping;
Ability to spot mistakes, act promptly to correct them and learn from experiences;
Knowledge and ability to challenge and question fundamental assumptions regarding accepted ways of doing things in the spirit of improvement
Ability to use current technology to communicate effectively e.g. office software programs, including spreadsheets, word processing and graphic presentation software; ability to type and format presentations, reports, manuals, newsletters, website content and proficiency in  information communication technologies(ICT);
Well-developed information sharing skills using technology and in accordance in established processes and practices;
Advanced verbal assertiveness and communication skills with a demonstrated ability to acknowledge and understand the validity of others’ viewpoints and to respond 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 allocate time for specific task in a manner that will meet deadlines and quality/quantity expectations
Good organizational skills with an excellent ability to break down work into smaller parts and focusing on the most important steps first;
Ability to contribute to maintaining organizational performance standards throughout implementation of new processes, practices and plans adopted by the Department and of relevance to assigned tasks;
Ability to monitor progress and to consider new goals in the context of assigned responsibilities;
Ability to follow through with commitments made to others.

Annual Salary
UA20,166.30,USD 31,818.39 /  UA25,527.53, USD40,277.34 / UA25,527.53, USD40,277.34.

Application Closing Date
24th April, 2020.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should download the Application Form below, fill it out correctly; attach a Curriculum Vitae (CV) and a Motivation Letter and send to: b6proagen@ecowas.int using the Job Title as the subject of the email.

Click here to download Application Form (Ms Word)

Source: MyJobMag Job Feed