Council Member Legal (ERERA)

• Agency/Institution: ERERA

• Grade: D1

• Annual Salary: UA 38,814 – UA 48,222

• Reference: ECW-ERERA/REC/PR-D/002/2015

• Duration: Five (5) years Fixed term non-renewable

• Duty Station: Accra, Ghana

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) established the ECOWAS Regional Electricity Regulatory Authority (ERERA) as a Regional Regulator to regulate cross-border electricity trading among ECOWAS Member States.

For the effective functioning of ERERA’s activities, the Commission intends to recruit a competent and qualified person for the post of Council Member Legal to be a member of the ERERA Regulatory Council.

The Council Member Legal, ensures jointly with the other members, the regulation of cross-border electricity exchanges, in accordance with the provisions of Community texts. He shall be appointed on full-time basis and for a non-renewable term of five (5) years.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Council Member Legal is responsible, among other things, for:

• Participating in the Council’s deliberations.
• Guiding the Council in the development of the Council’s Regulations and ensuring, in particular, legal compliance with all the regulations and decisions made by the Council within the framework of implementing its overall mandate of regulating cross-border electricity exchanges and settling disputes;
• Assisting the Chairman of the Regulatory Council in carrying out his responsibilities, particularly the organization, monitoring and supervision of all ERERA’s activities, the preparation of the annual report, as well as the preparation and implementation of ERERA’s budget;
• Supervising the drafting and preparation of texts, licences and terms of reference, legislation and regulation, contracts or interconnection agreements, contract awards;
• Steering institutional reforms, energy policies, liberalization and regulation of the energy sector.
• Analyzing the electricity sector regulations of ECOWAS Member States;
• Reviewing the existing or cross-border energy exchange agreements being prepared and ensuring their implementation;
• Managing legal issues (joint-venture, public-private partnership, tariff issues) related to cross-border electricity exchanges and market management;
• Defining the operating legal rules and procedures of the regional electricity market;
• Monitoring partners’ compliance with commercial rules and their contractual agreements, and laying down dispute-settlement procedures;

Remuneration
In addition to the basic salary indicated above, Council Member Legal will receive allowances and benefits under ECOWAS Staff Rules and the Regulation relating to the organization and functioning of ERERA.

Qualifications/Experience/Competencies

Candidates for the post of Council Member Legal will be appointed on the basis of their moral integrity and competence. They should have successfully held a management position in their previous functions.

1. a) Degrees and Qualifications

• Candidates must hold a Minimum of Masters’ Degree in Law or related field.

1. b) Experience: Candidates for this position must have:

• No less than twelve (12) years proven professional experience in energy law and regulation, particularly in the preparation and drafting of texts, licences and terms of reference, contracts or interconnection agreements, award of contracts, etc.
• Experience in a management position, preferably in a regulatory body;

• No less than five (5) years experience in team management, preferably in a supervisory capacity, within an international organization;
• Good knowledge of energy policy issues, in particular electricity sector institutional reforms, as well as legal issues related to cross-border electricity exchanges and electricity market management.
• Good knowledge of Community institutions and mechanisms within the ECOWAS region, as well as proven experience in the area of electricity sector regulation in Africa. Experience in international relations and negotiations will be an added advantage.

Competencies

• Diplomacy and excellent interpersonal skills and ability to operate effectively across organizational boundaries;
• Provide excellent organizational and project management skills, and proven ability to work with others to manage and resolve organizational issues.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relations with people of different national and cultural backgrounds with respect to diversity.
• Proven effective written and oral presentation skills, particularly ability to effectively interact with the public, donor community, the media, diplomatic missions, government agencies, regulatory institutions, other national utilities, and financial and technical partners
• Demonstrate analytical problem solving and decision making; has proven ability to plan, organize and work in an independent manner
• Keep abreast of available technology, understand and apply technology to work of the office
• Good knowledge of political matters in West Africa and of the political mechanisms of the United Nations, the African Union, the European Union, etc.
• With strong analytical and summarizing skills, the candidate must be able to identify problems and contribute to providing solutions. He must display a sense of independence while demonstrating great capacity for team work.

Others

The Council Member Legal must be a citizen of an ECOWAS Member State, exercise their civil and political rights and shall have a clean criminal record.

Age

Not limited

Language

Must be fluent in one of the official languages of the Commission: English, French and Portuguese. A working knowledge of another would be an advantage.

To apply for any position, candidates should download the JOB APPLICATION FORM, fill it and send it as an email attachment to applications@ecowas.int together with their CV.

No certificate should be attached.

Furthermore, candidates should contact Tel. No. +234 902 094 6554 for further information or clarification if needed.

Council Member Legal (ERERA)