Principal Officer, Language Services

Applications should be sent to: b14parlpolang@ecowas.int

ROLE OVERVIEW

Under the supervision of the Director of Parliamentary Affairs and Research, the incumbent will co-ordinate and ensure production of quality language services at the Parliament.

ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Co-ordinate and supervise the activities of the Language Division;
• Co-ordinate the hiring and scheduling of Interpreters and Translators during sessions of Parliament, committee meetings and other meetings of the General Secretariat;
• Participate in and supervise Interpretation Services and ensure timely and quality service delivery;
• Perform any other duties as may be assigned by the supervisor.

ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

• Master’s degree or equivalent in Translation (Revisor) from a recognized University/institution;
• Bachelors or Master degree in Conference Interpretation from a recognized University/Institution.
• 10 years of experience in translation or interpretation , at least 4 of which should have been revision experience or as a staff interpreter;
• Demonstrated experience in the use of relevant computer assisted translation softwares/ tools; and ;
• Demonstrated understanding of how to “weigh” interpretation teams;
• Demonstrated professional competence and mastery of subject matter;
• Demonstate comprehension of every imaginable accent, in addition to coping issues of speed and style;
• Ability to find proper cultural equivalents and take cultural context into account through knowledge of both langauges and culture;
• Exhibit highest standards of accuracy, consistency and faithfulness to the style and nuances of the original text/source language(s);
• ability to maintain highest standards of confidentiality;
• knowledge of terminological and reference research techniques with ability to use wide variety of references and information;

AGE LIMIT

Be below 50 years old. This provision does not apply to internal candidates.

ECOWAS KEY COMPETENCIES

• ability to lead in assigned programmes and projects by providing the necessary managerial and operational expertise required for the fulfillment of the organization’s mandate;
• ability to lead by example and organize teamwork to encourage cooperation to achieve targeted results, champion and build momentum for change and to bring about employee engagement;
• ability to respect chain of command in an appropriate manner;
• excellent self-management skills, demonstrating ethics and integrity, confidentiality and displaying due regards for internal controls of rules, delegations and transparency;
• ability to bring together complementary skills/expertise, assess individual contributions and recognize/address accomplishments and shortcomings in a manner that brings continued success to the organization;
• knowledge of program management at the level usually acquired from a certification in program management.
• ability to research benchmarks and trends to bring about the best recommendations for the development and improvement of programs/projects that will best serve the community/organization;
• well-developed networking and interpersonal skills to seek feedback, information and data from a network of professionals from multiple countries/sectors/organizations and to identify and prioritize the most critical community requirements;
• ability to manage and co-ordinate client management initiatives and make recommendations;
• ability to develop and implement best practices in client services;
• ability to develop and implement stakeholder management plans, programs and initiatives to obtain buy-in on new initiatives, to better understand dissenting views, to obtain resources and to increase perceptions of success.
• ability to be diplomatic, tactful and respectful of other people from varied backgrounds, understanding diverse cultural views especially within West Africa with the ability to convert diversity into opportunities to improve program/operational outcomes;
• ability to create a diverse and inclusive interactive environment that benefits from diverse strengths bringing together innovative practices;
• ability to remain objective in managing conflict regardless of cultural differences /positions, gender differences, and encourage other staff to overcome cultural and gender bias and differences;
• ability and responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work;
• ability to serve the interest of culturally diverse multinational teams/organizations/communities and persons with disability without prejudice and bias
• understanding of the ECOWAS organizational structure, associated dynamics and expectations as required to collaborate, participate, contribute and lead effectively;
• knowledge of the ECOWAS mandate, strategic plan/priorities as well as the economic, political and social situation and trends in Member States, as pertains to own scope of work;
• knowledge of ECOWAS best practices, program management approaches and research techniques to lead and/or contribute to the development or assessment of programs, projects or initiatives;
• knowledge of the ECOWAS rules and procedures in order to appropriately interpret and apply directive or text, provide technical advice, coach others and assess performance.
• ability to analyze a situation by using indicators to assess the costs, benefits, risks, and chances for success in making decisions;
• ability to pull together information from different sources to identify the cause of problems, consequences of alternative causes of action, potential obstacles and ways to avoid the problem in the future;
• ability to break down very complex situations/information into simple terms to explain recommendations and conclusions aimed at solving problems or improving operations/programs/projects;
• ability to develop new insights into situations, apply innovative solutions to problems and to design new methods of addressing issues or disconnects where established methods and procedures are inapplicable or no longer effective.
• ability to communicate with impact, clearly and concisely in a succinct and organized manner conveying credibility & confidence when making presentations, setting expectations and explaining complex issues;
• ability to listen intently and correctly interpret messages from others and respond appropriately;
• accomplished technical writing and editing skills;
• exhibit active listening skills to encourage stronger communication amongst team members and to  drive employee engagement in all institutions and agencies;
• ability to give constructive feedback, provide recognition, address shortcomings and motivate direct reports to work at peak performance;
• proficiency in information communication technologies(ICT);
• Fluency in oral and written expressions in one of the ECOWAS official languages of the Community (English, French & Portuguese). Knowledge of an additional one will be an added advantage.
• organizational and project/program management skills with significant experience identifying timelines, targets, costs and resources necessary to deliver on operational/program/project outputs in line with result based management approach;
• ability to set effective goals and targets for self, others, and the work unit and adjusting work or project priorities in response to changing circumstances;
• ability to use participatory approach in project planning and identify gaps affecting the achievement of program/project expectations and to design and implement intervention plans required to build the desired task;
• ability to implement rigorous monitoring and evaluation practices and to set in place regular reporting schedules relevant to key outputs;
• ability to plan, organize, control resources, and to comply with policies, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals.