Director of Health Services Care Department (DHS) at the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is a regional group of fifteen West African countries. Founded on 28 May 1975, with the signing of the Treaty of Lagos, its mission is to promote economic integration across the region.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Director of Health Services Care Department (DHS)

Job Code: 20001100
Location: Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso
Institution: West African Health Organization (WAHO)
Grade: D1
Status: Permanent
Department: Health care Services

Job Summary

• Under the supervision of the Director General, the incumbent shall be responsible for evaluating and supervising the overall activities for the maintenance and promotion of healthcare.
• The incumbent shall be responsible for initiating activities that promote quality healthcare delivery, including Traditional Medicine, and the development of tested strategies for sustainable training, retention, and provision of adequate, skilled health professionals in the ECOWAS region.

Role and Responsibilities

• Clearly communicate the Directorate’s vision to partners, stakeholders and
• Explain how the Directorate’s activities fit into this vision and put in place the mechanisms to implement it.
• Provide leadership to the Directorate in a credible, effective, and impartial
• Mentor the Directorate’s staff by creating a working environment that fosters teamwork, trust, mutual respect, and encourages them to take responsibility and
• Work closely with the other directors of the Institution to ensure effective and efficient implementation of activities.
• Establish a system of individual staff performance planning within the Directorate, using existing performance planning and evaluation tools.
• Supervise and evaluate the performance of the Directorate’s staff and develop annual work plans for the programmes in accordance with the Directorate’s strategic and operational
• Monitor the implementation of the budgeted annual work plans based on the performance of the Directorate.
• Organise the Directorate in an efficient manner, with clear reporting lines, minimal bureaucracy, and an optimal level of delegation of authority and
• Work closely with relevant departments to ensure the effective and efficient execution of tasks such as recruitment, performance decisions, staff promotion and other related
• Contribute to the implementation of the annual operational
• Contribute to the implementation of the Annual Work Plan (AWP).
• Ensure strict adherence to policies and deadlines, without compromising the quality of
• Provide instant and periodic feedback to staff on their work and
• Engage in capacity-building efforts to ensure that the necessary skills are available and match expectations, in terms of plans, objectives and existing
• Provide technical supervision in the design or implementation of a range of activities (maternal and child health, traditional medicine, pharmacy, non-communicable diseases) requiring high-level technical expertise.
• Represent WAHO in technical meetings or working
• Conduct or participate in technical missions in connection with projects and programmes
• Ensure mediation in the event of a
• Coordinate the development of the directorate’s strategic, thematic, and annual work
• Define and ensure implementation of the regional primary health care policy in general and the community health policy in particular.
• Promote sexual and reproductive
• Promote maternal and child
• Promote best practices to reduce maternal and infant mortality in the region,
• Use available data and information to design intervention strategies for the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases in the region.
• Identify effective strategies to address the human resource for health deficit in the ECOWAS Member States.
• Perform any other duties as may be assigned by the

Academic Qualifications and Experience

• A medical doctor with Master’s degree. Holding a PHD in Healthcare (or equivalent) in Public Health, or Health Economics, or Health Sciences or relevant qualification in a similar field from a recognised University and/or being a university lecturer or researcher is an added
• Twelve (12) years of professional experience in the field of health sciences, at least six (6) of which must be relevant international work experience and five (5) years at a supervisory level.
• Ability to promote intra, inter-regional and international relationships with key stakeholders for the improvement of health in the region.
• Ability to describe existing healthcare delivery principles in the ECOWAS
• Ability to analyse and/or develop policies for strategic planning and management of projects/programmes in the health care sector in the
• technical knowledge of health care delivery, theories, principles, and methods in West-
• knowledge in policy analysis and development, strategic and program planning, and management of health sector in the region.
• technical capacity to develop a vision, mission, and strategies, to focus on the needs of member countries and to adjust strategies to reflect changing circumstances.
• Proven experience in at least three areas: reproductive health, traditional medicine, quality control in health and human resources in health.

Age Limit:

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

ECOWAS Key Competencies:

• Senior leadership experience in establishing strategic partnerships, working collaboratively, and building consensus with multiple internal and/or external stakeholders on complex issues in a multi-disciplinary governmental or international
• Knowledge of the ECOWAS mandate, strategic plan/priorities as well as the economic, political, and social state/trends of Member States, as pertains to own scope of
• Consistency in actions, values, methods, confidentiality, ethics, measures, principles, expectations, and outcomes which connote a deep commitment to do the right thing for the right reason, regardless of the circumstances.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with Heads of Institutions, elected officials, and statutory employees to facilitate compliance, build engagement, resolve conflicts, and obtain support for change.
• Ability to respect the chain of command in an appropriate
• Ability to promote a culture where people hold themselves personally accountable for
• Ability to provide leadership management, and technical oversight for all project activities and program deliverables in accordance with ECOWAS legal and administrative practices and standards.
• Ability to conduct periodic reviews of staff performance in keeping with the ECOWAS performance management system and to mentor staff to ensure high levels of motivation, commitment, capacity, and teamwork.
• Ability to exercise the initiative and resourcefulness necessary for simultaneously addressing a variety of stakeholder needs, pursuing multiple tasks, and achieving positive outcomes.
• Ability to create synergies with client groups and others to achieve objectives in setting and monitoring service standards and indicators.
• Ability to motivate and engage others in promoting or adopting best practices in client
• Ability to identify and improve services and client interactions through appropriate networks and to create innovative ways of addressing these in an accountable and transparent manner.
• Knowledge of anti-discriminatory/human rights regulatory environment and ability to advance strategies to foster an inclusive working environment and healthy organization respectful of cultural diversity and gender equality and free from harassment and
• Understanding of diverse cultural views especially within West Africa, being sensitive to group differences, and gender issues and ability to contribute to, advocate for, and/or develop policies that are gender sensitive and responsive to various
• Ability to foster a diverse and inclusive interactive work environment that can effectively bring together a wide spectrum of ideas and experiences to solve problems, develop projects/programs and improve results.
• ability and responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of
• Ability to remain objective in managing conflict regardless of cultural differences/positions, and gender differences, and encourage other staff to overcome cultural and gender biased and differences.
• Understanding of the ECOWAS organizational structure, workplace culture and
• Ability to apply knowledge of ECOWAS legal framework, strategic priorities, and operational standards to develop/modernize policies and programs and/or to implement policies and programs in a sustainable and effective manner.
• Well-developed business, social and political acumen, demonstrating a strong commitment to the vision and mandate of ECOWAS coupled with a broad knowledge of the economic, political, and social situations and trends in Member
• Sound judgment and decision-making skills on matters relating to policy and strategy development important to the realization of the ECOWAS mandate and the improvement of outcomes for Member States.
• Ability to analyze reports as well as socio-economic and institutional dynamics and recognize areas of potential obstacles or challenges and develop innovative solutions or alternatives to address barriers and achieve strategic/operational
• Ability to anticipate and interpret the effects of environmental changes (social, economic, and political), and its impact and make recommendations.
• Ability to identify/address strengths and weaknesses, stimulate creativity, reduce resistance to change and improve the achievement of strategic
• Ability to make prudent decisions relating to the management of human, financial and material
• Ability to actively listen and understand the perspectives of others to make informed assertions, decisions, or recommendations.
• Ability to build multiple external collaborative relationships to support strategic and operational objectives; identify the key issues and accommodate the key players with well-thought-out communication and stakeholder management plans.
• Ability to communicate with clarity and conviction, make compelling presentations that promote new insights, ideas and perspectives and a better understanding of issues and
• Exhibit active listening skills to encourage stronger communication amongst team members, to show care and make them feel valued and to drive employee engagement in all institutions and agencies.
• Excellent negotiation and conflict management skills focusing on building and nurturing effective and collaborative relationships.
• 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.
• Ability to prepare plans, set clear objectives in a consistent manner and have effective oversight of performance management practices to ensure that goals and standards are
• Ability to set effective goals/results and manage change in a manner that demonstrates resilience, composure, and a positive outlook in an environment of uncertainty and
• Ability to enable the development of organizational and individual talent throughout the implementation of strategic, operational, programme, project, and individual
• Ability to implement plans, mobilize/engage people, identify critical success factors, mitigate risks, monitor indicators and feedback, initiate corrective  measures, and build capacities for sustainability.
• Ability to institute rigorous monitoring, and evaluation practices and to learn from setbacks and mistakes to ensure continuous improvement.
• Ability to oversee project management, internal controls, and stewardship of fina ncial resources and to address issues in a confident and capable manner whilst making decisions that exemplify impartial and non-partisan decision-making.

Salary
UA64,033.75/USD 101,030.87 Annually.

Application Closing Date
6th November, 2024.

Method of Application
Interested and qualified candidates should send their Applications to: [email protected] using the Job Title as the subject of the mail.

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