Company Profile

The Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, was created on 28th May 1975 and currently
comprises 15 member-state namely: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Cote D'iviore and Togo. The sub-regional
body was created out of a desire to improve the lives of the people through trade, free movement of persons,
goods and services and the harmonisation of sectoral policies. The ultimate aim is the constitution of a West
African Common Market and a Customs and Monetary Union.

In a bid to effectively execute its programmes towards the realisation of its objectives, ECOWAS created various
Institutions and specialised Agencies among which are the ECOWAS Commission. The Community Court of Justice,
the ECOWAS Parliament, the West African Health Organisation (WAHO) and the inter-governmental Action Group
against Money Laundering (GIABA)

ECOWAS is currently engaged in the implementation of a series of critical and strategic programmes for which it
wished to recruit qualified and capable nationals of ECOWAS member-states into the following position

Job Description

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Services all meetings as assigned by supervisor and Management;
• Provide interpretation for the Judges and staff members as required;
• Provide interpretation from French into English during court sessions, meetings and deliberations;
• Provides interpretation in relevant language combination, (simultaneous, consecutive, whispering, liaison) of speeches or statements;
• Routinely assigned to sensitive meetings;
• May be required to function as language team leader when assigned to a given meeting;
• Assists, as appropriate, in the screening, training and examining of prospective interpreters;
• Participates in establishment of terminology database, glossaries, etc.
• May perform other related duties as required.

Required Skills or Experience

• Minimum of a  Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in Conference Interpretation or A university degree plus a diploma or certificate in conference interpreting from a recognised school;
• At least four (4) years of professional interpreting experience;
• Experience with international organizations would be an advantage.
• Knowledge of law would be an advantage;
• Ability to interpret from French into Portuguese would be an advantage.

Competencies:

• Technical Expertise and Professionalism
• Ability to demonstrate a high level of concentration;
• Split-second accuracy;
• Ability to work under continuous stress and deliver clear interpretation on an exceedingly broad range of subjects;
• Understands how to prepare meetings and work with meeting documents;
• Understands how to ‘weigh’ interpretation teams;
• Shows pride in work and achievements; demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter;
• Is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines, confidentiality and achieving results;
• Is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns;
• shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges;
• remains calm in stressful situations and ability to travel at short notice.

Teamwork

• Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals;
• Demonstrates booth manners and upholds team coherence;
• Solicits input by genuinely valuing others' ideas and expertise;
• Is willing to learn from others;
• Places team agenda before personal agenda.
• Supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position;
• Shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings.
• Keeps abreast of new developments in own occupation/profession;
• Actively seeks to develop oneself professionally and personally;
• Contributes to the learning of colleagues and subordinates;
• Shows willingness to learn from others.
• Seeks feedback to learn and improve.

Age: Candidates must not be over fifty (50) years of age at the point of recruitment and must be citizens of ECOWAS
Language:Fluency in oral and written expression in any one of the ECOWAS working languages : English, French and Portuguese. Knowledge of a second official language would be an advantage.