Technical Officer Risk Communication and Community Engagement
National Specialist
Host EntityWHO
CountrySenegal
Duty StationDakar (SEN)
Language Skills
French
Start Date01 December 2020
Duration24 months
Application Deadline28 October 2020


Eligibility criteria
Minimum age: 22 years old. Applicants must be nationals of or legal residents in the country of assignment.

Description of task
Within the delegated authority and under the supervision of Team Lead RCCE or his/her designated mandated representative(s), the UN Volunteer Technical Officer RCCE will:

• Act as a risk communication focal point at Hub Incident Management 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 country's top hazards 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 the 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.
• Develop and maintain standing risk communication capacity in the WHO Regional Office/ Hub:
• With internal and expert input and working in line with global and regional frameworks and strategies, 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.
• Map preferred channels of communication in the country with a focus on vulnerable groups.
• Organize risk communication training for WHO country staff.
• Brief, guide and coordinate risk community surge capacity personnel that may be deployed to the country.
• 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 simulation exercises to test and improve the national capacity.
• Support national authorities to conduct lessons learnt exercises to strengthen emergency risk communication further.
• Any other related tasks as may be required or assigned by the supervisor.

Qualifications/Requirements:

Required degree level: Master degree or equivalent

Education - Additional Comments:
• Advanced higher degree (Master’s or equivalent) in a relevant area, e.g. Health Promotion, Social Science, Communication or area related to Health Communication;
• first-level university degree or equivalent in combination with relevant training and/or professional experience may be accepted in place of an advanced university degree;

Required experience: 24 Months

Experience remark:
At least 2 years of professional work experience at the national and/or international level in Health, Social Sciences, or Health Development Area, or other relevant programmes; experience with Community work is an asset, as is experience working in the UN or other international development organization;

Language skills:
• French(Mandatory), Level - Fluent
Area of expertise: Public information and reporting, Other health related experience, Other communications related experience

Area of expertise details:
Risk communication and Community Engagement, volunteerism as a mechanism for durable development, and the UN System.

Driving license: No

Competencies values:

Accountability, Adaptability and Flexibility, Building Trust, Client Orientation, Commitment and Motivation, Commitment to Continuous Learning, Communication, Creativity, Ethics and Values, Integrity, Knowledge Sharing, Leadership, Planning and Organizing, Professionalism, Respect for Diversity, Self-Management, Technological Awareness, Vision, Working in Teams


This assignment is in the framework of the Africa Women Health Champions to improve health and gender equality initiative.
African female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply

Application deadline: 28 October 2020