Program Officer, Railway Development at Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)

Job Code: 20003248
Grade: P3/P4

Role Overview

• Under the supervision of the PPO Roads and Railway, the PO in-charge of Railway Development will provide technical expertise in railway transportation as relates to policy, strategy, services, operation, and infrastructure development.
• The PO will also advise the Department on specific technical areas for the design and implementation of key programs, projects, and interventions to support the improvement of the railway sector in the region, in line with the objectives of ECOWAS

Role and Responsibilities

• Lead the implementation of the ECOWAS Regional Railway Master Plan.
• Develop programs, projects, and activities to promote the development of the railway sector in the region.
• Advise on rail sector projects (feasibility, planning, development, and transaction advisory).
• Provide technical leadership (Team Leader) and manage technical expertise on rail sector projects in emerging markets, to help project managers deliver projects on time and within budget.
• Support development of the regional railway programs and projects with the objective of improving project implementation and Member States capacity.
• Identify potential markets for railway development in the region and develop and executing the marketing plans.
• Support the Department of Infrastructure to develop and maintain the Community’s expertise on railway transport, and logistics to support the strategic goals of the Commission and West Africa.
• Manage the timely submission of project deliverables, record keeping, and participation in meetings/briefings as required by project contracts.
• Support business development and marketing activities, including evaluating and advising on whether to pursue project opportunities in the rail sector and identifying potential partners and team members.
• Participate in the preparation of rail sector procurement and contracting activities covering expressions of interest (EOIs), Terms of Interest, requests for proposals (RFPs) as well as the evaluation of tenders and contracting.
• Monitor the implementation of railway components of major transport infrastructure programs in ECOWAS member states.
• Perform other related duties as may be assigned by the Head of roads and railways division, Director of Transport or Commissioner.

Academic Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Railway Engineering, Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Electronics and, Mechanical Engineering, Transport Engineering, Planning, Economics Logistics, or other related discipline from a recognized university.
• 5 years’ experience in railway project implementation and development in a developing country, with extensive experience in the preparation and execution of infrastructure projects.
• Demonstrated knowledge of policy development process, project preparation, procurement, technical studies, Design of major Railway projects
• Practical technical knowledge and understanding of rail transport operations and management, rail logistics chains and infrastructure development in line with best practices.
• Experience in monitoring and evaluation of infrastructure related projects or programmes.
• Knowledge and experience in policy development process, programme design and execution

Age Limit:

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

Key Competencies:

• Ability to persuade/influence others to consider a certain point of view, adopt a new idea, or implement new methods and practices.
• Ability to lead a team of trainees/junior staff and instill a spirit of teamwork to engage employees and achieve a well-defined set of activities.
• Ability to respect chain of command in an appropriate manner.
• Ability to utilize the Code of Ethics to manage self, others, information, and resources.
• Ability to mentor others and create feedback loops with supervisors, colleagues, and subordinates to build strong working relationships and improve performance.
• Interpersonal skills with ability to keep a client informed of progress or setbacks in projects of relevance to timeline, quality, and quantity.
• Ability to proactively interact with clients and build strong trusting relationships based on mutual respect and regular discussions.
• Ability to establish and sustain professional credibility with clients/stakeholders in a manner that anticipates their needs, mitigates issues, and balances professional obligations with responsiveness.
• Ability to counsel, advise, consult, and guide others on matters related to assigned client service responsibilities and established client service standards.
• Demonstrated respect for cultural differences, fairness, and ability to relate well with people from varied backgrounds, nationality, gender, ethnicity, race, and religion.
• Understanding of diverse cultural views, especially within West Africa, with sensitivity to group differences; ability to challenge bias and practice tolerance and empathy.
• Ability to listen actively, consider people’s concerns, and apply judgment, tact, and diplomacy.
• Ability and responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring equal participation of women and men in all areas of work.
• Knowledge of ECOWAS institutions, sectors, programmes, and policies.
• Knowledge of ECOWAS internal operational requirements of programs, projects, services, and systems needed to achieve work assignments and meet performance goals.
• Knowledge of the ECOWAS culture, structures, and performance issues and priorities impacting assigned responsibilities.
• Knowledge of Member States' development trends, indicators, challenges, and opportunities related to assigned projects/programmes.
• Ability to study data/information from a variety of sources, identify anomalies, trends, and issues, present findings, and make recommendations.
• Ability to break down problems or processes into key parts to identify and solve gaps in service, quality assurance, compliance, and performance targets.
• Knowledge of and ability to apply techniques to generate creative ideas and new approaches to meeting goals.
• Ability to use evidence and research to inform policies and programs and identify relevant and appropriate sources of information, including stakeholders, regional institutions, and internal committees.
• Demonstrated operational computer proficiency using appropriate tools.
• Ability to make sound use of graphics and tables to effectively present numerical data, write semi-complex technical reports/proposals, and edit/check templates, letters, etc.
• Ability to convey information clearly and concisely in a succinct and organized manner, both in writing and verbally.
• Ability to exhibit interpersonal skills, make presentations, express opinions, and debate ideas constructively.
• Proficiency in information communication technologies (ICT).
• Fluency in oral and written expression in one of the ECOWAS official languages (English, French, or Portuguese); knowledge of an additional one is an added advantage.
• Ability to develop and implement an individual action plan to achieve specific work goals.
• Ability to identify, organize, and monitor tasks throughout to facilitate execution.
• Ability to contribute to and/or lead projects using accepted project management standards and techniques; coordinate contributions by others to set and meet deadlines.
• Ability to organize work, set priorities, and work within timelines, with attention to details, stakeholders, indicators, and risks.
• Ability to identify, collect, and assess indicators to monitor performance and take proactive remedial action when required.