Risk Communications Officer

Contract

This is a P-4 contract. This kind of contract is known as Professional and Director staff. It is normally internationally recruited only. It's a staff contract. It usually requires 7 years of experience, depending on education.

Salary

The salary for this job should be between 118,352 USD and 152,590 USD.

Please keep in mind that the salary displayed here is an estimation by UN Talent based on the location and the type of contract. It may vary depending on the organization. The recruiter should be able to inform you about the exact salary range. In case the job description contains another salary information, please refer to this one.

Technical Officer (Risk Communication) - ****Position Number 421051 - LT - 1 year

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OBJECTIVES OF THE PROGRAMME

The mission of the WHO Health Emergencies Programme (The Programme) is to help countries, and to coordinate international action, to prevent, prepare for, detect, rapidly respond to, and recover from outbreaks and emergencies.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES

The incumbent will perform the following duties:

1- Act as risk communication focal point in the IM system during outbreaks and emergencies:

• Oversee the development, elaboration and implementation of the risk communication plan as part of the health response operations.
• With key stakeholders in the national authorities, UN agencies, nongovernmental organizations and civil society organizations, identify the top hazards for the country and develop relevant information, education and communication materials in languages and formats easily used by national stakeholders and the public.
• Liaise closely with the HQ and regional counterparts for risk communication ensuring coherence of strategy, materials and messages. Ensure that technical material produced by the country office integrates risk communication principles and practice.
• Monitor and proactively counter false rumours and misinformation; and address fears and concerns.
• Work closely with the Community Engagement Officer to integrate findings from knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) surveys, focus group discussions and other feedback from community engagement activities into risk communication activities and products.
• In collaboration with the Communication Officer, proactively brief and educate journalists and broadcasters.
• Lead and maintain quality control for risk communication products such as public information; brochures, leaflets and posters; radio and TV scripts; guides for stakeholders for risk communication, and ensure their translation into local language and their adaptation for the local context.
• Report regularly in risk communication activities and issues to the IM, respective RO and HQ counterparts.
• Contribute to resource mobilization and donor communication in the area of risk communication.

2. Develop and maintain standing risk communication capacity in the WHO Country Office:

• With internal and expert input and working in line with global and regional frameworks and strategies, the incumbent will develop a multi-hazard risk communication plan for the country office.
• In close collaboration with the Community Engagement Officer and the Communications Officer, map and engage risk communication stakeholders; establish and sustain coordination mechanisms for emergency risk communication.
• c. Map preferred channels of communication in the country with focus on vulnerable groups.
• Organize risk communication trainings for WHO country staff.
• Brief, guide and coordinate risk community surge capacity personnel that may be deployed to the country.

3- Support national capacity building for emergency risk communication:

• Work with resources from the global and regional levels to train and prepare country-level counterparts for emergency risk communication.
• Support national authorities to convene stakeholders and co-develop a national risk communication strategy and plan.
• With HQ and RO support, underpin the national assessment of risk communication capacity and/or oversee the running of simulation exercises to test and improve the national capacity.
• Support national authorities to conduct lessons learnt exercises to further strengthen emergency risk communication.

4- Perform any other related incident-specific duties, as required by the functional supervisor.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education

Essential:

• Advanced university degree (Master's level or above) in social sciences, behavioral sciences, development sciences, communications or public health from an accredited/recognized institute.

Desirable:

• Training in public health, health education, health communication, or health promotion.

Experience

Essential:

• At least seven years of related experience, at the national and international levels, in risk communication, health promotion, emergency management, part of which working in disease outbreaks or health emergencies.
• Proven experience in in the development and implementation of risk communications strategies and plans.

Desirable:

• Prior working experience with WHO, the UN, health cluster partners, recognized humanitarian organizations or other international organizations, including at country level. Management or project management experience.

Skills

• Excellent interpersonal skills.
• Effective negotiation, facilitation and consensus building skills.
• Ability to work under pressure while producing results.
• Ability to “think out of the box” and to make innovative proposals related to risk communication.
• Tact, discretion and diplomacy.
• Knowledge or understanding of WHO mandate and goals in the emergency incident management context.

WHO Competencies

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

WHO global Competencies model at http://www.who.int/employment/WHO_competencies_EN.pdf?ua=1

Use of Language Skills

Essential: Expert knowledge of English. Desirable: Expert knowledge of French. Expert knowledge of Arabic.

REMUNERATION

WHO salaries for staff in the Professional category are calculated in US dollars. The remuneration for the above position comprises an annual base salary starting at USD 74,913 (subject to mandatory deductions for pension contributions and health insurance, as applicable), a variable post adjustment, which reflects the cost of living in a particular duty station, and currently amounts to USD 1910 per month for the duty station indicated above. Other benefits include 30 days of annual leave, allowances for dependent family members, home leave, and an education grant for dependent children.

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.

• Staff members in other duty stations are encouraged to apply.

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

• WHO is committed to workforce diversity.

• WHO's workforce adheres to the WHO Values Charter and is committed to put the WHO Values into practice.

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

• WHO has a mobility policy which can be found at the following link: http://www.who.int/employment/en/. Candidates appointed to an international post with WHO are subject to mobility and may be assigned to any activity or duty station of the Organization throughout the world.

• Applications from women and from nationals of non and underrepresented Member States are particularly encouraged.

• Interested candidates are strongly encouraged to apply on-line. For assessment of your application, please ensure that your profile on Stellis is updated; all experience records are entered with elaboration on tasks performed at the time. Kindly note that CV/PHFs inserted via LinkedIn are not accessible.