Ebola Response Officer

Volunteering Communications & PR Crisis & Emergency Response

Overview

Support UN agencies’ preparedness and response to Ebola outbreaks in DRC.

You have:

• At least 3 years of relevant professional experience (requirements may depending on the volunteer category)
• Demonstrated experience in humanitarian or emergency contexts, preferably in outbreak response
• Strong understanding of Ebola or similar public health emergencies is an asset
• Experience with data management systems used in emergencies
• Excellent coordination, communication, and interpersonal skills

Contract

This is a UNV contract. More about UNV contracts.

This is a generic Description of Assignments to call for application to Ebola response positions in the DRC. UNV is seeking to establish a roster of qualified professionals to support UN agencies’ preparedness and response to Ebola outbreaks. Selected candidates may be deployed at short notice to support emergency operations in DRC. The Ebola response requires a multidisciplinary approach that places communities at the centre, strengthens health systems, and ensures access to essential services. UNV is therefore inviting applications from experienced professionals across several technical areas.

International candidates and Nationals from DRC are eligible to apply. The application are accepted for candidates having expertise in one of the following areas:

1. Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE) Support the design, implementation, and monitoring of RCCE strategies to ensure communities are informed, engaged, and empowered to adopt protective behaviors during the Ebola response. Conduct community assessments, develop culturally appropriate messaging, and ensure dissemination through trusted channels. Establish feedback mechanisms to track concerns, rumors, and perceptions, and adapt interventions accordingly while strengthening community engagement and coordination. Key activities also include strengthening coordination with government, partners, and community groups; building capacity of frontline workers and local stakeholders; and supporting the development of guidelines, plans, and communication protocols to enhance preparedness, trust, and community participation in outbreak control efforts.

2. Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) / PSEA Support the delivery of MHPSS services aligned with global standards, including programme design based on needs assessments and development of tools for children, adolescents, and caregivers. Strengthen capacity of partners, ensure quality monitoring, maintain referral pathways, and promote coordinated approaches to enhance wellbeing and resilience. The role involves establishing monitoring systems, integrating beneficiary feedback to improve services, maintaining service mapping and referral pathways, and promoting coordination across sectors to ensure a coherent and integrated response that enhances wellbeing and resilience

3. WASH – Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) Support the implementation and monitoring of WASH and IPC interventions to reduce transmission risks. Strengthen water, sanitation, hygiene, and waste management systems in communities and health facilities, ensure adherence to IPC protocols. The role involves training and mentoring health workers and partners, supporting preparedness and response planning, and facilitating coordination across sectors to ensure safe, scalable service delivery and effective outbreak control.

4. Community-Based Surveillance (CBS) Support the establishment, strengthening, and operationalization of community-based surveillance systems to enable early detection, reporting, and response to Ebola cases and alerts at community level. Key responsibilities include conducting community mapping and risk assessments; training and mentoring community volunteers, leaders, and frontline workers on case definitions, reporting procedures, and safe engagement; and promoting timely identification and referral of suspected cases. The role also involves supporting data collection, verification, and analysis to inform decision-making; strengthening linkages and information flow between communities and formal health systems; and reinforcing feedback mechanisms to ensure communities remain informed and engaged.

5. Gender Specialist Support the integration of gender equality and inclusion across all aspects of the Ebola response to ensure equitable access to services and reduce vulnerabilities. Key responsibilities include conducting rapid gender analyses to identify specific risks, barriers, and needs of women, men, girls, and boys, and translating findings into programme design and implementation. The role involves advising sector teams on gender-responsive approaches, supporting the prevention and mitigation of gender-based violence, and promoting safe, inclusive community engagement. The specialist also contributes to capacity building of partners, strengthens sex- and age-disaggregated data use, and ensures that interventions address harmful norms and inequalities while enhancing accountability to affected populations.

6. Ebola Health Expert Provide technical leadership and guidance on Ebola prevention, case management, and outbreak control in line with international standards. Key activities include supporting the implementation of clinical care protocols, case investigation, contact tracing, and infection prevention measures in treatment and community settings. The role involves advising on safe and dignified burials, strengthening surveillance and response systems, and ensuring quality assurance of case management practices. The expert also contributes to training and mentoring of health workers, coordination with health authorities and partners, and continuous adaptation of strategies to improve patient outcomes and reduce transmission.

7. Nutrition and Specialized Care Support the delivery of integrated nutrition services to prevent and treat malnutrition among Ebola-affected populations, with a focus on vulnerable children and infants. Key responsibilities include promoting safe infant and young child feeding practices, including appropriate alternatives to breastfeeding when necessary, and supporting the nutritional rehabilitation of infected or at-risk children. The role involves integrating nutrition into clinical care and community interventions, managing acute malnutrition, and ensuring continuity of care for children separated from caregivers. It also includes strengthening capacity of health workers, monitoring programme quality, and coordinating with partners to support recovery and resilience.

8. Data Analysis Support evidence-based decision-making across the Ebola response through the collection, management, analysis, and visualization of programme and epidemiological data. Key responsibilities include compiling and cleaning data from multiple sources (surveillance, CBS, health facilities, RCCE feedback systems), producing timely and accurate analytical products such as dashboards, situation reports, and data visualizations, and identifying trends to inform operational planning and response strategies. The role also involves strengthening data quality assurance processes, supporting interoperability of data systems, and building the capacity of partners and frontline teams in data collection, analysis, and use. The Data Analyst works closely with health, RCCE, CBS, and coordination teams to ensure data-driven, adaptive, and effective outbreak response.

Core Responsibilities (All Profiles) Support rapid assessments, programme planning, implementation, and monitoring Strengthen coordination with government, partners, and communities Build capacity of national staff and frontline workers Ensure accountability to affected populations, including feedback and adaptation mechanisms Integrate gender, protection, and inclusion considerations across interventions

Teamwork Delivering results Managing and sharing knowledge Accountability Communication Inclusion and respect for diversity Integrity and transparency Professionalism Courage Empathy

At least 3 years of relevant professional experience (requirements may depending on the volunteer category) Demonstrated experience in humanitarian or emergency contexts, preferably in outbreak response Strong understanding of Ebola or similar public health emergencies is an asset For data analysis: Experience with data management systems used in emergencies Excellent coordination, communication, and interpersonal skills

The assignment will take place in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), a family duty station and the country's political, economic, and humanitarian hub. Kinshasa is one of Africa's largest and fastest-growing cities, offering a dynamic and multicultural environment. The city hosts a large international community, including UN agencies, diplomatic missions, NGOs, and private sector organizations.

According to recent estimates, Kinshasa has a population of over 17 million inhabitants, while the DRC has a population exceeding 110 million. French is the official language and is widely spoken, while Lingala is commonly used in daily life. The local currency is the Congolese Franc (CDF), although US dollars are widely accepted and commonly used for major transactions.

Kinshasa has a tropical climate with warm temperatures throughout the year, generally ranging between 22°C and 33°C. The rainy season typically runs from October to May, while the dry season extends from June to September.

Living conditions in Kinshasa are generally good, with access to supermarkets, restaurants, banking facilities, telecommunications services, and international standard accommodation. A wide range of furnished and unfurnished housing options are available, particularly in neighborhoods commonly used by the international community such as Gombe, Ngaliema, and surrounding areas. Internet and mobile phone coverage are generally reliable, although occasional disruptions to electricity and water supply may occur.

Medical facilities, including several clinics and hospitals used by the international community, are available in Kinshasa. Volunteers should ensure they are up to date on routine vaccinations and follow medical advice regarding recommended vaccinations and preventive measures for travel to the DRC. Essential medicines are generally available, although volunteers requiring specific prescription medications are encouraged to bring an adequate supply.

Kinshasa is served by N'djili International Airport, which offers connections to major regional and international destinations. Transportation within the city is readily available through taxis and private transportation services.

While Kinshasa is generally considered stable compared to many other parts of the country, crime, including opportunistic theft, robbery, and petty crime, can occur. Volunteers are expected to maintain a high level of situational awareness, comply with UN security regulations, and follow security advice provided by the United Nations Department of Safety and Security (UNDSS) and UN Host Entity. Adherence to residential security requirements and prudent personal security practices is essential.

You can check full entitlements at the duty station at https://app.unv.org/calculator.

The complete UN Volunteer Conditions of Service are available at https://explore.unv.org/cos.

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Potential interview questions

Added 2 months ago - Updated 2 months ago - Source: unv.org