Risk Communication and Community Engagement Officer - (SSA-NOB)

The World Health Organization (WHO), Uganda Country Office is looking for a qualified and competent Ugandan Nationals to be assigned to fill the following vacant position:

Assignment title: Risk Communication and Community Engagement Officer - (SSA-NOB)
Grade: NO-B
Contractual Arrangement: Special Service Agreement (SSA)
Duration: To be determined as per IMTs needs
Location: To be determined as per IMTs needs
Organization: WHO, Uganda Country Office.

Background and Justification
Karamoja region and surrounding districts is facing acute public health crisis arising from deteriorating drought situation over the last 3 years. The regions 1.2 million people face severe risk of public health consequences precipitated by this event. Recent International Phase Classification estimates that at least 42% (520,000 individuals) in the nine districts of Karamoja were experiencing high levels of food insecurity (IPC Phase 3 or above) in 2022 compared to 361,000 individuals last year. Food insecurity is projected to improve in the harvest/post-harvest period if normal crop production is realized and the confounding factor primarily insecurity does not drive communities away from the farming areas.

As in March/April 2022, the Global Acute Malnutrition levels were estimated at 21.9% (Moroto), 19.6% (Kaabong), 14.3% (Amudat), 13.8% (Napak), 13,8% (Kotido), 12.0% (Nabilatuk), Karenga (7.3%) and Abim (5.7%). In concrete terms, this translates to an estimated 91,610 children (6 -59 months) affected by acute malnutrition and for which treatment is required. This is broken down as 68,870 compared to 46,300 children in 2021 were moderately malnourished, while 22,740 children in 2022 compared to 10,200 children in 2021 are severely malnourished. Below is an illustration of the trends in MAM and SAM over the last 3 years.

Purpose of the Position
In the context of the Health Emergencies Incident Management System (IMS), at the country level, the incumbent will provide technical expertise to the team members, national authorities, related health and non-health partners in the planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of Risk Communication and Community Engagement for the nutrition programs and activities throughout the full cycle of the incident, in line with WHO’s related policies and strategies.

Job Description
Within the delegated authority and under the supervision of the Deputy Incident Manager, and under the overall guidance of Incident Manager and Head of the WHO country office, and in close collaboration with the technical leads in the respective Regional Office and HQ, , the incumbent will:

Summary of Assigned Duties

1. Identify key behavioural insights that predispose the affected people to hunger and other nutrition challenges to guide WHO’s interventions, develop detailed implementation plans, monitor progress and provide timely feedback.
2. Work with the district and national risk communication teams to develop attractive messages that are persuasive for promotion of nutrition.
3. Track misinformation, rumours affecting nutrition and propose appropriate counter measures.
4. Work with district health authorities to identify experts and prepare them to appear on radio and television talk shows to explain nutrition and other related public health issues.
5. Prepare and ensure regular DJ mentions and social media posts promoting nutrition to contribute to the success of the nutrition project.
6. Provide risk communication and community engagement technical support for the district response team and partners in the field.
7. Participate and represent the risk communication pillar in IMT and other relevant coordination meetings.
8. Ensure that there is strong linkage and communication between the risk communication group and the other working groups including case management, surveillance, logistics, research and development and coordination.
9. Work with District Education Officers to develop, translate, print and disseminate IEC materials.
10. Monitor implementation and provide daily, weekly, and monthly reports on Risk Communication and Community Engagement.
11. Provide technical inputs on the development of proposals and resource mobilization plans in cooperation with the resource mobilization team.
12. Document nutrition field response activities for dissemination to the donors, government, stakeholders and the public.
13. Perform any other incident-specific related duties, as required by the functional supervisor.
14. To undertake any other related responsibilities as assigned by the WR or team leader.

Recruitment Profile

a) Competencies: Generic

• Communication: expresses oneself clearly in conversation and interaction with others; actively listens. Produces effective written communications. Ensures that information is shared.
• Producing results: Produces and delivers results. Is action-oriented and committed to achieving outcomes
• Teamwork: develops and promotes effective relationships with colleagues and team members. Deals constructively with conflicts.
• Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences: demonstrate ability to work constructively with people with different backgrounds and orientations. Respects differences and ensures that all can contribute.

b) Functional Knowledge and Skills: -

• Excellent knowledge and understanding of international public health with focus on health promotion, health communication, risk communication/community engagement or social mobilization.
• Independent judgment; the ability to anticipate new trends in the field of risk communication and community engagement, and take actions accordingly;
• Managerial skills to develop, implement and analyze technical cooperation programs and activities, including monitoring and evaluation of programmes.
• Knowledge of office software applications.

c) Educational Qualifications

Essential: - First university degree and equivalent professional training or self-study in health promotion, social sciences or health communication

Desirable: - An advanced university degree in one of the disciplines relevant to the following areas: public health & nutrition, health promotion, health communication, social mobilization, behavior change communication or other closely related field, from an accredited and recognized academic institutions.

d) Experience

Essential: - At least five (5) years of relevant professional work experience, at the national and international level, in development and implementation of risk communication and community engagement for public health programs or interventions.

Desirable: Relevant work experience in outbreaks and/or health emergency operations;
Relevant experience in developing and Implementing Risk Communication and Community Engagement interventions.
Past work experience and skills in health promotion, behavioral research, developing IEC materials and conducting community engagement activities.
Prior relevant work experience in WHO/UN system, health cluster partners, relevant nongovernmental or humanitarian organizations, is desirable;

c) Language skills:
Fluency in English language;
Working knowledge of one of the official UN languages.

Technical Supervision
The selected Consultant will work under the supervision of Deputy Incident Manager, and under the overall guidance of Incident Manager and Head of the WHO country office.