Job vacancies at European Center for Electoral Support (ECES), Ethiopia
80 Positions
About ECES and EURECS II
ECES is a not-for-profit private foundation headquartered in Brussels with a global remit. ECES promotes sustainable democratic development through the provision of advisory services, operational support and management of large projects in the electoral and democracy assistance field. ECES works with all electoral stakeholders, including electoral management bodies, civil society organizations involved in voter education and election observation, political parties, parliaments, media, security forces, religious groups and legal institutions confronted with electoral disputes resolution.
The European Centre for Electoral Support (ECES) is implementing the second phase of the European Response to Electoral Cycle Support (EURECS II) in Ethiopia. This project aims to contribute to inclusive, transparent, and credible electoral processes, and strengthen the capacities of electoral stakeholders.
Project’s context
Actions in support of democratization and respect for human rights, including the right to participate in the establishment of governments through free and fair elections, can make a major contribution to the peace, security, prosperity, and well-being of people. In that regard, the EURECS I project was implemented in Ethiopia from 2019 until March 2024, with funding from the EU in Ethiopia and Germany.
The EURECS was crafted as an innovative and alternative delivery mechanism to implement electoral and democracy assistance activities that are consistent with the EU’s values and policies, and targets to facilitate the implementation of the recommendations of the EU election observation mission (EOM) in Ethiopia that national authorities agree to strive towards. The action has a built-in election conflict prevention, mitigation, and management aim in nearly all activities prescribed by this approach.
Recognizing the high expectations of the 7th general elections of 2026 for the consolidation of a well-functioning democracy in the country, the EURECS II project seeks to contribute by strengthening the transparency, credibility, and public confidence in the election process and in the NEBE, as well as in the capacity of the civil society to be a major and credible actor in the electoral process. The project will support NEBE in fostering the inclusion of all segments of the electorate, including marginalised and vulnerable groups. In continuation of past efforts, the project will also strengthen the CECOE platform and other CSOs in electoral observation, civic and voter education, and awareness-raising targeted at disenfranchised groups, including youth and first-time voters.
The EURECS II project in Ethiopia is built around the three main specific objectives as follows:
- Empower NEBE to hold all levels of elections and implement lessons learned from 2021 for the 7th General Election in 2026;
- Strengthen CSOs in their election observation and support them in extending it to mid-cycle elections (municipal, referendum, and reruns) as well as voter and candidate registration.
- Support civic and voter information to vulnerable groups, including IDPs, PWDs, the illiterate, women candidates, youth, and first-time voters.
Election observation, both national and international, is widely recognized as a cornerstone of electoral integrity. It contributes to transparency, accountability and credibility across all phases of the electoral process, from voter registration to the announcement of results, and reinforces public trust in the conduct and outcomes of elections. Media monitoring and analytical reporting constitute essential complementary tools for assessing the quality of the electoral environment and identifying emerging risks.
Civil society organisations are entitled to engage in electoral processes through non-partisan election observation, in accordance with international norms and standards. Such engagement contributes to enhanced transparency and accountability and plays an important role in building public trust in the credibility and legitimacy of elections. Civil society organisations may also support electoral processes through complementary activities, including civic and voter education, promotion of codes of conduct for electoral stakeholders, auditing of voters’ lists, media monitoring, facilitation of public debates, and formulation of technical recommendations for electoral reforms.
The Declaration of Global Principles for Non-Partisan Election Observation and Monitoring by Citizen Organizations recognises the right of non-partisan citizen election observation organisations to cooperate with other organisations, both domestic and international, and to receive technical and financial support for the purpose of conducting professional and independent election observation and monitoring activities. Access to such support constitutes a key condition for ensuring the effectiveness, professionalism and sustainability of domestic election observation efforts, in line with applicable legal frameworks.
Open Positions
01. Data Clerks (80 Positions)
Deadline: May 14, 2026 | Location: Addis Ababa
Under the direct supervision of CECOE officers, Data Clerks will be responsible for collecting and processing election observation reports from field observers.
The Specific Duties are:
- Receive and verify observation reports from Short-Term Observers.
- Contact observers, using designated communication channels, to follow up on reported critical incidents.
- Input, validate, and clean observation data within the established system.
- Maintain confidentiality
- Perform any other duties assigned by CECOE within the scope of the assignment.
CECOE will provide practical training to ensure Data Clerks are fully prepared for their responsibilities… See Details>
