Communications and Advocacy Officer at Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)

Location: Monrovia
Category: ECOWAS International Volunteer
Type of Contract: ECOWAS Volunteers Programme. Non-Family Position
Expected start date: 15tH September 2018
Duration: One (01) year, renewable (depending on budget availability and satisfactory performance)
 
Preamble

• The ECOWAS Youth and Sports Development Centre (EYSDC), was created by the Decision A/DEC.13/01/05 of 19th January 2005 at Accra, Ghana as a specialized Agency of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
• At the 32nd session of the ECOWAS Summit held in June 2007, the Heads of States and Government adopted a new approach to regional integration by approving a new global vision called the ECOWAS Vision 2020. The principal objective of this vision is to move the Community from an «ECOWAS of States» to an «ECOWAS of Peoples» by the year 2020.
• Consequently, the EYSDC implements her policies, activities and strategic action plans, as well as the ECOWAS vision in the areas of youth and sports, including the ECOWAS Volunteers Programme. The EYSDC’s objective is to initiate, develop, coordinate and implement youth and sports programmes within the Community. To this end, it works to:
  • Mobilise the different segments of the population to ensure their integration and effective participation in the social development of the region, as well as the promotion of youth organisations and professional associations to ensure maximum participation in the activities of the Community;
  • Provide a permanent institutional framework within ECOWAS through which issues related to Youth and Sports activities in the sub-region can be developed and promoted.

Organizational Framework of the Centre

• The Youth and Sports Development Centre (EYSDC) is one of the Directorates under the Social Affairs and Gender Department of the ECOWAS Commission. It is based in Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso) under the headquarters agreement signed between the Burkina Faso authorities and the ECOWAS Commission.
• Decision N° A/DEC 13/01/2005 of 19th January 2005 had adopted the organizational structure comprising of four Divisions (Youth, Sports, Administration and Finance, and TIC). However, since 2008, the Centre has undergone some structural modifications following the transfer of the ECOWAS Volunteers Programme (EVP) from the Political Affairs, Peace and Security Department of the Commission (CPAPS) to the EYSDC, under the Social Affairs and Gender Department.
• The EVP is centralized in organisation, but decentralized in its application to allow for flexibility and adaptation to the current realities of each country. The strategic directions, including the formulation of the overall vision, goals and objectives of the Programme, is the responsibility of the Regional Coordination Council (RCC), whose role, among others, is to ensure that the EVP becomes a genuine voluntary arm of ECOWAS.
• Being a cross-cutting programme, the ECOWAS Volunteers Regional Coordination Council (RCC) includes representatives of relevant departments of the ECOWAS Commission. The RCC is chaired by the Commissioner for Social Affairs and Gender of the ECOWAS Commission. She is assisted by the Director of the ECOWAS Youth and Sports Development Centre (EYSDC), as Alternate Chairman of the RCC.
• The executive arm of the RCC is the Regional Office, provided by the EYSDC in Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso). The programme’s regional coordination activities are coordinated by a Regional Coordinator under the supervision of the EYSDC Director. Although the EVP is under the Youth Division of the EYSDC, it is directly supervised by the EYSDC Director for effectiveness.
• At the National level, the National Coordination Council (NCC) serves as the national body through which national policy guidelines for the Programme are given. This Council works towards the understanding and entrenchment of the Volunteer Programme in the national environment. It also serves as advisor to the country office, which is responsible for the coordination of the Programme at national level. The NCC is chaired by the Head of the ECOWAS National Office in the country. It is made up of Focal Points/Representatives of the various ministries, Civil Society Organisations, United Nations Agencies and local youth associations involved in the implementation of the Programme at the National level.

Description of the Host

• With the collaboration agreement signed between ECOWAS and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Regional Office, this recruitment will be for UNFPA Liberia.
• The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) is the United Nations Reproductive Health and rights Agency. The mission is to deliver a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person’s potential is fulfilled. UNFPA works in Liberia cut across different thematic areas including Sexual and Reproductive Health, Young people, Human rights and Gender, and Population matters.

Duties and Responsibilities
Under the supervision and guidance of the UNFPA Representative, the Advocacy and Communications Officer will represent the UNFPA Country Office in the UN Communications Group. The incumbent will work in close cooperation with the country office programme staff, the UN system, other partners and government counterparts to ensure Contribute to identifying new and creative ways to show how UNFPA-supported programmes are delivering results and promoting a coherent image of the UN:

• Participate in developing a common UN Communication Strategy (radio, TV programmes, electronic newsletter, website, UN system Information Kit, press events/ reporting on UN events
• Contribute to the regular news letters of the UN System in Liberia and on other communications materials
• Liaise with the UN Communication Expert on the UNFPA contribution to the preparation and implementation of a harmonized publications policy to ensure that all major documents produced by the UN system are readily available in a standardized format
• Establish, monitor and regularly up-date an internal UNFPA CO information data base to be shared by the programme officers
• Coordinate the collection of information on a daily basis to feed into the UNFPA information data base on political issues and national important development events for better analysis of the Liberian Aid environment
• Improve the visibility of UNFPA CO interventions in Liberia by producing timely, adequate and coherent reports and messages to be conveyed to other UN agencies, donors and government counterparts
• Lead production of UNFPA publications, materials, including best practices, articles, op-ed, to be disseminated in local newspapers, UNFPA newspapers and website
• Coordinate the organization of events such as World Population Day, launch of the State of the World Population Report and other similar events
• Maintain and regularly update the UNFPA CO site web including the establishment and management of a picture data base to document UNFPA supported activities in Liberia
• Guide, build when required and support partnership with NGOs, national media network, other networks on population and other partners
• Coordinate the production of daily and weekly news briefs for the Representative and elaborate the monthly political report and contribute to the elaboration of the quarterly programme implementation report to be sent to HQ
• Coordinate the drafting of speeches and remarks to be delivered by the Representative for particular occasions
• Organize/attend meetings, press briefings and other public events as needed
• Undertake other tasks as required and assigned by the Representative.

Qualifications

• Advanced degree (preferably Master) in Journalism, Communications or Political Science, or its equivalent;
• Five years of relevant experience at national and international level;
• Excellent writing and communications skills;
• Excellent organizational skills;
• Fully conversant with usage of computers (MS Office), email and the Internet;
• Familiarity with UNFPA’s policies and procedures and good knowledge/understanding of the UN system coordination process;
• Full proficiency in spoken and written English, knowledge of an additional UN language an asset;
• Experience in working in post-crisis countries would be an asset;
• And good knowledge/understanding of the UN system coordination process;

Core Competencies:

• Values/Guiding Principles
• Performance Management
• Developing People/Coaching and Mentoring & Fostering Innovation and Empowerment
• Working in Teams
• Self-Management/Emotional Intelligence
• Communication
• Appropriate and Transparent Decision Making
• Analytical and Strategic Thinking and Results
• Orientation/Commitment to Excellence
• Knowledge Sharing/Continuous Learning
• Knowledge of volunteerism is an asset
• Functional Competencies:
• Advocacy/Advancing a Policy Oriented Agenda
• Results-Based Programme Development and Management
• Innovation and Marketing of New Approaches
• Resource Mobilization
• Job Knowledge/Technical Expertise

Conditions of Service

• An initial contract for 12 months will be offered with a total Monthly Volunteer Living Allowance of 1112.50 USD or its equivalent in local currency.
• This allowance covers both basic MLA and other subsistence/utilities allowances.
• At the beginning of the assignment, and only where applicable, a settling-in grant will be paid, and a resettlement grant will be provided at the end of the assignment. Where applicable, air transport from home country to the duty station and return at end of mission is also provided.
• A life and health insurance cover for the incumbent of the position will be provided.
• Other conditions of service as stipulated in the EVP Management and Administration Manual and Handbook of Conditions of Service shall apply.

 Other Conditions:   

• The position is open to nationals of ECOWAS Member States, aged not more than 38 years by the date of recruitment.
• This position is considered a non-family ECOWAS International Volunteer position.
• An international ECOWAS Volunteer cannot serve in their own country of origin.
• ECOWAS is committed to promoting gender equality and equity. To this end, female candidates are strongly encouraged.