National Professional Officer

Job Advertisement

Position Title: National Professional Officer
Location: Libreville
Country: Gabon
Deadline Date: Not specified

Job Details

Job Posting Organization:
The job posting organization is the World Health Organization (WHO), which is a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for international public health. Established on April 7, 1948, WHO has a mission to promote health, keep the world safe, and serve vulnerable populations. It operates in over 150 countries and has a workforce of more than 7,000 employees. The organization focuses on various health issues, including communicable diseases, non-communicable diseases, health systems, and emergency response, among others. WHO's strategic objectives include ensuring universal health coverage, addressing health emergencies, and promoting healthier populations.

Job Overview:
The National Professional Officer position is integral to the WHO's efforts in combating vaccine-preventable diseases (VPD) in the African region. The officer will be responsible for facilitating periodic assessments of health behaviors, identifying factors contributing to low vaccine demand, and designing strategies to enhance this demand. The role involves supporting countries in monitoring media related to VPD and vaccines, contributing to the mapping of communication actors, and assisting in the development and implementation of communication tools and guidelines. The officer will also engage in planning and producing public information materials, creating proactive networks within the organization, and contributing to the establishment of documentation units for information exchange. This position requires collaboration with various stakeholders to promote innovations aimed at increasing vaccine demand and coverage, as well as maintaining databases on vaccine demand.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The duties and responsibilities of the National Professional Officer include: facilitating periodic evaluations of health behavior, identifying factors leading to low vaccine demand, and designing strategies to improve demand; assisting countries in monitoring media related to VPD and vaccines; contributing to the mapping of communication actors and updating information needs; supporting the development and implementation of WHO communication tools on vaccination; planning and producing public information materials; creating proactive networks for sharing success stories and relevant information; establishing and managing a documentation unit for information exchange; supporting capacity building for national communications; collaborating with partners to promote innovations for increasing vaccine demand; maintaining collaboration networks for information sharing; developing and maintaining up-to-date databases on vaccine demand; and executing other related responsibilities as assigned.

Required Qualifications:
The required qualifications for this position include a university degree in communication, health marketing, social sciences, or journalism. A complementary training or good understanding of public health, qualitative research, international relations, or public relations is desirable. Candidates must have at least five years of experience as a journalist or spokesperson in health promotion, behavior diagnosis, or communication within a media organization, ideally involving health-related information and communication projects. Experience with intergovernmental agencies, the UN system, or WHO, along with knowledge of national and regional partnerships, is also preferred.

Educational Background:
Candidates must possess a university degree in communication, health marketing, social sciences, or journalism. Additional training or a strong understanding of public health, qualitative research, international relations, or public relations is considered an asset.

Experience:
Candidates should have a minimum of five years of relevant experience in journalism or health promotion communication. This experience should ideally include work in media organizations such as television, radio, or print, focusing on health-related topics. Experience in conceptualizing, designing, and producing informational materials in a health context is also desirable, as is familiarity with intergovernmental agencies and the UN system.

Languages:
Fluency in French is mandatory, with a good working knowledge of English being highly desirable. Candidates should possess expert-level proficiency in French and practical knowledge of English to effectively communicate in both languages.

Additional Notes:
The position offers a competitive salary starting from 29,828,000 XAF annually, subject to mandatory deductions for retirement contributions and health insurance. Employees are entitled to 30 days of annual leave. This vacancy notice may be used to fill other similar positions at the same grade level. Only candidates under serious consideration will be contacted, and a written test or video assessment may be part of the screening process. Candidates selected for an interview will need to provide scanned copies of their required educational qualifications. The WHO emphasizes diversity and inclusion in its hiring practices and encourages applications from women, persons with disabilities, and nationals of underrepresented member states. The organization has a smoke-free environment and does not recruit smokers or tobacco users. Additionally, candidates must confirm their vaccination status as required by WHO before commencing their assignment.