Communication Officer -SSA/ NOA

The Communication Officer supports the implementation, monitoring, and reporting of the WHO South Africa Communications and Advocacy Action Plan 2026–2027. The role involves developing communication plans, producing public information materials, managing social media and website content, and building relations with national media to promote WHO's work and achievements.

Responsibilities

• Support the implementation, monitoring and reporting of the WHO South Africa Communications and Advocacy Action Plan 2026–2027.
• Develop and improve media/communication activities and communications plan for the country office.
• Coordinate, draft, and disseminate communication bulletins and newsletters.
• Produce public information materials such as press releases and media advisories.
• Build relations with national media to profile WHO issues and work.
• Take photographs of key WHO events and health programmes for websites and social media.
• Monitor media coverage and provide regular reports to the WHO country team.
• Organize photographic shoots, interviews, and filming opportunities for visibility.
• Manage social media accounts and update content regularly.
• Manage the development and maintenance of the country website.
• Research and write feature stories and messages with human interest elements.
• Collaborate with health cluster, regional and field offices, WHO departments, UN agencies, and partners for communication campaigns.

Requirements

• Support the implementation, monitoring and reporting of the WHO South Africa Communications and Advocacy Action Plan 2026–2027, ensuring alignment of communication activities with country office priorities and strategic objectives.
• Identify subjects of interest to develop and improve media/communication activities at the country level and develop a communications plan for the country office, which works in synergy with the global and regional communications strategies.
• Support the coordination, drafting, and dissemination of WCO’s communication bulletins and quarterly newsletters submitted to the WHO Regional Office for Africa and other partners, ensuring quality, accuracy, and timeliness.
• Produce public information materials such as press releases and media advisories on WHO events, products and issues for dissemination to the print, electronic and online media, as well as media talking points for WHO Representative.
• Build relations with the national media and ensure that WHO issues, and work are regularly profiled by the national media.
• Take photographs of key WHO events, activities as well as of key health programmes for use on the country and regional websites as photo stories, as well as on social media.
• Monitor media coverage of WHO issues, programmes and people in the country and provide regular reports to the WHO country team.
• Organize photographic shoots and interviews and filming opportunities to support high-visibility of WHO achievements through television, radio and newspapers, etc.
• Manage the social media accounts of the country office in compliance with guidelines and standards used throughout the Organization, to ensure consistency of approach. Regularly update content on these platforms.
• Manage the development and maintenance of the country website, in compliance with guidelines and standards used throughout the Organization, to ensure consistency of approach. Regularly update content on the website.
• Research and write feature stories and messages, ideally bringing in a human element from real life experiences.
• Collaborate with all relevant actors, including the health cluster, regional and field offices, other WHO departments, UN agencies, and other partners to identify and create communication opportunities and prepare communication campaigns on specific topics

Skills

• Creative Communications Planning
• Media Relations
• Public Information Materials
• Press Release Writing
• Social Media Management
• Website Content Management
• Photography
• Media Monitoring
• Content Development
• Communication Campaigns
• Stakeholder Collaboration
• Newsletter Production
• Advocacy Communication
• Interview Coordination
• Filming Coordination