PO communication and capacity building , Praia, Cape Verde

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 communication and capacity building (1 Position) Internationally recruited position
o Department: ECREEE Executive Secretariat
o Directorate: ECREEE
o Grade: P3
o Annual Salary: USD 37,430 – USD 45,109
o Supervisor: PPO ICT
o Reference: ECW-ECREEE-P/014/2016
o Duration: Contract (Two years – renewable)
o Duty Station: Praia, Cape Verde

Duties and Responsibilities

• Communications Prepare policy recommendations for the development of a long-term strategy for social media communications and public relations (PR);
• Evaluate and provide advice on appropriate social media tools, platforms and strategies to strengthen engagement with target audiences. Establish and maintain an effective communication network with print and audio-visual media in the ECOWAS region to boost knowledge management activities of ECREEE;
• As PR and social media focal point, represent ECREEE at internal and external meetings, working groups, task forces and other forums to inform and raise awareness, and establish partnerships with digital communication focal points in other stakeholder organizations. Participate, organize and/or host roundtables, workshops, lectures, and seminars on ECREEE’s activities. Coordinate social media campaigns, develop and implement a rich content plan, coordinate video, editorial and graphic design inputs;
• Contribute to accurate, balanced and objective reporting on ECREEE and its activities by organizing pro-active interviews, press briefings, awareness campaigns and other outreach activities; coordinate PR and information activities at workshops and conferences organized by ECREEE expert staff. Generate news stories, press releases and media advisories that positively highlight ECREEE activities and at the same time increase knowledge and understanding on RE&EE issues; facilitate the publication of ECREEE interviews and articles in RE&EE expert magazines;
• Address incoming information requests relating to ECREEE and RE, EE and Energy Access activities, working closely with ECREEE expert staff and the National Focal Institutions (NFIs) to obtain clear guidance, verify facts and craft talking points/messages;
   Coordinate ECREEE-wide social media presences and digital communication projects, including creation and publication of multilingual web content and update the trilingual ECREEE website, in close collaboration with the PO-IT. Prepare project documentation and draft ToRs for external service providers, and assign and monitor their work. Maintain the ECREEE Media and Photo Archive;
• Develop and implement internal guidelines and a communication policy to ensure visibility of ECREEE and its partners, programs and projects (including but not limited to establishing a collection of templates e.g. presentations, logos) to ensure the corporate identity of the Centre); Update and ensure quality and wide dissemination of trilingual ECREEE information materials (e.g. video, newsletter, brochures, calendars, annual work plans and status reports);
• Serve as focal point, in close consultation with the PO-IT, on issues relating to information architecture, web usability and user experience. Conduct usability testing and quality control and develop proposals and recommendations for the restructuring or creation of new web pages, as/when necessary;
• Assess ECREEE requirements and propose and develop web pages in accordance with best practice, ensuring optimal clarity and usability; identify requirements for new/improved applications and databases to facilitate access to content; and provide conceptual input for developers.
• Coordinate community interactions to promote engagement and ensure reputational risk mitigation; monitor ECREEE related conversations on social media; compile and analyzing metrics to determine public engagement, and prepare relevant reports;
• Draft speeches and presentations for the ED in cooperation with the ECREEE expert staff.

Capacity Building

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• Identify actions and measures in support of the implementation, monitoring and execution of the long term ECOWAS Capacity Building Plan;
• Provide support in the development, design and implementation of national and regional Capacity Building strategies;
• Provide 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;
•  Participate in RE, EE and Energy Access meetings and forums in the region through drafting of project documents and reports and presentations, compiling related literature, in collaboration and/or consultation as/when appropriate with international capacity building organizations;
• Foster ECREEE partnerships with stakeholders, institutions and organizations in the ECOWAS region and internationally (e.g. UN, IRENA, World Bank). Promote RE&EE knowledge sharing, capitalization of experiences and communities of practice;
• Initiate national and regional awareness raising and advocacy campaigns on RE and EE issues and develop and disseminate knowledge management products.
• Develop an argumentation on the potentials, benefits and opportunities of RE and EE solutions in relation to conventional energy solutions. Actively participate in the development of national and regional capacity building programs, contributing to the dissemination of RE, EE and Energy Access at national and regional levels and contributing to to the development of country-specific knowledge bases of ECREEE;
• Maintain and contribute to the ECREEE contact network in the West African region and internationally;
• Assist in the preparation of Terms of Reference (TORs) for relevant consultancies;
• Develop a strategy and prepare and implement 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, International Relations, Digital Marketing (or equivalent);
• A Master’s degree in a relevant field will be considered an advantage and will reduce required years of experience by up to 2 years (depending on the field);

Experience

• At least 5 years post-qualification experience in the field of Communication, preferably in the ECOWAS region. Experience in capacity building activities will be an advantage;
• Work experience in a regional/international organization in a related capacity will be an advantage;
• Outstanding communication, presentation, networking and writing skills and demonstrated capacity to develop and execute campaigns, public relation and outreach activities. Experience in the area of renewable energy, energy efficiency or environmental issues will be an asset;
• Strong organizational skills and demonstrated capacity to prioritize activities and deliver results in a timely manner, without compromising on the high standards of the institution;
• Demonstrated ability to work in a multinational environment as well as with a diverse group of people and organizations at the national, regional and international levels;
• Strong interpersonal and team working skills, and ability to maintain effective partnerships and working relations in a multicultural environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity;
• Ability to work under pressure and handle politically and culturally sensitive issues.
• Political awareness and ability to anticipate potential sensitivities;
• Ability to manage relations with development partners;
• Demonstrated experience in:
  • Managing web content and digital projects;
  • Writing and editing content for online platforms;
  •   Demonstrated knowledge of:
    • Social media trends, platforms, tools, metrics and best practices;
    • Web metrics and familiarity with Google Analytics;
    • HTML5 and web content management systems;
• Very good understanding of, and ability to apply, principles and best practices regarding web usability, content strategy, information architecture and interaction design;
• Good understanding of the work of WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organization) and IP issues.

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