Policy Officer (ECOWAS) (UG) Abuja, Nigeria

Position Title: Policy Officer (ECOWAS)

Duty Station: Abuja, Nigeria

Classification: Professional Staff, Grade UG

Type of Appointment: Special short-term ungraded, 6 months with possibility of extension

Estimated Start Date: As soon as possible

Closing Date: 27 February 2024

Established in 1951, IOM is a Related Organization of the United Nations, and as the leading UN agency in the field of migration, works closely with governmental, intergovernmental and non-governmental partners. IOM is dedicated to promoting humane and orderly migration for the benefit of all. It does so by providing services and advice to governments and migrants.

Internal and external candidates will be considered for this vacancy. For the purposes of this vacancy, internal candidates are defined as staff members holding a regular, fixed-term or short-term graded or ungraded contract, including Junior Professional Officers (JPOs), staff on Special Leave Without Pay (SLWOP), and staff members on secondment/loan released by the Organization, unless otherwise specified in their contract. Staff members holding a regular, fixed-term or short-term graded contract will not retain their contract type if appointed to an ungraded position.

Context:

Under the overall supervision of the Chief of Mission (CoM) of IOM Nigeria, the direct technical supervision of the Senior Programme Manager (FMM II), in close coordination with the Director of Free Movement of Persons, Migration and Tourism, under the Commissioner of Economic Affairs and Agriculture at the ECOWAS Commission, and in collaboration with the Programme’s Consortium partners, the Policy Officer (ECOWAS) will be responsible for providing technical support and assistance with migration policy related activities of the European Union (EU) funded Programme Support to Free Movement of Persons and Migration in West Africa, phase II (FMM II).

The overall objective of the programme is to maximize the development potential of free movement of persons and safe, orderly and regular migration in West Africa in the context of the regional integration process. This second phase of the FMM programme will build on the success of the previous EU-funded support toward implementing ECOWAS migration-related policies and frameworks and improve migration governance in the region through a multi-stakeholder consortium implementation modality comprised of the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) and the International Labour Organization (ILO), under the lead of the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

This five-year programme will be implemented at regional, national and local levels within ECOWAS Member States (MS) and Mauritania, with the main objective of effectively implementing the ECOWAS Free Movement Protocol and the ECOWAS Common Approach on Migration.

Core Functions / Responsibilities:

1. Support the functioning of the programme governance and management structures by providing technical assistance on the implementation of migration policy related activities of the programme to the ECOWAS Directorate of Free Movement of Persons, Migration and Tourism, in accordance with programme’s workplan.
2. Facilitate the secretariat of the Migration Dialogue for West Africa (MIDWA), promote the active role of its working groups and encourage its expertise and activities in the ECOWAS sub-regional development cooperation frameworks.
3. Promote ECOWAS and MIDWA’s engagement in international migration related frameworks such as the Global Compact for Migration (GCM), Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD), among others.
4. Support the implementation, in coordination with the Consortium partners and Member States, of the programme’s policy and migration management, border management and Free Movement components, as well as Information and sensitization activities.
5. Ensure that monitoring and evaluation frameworks and activities are carried out to support the overall follow-up of related activities, results and objectives of the programme and ensure the timely submission of narrative and financial reports, in accordance with the provisions of the contribution agreement signed between Consortium Partners and the EU.
6. Ensure regular liaison between IOM, ECOWAS Free Movement Directorate, Committee for Programme Steering and Coordination (CPSC), EU Delegation (EUD) in Abuja, other ECOWAS Directorates and Member states, and relevant programme stakeholders.
7. Facilitate trainings on the Free Movement Protocol and ECOWAS to Member States and key governmental and non-governmental actors.
8. Ensure synergies between FMM II and other programs related to free movement of persons and mobility to maximize impact and avoid duplication of efforts.
9. Promote and contribute to integrating and mainstreaming gender, protection, human rights and other pertinent cross-cutting issues into programme implementation.
10. Maintain flexibility to take on added responsibility as and when needed, in close coordination with the Director of Free Movement of Persons and Migration.
11. Should be capable of undertaking frequent travels within the sub-region.
12. Perform such other duties as may be assigned.

Required Qualifications and Experience:

Education

• Master’s degree in Political or Social Science, International Relations, Law, Development Studies, Migration Studies, or a related field from an accredited academic institution with two years of relevant professional experience; or,
• University degree or equivalent in the above fields with four years of relevant professional experience.

Experience

• Experience in similar positions of progressive responsibility;
• Experience in coordinating complex inter-agency programmes and engaging with multiple partners and stakeholders;
• Experience liaising with regional bodies, governmental authorities, diplomatic missions and other international/national institutions;
• Experience working with migration management related issues (policy, donor liaison, protection, labour mobility and/or social inclusion);
• Previous work experience on migration-related programmes or projects in the Africa’s Regional Economic Communities (RECs) is an advantage; and,
• Previous work experience in the West African Region is an advantage.

Skills

• Ability to take responsibility for actions and results, to manage constructive criticism and to propose solutions to problems;
• Ability to work effectively and harmoniously within a team of colleagues, clients (CSOs, UN Agencies, among others) and stakeholders (including Government Officials) from varied cultures and professional backgrounds;
• Excellent written and oral communication skills; exceptional interpersonal skills, a focused listener;
• High level of computer literacy (Word, Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint);
• Ability to independently carry out tasks;
• Ability to multi-task and to prioritize required;
• Incorporates gender-related needs, perspectives, and concerns, and promotes equal gender participation;
• Knowledge of UN, ECOWAS and bilateral donor programming;
• Understanding of the continental integration architecture in Africa and the role of Regional Economic Communities (RECs) is an advantage; and,
• Proven ability to establish and maintain strong working relations with Government andNon-Governmental counterparts, international organizations, civil society and/or private sector entities.

Languages

IOM’s official languages are English, French, and Spanish. All staff members are required to be fluent in one of the three languages.

For this position, fluency in English is required (oral and written). For this position, fluency in English is required (oral and written).

Proficiency of language(s) required will be specifically evaluated during the selection process, which may include written and/or oral assessments.

Notes

Only citizens of ECOWAS Community will be eligible for this position.

The successful candidate will be working at the Directorate of Free Movement of Persons’ premises in ECOWAS.

Accredited Universities are the ones listed in the UNESCO World Higher Education Database (https://whed.net/home.php).

Required Competencies:

Values – all IOM staff members must abide by and demonstrate these five values:

• Inclusion and respect for diversity: Respects and promotes individual and cultural differences. Encourages diversity and inclusion.
• Integrity and transparency: Maintains high ethical standards and acts in a manner consistent with organizational principles/rules and standards of conduct.
• Professionalism: Demonstrates ability to work in a composed, competent and committed manner and exercises careful judgment in meeting day-to-day challenges.
• Courage: Demonstrates willingness to take a stand on issues of importance.
• Empathy: Shows compassion for others, makes people feel safe, respected and fairly treated.

Core Competencies – behavioural indicators

• Teamwork: Develops and promotes effective collaboration within and across units to achieve shared goals and optimize results.
• Delivering results: Produces and delivers quality results in a service-oriented and timely manner. Is action oriented and committed to achieving agreed outcomes.
• Managing and sharing knowledge: Continuously seeks to learn, share knowledge and innovate.
• Accountability: Takes ownership for achieving the Organization’s priorities and assumes responsibility for own actions and delegated work.
• Communication: Encourages and contributes to clear and open communication. Explains complex matters in an informative, inspiring and motivational way.

IOM’s competency framework can be found at this link.

https://www.iom.int/sites/default/files/about-iom/iom_revised_competency_framework_external.p df

Competencies will be assessed during a competency-based interview.

Other:

Internationally recruited professional staff are required to be mobile. Any offer made to the candidate in relation to this vacancy notice is subject to funding confirmation.

For this staff category, candidates who are nationals of the duty station’s country cannot be considered eligible.

Appointment will be subject to certification that the candidate is medically fit for appointment, accreditation, any residency or visa requirements, and background verification and security clearances. Subject to certain exemptions, vaccination against COVID-19 will in principle be required for individuals hired on or after 15 November 2021. This will be verified as part of the medical clearance process.

Vacancies close at 23:59 local time Geneva, Switzerland on the respective closing date. No late applications will be accepted.