Manager

OBJECTIVES OF THE PROGRAMME

The mission of WHO's Health Emergencies Programme (The Programme) is to build the capacity of Member States to manage health emergency risks and, when national capacities are overwhelmed, to lead and coordinate the international health response to contain outbreaks and to provide effective relief and recovery to affected populations.The External Relations Department of the Health Emergencies Programme is responsible for providing accurate and timely health emergency communications and sustainable financing. This includes developing donor appeals and engaging with donors to ensure adequate and timely financing for core functions and in response to emergencies, working closely with the planning and donor reporting focal points; developing and implementing a strategy on WHO communications for emergencies to engage with key audiences; and developing and implementing advocacy strategies and plans.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES

Within the framework of the delegated authority, the incumbent is assigned all or part of the following responsibilities\:1. Lead the elaboration, formulation and implementation of coherent short- and long-term strategic communications plans for the Programme's core work and specific responses\:a. Guide and maintain a forward-looking calendar of key moments and content to drive the narrative on health in emergencies, aligned with resource mobilization and advocacy targets. b. Act as a general spokesperson for the Programme and provide support for ExD's media and public appearances. Serve as focal point for WHE communications within WHO and work with relevant teams across WHO.c. Promote and adopt innovative tactics to maximise efficiencies and the reach of Programme messages. d. Ensure regular analysis of media and stakeholder environment and advise the Director, External Relations and Executive Director on positioning the WHE and on opportunities and threats to reputation and programme effectiveness. e. Devise and implement a risk communications strategy for the work of the Programme. f. Advise the ExD on change management and internal communications and develop and implement relevant strategies in coordination with other teams in WHE and WHO more generally. g. Collaborate with and support responsible units within the Programme at three levels (country, regional and HQ offices) and across WHO to ensure that communications strategies and materials being developed for the Programme's work are of high quality and are aligned to the Programme's priorities.h. Oversee the development and implementation of events, campaigns, messages and position statements that effectively convey issues to target audiences, world-wide, at country and community levels, to support the work of resource mobilization. Foster relationships with the media through the development of networks, to ensure that messages and communication campaigns are disseminated in an effective manner.i. Engage in management and technical conferences to stay abreast of current best practices and knowledge and disseminate this knowledge within the organization.j. Create and nurture a working communications group across key operational partners in health emergencies and with key media professionals or groups.2. Manage the WHE communications team\:a. Lead and manage the communications team in the Programme, promoting an environment of professional inquisitiveness, anticipating new challenges and, seeking solutions and evaluating their effectiveness, and demonstrating to stakeholders and collaborators a commitment to excellence; b. Assign team members to cover the scope of the Programme's work to support advocacy and resource mobilization for health in emergencies over the full emergency risk management cycle; c. Manage activities planning and budget for WHE communications, maximising efficiencies. 3. Build and facilitate networks that support the Programme's outbreak and emergencies work in communications, in collaboration with the Department of Communication. a. In collaboration and coordination with DCO, ensure that WHO can quickly, reliably speak with one voice through multiple, easily found channels on matters relevant to the Programme's work; support identified spokespeople for specific emergencies. b. Provide content and strategic direction on communications about the Programme's work and issues important to health emergencies for dissemination on DCO platforms. c. Provide ideas and pitching content for media relationships maintained by DCO. d. Build scalable capacity for communications across the risk management cycle at headquarters, regional and country office level, including by working with DCO to ensure the development of a roster of communications experts with skills in relevant areas, and capacity building in communications during outbreaks and emergencies of existing staff. e. Work with technical units and DCO to ensure that external communications strategies are closely aligned to culturally appropriate risk communications.4. Perform other related duties, including replacing and backstopping.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education

Essential\: Advanced university degree in international or public relations, communications, marketing or a related field.
Desirable\: Training public health or development issues.

Experience

Essential\: At least 10 years' experience of communications activities involving information and communications projects in media in national and international contexts.Experience developing messaging and communications strategy for multiple-stakeholder partnerships.Considerable experience in developing campaigns, media relations and/or public relations, and events.Extensive experience working with and influencing the press and other media as a journalist or spokesperson.Experience in team management.
Desirable\: Experience in WHO or other UN agencies including at country and regional levels.Experience in the field of information in the health context or experience in WHO with a sound understanding of its mandate and goals.

Skills

Four competencies are considered to be mandatory for all WHO staff with managerial responsibilities\: “Teamwork”, “Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences”, “Communication” and “Creating an empowering and motivating environment”.Expertise in establishing best practices and strategies in communications in order to position a brand or technical programme and in evaluating communications and media projects.Demonstrated ability to create and implement campaigns and events for a cause or issue. Demonstrated managerial, supervisory and leadership skills and proven ability to create and foster a communications team across different units within an organization and with external partners. Thorough understanding of current international relations, public health and international development issues and the ability to position a programme within that context and adapt as the situation changes. Demonstrated strong written and verbal communications skills that translate technical information to lay communications. Excellent interpersonal, presentation and diplomatic skills.

WHO Competencies

Communication
Building and promoting partnerships across the organization and beyond
Driving the Organization's Position in Health Leadership
Creating an empowering and motivating environment
Ensuring the effective use of resources

Use of Language Skills

Essential\: Expert knowledge of English.
Desirable\: Intermediate knowledge of French.

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 87,108 (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 4864 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 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.