Risk Communication and Community Engagement Officer (NOA)

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Qualifications

.1.    Background and Justification

The mission of WHO's Health Emergencies Programme (Emergency Health Operations) is to help countries coordinate international action to prevent, prepare for, detect, rapidly respond to, and recover from outbreaks and emergencies. In response to ongoing health challenges, the WHO Country Office in South Sudan has set up an Incident Management Team (IMT) with the core function to manage WHO’s emergency response in the region.

Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE) is an integral area of WHO IMT operations. The consultant will provide technical, operational, and coordination support on all aspects related to risk communication and community engagement; ensure that community engagement is considered and planned throughout all phases of the incident management cycle and integrated within the risk management and risk mitigation procedures

Objectives of the Programme and of the immediate Strategic Objectives

Under the supervision of Technical Officer: Health Operations and Technical Expertise, under the overall guidance of the Emergency Preparedness and Response Team Lead, the consultant will work closely with the relevant technical teams and national and subnational health authorities to ensure that sociocultural factors are addressed in the formulation of public health interventions and overall RCCE strategy for response. 

Organizational context (Describe the individual role of incumbent within the team, focusing on work environment within and outside the organization)

Under the supervision of the Technical Officer (Health Operations and Technical Expertise), and with the overall guidance of the Emergency Preparedness and Response (EPR) Lead and Head of the WHO Country Office, the incumbent will serve as Risk Communication and Community Engagement Officer. They will provide technical support to the Ministry of Health (MoH) and health partners, collaborating closely with WHO Regional Office and liaising with other units and teams within the Country Office to coordinate the implementation of approved activities. Additionally, the incumbent will be responsible for reporting on activities conducted and ensuring effective communication within the team.

Summary of Assigned Duties:

1.      Conducting RCCE Interventions in Support of MoH

·         Tasks:

§  Develop and distribute health messages on outbreak prevention, primary healthcare access, and emergency response.

§  Facilitate community engagement sessions to gather feedback and adapt messages.

·         Deliverables:

§  At least 10 informational materials, including posters and radio messages, distributed over 15 days.

§  Weekly community engagement sessions and summary reports.

2.      Support Development of RCCE Strategy for the Next 6 Months

·         Tasks:

§  Review current RCCE strategy and identify gaps in public health interventions.

§  Incorporate priority areas like disease prevention and community needs into the updated strategy.

·         Deliverables:

§  A revised RCCE strategy document within 15 days, including specific action items and timelines.

3.      Support Rollout and Adaptation of RCCE Tools and Training

·         Tasks:

§  Conduct training sessions for local health staff on RCCE tools and methodologies.

§  Distribute toolkits and provide hands-on guidance for effective community engagement.

·         Deliverables:

§  5 training workshops and 100 toolkits distributed, with a report on toolkit usage and feedback.

2.  Recruitment Profile Experience

Essential:

●       Minimum 2 years of experience in RCCE

●       Experience in the field of communication in South Sudan

●       Ability to adapt, develop, produce and disseminate basic risk communication products 

Desirable:

●       Experience with using social and traditional media monitoring tools within RCCE context

●       Understanding of the community context anthropology

●       Communications skills for emergencies 

Education

Essential:

·         First university degree in public health, Health Promotion, Communication, Journalism or Social Sciences. 

Desirable:

·         Education in Public Health disciplines.

·         Advance Diploma Community Health and humanitarian response or related fields.

      ●       Desirable: Completed training in communications, public health, marketing, journalism or related fields.

Skills and Knowledge

●       Communication expertise, including good knowledge of various communications tools.

●       Strong project management competencies which enable to manage various tasks and several projects with the WHO team and partners.

●       Experienced in crisis communications

3.    Use of Language Skills