Job Opportunity
Position: Officer – Research & Statistics
Organisation: Southern African Development Community (SADC) Secretariat
Location: Gaborone, Botswana (Headquarters) or as stated in the job advert
Background
The Southern African Development Community (SADC) is a regional economic community founded and maintained by countries in Southern Africa. It aims to further the socio-economic, political, and security cooperation among its Member States and foster regional integration in order to achieve peace, stability, and wealth.
SADC currently has sixteen (16) Member States with a population of approximately 340 million and a combined GDP of US$720 billion.
The Secretariat is currently recruiting for various positions to enhance its capacity to deliver on the above mandate. The Secretariat is therefore inviting suitably qualified and experienced citizens of SADC to apply for the following position.
Primary Purpose of the Job
To process, compile, analyse, report and disseminate data and statistics on all matters related to the SADC regional integration, with focus on merchandise trade statistics, and maintain integrated regional statistical databases.
Duties & Responsibilities
Research and Statistics
- Liaise with research institutions to share and exchange research information that are critical for analysis.
- Conduct and/or commission studies and research to gain information and data:
- Supervise commissioned research and research consultants
- Ensure use of appropriate survey design and data collection instruments for collection of primary and secondary data where required
- Perform quality control to verify accuracy and integrity of data for analysis and reporting
- Harmonise standards and procedures for processing, compilation and analysis of data:
- Develop, document, maintain and implement methodologies, statistical tools and guidelines, standards, procedures and dissemination strategies
- Advise Member States on data collection/analysis for specific regional indicators, and recommend where possible short-term statistical training courses
- Perform specific analyses and reporting on regional integration data as required:
- Apply statistical techniques and methods in the processing and analysis of data, and perform necessary statistical routines related to the collection, processing, compilation, analysis and reporting of statistical data
- Prepare statistical tables and reports for internal analysis
- Produce analytical reports to support the publication of regional statistics
- Produce and disseminate regional statistical publications to key stakeholders
- Provide relevant, timely and quality data in response to both anticipated needs as well as specific requests from internal and external customers:
- Respond to local, regional and international organisations requesting relevant statistics from the unit
- Provide Programme directorates sector data and statistics that will inform their planning, programming, monitoring and evaluation activities
- Explore and recommend new and improved methods and ideas of data processing, analysis, reporting and dissemination
- Research and adopt best practices in own specialised area of work and maintain high level of knowledge in order to effectively undertake the duties of the post
- Perform any other duties as may be assigned by the supervising officer
Knowledge Management
- Review and maintain standards and nomenclature for infrastructural design of an integrated regional statistical database
- Feed data and statistics into the knowledge database and maintain it up to date
- Consult with ICT for technology enhancements to the database as and when required
- Define and maintain access rights to database
Tenure of Appointment
The term of appointment shall be for a fixed period of four (4) years, renewable twice for another period of four (4) years, subject to:
- Satisfactory completion of 6 months’ probation
- Satisfactory performance
- Retirement age limit of 60 years
Eligibility
The positions are open to qualified applicants who:
- Are 52 years old or younger. This requirement is based on the Organisation’s need to recruit staff who can serve for a reasonable period of time before reaching the mandatory retirement age of 60 years.
- Are from the following eligible Member States: Angola, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Closing Date and Submission of Applications
Applications must be submitted to the SADC National Contact Point of the eligible Member States not later than or on 26 June 2026.
Required Documents
Applications should be accompanied by the following:
- A cover letter stating the position that you want to be considered for and describing how your qualifications, experience, and competencies are relevant to the position
- Not more than five (5) pages of updated Curriculum Vitae
- Certified copies of your degree(s), diploma(s), and certificate(s)
- Duly signed and completed SADC Application Form
Should you be shortlisted, you will be required to produce evidence of educational and professional qualifications supporting your application on the day of your interview.
Gender Mainstreaming
SADC is an equal opportunity employer and particularly encourages applications from female candidates.