Communications Officer

Contract

This is a NO-B contract. This kind of contract is known as National Professional Officers. It is normally only for nationals. It's a staff contract. It usually requires 2 years of experience, depending on education. More about NO-B contracts.

OBJECTIVES OF THE PROGRAMME

The Division of Country Health Policies and Systems (CPS) assists countries in the Region with the design and implementation of appropriate health policies and systems to strengthen universal health coverage. It works to strengthen data-driven, evidence-informed, contextually tailored health policy development and implementation at national, regional, and local levels, taking an inclusive approach across the life course. The Division advocates strengthening of public health leadership, focusing on implementing people-centred policies, promoting health, preventing illness, and addressing the social and economic determinants of health, while fostering leadership on equity, human rights, and gender mainstreaming in health. It focuses on building capacity for health systems innovation to enable the sustainable delivery of high-quality primary health and community services that are effectively linked to hospitals, mental health, public health, and social care services. To do so, CPS supports country efforts to facilitate access to leave nobody behind, improve financial protection, strengthen the health workforce, increase access to affordable medicines and technologies, and promote the uptake and implementation of digital technology.

The WHO country office works with the National Authorities to achieve the highest standard of health as a fundamental human right, based on equity and on SDGs principle of leaving no one behind. WHO actions are engrained in the WHO 13th General Programme of Work with its 3 prong objectives of promoting healthier populations, keeping the world safe through addressing health emergencies, and protecting the vulnerable through Universal Health Coverage. WHO's mandate revolves around six core functions: (i) providing Global Health leadership; (ii) shaping the health research agenda; (iii) setting norms and standards; (iv) articulating evidence-based policy options; (v) providing technical support to countries; and (vi) monitoring and assessing health trends.

The WHO Country Office is an integral part of the WHO Regional Office for Europe. Its main role is to facilitate and coordinate all WHO activities at country level and to implement the European Programme of Work 2020–2025 – “United Action for Better Health in Europe” which sets out a vision of how the WHO Regional Office for Europe can better support countries in meeting citizens’ expectations about health. WHO at country level delivers this through practical, actionable and country focused solutions to health challenges, keeping in perspective that achieving health and well-being is a whole-of-society endeavour; This is done through facilitating the implementation of the Biennial Collaborative Agreement with the country and its corresponding workplan. The WHO Country Office maintains good working relations and ensures information exchange between the country and WHO, policy and strategic guidance on Health issues to all national and international partners in the country, provision of direct technical expertise when needed and aims at more community engagement and participation, and to promote health equity.

The Recovery and Resilience Plan (RRP) for Romania was approved by the Council Decision on 3 November 2021 to support the National RRP for the duration until June 2026 with a total budget of 29.2 billion EUR, of which EUR 14.2 billion in grants and EUR 14.9 billion in loans, to be implemented in the conformity with Government Emergency Ordinance no. 124/2021 on establishing the institutional framework. More specifically, the project will work to enable the implementation of the national reforms related to the increased capacity for the management of public health funds, health management and human resources in health, increasing integrity in the health system and development of eHealth and telemedicine system. The project started in July 2022.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES

To provide specialist communication support to the EU-funded Recovery and Resilience Plan (RRP) project in Romania and the related work of the WHO Country Office in ROM (WHO CO ROM) at national level. To contribute to keeping health high on the national and regional agenda by enabling a high visibility of the project and the work carried out by the CO within the WHO European region.

Key duties: 1. Propose, and implement an RRP Project communications strategy and action plan in line with the objectives and targets of the project and in close coordination with counterparts and partners. Lead on periodic reviews, suggest any adjustments as may be needed and record lessons learned.

2. Within the context of the RPP project, plan and develop, with support from the CO and Regional Office staff specific communication tools, products and targeted messages on WHO work at country level for public and professional groups (policymakers and health professionals, media, web and social media audiences) and the general public. Oversee this work and provide strategic advice to the CO on how to ensure optimal effectiveness.

3. Develop and implement selected information/communication campaigns and events on public health and health care within the context of the RPP project and other project related areas of WHO work including the preparation and dissemination of messages and written and multimedia materials.

4. Review and oversee the national social press and media landscape. Establish and maintain close relations with press and media at national level. Propose and arrange press briefings, conferences, and other press visibility events.

5. Identify appropriate platforms and channels to build/strengthen a WHO country office presence and maintain this presence through regular postings and engagement on a variety of platforms and channels, including the web. Develop and provide the content for all such messages/postings. Ensure the appropriate use of the organizational emblem in all communications.

6. Provide some general communication specialist support and advice to the CO team and staff, including the WR, within the context of the WHO corporate (Global and Regional) communication strategy at country level. Contribute to regional communications strategies and plans, and coordinate/share information as appropriate with the regional communications team on key activities including capacity-building.

7. Carry out other tasks within the scope and remit of this position as required by the supervisors to support the internal and external communications of the CO.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education

Essential: University degree in communications, public relations or journalism. Also acceptable is a degree in psychology, public health or political and/or social science with post graduate qualification in communications, public relations, or journalism. Desirable: Advanced university degree in any of the above disciplines.

Experience

Essential: At least two years of national professional experience in arranging and coordinating communication activities, media relations and targeted messages development. Demonstrated experience with online communications, including web and social media. Desirable: Experience organizing press conferences and briefings. Demonstrated relevant work experience within WHO and/or UN agencies or other international organizations or entities active in the health sector.

Skills

1. Demonstrated knowledge of WHO’s mission and work in the country. 2. Demonstrated skill in effectively using a variety of media and press channels and communication tools/platforms to spread health related messages at national level. 3. Proven ability to quickly identify opportunities/channels for effective promotion of topics and dissemination of key messages at national level. 4. Ability to work comfortably in an international, multi-disciplinary and fast-paced environment. 5. Ability to identify and manage one’s own emotions, as well as help others to do the same.

WHO Competencies

Teamwork Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences Communication Moving forward in a changing environment Producing results

Use of Language Skills

Essential: Expert knowledge of English. Expert knowledge of Romanian. Desirable: Intermediate knowledge of Russian.

REMUNERATION

Remuneration comprises an annual base salary starting at RON 217,145 (subject to mandatory deductions for pension contributions and health insurance, as applicable) and 30 days of annual leave.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• This vacancy notice may be used to fill other similar positions at the same grade level

• Only candidates under serious consideration will be contacted.

• A written test may be used as a form of screening.

• In the event that your candidature is retained for an interview, you will be required to provide, in advance, a scanned copy of the degree(s)/diploma(s)/certificate(s) required for this position. WHO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU)/United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed through the link: http://www.whed.net/. Some professional certificates may not appear in the WHED and will require individual review.

• Any appointment/extension of appointment is subject to WHO Staff Regulations, Staff Rules and Manual.

• For information on WHO's operations please visit: http://www.who.int.

• WHO is committed to workforce diversity.

• WHO prides itself on a workforce that adheres to the highest ethical and professional standards and that is committed to put the WHO Values Charter into practice.

• WHO has zero tolerance towards sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA), sexual harassment and other types of abusive conduct (i.e., discrimination, abuse of authority and harassment). All members of the WHO workforce have a role to play in promoting a safe and respectful workplace and should report to WHO any actual or suspected cases of SEA, sexual harassment and other types of abusive conduct. To ensure that individuals with a substantiated history of SEA, sexual harassment or other types of abusive conduct are not hired by the Organization, WHO will conduct a background verification of final candidates.

• WHO has a smoke-free environment and does not recruit smokers or users of any form of tobacco.

• This is a National Professional Officer position. Therefore, only applications from nationals of the country where the duty station is located will be accepted. Applicants who are not nationals of this country will not be considered.