Senior Analyst Observatory of Illicit Economies in West Africa

Application Deadline : 18 September - 17:00 CET

Start Date: October 2026

Place of work: Remote, preferably based in West Africa. The position includes travel across West Africa and Europe.

Salary: Dependent on location and experience

Duration: 1 year 

Time Commitment: Full-time (100%). Applicants with 50% or greater availability will also be considered.

Background 

The Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime (GI-TOC) is an independent civil society organization headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, with a globally dispersed Secretariat working across 43 countries. Founded in 2013, GI-TOC brings together a global network of more than 810 independent experts and a team of over 150 staff dedicated to understanding and responding to organized crime. Through research, analysis, policy engagement and support to civil society actors, GI-TOC works to deepen understanding of organized crime and strengthen effective, rights-based responses. 

The GI-TOC works to:

• Identify, analyse and map criminal trends and patterns of regional instability, and their impact on illicit flows, governance, development, security, conflict and the rule of law.
• Connect and support civil society actors working on organized crime and corruption, and on their links to instability and conflict.
• Strengthen local monitoring and analysis of national, regional and international organized crime and insecurity trends.

 Summary of Role 

The GI-TOC is seeking a Senior Analyst to conduct research and analysis on illicit economies in West Africa region. The role will include a focus on drug trafficking and markets, and on the intersection of illicit economies with instability.

The Senior Analyst will engage closely with the Director of the West Africa Observatory and the broader analytic team within the team and region. This role demands strong analytic and interpersonal skills, an ability to build and manage research networks across the region, and time-management skills to deliver high-quality products on tight timelines.

Applicants from West Africa are encouraged to apply.

Key Responsibilities 

• Conduct in-depth research and analysis on illicit economies across West Africa and the Sahel, including investigative analysis of drug markets, including mapping key actors, networks, routes, markets and their links to governance, conflict and instability.
• Contribute to the research, drafting and production of high-quality public and restricted circulation reports, policy briefs, articles and other analytical outputs on drug trafficking and broader illicit economies in the region.
• Develop, coordinate and manage reliable research networks across West Africa and the Sahel, including researchers, journalists, civil society organizations, government stakeholders and subject-matter experts.
• Design and oversee field research, including research methodologies, interviews, data collection, source verification and analysis, while ensuring compliance with ethical, security and quality standards.
• Monitor emerging trends and developments in regional illicit economies and provide timely analytical inputs to the Director of the West Africa Observatory and the broader GI-TOC analytical team.
• Support the development and delivery of events, roundtables and initiatives relating to illicit economies and drug trafficking in West Africa and the Sahel, including engagement with policymakers, practitioners and regional partners.

Requisite Skills and Experience 

Experience should include:

• Master’s or PhD degree in a relevant field, such as international relations, criminal justice, or migration studies.
• Minimum 5-10 years of experience in investigations, analysis or research work on organized crime in West Africa as part of civil society, think tanks, journalism, government or private sector. Demonstrated experience in investigations relating to drug trafficking is desirable.
• Ability to identify information gaps, research, synthesize information, develop analysis and write on tight timelines.
• Experience in leveraging OSINT techniques as part of investigations.
• Native or professional proficiency in spoken and written French and English, with additional language skills a plus.
• Motivated and enthusiastic to work in a fast-paced environment.
• High degree of accuracy, detail orientation, and time management is essential.
• Comfort working in politically sensitive environments, maintaining productive relationships with a range of actors, with sound judgement about risk to self, sources, and partners.
• Established network of stakeholders in West Africa is desirable.

Personal Attributes 

• Operationally resilient: you are comfortable running operating with substantial autonomy.
• Investigative focused and self-directed: you run your own research, ask the second and third questions, and know when to stop and verify.
• Politically astute: you understand political sensitivities in West Africa, how to protect yourself, your contacts, your partners, and the broader organization.
• Discreet and security-conscious: you handle sensitive information and sensitive relationships with the judgement of someone who understands what is at stake if either is mishandled.
• Relationship manager: you build and maintain trust with a diverse range of partners, including local and international civil society, navigating different cultures, priorities and sensitivities with professionalism and discretion.
• Collegiate: you work well as part of regional and global teams, drawing on the support of the Director of the West Africa Observatory without requiring close supervision.
• A clear writer and communicator: you produce reports, investigative outputs and briefings that hold up in front of partners and policy counterparts.

GI-TOC operates a flexible working environment and encourages staff to achieve a suitable work-life balance and supports professional development and learning.

Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

The Global Initiatives makes use of BambooHR's ATS system to receive and review your application.  All correspondence related to your application will be sent via our domain globalinitiative.bamboohr.com.