- 171426
- Communications Officer
- Communications
- Professional & Technical
- GF
- Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire
- Local Hire
- English [Essential]; French [Essential]
- 09-Aug-2017
The World Bank’s strategy to help end extreme poverty and boost shared prosperity in Africa takes shape across an array of programs tailored to the circumstances and needs of each country. Working with governments and other partners, the Bank is supporting delivery of basic services, extending safety nets, ensuring food security, strengthening small farmers, and helping Ebola-affected countries recover. Investments in human capacity and in strengthened institutions underlie many of the development strategies.
Africa’s recently robust growth rates are slowing due to lower international prices for oil and other commodities on which several countries depend. Meanwhile, stability and security concerns shape the Bank’s work in eighteen countries categorized as Fragile and Conflict-affected States (FCS), where programs aim to accelerate state rebuilding and lower economic disparities among regions and groups.
Country Context
Côte d’Ivoire’s economic performance has been impressive over the past four years with robust GDP growth that resulted in a decline in poverty. For the 2016-2020 period, the Government adopted a new National Development Plan (NDP) designed to transform Côte d’Ivoire into a middle-income economy by 2020 and substantially reduce the poverty rate. In an April 2016 meeting of the consultative group formed to fund the NDP, donors pledged to provide assistance in the amount of US$15.4 billion in grants and loans. The World Bank Group committed to doubling its support over the next four years to approximately US$5 billion.
The economy of Côte d’Ivoire continues to prosper. Most of the country’s economic and financial indicators are positive. A minor decline in the growth rate in 2016 (to slightly under 8 percent) has been due to a contraction of the agricultural sector as a result of unfavorable weather conditions. The other sectors, including telecommunications, finance, transport, energy, and trade, performed well. Prospects for the next three years are bright, with a growth rate expected to converge toward 7.5 percent in 2019.
In order to diversify its economy successfully, Côte d’Ivoire must build its human capital so as to meet labor market needs more effectively. Indeed, modern product processing methods and services require skills that are still scarce among local workers.
The key social challenge will be to reduce inequalities significantly by keeping the country’s economy on a strong growth path. In 2014, Côte d’Ivoire ranked 172nd among 188 countries on the United Nations Human Development Index (HDI). Between 1985 and 2011, the depth and severity of poverty increased considerably, as the poverty rate rose from approximately 10 percent to 51 percent. However, the findings of the last Living Standards Monitoring Survey carried out by the World Bank indicate that poverty decreased to 46 percent in 2015 as a result of the recent economic recovery.
Africa External Communications and Partnerships (AFREC) employs an extended team of professionals in World Bank Headquarters and across country offices to support the overarching goal of advancing inclusive growth in Africa. AFREC uses the full array of communications tools and methodologies to build awareness and understanding, and mobilize support for development goals. Work programs cover dissemination through traditional and online media, relationship building, analysis of political and project risks, and design of programs to manage those risks. A strategic renewal within AFREC emphasizes closer alignment with operations in the region, and coordination with the Bank’s External and Corporate Relations network, to ensure that AFREC services are critical to regional and corporate priorities, and that they employ state-of-the art communications tools to disseminate information, build understanding, and connect the Bank to a variety of actors involved in poverty reduction and development.
Recognizing that Africa’s economic and social context is rapidly changing, and that communications technologies have revolutionized the ways that information travels, AFREC is building a team of dynamic and innovative professionals prepared to use traditional and digital tools, including social media and multi-media production, to shape the debate on development priorities and trade-offs.
The Communications Officer will be based in the Bank Office in Abidjan, strengthening the communications program there, with particular attention to providing strategic communications support to complex development projects the Bank supports in Cote d’Ivoire and using social media platforms for strategic outreach and feedback on the Bank’s engagement in the country. Working with AFREC professionals in the region and in Washington, the Communications Officer will also support corporate communications priorities, including dissemination of World Bank flagship publications, executive visits to the region, and the Bank’s Annual and Spring meetings.
As part of the larger AFREC team, the Communications Officer will interact regularly with colleagues in Headquarters and in other field offices, as well as with operational teams in the Cote d’Ivoire office. A willingness to share knowledge, draw on expertise and help create a supportive work environment is critical. The Communications Officer will report to the Communications Manager based in Washington, D.C. and to the Country Director in Abidjan.
Note: If the selected candidate is a current Bank Group staff member with a Regular or Open-Ended appointment, s/he will retain his/her Regular or Open-Ended appointment. All others will be offered a 2 year term appointment.
The Communications Officer plans, develops, and implements effective communications and outreach strategies to support the WBG’s corporate, internal, and operational priorities, using the full range of modern communications tools including social media, digital publishing, and multi-media production. It is critical that the communications officer be equipped to gauge risks associated with complex projects and to design and implement strategies to minimize those risks.
• Strategies: Responsible for significant portions of planning, design, and implementation of strategies to promote effective communications with external and internal audiences on Bank-financed operations, research products, and campaigns. Helps determine the most effective content and communications interventions to address particular challenges.
• Risk management: On high-risk operations in the country, must monitor perceptions, track shifts in opinion, and respond to inquiries, while publishing and updating key facts about project goals and milestones. Must be able to interact with operations staff and project teams, organizing meetings with media and civil society as appropriate. Must be able to take the pulse of the country and advise country teams, with analyses on the political economy, especially during election years, and regular monitoring of the media.
• Relationships: Must be prepared to identify opinion leaders and influential organizations in Cote D’Ivoire, and guide a strategy of engagement with these various stakeholders, which might range from parliamentarians to faith-based organizations to business associations. Responsible for convening stakeholder groups for consultations and structured dialogues around projects, knowledge outputs, and country development priorities.
• Products: Responsible for planning and delivering a range of written products on the Bank’s operational goals, results and knowledge. Outputs range from traditional press releases and Op-Eds to web features, brochures, Q&As, briefing notes, and speeches. Responsible for updating the World Bank’s internal and external websites for the country.
• Events: Coordinates communications activities and events ranging from press conferences to large seminars and town hall meetings, involving external and/or internal audiences.
• Representation: Must be prepared to represent the Bank, and Abidjan office, before external and internal audiences, explaining WBG policies and operational goals.
• Technical and advisory support: Advises Bank managers and project teams on trends, news developments, or changing circumstances that may impact the WBG and its work, and helps determine strategic responses. Provides regular communication support to WBG operational teams and government implementing agencies to assure that project goals are well-explained and that affected stakeholders are engaged at all stages.
• Resource management: Employs appropriate methodologies for handling simple and complex procurement tasks and/or issues. Manages specific line items of unit budget.
• Mentoring, leadership: May provide technical coaching to staff members or guidance and support to junior staff. May serve as a team leader, responsible for managing performance of team members.
Typical candidates will possess a Master’s degree in Communications, International Relations/Public Affairs, Journalism, Political Science or related disciplines, with 5 years of experience in planning , developing and implementing communications efforts, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Communication Strategy and Execution in International Development:
Demonstrates a working proficiency to lead the planning, development, and execution of a communication strategy for moderately complex projects. Leads research efforts to identify and map project stakeholders or intended audiences; leads media and audience outreach, identifying audience needs. Independently implements communication strategies for moderately complex projects and can use feedback from evaluation tools to strengthen programs. Helps others develop this competency. A key skill in this area will be the adoption of digital strategies and marshalling of social marketing techniques to respond to the online communications environment that is increasingly embraced by Cote D’Ivoire audiences.
• Broad Business Thinking:
Capable of distilling an in-depth understanding of the long-term implications of decisions, both for Kenya and for the Bank. Involves the key players in identifying operational needs, challenges and immediate solutions. Ensures that decisions are supported by relevant stakeholders and can explain the business case for decisions.
• Client Understanding and Advising:
Looks at issues from the client’s perspective and advocates for clients. Works with others across the VPU to define client needs and develop the best approaches to meet them. Asks probing questions to understand unmet needs. Focuses on achieving sustainable results for clients, and proposes solutions to mitigate risks.
• Content Development and Editing:
Takes full responsibility for the development of content for dissemination. Can ensure the development of communications products meeting WBG standards on structure, clarity, and persuasiveness.
• Social Media, Information Channels, and Communication Tools:
Demonstrates working knowledge of current media channels and tools, including social media. Modifies communication strategies and products to leverage innovative communication tools and channels.
• Relationship Management, Political Awareness and Diplomacy: Builds strategic relationships with critical internal and external constituencies, fostering partnerships that strengthen support for development objectives and mitigate reputational risks. Maintains and leverages high-level communication networks and contacts within key constituencies. Provides guidance to other internal WBG groups on how to best manage critical relationships.
• Lead and Innovate:
Contributes new insights into development challenges and fashions solutions to complex problems. Adapts as circumstances require.
• Collaborate Within Teams and Across Boundaries:
Appropriately involves others in decision-making and communicates with key stakeholders. Approaches conflicts as common problems to be solved. Actively seeks and considers diverse ideas and approaches, displaying a sense of mutuality and respect. Integrates WBG perspective into work.
