ECOWAS Regional Programme Coordinator at The United Nations Industrial Development Organization - UNIDO

Functional Responsibilities

• The ECOWAS Regional Programme Coordinator works under the overall guidance and supervision of the ECOWAS Commissioner of Economic Affairs and Agriculture, in cooperation with the UNIDO Programme Manager, and in close collaboration with the ATCMA Programme Management Unit (PMU) in Abuja and the UNIDO and ITC ATCMA ECOWAS project teams. His/her key role will be to support the focal point(s)  for the ATCMA ECOWAS programme within the ECOWAS Commission and to foster the mainstreaming of the Programme with ECOWAS Policies and Strategies. 

The Expert will be responsible for the following Main tasks:
Policy Alignment and Strategic Convergence:

• Facilitate the comprehensive review and analysis of ECOWAS trade and market access policies, such as the ECOWAS Trade Liberalization Scheme (ETLS), Common External Tariff (CET), ECOWAS Trade & Investment Promotion Strategy (ECOTIPS) and ECOWAS Industrial Policy, ECOWAS Quality Policy and identification of inter-relations and complementarities with ATCMA ECOWAS Programme.
• Map the ATCMA Programme objectives with ECOWAS priorities and recommend adjustments to ensure full alignment.
• Facilitate inter-directorate coordination and intra-ECOWAS (i.e. across ECOWAS bodies and specialized agencies) flow of information on the ACTMA implementation.
• Facilitate regular meetings and dialogues between UNIDO, ITC, ECOWAS Commission, and other stakeholders to ensure the programme’s activities align with regional integration goals and trade facilitation priorities.
• Facilitate the identification and exchanges with ATCMA ECOWAS programme national focal points.

Stakeholder Engagement and Coordination:

• Serve as liaison between the ECOWAS Commission and the other key stakeholders, including the implementing partners (UNIDO and ITC), and other stakeholders involved in trade and market access projects across the region.
• Facilitate coordinating meetings, workshops, and consultations between ECOWAS, UNIDO, ITC, and national counterparts to ensure alignment and joint implementation of the ATCMA Programme.
• Build and strengthen programme partnerships with regional organizations such as UEMOA, AU, and private sector entities engaged in trade and market access.

Capacity Building and Technical Support:

• Ensure coordination of the ATCMA ECOWAS programme with other key intervention by ECOWAS and other Development Partners on related matters and topics
• Guide conceptualization of capacity-building workshops and webinars focusing on regional trade integration, compliance with international trade standards, and trade facilitation.
• Guide the conceptualization of further development partner support.

Ad-hoc requests:

• Any other assignments related to a timely and effective implementation of the project as deemed necessary.
• A final report is to be provided at the end of each contractual period, covering the activities and the results of the assignment.

The tasks mentioned in the job description above will be implemented in accordance with the principles and guidelines of ECOWAS, UNIDO, ITC, and the EU, and in compliance with their respective communication and visibility requirements.

Minimum Organizational Requirements
Education: 

• Advanced University Degree in engineering, or any other related field, with a strong understanding of international trade, industrialization and quality infrastructure in general is required 

Technical and functional experience:

• A minimum of seven (7) years of relevant professional experience in the area of regional economic community development, in particular in the area of SME development, trade competitiveness, quality infrastructure and standards compliance, market access in Sub-Saharan Africa, is required.  
• Working experience in West Africa is desirable. 
• Good Knowledge of ECOWAS institutions, sectors, programmes, policies is required. 
• Good understanding of ECOWAS regional trade integration and private sector development/value addition related challenges is required. 
• Experience in relationship management with donors and technical assistance providers, preferably in the area of SME development, competitiveness, quality infrastructure and standards compliance and trade is desirable.  

Language Skills:

• Fluency in written and oral English and French is required.  Fluency or working knowledge of Portuguese is desirable.

Required Competencies
Core Values:

• We Live and Act with Integrity: Work honestly, openly and impartially.
• We Live and Act with Integrity: Work hard and competently in a committed and responsible manner.
• We Respect Diversity: Work together effectively, respectfully and inclusively, regardless of our differences in culture and perspective.

Key Competencies:

• We Focus on People: Ccooperate to fully reach our potential –and this is true for our colleagues as well as our clients. Emotional intelligence and receptiveness are vital parts of our UNIDO identity.
• We Focus on Results and Responsibilities: Focus on planning, organizing and managing our work effectively and efficiently. We are responsible and accountable for achieving our results and meeting our performance standards. This accountability does not end with our colleagues and supervisors, but we also owe it to those, we serve and who have trusted us to contribute to a better, safer and healthier world.
• We Communicate and Earn Trust: Communicate effectively with one another and build an environment of trust where we can all excel in our work.
• We Think Outside the Box and Innovate: To stay relevant, we continuously improve, support innovation, share our knowledge and skills, and learn from one another.