1. Background and Rationale

The Regional Agency for Agriculture and Food (ARAA/RAAF) is the technical body of the ECOWAS Commission responsible for the implementation of the Regional Agricultural Policy (ECOWAP). The ARAA manages an extensive portfolio of programmes and projects, financed by the Commission and technical and financial partners, the complexity of which requires close support to speed up file processing within the Commission's services, streamline validations, and strengthen coordination with the Cabinet of the Commissioner for Agriculture.

As part of this, ARAA is recruiting an individual consultant based in Abuja to support the Executive Director (ED) and ensure sustained functional collaboration with the Office of the Commissioner for Agriculture.

2. Purpose of the mission

 Provide senior-level technical and coordination support to: (i) expedite the end-to-end processing of ARAA files within the Commission (physical circulation and SAP flows), (ii) strengthen liaison with the Office of the Commissioner for Agriculture and other Commission services, and (iii) improve procedural compliance and implementation timeliness. implementation of ARAA programmes/projects, including those funded by technical and financial partners.

3. Scope of the engagement and key responsibilities

The Consultant will operate and perform, among other things, the following tasks:

3.1 Coordination and processing of files

• Lead and monitor the processing of ARAA files within the relevant Commission services (administration, finance, procurement, legal affairs, cabinet), in accordance with internal deadlines and donor schedules.
• Ensure the circulation and completeness of files, both physically and in electronic systems (incl. SAP), with monitoring of compliance with ECOWAS/ARAA procedures at each stage.
• Set up and maintain a file tracking table (with seniority, bottlenecks, subsequent actions, managers, deadlines) covering ARAA's priorities.
• Anticipate the risks of delays, propose mitigation measures, and proactively alert the Executive Director of ARAA.

3.2 Institutional relations and liaison

• Serve as the focal point of the ARAA in Abuja for day-to-day coordination with the Office of the Commissioner for Agriculture, ensuring alignment of priorities and obtaining the required validations and opinions.
• Facilitate inter-agency consultations and visa/approval chains with Finance, Administration, Procurement, Legal Affairs, and Cabinet.
• Support the organization of high-level meetings between the ARAA management and the Commission authorities; prepare notes, language, and decision tracking matrices.

3.3 Program and Partner Support

• Provide support for the coordination and compliance of priority programmes and projects, as well as new initiatives funded by partners; ensure compliance with the rules of technical and financial partners and ECOWAS procedures.
• Prepare or proofread, with quality assurance, submissions for approval, ensuring their completeness and compliance.

3.4 Planning, monitoring, and reporting

• Consolidate the "Abuja-side" contributions to the work plans and define the critical path of validations with the Commission.
• Draft briefing notes, minutes, and action plans for coordination meetings; systematically follow up on decisions and deadlines.

3.5 Knowledge Management and Process Improvement

• Identify recurring bottlenecks and propose improvements (checklists, templates, circuit mapping, visa sequencing, leveraging SAP worklists and alerts).
• Strengthen institutional memory through rigorous organization of archives (physical and electronic) and traceability of validations.

4. Reporting lines and working relationships

• Line supervision: Executive Director (ED) of ARAA.
• Functional relationship: Office of the ECOWAS Commissioner for Agriculture (for policy alignment and validations within the Commission).
• Internal collaboration: between the ARAA unit (Administration & Finance, Procurement, Monitoring and Evaluation, Programmes) and the project teams.
• External interfaces: Commission services in Abuja (Administration & Finance, Procurement, Legal Affairs, Cabinet), technical and financial partners, and regional stakeholders.

5. Deliverables and Timetable

• Monthly deliverables: Monthly activity report submitted to the Executive Director of ARAA.

7. Duration, duty station, and travel

• Duration: Six (6) months.
• Location: Abuja, Nigeria (ECOWAS Commission Headquarters).
• Travel: Ad hoc within ECOWAS (e.g., Lomé – ARAA headquarters – and Member States) as required.

9. Management, Means, and Logistics

• Provision of a workspace and standard IT equipment in Abuja, subject to availability, as well as access to ARAA's collaborative tools for coordination and reporting.
• All travel will be done in accordance with ECOWAS/ARAA rules (per diem, transport, security)

10. Ethics, Confidentiality, and Conflicts of Interest

• The consultant will respect ECOWAS values and ethics, maintain the confidentiality of information, and avoid any real or perceived conflict of interest.
• All documents, data, and products generated in the framework of the mission are the property of ARAA/ECOWAS.

12. Reporting and approval of deliverables

All deliverables will be submitted to the Executive Director of ARAA for approval. For aspects requiring policy alignment or Commission-level decisions, the consultant will ensure functional coordination with the Office of the Commissioner for Agriculture and will reflect the agreed actions and decisions in the monthly reports.

13. Qualifications and Experience

13.1. General Qualifications

• At least a master's degree (Bac + 5) in economics, law, finance, management, engineering, or similar fields, with a strong specialization in the agriculture, food security, and/or pastoralism sectors, and at least ten (10) years of professional experience after graduation in these fields.

13.2. Experience

• Proven experience in monitoring, processing, and coordinating files related to projects related to agriculture, food security, and/or pastoralism in developing countries.
• Experience working in a sub-regional organization in West Africa, in the agricultural field, would be an asset.
• Previous experience or established relationships with projects funded by technical and financial partners would be an asset.
• A proven ability to review and analyze files, follow up on their approval, and reach the final destination.
• Capacity in the planning of activities between the ARAA and the office of the Commissioner in charge of agriculture.

13.3. Language skills

• The ability to communicate effectively (written and oral) in English or French, preferably with a good knowledge of the other language.
• Fluency in Spanish would be an advantage.

13.4. Other Skills and Abilities

• Strong planning, organizational, and time management skills, as well as the ability to multitask.
• Ability to work as part of a multidisciplinary team, provide advice, and recommend actions.
• Proficiency in the drafting and presentation of professional reports and analytical documents.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, ability to manage relationships with development partners, work under pressure, and deal with politically and culturally sensitive issues.

14. Application file

Applications must include :

• A cover letter specifying the date of availability.
• A recent curriculum vitae detailing professional experience and similar assignments.
• Three professional references (names, current and past positions, email addresses, and telephone numbers).
• A certified copy of the highest degree.
• Copies of the certificates of employment or certificates of service mentioned in the CV, confirming the experience acquired.

15. Submission of applications

Applications from the ECOWAS region must be submitted no later than 30 January 2026 at 23:59 GMT, by uploading them via the following link: https://bit.ly/4jZFXQ5.

Format of applications: the application must be a single PDF file in the order established in the application file.

ARAA reserves the right not to consider applications that do not meet the above submission requirements

16. Selection Method

The consultant will be selected in accordance with the ECOWAS "Procurement Regulations" individual consultant selection method.

Applicants must submit information proving their qualifications and experience.

Applications will be reviewed and ranked in order of merit. An interview may be arranged with the best candidate(s). Only the shortlisted will be contacted.

The successful candidate will be invited for negotiations. In the absence of an agreement, the ARAA will ask the next candidate.

The consultant must comply with Articles 117 (fraudulent practices) and 118 (conflicts of interest) of the ECOWAS Public Procurement Code.

17. Request for additional information

The interested consultant can obtain additional information by writing to the following email addresses: procurement@araa.org; cc: ctienon@araa.org; awaki@araa.org
and with the subject line "SCI 002-ARAA Support".