Communications and Partnerships Specialist

Mission and objectives

The World Health Organization (WHO), established in 1948 is the authority responsible for public health within the United Nations system. The Organization seeks “the attainment by all peoples of the highest possible level of health.” The WHO Regional Office for Europe (WHO/Europe) is one of WHO’s six regional offices around the world. It serves the WHO European Region, which comprises 53 countries, covering a vast geographical region from the Atlantic to the Pacific oceans. WHO/Europe staff are public health, scientific and technical experts, based in the main office in Copenhagen, Denmark, in 6 technical centres and in country offices in 30 Member States.

Context

The WHO Country Office in Tajikistan implements a diverse programme of technical cooperation with the Government, particularly the Ministry of Health and Social Protection of the Population, as well as United Nations agencies, development partners, civil society and other stakeholders. The programme spans primary health care and health systems strengthening, health financing, health security and emergency preparedness, immunization, maternal and child health, and prevention and control of communicable and noncommunicable diseases. The Country Office requires dedicated cross-cutting support to communicate technical results clearly, document impact, strengthen institutional visibility, engage partners strategically and support resource mobilization. High-quality communication and partnership products are essential to translate evidence into action, maintain stakeholder confidence, demonstrate accountability and mobilize support for national health priorities. The UN Volunteer will work closely with the WHO Representative, technical and operational teams, WHO regional communications and partnership colleagues, national counterparts, the UN Country Team, donors and development partners. The assignment offers a meaningful opportunity to contribute to public health systems strengthening while gaining practical experience in strategic health communication, partnership development and country-level WHO operations in Central Asia.

Task Description

Under the direct supervision of the WHO Representative in Tajikistan (or a designated international staff member based in Dushanbe), the UN Volunteer will undertake the following tasks: 1. Strategic communications and visibility • Support the development and implementation of an annual Country Office strategic communications, visibility and content plan aligned with WHO standards, country priorities and agreed partner commitments. • Translate technical and policy information into clear, accurate and audience-appropriate products, including briefing notes, speeches, talking points, presentations, factsheets, web stories, success stories, newsletters, infographics, donor updates and social media content. • Document programme results, field missions, campaigns, trainings, high-level events and human-interest stories, ensuring informed consent, ethical storytelling, safeguarding and appropriate protection of personal data. • Maintain a content calendar and coordinate timely inputs for WHO digital channels; support media monitoring and periodic analysis of reach, engagement, public narratives and communication risks. • Support risk communication and public information during outbreaks, emergencies or other time-sensitive public health events, in close coordination with technical teams and relevant WHO communication channels. • Maintain an organized archive of approved communication products, photographs, videos and source materials, and support quality assurance of multimedia products prepared by consultants or service providers. 2. Partnerships and resource mobilization support • Conduct partner and donor mapping and research; maintain an up-to-date partnership intelligence and engagement tracker, including priorities, areas of collaboration, key contacts and agreed follow-up actions. • Prepare concise partner profiles, donor briefing notes, engagement packages and advocacy materials for meetings, missions, consultations and high-level events. • Support technical teams in preparing concept notes, proposals, donor presentations, visibility plans and narrative reports based on validated programme and financial inputs, without assuming fiduciary, approval or delegated financial authority. • Support the planning, coordination and documentation of donor briefings, partner consultations, policy dialogues, UN Country Team initiatives and other strategic engagements, including agendas, briefing packs, minutes and action tracking. 3. Coordination, knowledge management and capacity development • Facilitate internal coordination across technical and operational teams to promote coherent messaging, timely documentation of results and consistent application of WHO branding and communication standards. • Coordinate, as required, with national counterparts, UN agencies, development partners, media representatives and relevant WHO regional and headquarters colleagues. • Identify and document lessons learned, innovations and good practices, and develop knowledge products that support programme improvement, institutional learning and wider dissemination. • Provide practical coaching and knowledge-sharing support to WHO colleagues and counterparts on plain-language writing, storytelling, presentations, digital content and partnership communication. • Undertake other related communications and partnership tasks agreed in the assignment workplan. Indicative results / expected outputs • An approved annual communications and partnership engagement workplan and regularly updated content calendar. • An up-to-date partner and donor map, engagement tracker and at least four quarterly partnership intelligence briefs. • A consistent portfolio of quality-assured communication and knowledge products documenting WHO-supported health results and impact in Tajikistan. • Timely partner briefing packages, advocacy materials, proposal inputs and narrative reporting support for priority initiatives. • Periodic media, digital engagement and communication performance analyses with practical recommendations for improvement. • A final achievements and lessons-learned report, accompanied by a well-organized and accessible archive of approved products. During the first month of the assignment, the UN Volunteer will work closely with their direct supervisor to finalize an agreed-upon workplan. The workplan should outline key objectives, activities, outputs and indicators, and include regular check-ins with the supervisor to review progress and receive performance feedback.

Competencies and values

Accountability Adaptability and Flexibility Building Trust Commitment and Motivation Communication Creativity Integrity Planning and Organizing Professionalism Respect for Diversity Working in Teams

Living conditions and remarks

Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan, is a family duty station and offers a range of furnished housing, supermarkets, restaurants, banking, mobile and internet services, and educational and recreational options. Basic and private medical services are available, although some specialized care may be limited. Summers are hot and generally dry, while winters are cool; the country’s mountainous geography creates significant climatic variation outside the capital. Tajik is the official language, and Russian is widely used in professional and everyday settings. The city is generally manageable for international personnel, subject to normal United Nations security precautions and cultural awareness. Field travel to other regions may be required and can involve long road journeys and more basic living conditions. The assignment offers a culturally rich and professionally rewarding experience in Central Asia. Conditions of Service The Conditions of Service, available here: https://explore.unv.org/cos, outline the policies and rules governing UN Volunteer assignments. Full information on entitlements at the duty station can be accessed here: https://app.unv.org/calculator.