Community Preparedness Innovation & Implementation, National UNV

IMPORTANT NOTICE: Please note that the deadline for receipt of applications indicated above reflects your personal device's system settings.

Background

In 2023, the Member States of the WHO African Region adopted the Community Protection and Resilience Strategy for Community Engagement (2023–2030), a bold commitment to reposition communities as central actors in public health emergency preparedness and response. This strategy builds on decades of experience, where communities through organized structures such as community health workers, local councils, religious leaders, women and youth networks have been instrumental in delivering essential primary health care services, supporting hard-to-reach populations, and promoting health education in complex and fragile settings.

This regional strategy is directly aligned with the WHO Global Health Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Resilience (HEPR) Framework, which outlines five strategic priorities, including Community Protection, centered on advancing community preparedness to protect lives and livelihoods in health emergencies. The HEPR Framework stresses that effective preparedness must be shaped through bottom-up participation, co-created solutions, and multisectoral engagement. The Regional Community Protection and Resilience Strategy for Community Engagement (2023–2030), serves as the embodiment of this global vision.

Across major health emergencies in the African Region, including the West Africa Ebola outbreak, COVID-19, cholera, and mpox, amongst others, social and behavioral science approaches that prioritized listening to community fears, traditions, and lived experiences directly influenced containment strategies, shaped response operations, and built trust where conventional public health messaging alone was insufficient. These approaches did more than support the humanization of the emergency response: they laid the foundation for community preparedness, empowering local actors to anticipate risks, take early action, and activate networks for resilience.

Recognizing that all public health emergencies start and end in communities, the WHO Health Emergency and Pandemic Threat Preparedness (HEP) Unit is prioritizing community engagement as a foundational driver of emergency preparedness and resilience across the 47 Member States of the region. This pivot acknowledges that meaningful community engagement is not a supplemental activity; it is a core function of preparedness and a critical lever for regional health security.

In essence, the AFRO HEP Unit is committed to making preparedness tangible and relatable as a shared social responsibility. This includes fostering public dialogue across all tiers of society, elevating community-led approaches, and creating space for communities to inform, shape, and co-own emergency preparedness systems. By bridging communities with national and regional planning conversations, the HEP Unit aims to connect community leaders, decision-makers, and partners in building more inclusive, accountable, and resilient health systems.

In essence, this is about making preparedness make lay sense, particularly at the community level, as a pathway to regional health security, and by extension, global health security. REACH-AFRICA is a regional accelerator for community preparedness and resilience, rooted in Strategic Objective 2 of the WHO African Region’s Community Protection and Resilience Strategy for Community Engagement (2023–2030).

“To institutionalize community engagement and participation to strengthen PHC, health promotion, health and social service delivery, including emergency management.” (WHO Regional Office for Africa, 2023)

The initiative is spearheaded by the HEP Unit to translate regional commitments into community-facing action and engagement across all 47 Member States.

REACH-AFRICA aims to accelerate community preparedness across the African Region by institutionalizing community engagement as a central pillar of emergency preparedness and health system resilience. Through creative, inclusive, and culturally resonant dialogue, the initiative elevates local leadership and ensures communities are not only reached but lead from the ground up. These approaches engage a wide range of actors, from community health workers and traditional leaders to donors and policymakers and align with the Region’s goals for equity, readiness, and resilience.

WHO AFRO Nairobi hub of emergencies has set up a fully equipped Multipurpose Media Room to support a range of hub functions, including but not limited to i) Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE) activities; ii) Short-form video briefings and preparedness messaging; iii) Podcasts and moderated discussions; iv) Communications and knowledge products linked to preparedness, response, and Pandemic.

Objective of the position

To support the WHO AFRO’ Member States in institutionalizing community engagement through rollout of REACH AFRICA preparedness initiatives.

Specific objectives

· Translate regional commitments into accessible tools and narratives, such as podcast prompts, story cards, and mobile toolkits, that community actors can easily understand and apply.

· Produce Podcast Series using storytelling, mobile dialogues, and multimedia content to elevate lived experiences and frontline solutions that promote two-way accountability and strengthen community voice in national and regional priorities. These podcasts will bring onboard experts, partners and communities in a two-way communications and respectful dialogue.

· Produce Community Dialogues on Wheels (EngageMobile), using storytelling, mobile dialogues, and multimedia content to elevate lived experiences and frontline solutions that bring national and local decision-makers face-to-face with frontline realities.

· Produce preparedness pulses and disseminated across member states and partners to enhance early community response’ capacities

· Disseminate the podcast series and the community dialogues on wheels across WHO networks and beyond

· Support the management of the REACH-AFRICA initiatives (podcast series, REACH connect/email address, etc.)

Activities and Deliverables

· At least 15 podcasts are produced and disseminated across WHO networks and beyond

· At least 15 preparedness pulses are produced and disseminated across member states and partners to enhance early community response’ capacities

· At least 10 community dialogues on wheels are conducted in 5 countries, produced and disseminated across WHO networks and beyond

· REACH connect is functional through the email address REACHafrica.who.int to connect experts and communities

· An end-of-assignment report with recommendations and lessons learnt for the next phase scale-up is documented

Required Skills and Qualifications

Education

· Bachelor’s degree or master’s in communication, journalism, media production, or related fields (or equivalent professional experience).

· At least 3–5 years of experience in audio and video production, podcasting, community engagement, or similar roles.

· Portfolio of previous podcasts, audio content, or community dialogue outputs.

Technical Production Skills

· Proven experience in photography or video production skills.

· Proven experience in podcast production, including audio recording, editing, mixing, and mastering multilingual or cross-cultural podcasts.

· Proficiency with audio production tools (e.g., Audacity, Adobe Audition, Pro Tools, Hindenburg).

· Ability to set up and manage podcasting equipment: microphones, recorders, soundproofing, remote recording tools, etc.

· Experience producing high‑quality audio content for social or community-based audiences.

· Knowledge of sound design, voice optimization, and production workflows.

· Proven experience in digital dissemination strategies (networks, social media, community radio, WhatsApp channels).

Content Development & Storytelling

· Strong skills in scriptwriting, interview preparation, storyline development, and narrative structuring.

· Ability to translate technical or scientific concepts (e.g., health, risk communication, social issues) into engaging, accessible content.

· Proven experience in developing communication products targeting diverse community groups.

Project & Production Management

· Experience managing the end-to-end production cycle: planning, scheduling, recording, editing, publishing.

· Strong organizational skills with ability to meet deadlines, coordinate multiple stakeholders, and manage deliverables.

· Experience managing content approvals, quality assurance, and feedback processes.

Communication & Interpersonal Skills

· Excellent verbal and written communication skills in at least 01 WHO relevant language (e.g., English or French) and knowledge of a second language.

· Interviewing skills—able to guide discussions, probe effectively, and remain neutral.

· Ability to work with subject matter experts, community representatives, and partner organizations.

Monitoring, Learning & Feedback

· Ability to integrate listener feedback, community insights, and monitoring data into improving episodes and dialogues.

· Knowledge of basic qualitative data collection techniques and reporting.

Desirable:

· Familiarity with public health, interventions, risk communication and community engagement (RCCE) principles.

· Ability to work in challenging or low‑resource environments.

· Familiarity with WHO, UN, or international NGO operations is desirable, particularly in emergency preparedness or health promotion.

· Understanding of local cultural dynamics, social norms, and community structures.

· Experience working in public health, humanitarian, development, or RCCE contexts is an advantage.

· Sensitivity to issues of gender, equity, inclusion, and do‑no‑harm principles.

Community Dialogue & Facilitation Skills (asset)

· Knowledge of conducting or facilitating community dialogues, focus groups, or community conversations.

· Ability to engage diverse audiences (youth, women’s groups, community leaders, local influencers, hard‑to‑reach populations).

· Skill in creating safe, inclusive spaces that promote open participation and respectful discussion.

· Knowledge of participatory approaches (e.g., human-centered design, community engagement techniques, qualitative inquiry).

Travel:

The UNV may be required to travel to Member States and regional events, accounting for up to 25% of the appointment period. Travel will be subject to WHO regulations and guidance.

WHO‑aligned, gender‑inclusive statement: “WHO is committed to achieving gender equality and fostering a diverse, inclusive, and respectful workplace. Women are strongly encouraged to apply. WHO maintains a strict policy of non‑discrimination and does not tolerate any form of bias based on gender, gender identity, marital status, sexual orientation, race, religion, disability, or any other protected characteristic. Recruitment and employment decisions are guided by the principles outlined in WHO’s Gender Parity Policy and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Agenda, ensuring fair and equitable opportunities for all qualified candidates.” Reference: WHO Gender Parity Policy 2023–2026

Eligibility: This position is open only to Kenyan nationals. Candidates must be legally authorized to work in Kenya at the time of application. Only applications from eligible Kenyan nationals will be considered.