Communications Officer Niamey, Niger (International Consultant)

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WFP celebrates and embraces diversity. It is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity for all its employees and encourages qualified candidates to apply irrespective of race, colour, national origin, ethnic or social background, genetic information, gender, gender identity and/or expression, sexual orientation, religion or belief, HIV status, physical or mental disability.

ABOUT WFP

The United Nations World Food Programme is the world's largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide. The mission of WFP is to help the world achieve Zero Hunger in our lifetimes. Every day, WFP works worldwide to ensure that no child goes to bed hungry and that the poorest and most vulnerable, particularly women and children, can access the nutritious food they need.

BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT

Niger is a low-income, landlocked Sahelian country, ranked last in the global Humanitarian Development Index. With a population of around 24 million people, Niger continues to grapple with multidimensional food insecurity challenges, caused mainly by poverty, demographic pressure, persistent gender inequalities and further strained by the effects of climate change, armed conflict, and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Since 09 September 2019, WFP Niger has been classified as a Level 3 emergency response operation, given the escalating humanitarian needs, and complexity of the multi-dimensional challenges being faced. Quite alarmingly, food insecurity analyses have indicated that needs are expected to further increase in the coming months. More than 2.5 million people are currently unable to meet their essential food and nutritional needs – more than double the number for the same period last year. Unless humanitarian and resilience programmes are drastically scaled up in the next few months, this could rise to 3.6 million people, during the next lean season (June – August 2022).

There is an urgent need for the scale-up of humanitarian and resilience programmes, to meet present and future challenges. Impactful communication and advocacy is paramount to ensuring that key messages promptly reach the target audience, and that the visibility of WFP’s activities and positioning are clearly communicated.

STANDARD MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Education: Advanced University degree in Journalism, International Relations, Public Relations, Communications or other relevant field, or First University degree with additional years of related work experience and/or trainings/courses.

Experience: At least five (5) years of post graduate professional experience in a relevant field of work.

Language: International Professional: Fluency (level C) in French language. Intermediate knowledge (level B) in English.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (not all-inclusive)

1. Develop, maintain and update an appropriate work plan for the assigned area, which implements the corporate communications strategy, in order to maintain and enhance the visibility and reputation of WFP, and support fundraising activities, ensuring alignment with WFP strategy. 2. Plan, manage and evaluate communications campaigns that favourably impact the views of the public, opinion leaders and donors in order to raise WFP’s profile and support fundraising activities. 3. Prepare communications products that effectively convey the desired message to targeted audience(s). 4. Maintain and develop a contact list of journalists and media outlets, and manage the regular flow of news/information about WFP’s work to the media, ensuring reputational risks are identified and managed. 5. Define a social media plan for the assigned area which leverages social media content, platforms, networks and partners to enhance coverage and support of WFP’s activities. 6. Generate and/or facilitate the production of donor specific visibility content including, text, photos, videos and audio for use across a range of integrated online platforms, in order to support global and country fundraising activities, ensuring consistency with corporate messages. 7. Track and analyse traditional and online media, to identify trends and/or issues, and propose solutions and ideas to improve the effectiveness of communication strategy and activities. 8. Manage junior communications officers/team, develop work plans, monitor performance against objectives, and ensure appropriate development to enable high performance. 9. Coordinate and prepare accurate and timely reporting on communications activities that enables informed decision-making, evaluation of objectives and consistency of information presented to stakeholders. 10. Build capacity of WFP staff on all aspects of external relations communication, providing advice, guidance and training to ensure consistent, quality communications activities that deliver the desired impact. 11. Work in close collaboration with counterparts to align activities and ensure a coherent approach to communications within WFP. 12. Contribute to preparedness actions, providing technical recommendations and guidance and monitoring the management of communications specific risks. 13. Other as required.

4Ps CORE ORGANISATIONAL CAPABILITIES

Purpose

• Understand and communicate the Strategic Objectives: Utilizes understanding of WFP’s Strategic Objectives to communicate linkages to team objectives and work.
• Be a force for positive change: Proactively identifies and develops new methods or improvements for self and immediate team to address work challenges within own work area.
• Make the mission inspiring to our team: Identifies opportunities to further align individual contributions with WFP’s mission of making an impact on local communities.
• Make our mission visible in everyday actions: Helps colleagues to see the link between their individual tasks and the contributions of their unit’s goals to the broader context of WFP’s mission.

People

• Look for ways to strengthen people's skills: Is able to identify, support and encourage focused on-the-job learning opportunities to address gaps between current skillsets and needed future skillsets for WFP.
• Create an inclusive culture: Recognizes the contributions of teammates, and encourages contributions from culturally different team mates to recognise the value of diversity above and beyond just including it in programming for beneficiaries.
• Be a coach & provide constructive feedback: Provides and solicits ongoing constructive feedback on strengths and development opportunities to help develop individual skills, whilst also helping others identify areas for improvement.
• Create an “I will”/”We will” spirit: Sets clear targets for self and others to focus team efforts in ambiguous situations (e.g., unprecedented issues and/or scenarios).

Performance

• Encourage innovation & creative solutions: Thinks beyond team’s conventional approaches to formulate creative methods for delivering food aid and assistance to beneficiaries.
• Focus on getting results: Maintains focus on achieving individual results in the face of obstacles such as volatile or fragile environments and/or organizational roadblocks.
• Make commitments and make good on commitments: Takes personal accountability for upholding and delivering upon team’s commitments and provides assurance to stakeholders.
• Be Decisive: Demonstrates ability to adjust to team’s plans and priorities to optimize outcomes in light of evolving directives, while also responding quickly in high-pressure environments, such as in emergency settings.

Partnership

• Connect and share across WFP units: Demonstrates an understanding of when and how to tactfully engage other units in conversations on impact, timing, or planning.
• Build strong external partnerships: Networks regularly with key external partners using formal and informal opportunities to understand each partner’s unique value proposition, and to build and strengthen relationships.
• Be politically agile & adaptable: Demonstrates ability to adapt engagement approach in the context of evolving partner circumstances and expectations.
• Be clear about the value WFP brings to partnerships: Demonstrates ability to articulate to internal and external audiences the value that individual contributions and immediate teams bring to partnerships.

FUNCTIONAL CAPABILITIES

Capability Name Description of the behaviour expected for the proficiency level Media and Influencer Relationship Management Demonstrates ability to formulate and maintain strong relationships with key media and influencers. Leads in implementing identified strategy to raise the profile of WFP, build relationships and further organisational aims. Media and Communication Expertise Provides guidance to team members in facilitating open and informative verbal and written communication between media and influencers. Directs a team in the preparation of tailored written reports, presentations materials. Specialised Knowledge in Communications Uses sound theoretical knowledge of communications concepts to generate or facilitate the generation of effective communication materials across various media. Applies this to define work plans aligned to identified areas of WFP’s communications strategy. Sociopolitical Contextual Understanding Demonstrates deep understanding of the multilateral/interagency environment and the dynamics in which WFP operates which influences approach to working, policy development and decision making. Communication Strategy and Planning Applies advanced understanding of WFP communications strategy and best practice to effectively develop strategies to engage with media and other significant external stakeholders within area of responsibility. Oversees implementation, providing recommendations for improvement.

DESIRED EXPERIENCES FOR ENTRY INTO THE ROLE

• Has gained experience in specialised communications practices and applies this to all activities • Has managed small teams of staff with related areas of expertise in the delivery of innovative communications projects • Has provided support in leading projects and input into function policies

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

WFP offers equal opportunities to all.

WFP is committed to promoting a work culture in which every employee understands and is able to carry out their work responsibilities and maintain the dignity of their co-workers. WFP offers career opportunities for its employees and supports them in their professional development with training and continuous learning actions.

WFP is also committed to creating and maintaining a harmonious climate in the workplace, based on mutual respect and understanding, free of discrimination, harassment, sexual harassment and abuse of authority and respectful of diversity. WFP is committed to diversity and inclusion in its workforce and encourages qualified women and men from all religious and ethnic backgrounds to apply. WFP has a zero tolerance for discrimination and does not discriminate based on the status of HIV / AIDS.

Finally, WFP seeks to promote gender equality and women's empowerment and is confident that its mission to fight global hunger can only be achieved if women, men, girls and boys equal opportunity for access to resources and services and participation in decision-making roles

• Contract Duration: 11 months (Renewable)
• Remuneration: A competitive compensation and benefits package is offered.
• Eligibility: WFP is an equal opportunity employer. Female candidates meeting the above qualifications are encouraged to apply.

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS

Closing date of application: 5 January 2022

Applications should be sent only on-line through WFP recruitment website.

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All employment decisions are made on the basis of organizational needs, job requirements, merit, and individual qualifications. WFP is committed to providing an inclusive work environment free of sexual exploitation and abuse, all forms of discrimination, any kind of harassment, sexual harassment, and abuse of authority. Therefore, all selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

No appointment under any kind of contract will be offered to members of the UN Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ), International Civil Service Commission (ICSC), FAO Finance Committee, WFP External Auditor, WFP Audit Committee, Joint Inspection Unit (JIU) and other similar bodies within the United Nations system with oversight responsibilities over WFP, both during their service and within three years of ceasing that service.