Purpose of the consultancy
This consultancy will support the Listening and Evidence Sub-Pillar under the Strategic Communications Pillar of the COVID-19 Incident Management Support Team (IMST) with infodemic management and digital social listening.
Background
Strategic communication – both risk communication and leadership communication – has been a critical component of the COVID-19 response since Day 1. Throughout the pandemic, communication has been crucial in encouraging people to carry out key protective measures and building confidence in COVID-19 vaccines, while increasing coverage. Communications will remain crucial as the pandemic evolves and COVID-19 transitions gradually to endemicity.
Listening to communities is key in planning effective strategies and activities that are targeted, empathetic and people-centred. Through multi-source listening and capturing intelligence on public knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours, WHO and our Member States have also worked to ensure that our communication is better tailored to meet community needs and that key challenges and issues communities face are incorporated into the COVID-19 response decision-making. The infodemic, or too much information including false or misleading information in digital and physical environments, may cause confusion and risk-taking behaviours that can harm health. Therefore, increasing capacity at the regional and country levels to manage infodemic by application of specific approaches and tools to address rumours and mis/disinformation and the general overload with information is essential.
COVID-19 strategic communication efforts to date have been possible thanks to the foundational capacity built under the Asia Pacific Strategy for Emerging Diseases and Public Health Emergencies (APSED III) – a common strategic framework guiding the joint action of Member States, WHO and partners to strengthen the core capacities required under the International Health Regulations (2005), including communication. This consultancy seeks to build upon this foundation, and further strengthen strategic communication capacities in countries, so that they are better able to respond to COVID-19 and future emergencies (including future pandemics).
In addition, For the Future: towards the healthiest and safest Region sets out the priorities for WHO’s work with Member States and Partners over the next five years. As part of this vision, WHO seeks to increase capacity in Communications for Health (C4H), which it defines as, “communications principles and processes that inform and change attitudes and behaviours for defined public health outcomes at the individual, community and societal levels”. COVID-19 therefore also represents an opportunity to further build capacities in C4H.
Planned timelines
(6 months with possibilty of extension; subject to confirmation)
Start date : 17 January 2022
End date : 30 June 2022
Work to be performed
Under the overall supervision of Technical Officer, Risk Communication (WHE) and the direct supervision of COVID-19 IMST Listening and Evidence Sub-Pillar Lead and the management of the Incident Manager, the consultant will be responsible for delivering the following:
Output 1: Support Regional Office and country offices in building capacity in infodemic management and response to mis/disinformation in line with the Communications for Health (C4H) approach:
- Deliverable 1.1: Develop and maintain infodemic management tools and resources including infodemic management guidance and a decision-making framework to assess and address mis/disinformation related to COVID-19 and COVID-19 vaccines, and support dissemination process with country offices.
- Deliverable 1.2: Act as the focal point to advise and deploy practical and clear infodemic management protocol to respond to mis/disinformation to support Regional Office and country offices, based on the established guidance.
- Deliverable 1.3: Support country offices in building capacity for effective infodemics management, which include facilitating available HQ-led training/learning opportunities for countries and organizing regional webinar on how to implement an infodemic management system based on current capacity.
- Deliverable 1.4: Act as a liaison with HQ’s EPI-WIN team to follow on the latest guidance and materials, facilitate adaptation if needed and share with countries and regional teams, while introducing best practices of infodemic management in the Western Pacific region among the HQ and other regions.
Output 2: Coordinate multi-source social listening activities to capture and analyse insights including rumours, mis/disinformation in relation to COVID-19:
- Deliverable 2.1. On a regular basis, conduct social listening using multiple tools and sources including online listening tools as well as other sources of listening data to capture COVID-19 related insights such as trending topics, questions and concerns, rumours, mis/disinformation.
- Deliverable 2.2: Prepare regular brief updates with key insights that can inform regional communications and wider response efforts, as well as IMST/Vaccine IMST online social listening presentations when appropriate.
- Deliverable 2.3: In close collaboration with other sub-pillar members, support country offices in utilizing the regional online social listening tools so that countries can effectively utilize them to generate regular social listening updates.
- Deliverable 2.4: Liaise with other colleagues to ensure online social listening insights better inform content development and other communication materials.
- Deliverable 2.5: Support capacity building activities for countries on the operationalization and learnings from the online social listening.
Output 3: Perform other tasks, as required by the ongoing needs of the IMST.
Qualifications, experience, skills, language
Education
Essential: University degree in Communications, Journalism, Public Relations, International Relations, Political Science or a related field.
Experience
Essential: Minimum of five years of communication experience.
Desirable: The consultant should have experience of working within the Western Pacific region. Experience with WHO is preferred.
Skills and knowledge
- Knowledge and skills in strategic communication, social media, online listening, infodemics and content development.
Language
Written and spoken fluency in English are essential.
Competencies
- Building and promoting partnerships across the organization and beyond
- Communication
- Ensuring the effective use of resources
- Creating an empowering and motivating environment
- Teamwork
- Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences
Place of assignment
The selected Consultant will be based in WHO, Manila, Philippines
Travel
The consultancy will be carried out remotely, but with possible travel to WPRO in Manila subject to easing of travel restrictions and availability of flights.
Additional Information
- This vacancy notice may be used to identify candidates for other similar consultancies at the same level.
- Only candidates under serious consideration will be contacted.
- A written test may be used as a form of screening.
- If your candidature is retained for 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.
- 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.
- Applications from women and from nationals of non and underrepresented Member States are particularly encouraged.
- WHO prides itself on a workforce that adheres to the highest ethical and professional standards and that is committed to put the WHO Values Charter into practice.
- WHO has zero tolerance towards sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA), sexual harassment and other types of abusive conduct (i.e., discrimination, abuse of authority and harassment). All members of the WHO workforce have a role to play in promoting a safe and respectful workplace and should report to WHO any actual or suspected cases of SEA, sexual harassment and other types of abusive conduct. To ensure that individuals with a substantiated history of SEA, sexual harassment or other types of abusive conduct are not hired by the Organization, WHO will conduct a background verification of final candidates.
- Consultants shall perform the work as independent contractors in a personal capacity, and not as a representative of any entity or authority. The execution of the work under a consultant contract does not create an employer/employee relationship between WHO and the Consultant.
- WHO shall have no responsibility whatsoever for any taxes, duties, social security contributions or other contributions payable by the Consultant. The Consultant shall be solely responsible for withholding and paying any taxes, duties, social security contributions and any other contributions which are applicable to the Consultant in in each location/jurisdiction in which the work hereunder is performed, and the Consultant shall not be entitled to any reimbursement thereof by WHO.