Regional Communication and Public Information Officer

Vacancy No: RAPS/4/2013/AR/01 Title: Regional Communication and Public Information Officer Grade: P.4 Contract type: Fixed-Term Appointment	Date: 5 December 2013 Application Deadline (midnight Geneva time) 6 January 2014 (30 day(s) until closing deadline) Currently accepting applications   Organization unit:   RO - ARAB STATES Duty Station:  Beirut, Lebanon
The following are eligible to apply: - ILO Internal candidates in accordance with paragraphs 15 and 16 of Annex I of the Staff Regulations. - External candidates - Staff members with at least five years of continuous service with the Office are encouraged to apply and will be given special consideration at the screening and evaluation stage. Within the context of the ILO's efforts to promote staff mobility, applicants should expect to take up different assignments (field and Headquarters) during their career. The desirable length of the assignment in this specific position is three to five years, following which period the incumbent should be willing to move to another assignment and/or duty station. The ILO values diversity among its staff. We welcome applicants from qualified women and men, including those with disabilities. Applications from qualified candidates from non- or under-represented member States, or from those member States which staffing forecasts indicate will become non- or under-represented in the near future, would be particularly welcome. A list of these countries is in Appendix I. Conditions of employment are described in Appendix II.
INTRODUCTION The Regional Communication Officer will work in the Regional Office for the Arab States with the responsibility to ensure visibility for activities developed by the Regional Office and relevant initiatives undertaken at country level. The Regional Communication Officer will work with the international, regional and local media, as well as with ILO constituents to achieve the widest possible visibility of the ILO's work in the Arab States, with particular emphasis on highlighting the goals of the ILO's Decent Work Agenda. The Communication Officer will report to and work under the direct supervision of the Regional Director and in close coordination with the ILO Department of Communication and Public Information at Headquarters, the senior regional management team and relevant field offices.
Description of Duties The Regional Communication Officer will be required to perform the following tasks: Specific duties 1. Prepare and promote news articles, press releases, videos, brochures, etc. to the media and the general public in order to ensure the visibility of the ILO in the region, in coordination with the Regions offices and the Department of Communications at Headquarters. 2. Act as Chief Editor of regional communication products, including commissioning, editing and production. 3. Compile and maintain a regional photographic library. 4. Implement and maintain the regional publication policy, act as a secretary to the Regional Publication Committee and evaluate manuscript for overall adherence to linguistic style and graphic identity, including supervision of external collaborators. 5. Organize institutional events related to the Regional Office communication activities or public promotion. 6. Assist the Regional Directorate in the preparation of speeches, presentations and prefaces of publications and reports. 7. Manage the Communications' Unit at the Regional Office on a day-to-day basis for maximum efficiency and visibility with attention to staff development and capacity-building needs. These specific duties are aligned with the relevant ILO generic job description, which includes the following generic duties: 1. Cover the work of a programme or group of programmes, identify public information needs and opportunities, and develop communication/public information strategies. 2. Identify the need for, prepare, and produce information such as brochures, press releases, contributions to audio/visual programmes and articles for the media, NGOs and other groups to promote greater understanding and support for the organization. 3. Coordinate and ensure the dissemination of publications and promotional materials. Contribute to multi-media and other promotional campaigns and special events. 4. Write, edit and revise material for distribution, ensuring conformance to approved information policies and standards as well as professional journalistic style, accuracy and objectivity. 5. Provide technical advice to senior officials and/or public information staff in the field on the most effective public information and communication methods and approaches. 6. Establish and maintain effective working relationships and communication channels with mass media representatives, news services, editors, etc. to encourage accurate and favorable reporting of the organization's activities. 7. Organize media coverage and arrange for interviews and briefings. Respond to media enquiries, organize seminars and make presentations to a variety of groups on the activities of the organization. 8. Administer the computerized needs of the department, prepare materials for the internet and web-sites, and develop and maintain media and other contacts lists. 9. Act as spokesperson for the programme area(s) and the department at public information meetings, conferences and press briefings. Make presentations to various groups on the activities of the organization.
Required Qualifications
Education Advanced university degree in communications, journalism, international relations, liberal art or relevant discipline.
Experience Seven years of professional experience in public information, of which at least three years at international level.
Languages Excellent command of Arabic and English. Good knowledge of French will be positively valued.
Competencies  - Excellent writing skills in the two working languages as well as outreach and interpersonal skills, with the ability to adapt messages to the regional and national contexts; - Good knowledge of the organizational mandate; - Strong managerial and supervisory leadership capacity; - Excellent analytical and presentational skills; - Substantive knowledge of information technology applications for compiling, managing and broadcasting information; - Solid team work and time-management skills with core capacity to take initiative and work independently; and - Ability to prioritise work under pressure, delegate and meet deadlines. In addition to the ILO core competencies, this position requires: Behavioural competencies: The ability to work in a multicultural environment and gender-sensitive behaviour and attitudes are also required. Ability to work in a team and good interpersonal relations. Ability to work under time pressure and meet deadlines.
Additional Information: Evaluation (which may include one or several written tests and a pre-interview competency-based assessment centre) and the interviews will tentatively take place between February and April 2014. Candidates are requested to ensure their availability should they be short listed for further consideration.
APPLICANTS WILL BE CONTACTED DIRECTLY IF SELECTED FOR WRITTEN TEST.
APPLICANTS WILL BE CONTACTED DIRECTLY IF SELECTED FOR AN INTERVIEW.
APPENDIX I
Angola Antigua and Barbuda Armenia Austria Azerbaijan Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belize Botswana Brunei Darussalam Cambodia Cape Verde China Congo Cyprus Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Gabon Gambia Georgia Grenada Guatemala Guyana Iceland Iraq Japan Kazakhstan Kiribati Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Latvia Liberia Libya Maldives Malta Marshall Islands Mexico Montenegro Mozambique Namibia Nicaragua Oman Palau Papua New Guinea Paraguay Poland Qatar Republic of Korea Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Samoa San Marino Saudi Arabia Seychelles Slovakia Solomon Islands Somalia South Sudan, Republic of Swaziland Syrian Arab Republic Tajikistan Togo Turkmenistan Tuvalu United Arab Emirates United States of America Uzbekistan Vanuatu Viet Nam Yemen
APPENDIX II CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT
- Any appointment/extension of appointment is subject to ILO Staff Regulations and other relevant internal rules. - The first contract will be issued for a twelve-month period (for Geneva-based positions) and a twenty-four month period (for non Geneva-based positions) - A successful external candidate will be on probation for the first two years of assignment. - Any extension of contract beyond the probation period is subject to satisfactory conduct and performance. Grade: P.4 Salary and post adjustment (with dependants) US$ Salary Minimum 72467 rising to Maximum 94540 Post adjustment for Beirut Minimum 40219 Maximum 52469 Salary and post adjustment (without dependants) US$ Salary Minimum 67483 Maximum Maximum 87447 Post adjustment for Beirut Minimum 37453 Maximum 48533
Please note that the above salary levels are determined according to the criteria established by the International Civil Service Commission. The ILO is international public sector employer and salary and other employment conditions are not negotiable. Other allowances and benefits subject to specific terms of appointment: Children's allowance (except for the first child if the dependent rate of salary is paid in respect of that child); Children's education grant (per child per year); Pension and Health Insurance schemes; 30 working days' annual leave; Assignment Grant; Entitlement to transport expenses of personal effects; Repatriation Grant; Home-leave travel with eligible dependants every two years; Rental subsidy (if applicable). Recruitment is normally made at the initial step in the grade. Salaries and emoluments are exempt from taxation by the Swiss authorities and, on the basis of international agreements or national law relating to presence or residence abroad, are generally exempt from taxation by other governments. In the absence of exemption, in most cases tax paid will be reimbursed in accordance with an ILO document which will be supplied upon request. While the successful candidate will be initially working in Beirut, he/she may be assigned to any duty station designated by the Director-General of the ILO.
Please note that all candidates must complete an on-line application form. To apply, please visit ILO's e-Recruitment website at: erecruit.ilo.org. The system provides instructions for online application procedures.
The ILO does not charge any fee at any stage of the recruitment process whether at the application, interview, processing or training stage. Messages originating from a non ILO e-mail account - @ilo.org - should be disregarded. In addition, the ILO does not require or need to know any information relating to the bank account details of applicants. Depending on the location and availability of candidates, assessors and interview panel members, the ILO may use communication technologies such as Skype, Video or teleconference, e-mail, etc for the assessment and evaluation of candidates at the different stages of the recruitment process, including assessment centres, technical tests or interviews.