Following the 1994 genocide in Rwanda and the establishment of a new government there, some 1.2 million Rwandese Hutus — including elements who had taken part in the genocide — fled to the neighbouring Kivu regions of eastern DRC, formerly Zaïre, an area inhabited by ethnic Tutsis and others. A rebellion began there in 1996, pitting the forces led by Laurent Désiré Kabila against the army of President Mobutu Sese Seko. Kabila’s forces, aided by Rwanda and Uganda, took the capital city of Kinshasa in 1997 and renamed the country the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
Org. Setting and Reporting
This position is located at Radio Okapi within the Nation’s stabilization mission in democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO). The incumbent will be based in Kinshasa and report to the authority of the Radio Okapi management.
Responsibilities
Within delegated authority, the Public Information Assistant is responsible for the following duties: • Researching and processing information following instructions from radio management. • Possess radio and multimedia skills adapted to radiophonic and multimedia production. • Translation of reports, news presentations and sound elements from French into at least one national language. • Participation in the editorial conference, which determines the angle of treatment of subjects and the formats to be produced; to evaluate the newspapers, the various reports and programmes broadcast and to improve or change the products according to the decisions of the editorial board. • Presenting newspapers in French and national languages and programmes or sections at the request of the editor-in-chief or radio management. • Prepare and write quality texts for newspapers, deliver reports on time for broadcast and adapt radio production in national languages and multimedia products for the Okapi.net website. • Put the appropriate multimedia articles online on Okapi.net, including videos and pre-processed photos to illustrate the articles. • Manage relations with information sources at all levels: political, military and religious authorities, civil society, UN agencies, etc.; maintain an address book and telephone numbers of all people who can be used as sources of information, archive and share contacts. • Be present at the editorial office on working days, with the flexibility to adapt working hours as required; Be able to work shifts outside the 08:30 – 17:30 hours; Be available to travel in the various sectors.
Competencies
Professionalism Shows pride in work and in achievements; demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter; is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results; is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns; shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; remains calm in stressful situations; commitment to implementing the goal of gender equality by ensuring the equal participation and full involvement of women and men in all aspects of work. Planning and Organizing Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies; Identifies priority activities and assignments; Adjusts priorities as required; Allocates appropriate amount of time and resources for completing work; Foresees risks and allows for contingencies when planning; Monitors and adjusts plans and actions as necessary; Uses time efficiently. Communication Skills Express yourself clearly and effectively, both orally and in writing; listen to others, understand them well and follow up as appropriate; ask the necessary questions to obtain clarification and facilitate dialogue; adapt the language, tone, style and presentation to the audience being addressed; share the information with everyone it interests and keep everyone informed.
Education
High school diploma or equivalent is required. Courses/training in journalism, public relations or a related field are highly desirable.
Job – Specific Qualification
Not available.
Work Experience
A minimum of five (5) years’ professional experience in journalism, communications or public information is required.
Languages
English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this position advertised, fluency (oral and written) in French is required; Fluency in a national language is required. Knowledge of English is an additional asset.
Assessment
Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by competency-based interview.
Special Notice
This position is subject to local recruitment pursuant to staff rule 4.4 of the United Nations Staff Rules. Applicants for positions in the General Service and related categories must be authorized to work for the United Nations in the duty station where the position is located. Eligible applicants selected from outside the duty station are responsible for any expenses in connection with their relocation to the duty station. Candidates who successfully complete a competitive recruitment process will be recommended for inclusion in the list of pre-approved candidates for subsequent offers of employment at the same level and with similar functions, Information on their application and the status of their list may be shared with other UN organizations. These candidates may be contacted by other UN organizations for similar job offers, subject to confirmation of their interest. Placement on the list does not guarantee future selection. The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position.
United Nations Considerations
According to article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. Candidates will not be considered for employment with the United Nations if they have committed violations of international human rights law, violations of international humanitarian law, sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, or sexual harassment, or if there are reasonable grounds to believe that they have been involved in the commission of any of these acts. The term “sexual exploitation” means any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another. The term “sexual abuse” means the actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions. The term “sexual harassment” means any unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that might reasonably be expected or be perceived to cause offence or humiliation, when such conduct interferes with work, is made a condition of employment or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment, and when the gravity of the conduct warrants the termination of the perpetrator’s working relationship. Candidates who have committed crimes other than minor traffic offences may not be considered for employment. Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible. The United Nations places no restrictions on the eligibility of men and women to participate in any capacity and under conditions of equality in its principal and subsidiary organs. The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process. By accepting a letter of appointment, staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General, who may assign them to any of the activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). Further, staff members in the Professional and higher category up to and including the D-2 level and the Field Service category are normally required to move periodically to discharge functions in different duty stations under conditions established in ST/AI/2023/3 on Mobility, as may be amended or revised. This condition of service applies to all position specific job openings and does not apply to temporary positions. Applicants are urged to carefully follow all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira, and to refer to the Applicant Guide by clicking on “Manuals” in the “Help” tile of the inspira account-holder homepage. The evaluation of applicants will be conducted on the basis of the information submitted in the application according to the evaluation criteria of the job opening and the applicable internal legislations of the United Nations including the Charter of the United Nations, resolutions of the General Assembly, the Staff Regulations and Rules, administrative issuances and guidelines. Applicants must provide complete and accurate information pertaining to their personal profile and qualifications according to the instructions provided in inspira to be considered for the current job opening. No amendment, addition, deletion, revision or modification shall be made to applications that have been submitted. Candidates under serious consideration for selection will be subject to reference checks to verify the information provided in the application. Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (New York time) on the deadline date.
No Fee
THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.