Regional Cybersecurity Advisor (West Africa)

GIZ. Solutions that work.

As a service provider in the field of international cooperation for sustainable development and international education work, we are dedicated to shaping a future worth living around the world. GIZ has over 50 years of experience in a wide variety of areas, including economic development and employment promotion, energy and the environment, and peace and security. The diverse expertise of our federal enterprise is in demand around the globe – from the German Government, European Union institutions, the United Nations, the private sector and governments of other countries. We work with businesses, civil society actors and research institutions, fostering successful interaction between development policy and other policy fields and areas of activity. Our main commissioning party is the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). The registered offices of GIZ are in Bonn and Eschborn. Our approximately 23,500 employees, almost 70 percent of whom are national personnel, work in a round 120 countries (July 2020) 

GIZ has worked in Nigeria since 1974. From 2004, GIZ has maintained a country office in the capital city Abuja.  Currently 361 national and 66 international employees, 19 regional staff, 4 integrated specialists and 3 development workers are working in the country (June 2020).

Support to the ECOWAS Commission on Advancing Regional Cybersecurity

The Global Project “Partnership for Strengthening Cybersecurity” has been commissioned by the German Federal Foreign Office in 2023. Its main goal is the reinforcement of selected bilateral and regional partners’ capabilities to prevent, mitigate and respond to cyber security threats. Its regional components focus on the African Union (AU), the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), as well as the Western Balkans and Eastern European countries. The project is implemented GIZ in close cooperation with regional political partners, and co-funded by the European Commission since 2024.

In West Africa, in close coordination with the ECOWAS Commission, the “Partnership for Strengthening Cybersecurity” project contributes to the implementation of ECOWAS’ regional measures to support a) the development of cyber diplomacy mechanisms and skills and b) enhance the protection of critical infrastructure through operational response capabilities across member states.

     The Regional Cybersecurity Advisor (West Africa) will be embedded in the GIZ-ECOWAS office in Abuja, Nigeria, and at the same time closely coordinate (virtually) with the global project team, based in Germany

          A.   Responsibilities

   The Regional Cybersecurity Advisor (West Africa) is responsible for the following areas:

·         –     Design and implementation of regional project activities to advance regional skills and mechanisms on cyber diplomacy and operational response capabilities across West Africa

·         –      Provision of advisory services to the ECOWAS Commission on strategic cyber diplomacy and cybersecurity approaches

·         –       Multi-stakeholder management and network-building, including with regional experts, service providers, the local EU delegation, and other international partners.

·          –     Continuous project management, including communication and visibility activities, results-based monitoring and reporting, and knowledge management.

   The Regional Cybersecurity Advisor (West Africa) performs the following tasks:

.  

B.   Tasks

·         Regularly exchange with the ECOWAS Commission for strategic advice and the preparation and implementation of activities, with a focus on change management and sustainable anchoring

·         Steer the implementation of activities both in Abuja and across the region (e.g. policy and technical trainings with external partners, workshops, conferences, organisational change and community development), including coordination of participants, partners, contributors and local GIZ offices.

·         Tendering and quality control of contractual project partners, e.g. grantees and service providers, jointly with the GIZ office

·         Effective project management of the regional component (ECOWAS), including operational planning and reporting.

·         Create visibility and communication material and measures.

·         Function as a regional project focal point in West Africa, e.g. participate in relevant regional events on behalf of the project and regularly liaise with regional experts and partners.

·         Collaborate with and regularly report back to the global project team on project activities, stakeholder management.

     C.   Required qualifications, Competences and Experience

• QualificationsA minimum of a Master’s degree in information security, Cybersecurity, or a comparable field relevant to the position and subject area.

Professional experience

• Minimum of 5 years of professional experience with regional or international organisations in the field of capacity building, organisational change, and policy advice
• Professional experience and demonstrable knowledge at the interface of digital and security policy, preferably in the fields of cybersecurity and cyber diplomacy (a strong professional network in cyber security is considered as an asset)
• Experience and knowledge of procedures and actors in foreign affairs and international cooperation in digital or security policy fields.
• Experience in impact-oriented project management, event organisation including setting up and running workshops and conferences, results monitoring and stakeholder management.
• Proficiency in regular communications tools and software, including but not limited to Microsoft Office tools and information dissemination platforms.
• Professional proficiency in English and at least working knowledge of French. 

Desired additional qualifications, competencies, and experiences

• Work experience with international and development organizations, including GIZ.
• Ability to work with little supervision to meet set deadlines.
• Excellent copy editing, writing and research skills, analytical skills, oral and written presentation skills, interpersonal skills, and high integrity.
• Sound knowledge of relationship building, relationship management and networking.
• Willingness to travel across the West African region to attend in-person project activities, relevant events and conferences

You are kindly requested to submit your CV and letter of motivation as one document with complete contact details via email to: [email protected]

(Please include vacancy No.036 in mail subject)

GIZ is an equal opportunities employer committed to diversity. All qualified candidates, regardless of age, sex, ethnicity, race, and religion are encouraged to apply.

       Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.