Junior Communication Officer

Contract

This is a UNV National Specialist contract. This kind of contract is known as National UN Volunteer. It is normally only for nationals. More about UNV National Specialist contracts.

Viet Nam has been a WHO Member State since 17 May 1950. WHO was one of the first United Nations agencies to support the Vietnamese health sector directly since the end of the war and reunification of the country. WHO established a country office in Hanoi in 1977. More than 50 WHO staff in the country office have played a central role in supporting the people and the Government of Viet Nam to improve health.

Communications for Health (C4H) is at the heart of WHO’s work in the country WHO Viet Nam is supporting the Ministry of Health (MOH) with various activities under its national action plan for health communications, 2019 – 2025. This action plan guides all departments and agencies under the MOH in designing, implementing and monitoring and evaluating health-related communication activities. WHO’s support covers risk communication for communicable diseases and health emergencies, noncommunicable diseases, and universal health coverage with focus on primary health care, among others. The plan also guides the implementation of communication activities for the Healthy Viet Nam Programme, the nationwide health promotion programme approved by the Prime Minister to improve the health of Vietnamese people by promoting positive health behaviours – healthy diet, physical activities, no tobacco smoking, no harmful use of alcohol, among others.

WHO Viet Nam is leveraging Communication for Health (C4H) in driving towards positive health behaviours. C4H, an operational shift in the WHO Western Pacific Region’s For the Future strategy, derives techniques from various fields such as behavioural science, social and behaviour change communication, risk communication, among others, in designing strategies to achieve positive health outcomes. WHO Viet Nam is also in the process of introducing C4H principles and practices to MOH counterparts.

This UNV assignment is part of WHO Viet Nam’s strengthening of strategic communication by providing support to the office’s C4H Team.

Under the direct supervision of the C4H Technical Officer, and working closely with other technical teams, the UN Volunteer will undertake the following tasks:

Task 1: Develop and implement communications and advocacy campaigns for the government and the public on various health issues. This will include:

• Working with counterparts and partners in developing, implementing, monitoring and evaluating communication for health campaigns • Providing technical and creative online content leadership in developing and disseminating communications products, and evaluating outcomes of the communication campaigns

Task 2: Provide communications support to the technical team in the development of a set of communications advisories on health preventive measures for communities and dissemination of advisories to protect human health through mass media channels.

Task 3: Perform other duties as requested/required by the WHO Viet Nam office and communications team

Furthermore, UN Volunteers are required to:

• Strengthen their knowledge and understanding of the concept of volunteerism by reading relevant UNV and external publications and take active part in UNV activities (for instance in events that mark International Volunteer Day); • Be acquainted with and build on traditional and/or local forms of volunteerism in the host country; • Reflect on the type and quality of voluntary action that they are undertaking, including participation in ongoing reflection activities; • Contribute articles/write-ups on field experiences and submit them for UNV publications/websites, newsletters, press releases, etc.; • Assist with the UNV Buddy Programme for newly-arrived UN Volunteers; • Promote or advise local groups in the use of online volunteering, or encourage relevant local individuals and organizations to use the • • UNV Online Volunteering service whenever technically possible.

• Professionalism: demonstrated understanding of operations relevant to WHO; technical capabilities or knowledge relevant or transferrable to WHO procedures and rules; discretion, political sensitivity, diplomacy and tact to deal with clients; ability to apply good judgment; ability to liaise and coordinate with a range of different actors, especially in senior positions; where appropriate, high degree of autonomy, personal initiative and ability to take ownership; resourcefulness and willingness to accept wide responsibilities and ability to work independently under established procedures; ability to manage information objectively, accurately and confidentially; responsive and client-oriented; • Integrity: demonstrate the values and ethical standards of the UN and WHO in daily activities and behaviours while acting without consideration of personal gains; resist undue political pressure in decision-making; stand by decisions that are in the organization’s interest even if they are unpopular; take prompt action in cases of unprofessional or unethical behaviour; does not abuse power or authority; • Teamwork and respect for diversity: ability to operate effectively across organizational boundaries; excellent interpersonal skills; ability to establish and maintain effective partnerships and harmonious working relations in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic, mixed-gender environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity; sensitivity and adaptability to culture, gender, religion, nationality and age; commitment to implementing the goal of gender equality by ensuring the equal participation and full involvement of women and men in all aspects of UN operations; ability to achieve common goals and provide guidance or training to colleagues; • Commitment to continuous learning: initiative and willingness to learn new skills and stay abreast of new developments in area of expertise; ability to adapt to changes in work environment. • Planning and organizing: effective organizational and problem-solving skills and ability to manage a large volume of work in an efficient and timely manner; ability to establish priorities and to plan, coordinate and monitor (own) work; ability to work under pressure, with conflicting deadlines, and to handle multiple concurrent projects/activities; • Communication: proven interpersonal skills; good spoken and written communication skills, including ability to prepare clear and concise reports; ability to conduct presentations, articulate options and positions concisely; ability to make and defend recommendations; ability to communicate and empathize with staff (including national staff), military personnel, volunteers, counterparts and local interlocutors coming from very diverse backgrounds; capacity to transfer information and knowledge to a wide range of different target groups; • Flexibility: adaptability and ability to live and work in potentially hazardous and remote conditions, involving physical hardship and little comfort; to operate independently in austere environments for protracted periods; willingness to travel within the area of operations and to transfer to other duty stations within the area of operations as necessary; • Genuine commitment towards the principles of voluntary engagement, which includes solidarity, compassion, reciprocity and self-reliance; and commitment towards WHO’s mission and vision, as well as to the UN Core Values.

 Bachelor's Degree in Communications, External Relations;  At least 3 years of professional work experience at the national and/or international level in communication/external relations with social media experience (preferably marketing focusing on health related matters) is essential; experience working in the WHO or other UN/international development organization would be a valuable asset;  Accuracy and professionalism in reporting, documentation, writing and editorial skills, in particular for social media posts (Twitter and Facebook); and skills and experience in using graphic design software  Excellent interpersonal skills; culturally- and socially-sensitive; ability to work inclusively and collaboratively with a range of partners, including grassroots community members, religious and youth organizations, and Government sector at different levels; familiarity with tools and approaches of communications for development;  Ability to work and adapt professionally and effectively in a challenging environment; ability to work effectively in a multicultural team of international and national personnel;  Solid overall computer literacy, including proficiency in various MS Office applications (Excel, Word, etc.) and email/internet; familiarity with database management; and office technology equipment;  Self-motivated, ability to work with minimum supervision; ability to work with tight deadlines;  Sound security awareness;  Able and willing to travel to communities;  Has affinity with or interest in the mission of promoting the UN Sustainable Development Goals especially the goal on Universal Health  Coverage (UHC) through stronger regulatory systems, volunteerism as a mechanism for durable development, and the UN System.

The incumbent will live in Ha Noi, which has most of the economic and social amenities at a reasonable cost. Depending on living arrangements, housing can be expensive. Security is good. Ha Noi has a humid, tropical climate and monsoons. Summers, between May and September, are very hot with plenty of rain, while winters, from November to March, are cold and relatively dry. Living conditions in Hanoi are relatively good by developing country standards.

Viet Nam is a middle income country which has witnessed rapid economic growth with impressive results in poverty reduction over the past twenty five years. The country has deepened its integration into global and regional institutions such as the WTO, the UN institutions and ASEAN. Viet Nam was recently ranked as one of the more secure and stable places to live and do business by outside research groups.

In line with further improvements in the availability of goods and services, health facilities, and housing, the level of hardship in the duty station has recently been upgraded from C to B. Security is also reasonably good relative to other developing country large cities.

As this is a national UN Volunteer assignment, the UN Volunteer will be responsible for arranging his/her own housing and other living essentials. National UN Volunteers are part of the malicious insurance plan.