Project Officer – Green and Digital Economy at the European Union Delegation to the Federal Republic of Nigeria and ECOWAS

The European Union (EU) is an economic and political partnership between 27 European countries. It plays an important role in international affairs through diplomacy, trade, development aid and working with global organisations. Abroad, the EU is represented through more than 140 diplomatic representations, known also as EU Delegations, which have a similar function to those of the EU embassy development programme.

The EU Delegation to the Federal Republic of Nigeria and ECOWAS works closely with the national, regional and local authorities as well as other foreign missions. The European Union (EU) is a major player in the international development community in Nigeria with an active presence in the key sectors of health, nutrition, water and sanitation and improving access to sustainable electricity. Additional crosscutting activities include the fight against corruption, drugs and organised crime, support to the reform of the justice system, measures to increase the role of democratic processes and supporting a greater role for civil society.

The European Union Delegation to the Federal Republic of Nigeria and ECOWAS is recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Project Officer – Green and Digital Economy

Job No. e-Del-HRM No 116852
Location: Abuja
Sysper 2 No 387835-DEVCO

Job Description

• We offer a post of Project Officer. Under this post, the recruited person will be attributed functions depending on the needs of the Delegation.
• Upon recruitment, the successful candidate will occupy a specific job function as Project Officer.
• This job function may be changed in accordance with the needs of the Delegation.
• Under this job function, the successful candidate will in particular contribute to the conception, elaboration and implementation of development co-operation strategies, programmes and projects in the area of climate-smart agriculture to address food insecurity, increase agricultural exports, and job creation / entrepreneurship, digital transformation of the sector and agri-businesses along green value chains, under the supervision of the relevant Team Leader.
• The candidate, Local Agent LA1 will work full time (37.5 hours weekly) in a multicultural and multinational environment at the premises of the EU Delegation in Abuja, Nigeria.

Selection Criteria
Minimum Requirements:

• Medically fit to perform the required duties;
• Enjoys civil rights and permits for employment under the Nigerian labour law
• Excellent knowledge of English, fluency in spoken and written (C2 Level)
• A Master’s Degree in Economics, Agriculture, Climate/Environment or Development Studies, or other relevant science qualifications.
• At least 5 years continuous relevant experience in project/programmes management, and knowledge of project monitoring methods and techniques, including logical framework.
• Full computer literacy, covering all relevant MS Office applications
• We expect a candidate with deep understanding and experience in food insecurity, increase agricultural exports, job creation/entrepreneurship and all phases of the project management cycle.
• High level of personal integrity, ability to work under strict deadlines and cope with significant workload such as:
  • Policy/Sector Analysis:
    • Analyse developments in the agriculture sector and contribute to the preparation of sector reports for the Delegation and EU HQ.
    • Support policy dialogue with relevant ministries, agencies, development partners and other relevant stakeholders in the agriculture sector.
    • Contribute to other related analyses and dialogues, in particular on circular economy, climate and environment, digitalisation, employment and entrepreneurship.
  • Management of EU Projects:
    • Liaise with EU HQ for the dissemination and implementation in Nigeria of global EU initiatives, especially in support of the pertinent to the portfolio managed
    • Contribute to programming and reviews of the country programme including identification, formulation and monitoring of programmes/projects in co-ordination with relevant Nigerian authorities, ensuring that EU regulations and procedures are followed.
    • Manage implementation of some EU Delegation’s projects and programmes, and stakeholder engagement towards achieving Nigeria’s development goals
    • Contribute to reporting requirements: External Assistance Management Report (EAMR); Progress report: project, sector and ad-hoc reports.
    • Contribute to the visibility of EU development cooperation activities.
    • In the performance of the above-mentioned duties, the Cooperation Officer will work closely together with other staff in the Cooperation Unit and within the EU Delegation, particularly with the Finance and Contracts Section.
  • Monitoring and Reporting:
    • Reporting to the Team Leader and the Head of Cooperation, the Cooperation Officer is expected to contribute and provide technical expertise to the EU Delegation in all phases of the project management cycle, in particular to ensure proper project appraisal and subsequently monitoring of project  implementation, and sector reviews.
    • The Cooperation Officer will be assigned specific projects/programmes with primary focus on climate-smart agriculture.
  • Communication and Networking:
    • The position requires excellent analytical, report writing, networking and communication skills. Furthermore, the ability to work under pressure in a team or individually on specific tasks and to adapt to a multi-cultural environment is required.
    • Candidates are also expected to be able to communicate complex information in a comprehensible manner, be flexible towards new demands and deliver their outputs in a structured way.
    • The International Aid / Cooperation Officer will contribute to information exchange, coordination and policy dialogue with EU Member States, national and international development partners, regional, national and local government actors, civil society and the private sector.
• When required, undertake other assignments that may be needed in view of the efficient functioning of the Delegation.

The following will be considered an asset:

• Knowledge of French and other Nigerian languages, including Pidgin at working level
• Additional qualifications in climate/agriculture project management will be highly advantageous.
• Project cycle management experience in Nigeria will be considered an asset. Familiarity with the EU development cooperation instruments, EU project management cycle and EU procurement/financial procedures will be considered an advantage.

Remuneration

• We offer a competitive position in an international environment. Benefits, such as a pension scheme and medical insurance, are offered to employees and their families under certain conditions.
• The gross basic salary will be raised in accordance with the current salary scale, depending on years of relevant professional experience, starting from NGN1,440,847.

Application Closing Date
30th April, 2022.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should submit their Applications (a letter explaining their interest and suitability for this position and Curriculum Vitae – each 2 pages maximum), to the attention of the “Head of Administration” via: [email protected] using “Project Officer – Green and Digital Economy. Job No.  e-Del-HRM No 116852 and Sysper 2 No 387835-DEVCO” as the subject of the email.

The Procedure

• After the deadline for applications, the applications will be reviewed by the Selection Committee set up for this purpose.
• The Selection Committee will prepare a shortlist of candidates who are considered to be the most suitable for this post on the basis of a preliminary assessment of the information provided in their application letter and the supporting document.
• The shortlisted candidates will be invited to an assessment phase, which is a written test, followed by interviews. During this phase, the Selection Committee will assess the suitability of the candidates for the post.
• The candidates who have not been shortlisted will not be contacted individually; however, the Delegation will inform the remaining candidates by emaill, once the recruitment procedure has been completed and that a candidate has (or has not) been recruited.
• The Delegation will not supply additional information or discuss the selection procedure by telephone: please address any queries concerning this procedure to: [email protected]
• Applications received after the deadline stated above or not conform to these instructions will be automatically rejected.