Systems Sourcing and Implementation Officer 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: Systems Sourcing and Implementation Officer

Job Code: 20000166
Location: Abuja
Institution: ECOWAS Commission
Grade: P3/P4
Status: Permanent
Department: Internal Services
Line Supervisor: PO, Systems Acquisition & Implementation
Supervising: IT Assistant

Role Overview

• Under the direct supervision of the Principal Officer, Systems Acquisition & Implementation, the incumbent is responsible for the sourcing, for design and technical requirements of new or upgraded systems, software, and hardware.
• He/She provides technical advisement to deliver efficient and effective solutions, alternatives, and options to meet ECOWAS’s need for enterprise software best practices. 
• Working with the IT team leads and infrastructure architects, he/she will develop or evolve technical and infrastructure architecture standards. 
• S/he will be responsible for appraising and improving sourcing activities and handling ECOWAS’s end to end sourcing operations, applying significant knowledge of industry trends, architecture, best practices and new trends developments.

Roles and Responsibilities

• Ability to apply the understanding of complex databases concepts, various programming languages, client /server architectures, cloud architectures and browser/client specific compatibility issues to procurement advisory needs.
• Ensure minimal duplication in functionality across the application portfolio.
• Appraise and improve sourcing activities by analyzing spending, supplying partnerships and new possibilities.
• Manage the supply portfolio ensuring transparency of spending, seamless supplier onboarding and maintenance process.
• Conduct technical assessments of current state and provide recommendations for future state including next steps. Works with technical vendor resources to create a technical strategy that meets ECOWAS needs.
• Conduct technical solution brainstorming sessions with the Enterprise Application team and develop technical design solutions for complex application systems to include integrations.
• Develop technical standards for the Enterprise Applications department and drives implementation of technical solutions as the technical subject matter expert (SME).
• Generate and implement efficient sourcing and category management strategies.
• Analyze and calculate costs of procurement and suggest methods to decrease expenditure.
• Optimize sourcing procedures to attain maximum efficiency.
• Research and anticipate shifts in the negotiating power of suppliers.
• Perform cost and scenario analysis, and benchmarking.
• Gain a deep understanding of the entire solution suite (application, supplier ecosystem, systems integration, data conversion,) and process/functions supported by ECOWAS IT.
• Ensures that all the IT products and services are acquired adequately/timely so that projects and processes can proceed efficiently.
• Recommend optimal buying channels.
• Cooperate with stakeholders to guarantee agreement on terms and processes.
• Manage relationships with suppliers, fostering collaboration, addressing any issues, and seeking mutually beneficial solutions to challenges.
• Set and manage procurement KPIs to track and improve performance.
• Prepare and manage procurement budget, control expenditures, and report on procurement expenditures and savings.
• Identify gaps between current and target architecture and provide transition solutions to meet target goals.
• Invent negotiation strategies and secure profitable deals for IT related systems.
• Document functional and technical details related to software and services, implementation and configuration, device models and differences.
• Handle contract management and documentation, ensuring ECOWAS’s adherence and compliance to all contractual obligations, laws, regulations and overseeing the renewal, termination, or renegotiation of contracts as necessary.
• Prepare and present status reports on a regular basis to management and project stakeholders.
• Maintain an updated knowledge of procurement of best practices, market conditions, and product innovations.
• Track and estimate risks and apply risk minimizing techniques.
• Organize and direct the preparation of policy analysis of ECOWAS issues; identifies and anticipates issues that must be addressed in program planning and legislation issues; prepares or directs the preparation of policy briefs on proposed legislation.
• Provide technical implementation oversight to developers and system administrators on Enterprise Application through technical strategy development meetings and code reviews.
• Conduct code reviews and solution reviews with IT team and vendors as needed to ensure solutions are documented and knowledge transfer plan is executed.
• Obtain acceptance or certification of the project deliverables or Network elements from the designated Service Assurance team.
• Provide consistent status reports to the Director, Enterprise Business Applications.
• Work with Accounts Payable to ensure processes and systems supporting supplier management and invoicing are executed effectively and efficiently.
• Review and assess potential suppliers, comparing their products, services, prices, and quality to ensure the best choice for the organization.
• Responsible for executing a supplier enablement program by developing communication and training programs to educate suppliers on how to do business with ECOWAS.
• Manage change orders and client expectations effectively, obtain quotes and submit purchase requisitions.
• Plan and predict procurement needs based on market trends, seasonality, and business goals.
• Provide leadership to financial aspects of the project, including general administrative processes, financial management, sub award management, accounting, and logistics.
• Monitor the delivery of the equipment ordered to the sites across the ECOWAS Commission by co-ordination with vendors or Freight-forwarders.
• Manage the installation and commissioning of the network elements at sites with the support of the operations team or vendors.
• Support and ensure registration of the equipment in the Network Inventory management system.
• Creating a buying vision for software and services.
• Work with the relevant system implementation / integration team to complete rollout to operational and Corporate Business Units across ECOWAS.
• Identify and/or review the assignment of team members for discovery workshops, and requirements needs assessments.
• Plan and coordinates resources to support implementation programs and activities.  Serves as liaison with Contracts Manager and vendors regarding procurement and program implementation.
• Provide leadership, direction and supervision to staff regarding functions, responsibilities and the ECOWAS mission.
• Provide occasional out-of-hours support.
• Perform any other duties as may be required from time to time.

Academic Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor’s Degree (or equivalent) in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Business Systems Analysis & Design, Information Systems management or any related ICT field from a university of recognized standing.
• Minimum of five (5) years progressively responsible experience in planning, web design, development, implementation and maintenance of information and communication technologies.
• Good knowledge of ECOWAS ICT infrastructure and it strategy as it relates to user area(s);
• Knowledge of all aspects of the design, development, management, implementation and maintenance of complex web projects using web content management systems and technologies.
• Knowledge of relevant high-level web programming languages (PHP, ASP, ASP.NET, HTML, CSS, etc.) and programming skills, including structured/object-oriented design, relational systems (MS-SQL/MySQL), web platforms (Linux/Apache/Windows), scripting (JavaScript, jQuery, Perl, Linux shell scripts) and query languages.

Age Limit:

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

Ecowas Key Competencies:

• Ability to persuade/influence others to consider a certain point of view, adopt a new idea or implement new methods and practices.
• Ability to lead a team of trainees/junior staff and instill a spirit of teamwork to engage employees and achieve a well-defined set of activities.
• Ability to respect chain of command in an appropriate manner.
• Ability to resolve challenges that occur with minimal direction and/or to recommend and explain solutions or alternatives for approval.
• Ability to utilize the Code of Ethics to manage self, others, information, and resources.
• Ability to mentor others and create feedback loops with supervisors, colleagues, and subordinates to build strong working relationships and improve performance.
• Contribute to maintaining organizational unit’s performance goals and standards.
• Interpersonal skills with ability to keep a client informed of progress or setbacks in projects of relevance to timeline, quality, and quantity.
• Ability to proactively interact with clients and build strong trusting relationships based on mutual respect and regular discussions.
• Ability to establish and sustain professional credibility with clients/stakeholders in a manner that anticipates their need, mitigates issues and that carefully balances professional obligations with the need to be sensitive and responsive to their needs.
• Ability to counsel, advise, consult, and guide others on matters pertaining to assigned client service responsibilities and established client service standards.
• Demonstrate respect for cultural differences, fairness, and ability to relate well with people from varied backgrounds, nationality, gender, ethnicity, race and religion.
• Understanding of diverse cultural views especially within West Africa, with sensitivity to group differences; ability to challenge bias and to practice tolerance and empathy.
• Ability to listen actively, consider people’s concerns and apply judgement, tact, and diplomacy.
• Ability to work in a diverse and inclusive interactive environment that benefits from diverse strengths.
• Ability and responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work.
• Ability to encourage, empower, and advocate for people in an unbiased and transparent manner.
• Knowledge of ECOWAS institutions, sectors, programmes and policies.
• Knowledge of ECOWAS internal operational requirements of programs, projects, services, and systems required to achieve work assignments and meet performance goals.
• Knowledge of rules and procedures of ECOWAS associated assigned responsibilities and ability to explain these clearly to others.
• Knowledge of the ECOWAS culture, structures and performance issues and priorities impacting assigned responsibilities.
• Knowledge of member states development trends, indicators, challenges, and opportunities as it relates to project/program assigned to own position.
• Ability to study data/information from a variety of sources, identify anomalies, trends and issues, present findings, and make recommendations.
• Ability to break down problems or processes into key parts to identify and solve gaps in service, quality assurance, compliance, and performance targets.
• Knowledge of and ability to apply techniques to generate creative ideas and new approaches to meeting goals.
• Ability to use evidence and research to inform policies and programs and identify relevant and appropriate sources of information, including stakeholders, regional institutions and/or internal committees.
• Demonstrate operational computer proficiency using appropriate tools.
• Ability to make sound use of graphics and tables to effectively present numerical data to write semi-complex technical reports/proposals and edit/check templates, letters, etc.
• Ability to convey information clearly and concisely in a succinct and organized manner through both writing and verbal means.
• Exhibit interpersonal skills, make presentations, express opinions, and debate ideas with others in a constructive manner.
• 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 develop, implement an individual action plan for achieving specific work goals.
• Identify, organize, and monitor tasks throughout to facilitate execution.
• Ability to contribute and/or lead on projects as per accepted project management standards and techniques, to co-ordinate contributions by others to set and meet deadlines.
• Ability to organize work, set priorities, and work within timelines, giving attention to details, stakeholders, indicators, and risks.
• Ability to identify, collect and assess indicators to monitor performance and to take proactive remedial action as required.

Salary
UA 49,106.81 (USD 77,480.72) annually.

Application Closing Date
21st April, 2025.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should send their Applications to: b52syssourcandimplement@ecowas.int using the Job Title as the subject of the mail.

Click here to download the application form (Docx.)

Note
Disclaimer:

• Selection and appointment will be subject to background and reference checks and other administrative requirements.
• ECOWAS does not charge for any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing in connection with application or recruitment processes and does not concern itself with information on applicants’ bank accounts.
• Assessment method: Assessment of qualified candidates may include a written exercise and a competency-based interview.