VA No. : 061
Job Title: Technical Advisor – Electoral Affairs
Min. Qualification: Master’s degree in international relations, law, political science, social science or other related field of study.
Organization: GIZ Nigeria, ECOWAS Peace and Security Architecture and Operations (EPSAO)
Place: Abuja
Salary: According to GIZ Nigeria Salary scale for Band 4
Closing Date of advert : 30.10.2020
Background : GIZ. Solutions that work.
We provide services worldwide in the field of international cooperation for sustainable development. GIZ has over 50 years of experience in a wide variety of areas, including economic development and employment, energy and the environment, and peace and security. The diverse expertise of our federal enterprise is in demand around the globe, with the German Government, European Union institutions, the United Nations and governments of other countries all benefiting from our services. The German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) is our main commissioning party, but we also work with the private sector, fostering successful interaction between development policy and foreign trade.
All these commissioning parties place their trust in GIZ by working together with us to generate ideas for political, social and economic change, develop these into concrete plans and implement the envisaged change processes. Since we are a public-benefit federal enterprise, German and European values are central to our work. This makes us a reliable service provider that people can trust. Together with our partners, we work to deliver flexible and effective solutions that offer people better prospects and sustainably improve their living conditions.
The registered offices of GIZ are in Bonn and Eschborn. In 2019, we generated a business volume of around EUR 3.1 billion. Our 22,199 employees, almost 70 per cent of whom are national staff, work in around 120 countries. As a recognised development service provider, we currently have 556 development workers in action in partner countries. Furthermore, in 2019, the Centre for International Migration and Development (CIM), which is run jointly by GIZ and the German Federal Employment Agency, placed 262 integrated experts and 515 returning experts with local employers in our partner countries, or provided them with financial support, advice or other services.*
*Personnel and business figures as at 31 December 2019
Programme :
Since 2006, GIZ through the commissioning and funding of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) implemented the “Support Programme to the Commission of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)”. The Programme was aimed at strengthening the Commission in executing its core mandate of facilitating economic and political integration. GIZ support has had a focus in three principal areas including; 1) Organisational Development, 2) Trade and Customs, and 3) Peace and Security in which the Programme supported the strengthening of sector-specific expertise as well as strategic planning and management structures, capacities and processes.
Presently, GIZ implements the “ECOWAS Peace and Security Architecture and Operations” (EPSAO) Project with co-funding from the European Union (EU) and the BMZ. The main objective of the project is to support ECOWAS in the prevention and management of conflict and security threats in West Africa. There are three strategic areas of focus for the project: the strengthening of ECOWAS mechanisms for the promotion and maintenance of peace, stability and post crisis operations; enabling ECOWAS to manage emerging or existing conflicts; and contributing to the creation of a secure and safe post conflict environment.
A fourth area dealing with supporting peaceful, fair, transparent and inclusive electoral processes is currently been added to the project.
Responsibilities & tasks:
A. Responsibilities
The Technical Advisor – Electoral Affairs will be located within the GIZ EPSAO Project Office and will support the planning, implementation and monitoring of technical measures related to regional electoral assistance processes.
B. Tasks
Under the supervision of the Head of the Conflict Prevention Component, the Advisor will undertake the following roles and functions:
- Provide strategic and technical guidance and policy advice to the partner organisation for the enhancement of electoral assistance processes and in line with international best practice and
standards; - Support and accompany the work of the Embedded Technical Expert – Electoral Affairs – so as to ensure the effectiveness of GIZ EPSAO’s support to the ECOWAS Commission’s electoral affairs work from a project management perspective;
- Support the fostering of dynamic partnerships with key stakeholders at the regional and national levels including civil society, youth actors, media, development and other partners;
- Support coordination and oversight of work implemented by Project grant recipients;
- Provide context analysis and technical briefs and research, develop and deliver presentations, prepare various forms of documentation (e.g. background papers, knowledge products and
others) as may be required; - Collaborate closely with the Conflict Prevention Component and provide advice on processes and activities that will ensure gender mainstreaming measures in the electoral support work of the EPSAO Project as well as in the plans and activities of the ECOWAS Electoral Affairs Division;
- Ensure visibility of GIZ’s support for regional electoral processes;
- Support knowledge building and lessons learned processes with respect to regional electoral assistance processes.
- Engage in coordination and networking with other GIZ sister programmes, the counterparts in the ECOWAS system as well as with other relevant stakeholders
- Travel in the region and beyond as may be required.
Programmatic implementation and planning
- Lead the development of and adjustments to operational plans and budgets and ensure implementation of the planned activities of the Elections Component;
- Support the day-to-day operational activities and functions of the GIZ EPSAO Elections Component in close consultation with the Head of Component Conflict Prevention and the Embedded Expert – Electoral Affairs;
- Provide administrative and logistical support for activity implementation including for mission deployments;
- Ensure consistent implementation of GIZ and EU guidelines;
- Perform other project-related duties and functions as may be directed
Required qualifications, competences and experience:
C. Required qualifications, competences and experience
Qualifications
• Master’s degree in international relations, law, political science, social science or other related field of study.
Professional experience
• At least seven years’ experience working in the areas of peacebuilding, democracy and governance, conflict prevention or other related field. Experience working on electoral assistance processes will be a strong added advantage;
• Post conflict or developing country experience especially in the West African region would be highly valuable;
• A good understanding of the African peace and security landscape and especially the ECOWAS region – with an established network;
• Experience working for an international organisation will be highly desirable as will experience working or engaging with national actors (including governments, civil society and other).
Other knowledge, additional competences
• Experience in conflict resolution management and technical competence on electoral issues and needs;
• Experience with electoral observation processes (including field experiences) will be a strong asset as will familiarity with ECOWAS electoral assistance work;
• Ability to work in a dynamic, multidisciplinary and highly political context;
• Ability to apply technical expertise towards ensuring quality support and advice to the political partner on electoral processes;
• Excellent diplomacy and persuasion skills with a high sense of integrity and transparency;
• Good knowledge and understanding of results-based planning, monitoring and reporting;
• Impeccable writing, reporting and presentation skills;
• Strong organisational and project management skills;
• A good analytical ability;
• Spoken and written language skills in English is required for this position. Working knowledge of the French language will be a strong added advantage.
• Knowledge of the ECOWAS region and established contacts to relevant actors is regarded as an asset.
D. Contract duration and duty station
• Contract duration: 25 months; final contracting will remain conditional on donor commissioning.
• Duty station: Abuja, with duty travels throughout the region.
Submission Guideline:
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. 061 in mail subject)
GIZ Nigeria is an equal opportunity employer; both men and women are encouraged to apply.
Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted
