Health Communications Consultant- Open for South Sudan Nationals

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For every child, Sustainability

Purpose of Activity/Assignment:

South Sudan’s child mortality and morbidity rates are high: under‐five mortality is 91 per 1,000 live births while neonatal mortality is 39 per 1,000 births; child malnutrition is severe, with an underweight prevalence at 23 percent of children (UNICEF, 2016). Maternal mortality is among the highest in the world, estimated at 789 per 100,000 births. Endemic diseases pose a heavy burden, particularly malaria, which accounts for 20–40 percent of all health facility visits. The health care system is extremely stretched: only about 40 percent of the population can access health care within a 5‐kilometer radius. Life expectancy of 56 years is low.

In response to this situation, since 2019, UNICEF is implementing the World Bank-funded Project including the preparedness and deployment of vaccines in South Sudan, deliver of essential health service delivery in the states of Upper Nile, Unity and Jonglei States, while developing Government capacity for health sector stewardship.  The project has entered the third phase with a clear commitment from all parties to boost the implementation and achieve better results and beyond. This is in the scope of the transition to the Health System Transformation Project (HSTP) in mid 2024, which UNICEF will lead on implementation for a nation-wide effort to strengthen the health system and deliver health services across the country.

Communications and visibility for the World Bank funded health project, and the transition to the HSTP is a key component to enable awareness of all stakeholders of the results and impact of the project and ensure UNICEF, the Government and Donors are appropriately visible. It also feeds into the advocacy agenda of UNICEF to ensure public audiences are aware of the health needs for children in the country and there is public support for the development of the health sector and the health and well-being of children. Communications products and activities must be continued under this significant investment and there is the need for a communications consultant to lead on the production and organization of communications, visibility and advocacy activities.

Main Duties and Responsibilities:

Coordinate the development of the Communication Strategy for the HSTP and associated costed communications work plan

• Ensure development and regular updates of the new communications strategy and costed workplan for the project building on the previous strategy and activities under the World Bank health project and the HSTP
• In conjunction with the Communications section and Health section coordinate with World Bank and Government counterparts for ongoing input and changes into the strategy and plan.
• Coordinate key messages for the HSTP transition and project start

Implement communications activities from the communications strategy and plan

• Develop campaign concept notes for specific health related campaigns
• Ensure branding of the project is developed and guidelines set for all stakeholders to utilize.
• In conjunction with Health Section and Field Offices:
  • Produce written products including Human Interest Stories, feature articles, press materials,
  • Produce and coordinate radio programmes and PSA production and distribution with various radio stations
  • Conceptualize, develop and produce video materials with external videographers and companies.
  • Produce regular social media content related to the programme and support the distribution and publishing on various social media channels
  • Ensure quality photographic coverage of the project through coordination with field teams, external photographers and communications staff to document the project
  • Manage and coordinate events related to the project
  • Coordinate media enquiries and proactively engage with media for coverage of the project in national and international media.

Implement visibility related activities to ensure UNICEF, Government, World Bank and participating donors are appropriately recognised and the investment receives quality recognition

• Support Health Section and Field Offices in ensuring project sites are appropriately branded and visible.
• Ensure regular visibility online for the partners involved in the project.
• Assist with donor visits and government engagement and events related to the project.

Monitor communications activities and contribute to reporting of communications activities related to the project.

• Regular monitoring of online activities, including website traffic, social media reach related to the project.
• Monitor success of project advocacy campaigns including events and visibility activities.
• Coordinate contributions for donor reporting of communications activities.
• Assist the Health Section with meetings and relations with the donor and partners on communications related issues.

Support capacity building initiatives for the Ministry of Health

• Mentor MoH’s Communication Officers on Training and on the job communications capacity building
• Support the development of the Communication and Visibility Strategy for the MoH
• Support the MoH’s efforts in the implementation of communication and visibility activities

Scope of Work:

• The Consultant will provide technical communications support and coordination to the HSTP project, based from Juba to ensure communications and visibility requirements are successfully implemented. The consultant will be based in Juba and is expected to have regular travel to all States and surrounding areas HSTP interventions to ensure coverage of the project. 

Work Assignment Overview (Deliverables)

Develop and update the HSTP Communications Strategy and Plan

• Communications Strategy
• Costed Communications Pan      

Branding of the HSTP is developed and branding guidelines produced for all partners and stakeholders

• Detailed branding assets developed including logo and visibility /branding guidelines.

Concept notes and plans for identified communications campaigns          

• Concept notes and campaign plan               

Produce written products including Human Interest Stories, feature articles, press materials. Contribute to Media engagement and support            

• 1-2 Human interest story per month
• Media materials produced (press releases) as needed
• Media engaged as needed               

Produce and coordinate radio programmes and PSA production and distribution with various radio stations          

• Radio products produced during campaigns               

Regular review and engagement with MoH Communication staff and PMU to build capacity

• regular meetings with MoH Comms staff and PMU,
• review of products and strategies, advice and mentoring to them.              

Conceptualize, develop and produce video materials with external videographers and companies.

• Planned videos are successfully produced and disseminated

Regular social media content produced 

• Content for social media is written and produced and disseminated on UNICEF social media platforms     

Photographic coverage 

• Quality Photos are captured and prepared for the project             

Events coordinated and produced           

• Project events are organized and produced as required             

Project and Donor Visibility requirements are met           

• UNICEF and donor visibility items produced and in place in the field and online

Activities monitored and reported on     

• Reports – comms activities
• Donor reports contributed too  

Minimum Qualifications required:

• A Bachelors degree in communications, public relations, journalism  or another relevant technical field

Communications, journalism, public relations, communications for development

Knowledge/Expertise/Skills required:

• A minimum of 5 years of professional experience in communications, public relations, communications for development or related field.
• Experience in health or humanitarian program/project development in a UN system agency or organization is an asset.
• Experience working in State and County field locations and/or in a similar project is an added advantage.
• Knowledge of the duty station is considered an asset for this consultancy.
• Diplomacy, conflict management, flexibility, understanding of local cultural and social practices are key success factors for this consultancy.

Language Requirements:

Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic) or a local language is an asset.

ALL applications must be accompanied with detailed technical and financial proposal.

UNICEF’s values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS). 

  To view our competency framework, please visit  here. 

  UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment. 

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check. 

Remarks:  

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. 

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws. 

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.