The ECOWAS Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (ECREEE) is a specialized agency of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) with a public mandate to promote renewable energy and energy efficiency markets in the ECOWAS region.
The Ouagadougou Declaration, adopted at the ECOWAS conference for Peace and Security on 12th November 2007 in Burkina Faso, articulated the need to establish a regional center to promote Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency. In 2008, the 61st Session of ECOWAS Council of Ministers adopted regulation C/REG.23/11/08 to give the ECOWAS Center for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency a legal basis. The ECREEE Secretariat was subsequently set up in November 2009 in Praia, Cape Verde.
This post is located at the Secretariat of the ECOWAS Centre on Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (ECREEE) based in Praia, Cape Verde. Under the supervision of the Executive Director, the duties of the:
PO COMMINICATION AND CAPACITY BUILDING (1 Position) Internationally recruited position
- Department: ECREEE Executive Secretariat
- Directorate: ECREEE
- Grade: P2
- Annual Salary: USD 31,192 – USD 38,869
- Supervisor: PPO ICT
- Reference: ECW-ECREEE-P/015/2016
- Duration: Contract (Two years – renewable)
- Duty Station: Praia, Cape Verde
Duties and Responsibilities
Communications
- Assist with communication activities of ECREEE including but not limited to drafting news articles, press releases and media advisories that positively highlight ECREEE activities and increase understanding of RE, EE and Energy Access issues;
- Assist in preparation and dissemination of ECREEE information materials (e.g. video, newsletter, brochures, calendars, annual work plans and status reports);
- Assist in the organization of interviews, press briefings, awareness campaigns and other outreach activities;
- Follow up on the publication of ECREEE interviews and articles in RE&EE magazines and ensure they are made available in the ECREEE Media and Photo Archive;
- Assist in keeping track of and preparing draft responses to address incoming information requests, and follow up with ECREEE expert staff and the National Focal Institutions (NFIs) to obtain guidance and verify facts;
- Assist in the management, maintenance and updating of the trilingual ECREEE website in cooperation with the PO-Communications and PO-IT;
- Provide support to facilitate and follow up on communications between the ECREEE Secretariat, the National Focal Institutions (NFIs) and other key partners and stakeholders in the ECOWAS region and internationally;
- Assist with the preparation of community interactions to promote engagement and ensure reputational risk mitigation; monitor ECREEE related conversations on social media; compile and prepare base metrics to determine public engagement, and facilitate preparation of reports;
- Assist with the preparation of draft speeches and presentations for the ED in cooperation with the PO-Communications.
Capacity Building
- Assist in the implementation and monitoring of the long term ECOWAS Capacity Building Plan;
- Assist in the development of national and regional RE, EE and Energy Access Capacity Building Programs and their implementation and wide dissemination;
- Assist with the preparation of draft inputs to the ECREEE work plan, business plan and its strategic orientation as regards capacity building in the RE, EE and Energy Access sectors of West Africa and internationally;
- Assist with the drafting of project documents and reports and presentations, compiling related literature, in collaboration and/or consultation as/when appropriate with international capacity building organizations;
- Assist in the maintenance of ECREEE’s contact network in the West African region and internationally;
- Assist in the implementation of national and regional awareness raising and advocacy campaigns on RE and EE issues and dissemination of knowledge management products. Assist with the development of an argumentation on the potentials, benefits and opportunities of RE and EE solutions in relation to conventional energy solutions.;
- Assist in the development of country-specific knowledge bases of ECREEE;
- Assist with the organization of roundtables, workshops, lectures, and seminars on ECREEE activities;
- Assist in the preparation of Terms of Reference (TORs) for relevant consultancies;
- Assist in the planning and organization of training workshops for ECREEE staff and international consultants to strengthen implementation capacities.
Qualifications/Experience/Skills
Educational Qualification
- First Level University Degree (Bachelor’s Degree) in Communications or Journalism (or equivalent qualification in a related discipline);
- Master’s degree in a relevant field will be an advantage and will reduce required years of experience by up to 2 years (depending on the field);
Experience
- At least 3 years post-qualification in the area of communication in the ECOWAS region. Experience in the field of energy will be considered an advantage;
- Excellent communication, presentation, networking, problem-solving, research and analytical writing skills;
- Self-motivated with good interpersonal skills and organizational experience, including events (logistics, meeting notes, report preparation, etc.);
- Ability to work under pressure and meet tight deadlines in a multinational environment and handle politically and culturally sensitive issues;
- Work experience in a regional/international organization in a related capacity will be an advantage;
- Advance knowledge of a wide range of software (word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, e-mail, internet, etc.), and automation equipment.
- Experience with content management systems of websites is desirable.
Age
Candidates should not be over 50 years old at the point of recruitment and must be a citizen of one of the ECOWAS member states.
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.
PO communication and capacity building