Strategic Writer - Band Level B, Brazzaville

Organizational Context

The World Health Organization's Emergency Preparedness and Response Program aims to build Member State capacity for health emergency risk management and lead international responses to contain outbreaks. This role, under the Regional Emergency Director, collaborates with various WHO departments, regional offices, and key partners, including Member States and UN agencies.

Job Purpose

The Strategic Writer will support the WHO Regional Office for Africa by enhancing strategic and operational written communication, primarily focusing on key messages for the Ebola outbreak and general emergencies. This role is crucial for facilitating advocacy, external relations, and resource mobilization efforts by producing high-level, publishable quality content for senior leadership. The writer will also contribute to integrating partnership activities into program management and be deployable to support emergency response operations as needed, ensuring effective communication with partners and Member States.

Responsibilities

Key responsibilities include researching and fact-checking information for the Regional Office, with a focus on emergency preparedness and response. The role involves drafting, editing, and finalizing various communication materials such as speeches, talking points, FAQs, op-eds, and articles for reports and publications. Additionally, the Strategic Writer will gather and organize information for potential crises, collaborate with the Communications Team on audience research and publication dissemination, and provide input for donor proposals, technical presentations, and partner meetings. The role also includes overseeing press releases, reviewing communication strategies for consistency, assessing materials with staff, and contributing to strategic planning and positioning of WHO/AFRO.

Work Experience

Essential: A minimum of 7 years of relevant work experience in communications and international relations, including at least 2 years at the international level and 2 years in a country setting, preferably in a health field. Desirable: Field experience in public health programs in developing countries.

Skills

Strong problem-solving skills; Excellent communication and interpersonal skills for effective presentations, report drafting, and stakeholder engagement; Proven ability to work collaboratively in teams; Expert knowledge of English; Intermediate knowledge of French.

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