WFP seeks candidates for a qualified individual for the position of Communications Officer, SC8 to be based in Kampala.
About WFP
United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is the world’s largest humanitarian agency, fighting hunger worldwide. The mission of WFP is to help the world achieve Zero Hunger in our lifetimes. Every day, WFP works worldwide to ensure that no child goes to bed hungry and that the poorest and most vulnerable, particularly women and children, can access the nutritious food they need. In emergencies, WFP gets food to where it is needed, saving the lives of victims of war, civil conflict and natural disasters. After an emergency, WFP uses food to help communities rebuild their lives. On average, WFP reaches more than 80 million people with food assistance in 80 countries each year. The organization has the global footprint, deep field presence and local knowledge and relationships necessary to provide access to food and contribute to lasting solutions, especially in many of the world’s most remote and fragile areas.
Brief description of WFP in Uganda
WFP delivers food assistance in emergencies and work with communities to improve nutrition and build resilience. WFP provides life-saving food assistance and livelihood opportunities to refugees in Uganda. In addition, WFP assists the most vulnerable people in Karamoja with food and nutrition assistance. Finally, WFP works with smallholder farmers and links them to markets.
As Uganda strives to achieve Zero Hunger by 2030 and become a middle-income country by 2040, WFP is also assessing its relevance and repositioning its role in Uganda.
Are you up to the challenge?
We are seeking a qualified individual for the position of Communications Officer, SC8 to be based in Kampala. The selected candidate will be employed on Service Contract.
Organizational context
This job is based at WFP Uganda Head Office in Kampala. The incumbent will be part of a team whose core function is to bring both internal and external advocacy on Zero Hunger. the team focuses on targeting audiences both internally across WFP and externally across the media, government, donor community, humanitarian sector, beneficiarues of food assistance and the Ugandan population.
Job purpose
To particiapte in developing and evaluating strategies, and implementing work plans for communicating internally, externally and for development to enable WFP deliver on the Country Strategic Plan
Key accountabilities (not all-inclusive)
- Implement country specific communication work plans designed to maintain and enhance the visibility and reputation of WFP, as well as support fundraising activities, ensuring alignment with overall communications and WFP strategies.
- Contribute to communications through good research, analysis of assigned area of work and timely preparation and distribution of information products to target audience(s).
- Maintain a contact list of journalists and media outlets and support the flow of news/information about WFP’s work to the media, in order to support regular and appropriate communications.
- Support the social media plan by developing social media content, and utilising platforms, networks and partners to enhance coverage and support of WFP’s activities.
- Generate donor specific visibility content including, text, photos, videos and audio for use across a range of integrated online platforms, in order to support global and country fund-raising activities, ensuring consistency with corporate messages.
- Monitor and analyse traditional and social media to inform the development and/or evaluation of communication activities and strategies.
- Guide and supervise more junior staff, acting as a point of referral and supporting them with more complex analysis and queries.
- Collate outreach data contribute to the preparation of accurate and timely reports, Support communications activities that enable informed decision making and ensures consistency of information presented to the media and other stakeholders.
- Support capacity building of WFP staff on all aspects of communication, provides advice and guidance within area and level of expertise, in order to ensure that all activities meet desired standards of consistency, quality and impact. For example the design and review of training materials.
- Liaise and interact with WFP staff and external counterparts to support aligned activities and a coherent approach to communications within WFP.
- Follow standard emergency preparedness practices to support WFP to quickly respond and deploy food and needed resources to affected areas at the onset of a crisis.
- Other as required.
4Ps core organisational capabilities
Purpose
- Understand and communicate the Strategic Objectives: Understands WFP’s Strategic Objectives and the link to own work objectives.
- Be a force for positive change: Flexibly adapts individual contributions to accommodate changes in direction from supervisors and internal/external changes (such as evolving needs of beneficiaries, new requirements of partners).
- Make the mission inspiring to our team: Recognizes and shares with team members the ways in which individual contributions relate to WFP’s mission.
- Make our mission visible in everyday actions: Sets own goals in alignment with WFP’s overall operations, and is able to communicate this link to others.
People
- Look for ways to strengthen people’s skills: Assesses own strengths and weaknesses to increase self-awareness, and includes these in conversations on own developmental needs.
- Create an inclusive culture: Participates in open dialogue, and values the diverse opinion of others, regardless of background, culture, experience, or country assignment.
- Be a coach & provide constructive feedback: Proactively seeks feedback and coaching to build confidence, and develop and improve individual skills.
- Create an “I will”/”We will” spirit: Participates in accomplishing team activities and goals in the face of challenging circumstances.
Performance
- Encourage innovation & creative solutions: Shows willingness to explore and experiment with new ideas and approaches in own work.
- Focus on getting results: Consistently delivers results within individual scope of work on time, on budget and without errors.
- Make commitments and make good on commitments: Commits to upholding individual accountabilities and responsibilities in the face of ever-changing country or functional priorities.
- Be Decisive: Makes rational decisions about individual activities when faced with uncertain circumstances, including in times of ambiguity regarding information or manager direction.
Partnership
- Connect and share across WFP units: Seeks to understand and adapt to internal or cross-unit teams’ priorities and preferred working styles.
- Build strong external partnerships: Demonstrates ability to understand and appropriately respond to and/or escalate needs of external partners.
- Be politically agile & adaptable: Portrays an informed and professional demeanor toward internal and external partners and stakeholders.
- Be clear about the value WFP brings to partnerships: Provides operational support on analyses and assessments that quantifies and demonstrates WFP’s unique value as a partner.
Standard minimum qualifications
- Advanced University degree in Journalism, International Relations, Public Relations, Communications or other relevant field, or First University degree with additional years of related work experience and/or trainings/courses.
- Skills in News and Feature writing, photography and video production and production of innovative audio-visual packages using simple technologies;
- Experience in strategic communications and in utilising specialist communication techniques and tools, and producing specialised multi-media pacjkages.
- Fluency in the English language and proficiency on both oral and written communication
Functional capabilities
| Capability Name | Description of the behaviour expected for the proficiency level |
| Media and Influencer Relationship Management | Demonstrates ability to build and sustain effective collaborative relationships with key media contacts and influencers in area of expertise to raise the profile of WFP, build relationships and further organisational aims. |
| Media and Communication Expertise | Facilitates open verbal or written communication with media and influencers as required (i.e. through preparation of tailored written or visual materials presentations, and official documentation) to convey tailored messages. Engages in mutually informative discussion with media and influencers. |
| Specialised Knowledge in Communications | Uses sound theoretical knowledge of communications concepts to generate or facilitate the generation of effective communication materials across various media. Applies this to define work plans aligned to identified areas of WFP’s communications strategy. |
| Sociopolitical Contextual Understanding | Demonstrates deep understanding of the multilateral/interagency environment and the dynamics in which WFP operates which influences approach to working, policy development and decision making. |
| Communication Strategy and Planning | Applies advanced understanding of WFP communications strategy and best practice to effectively develop strategies to engage with media and other significant external stakeholders within area of responsibility. Oversees implementation, providing recommendations for improvement. |
Desired experiences for entry into the role
- Has gained experience in utilising specialist communications techniques to enhance functional outputs
- Has provided direction and instruction to more junior staff members within area of expertise