Programme Officer – Intellectual Property – P3/P4 Full Time

ROLE OVERVIEW:

The Programme Officer – Intellectual Property reports to the Arts and Culture Division but works closely with all departments involved in the management of intellectual property. S/he is responsible for the implementation of all tasks related to intellectual property, including literary and artistic property and industrial property. S/he is tasked with contributing to the development of strategies and policies relating to intellectual property and monitoring and implementation of projects in his/her area of expertise.

• Plan and monitor the implementation of activities related to the development of intellectual property;
• Ensure the implementation of projects and action plans in the area of literary and artistic property and industrial property, in accordance with the guidelines given by his/her line manager or other departments involved in intellectual property matters.
• Monitor the implementation of resolutions and decisions of ECOWAS governing bodies in the field of intellectual property;
• Prepare and submit progress and assessment reports to his/her line manager on the implementation of intellectual property projects;
• Perform any other task that may be assigned Commissioners, Directors or Heads of Division in the normal course of his/her duties in the field of intellectual property
• Prepare, plan, implement and monitor the intellectual property budget
• Seek funding for the implementation of intellectual property projects;
• Develop an intellectual property database;
• Ensure the monitoring and coordination of exchanges with other ECOWAS institutions involved in intellectual property matters;
• Ensure the visibility of initiatives in the field of intellectual property
• Develop international cooperation in the field of intellectual property,
• Develop, within the scope of the work, constructive and close cooperation links with other stakeholders involved in intellectual property.
• Provide expertise in the implementation of intellectual property projects and programmes;
• Plan and monitor possible recruitment or cooperation needs with consultants in the field of intellectual property;
• Plan for human resources capacity building in the intellectual property sector;
• Propose an innovative approach to programme management, taking into account scientific opportunities and new technologies
• Perform his/her technical tasks in line with the expected outcomes in the field of intellectual property, in particular its literary and artistic property component.

ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in in Law, Economics, Humanities and Social Sciences, or in a field related to intellectual property from a recognised university.
• 5 years of professional experience including relevant international work;
• Solid knowledge of ECOWAS policy on         intellectual policy and related areas,
• Good knowledge of international or regional organisations working in the field of intellectual property.

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 resolve challenges that occur with minimal direction and/or to recommend and explain solutions or alternatives for approval
• Ability to respect chain of command in an appropriate manner.
• Ability to proactively interact and build strong trusting relationships based on mutual respect, credibility and professionalism clients/stakeholders in a manner that anticipates their need, mitigate issues and that carefully balances professional obligations with the need to be sensitive and responsive to their needs;
• Interpersonal skills with ability to keep a client informed of progress or setbacks in projects of relevance to timeline, quality and quantity;
• Ability to 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 unbias 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/programme 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 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;
• 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.
• 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;
• Ability to respect chain of command in an appropriate 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 organize work, set priorities, and work within timelines, giving attention to details, stakeholders, indicators and risks.
• 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 identify, collect and assess indicators to monitor performance and to take proactive remedial action as required.

Original opening: http://www.ecowas.int/programme-officer-intellectual-property-p3-p4/