Senior Information and Communication Officer at African Union(AU)

Purpose of Job

• To provide operational leadership in planning and implementation of publicity programmes designed to promote the work of the Court to Africa and International Community.

Main Functions

• Promotes the work of the Court to the African and International Community through various communication approaches.
• Formulates, develops and advances the Court’s communication strategy by identifying key messages to be promoted and target audiences through developing public friendly products (press releases, information notes, information packs), and creating channels of dissemination, by screening interview requests and by scheduling them.
• Maintains a system to effectively monitor the media and respond to any misleading or incorrect reporting on the Court.
• Ensures internal distribution of important articles or reports on the work of the Court.
• Supervises media access to the Court and arrange for the provision of appropriate and available facilities for the media to report on the work of the Court, both on a day-to-day basis and for high interest events.
• Establishes and maintains a regular publication to disseminate information about the Court, e.g Newsletter or Review.
• Develops internal information resources and networks (knowledge management), increasingly via intranet sites.

Specific Responsibilities

• Provides policy guidance to senior staff, on the approach to take with the Court’s publics by recommending specific interviews and by briefing them ahead of the anticipated questions.
• Advises the media through regular press briefings and by setting up press conferences for senior Court officials such, as the President, Judges, the Registrar, or the Deputy Registrar, as appropriate.
• Liaises with the Court’s publics including African citizens, NGOs, victims associations and other international organizations to provide them with information on the Court.
• Identifies, selects, orders and manages both hard copy and electronic resources for the Court's current and anticipated information needs.
• Classifies and stores information, usually using special computer applications, for easy access and retrieval.
• Consistently updates the information on the website of the Court.
• Performs any other duties that may be assigned.

Academic Requirements and Relevant Experience

• Master’s Degree in International Studies (Public Relations or Mass Communication) or related fields from a recognized university plus seven (7) years of relevant working experience, preferably in an international organisation OR
• Bachelor’s Degree in International Studies (Public Relations or Mass Communication) or related fields from a recognized university plus dix (10) years of relevant working experience, preferably in an international organization.
• A certificate in law and/or a certificate in website design/or Video/Radio Reporting will be an added advantage.

Required Skills:

• Leadership and management skills.
• Ability to work under minimum supervision in a multi-cultural environment.
• Communication and public relations.
• Interpersonal skills.
• Excellent drafting skills in one of the African Union working languages.
• Computer literacy with an emphasis on web design.

Leadership Competencies:

• Strategic Insight...
• Developing others...
• Change Management....
• Managing Risk...

Core Competencies:

• Building Relationship
• Foster Accountability Culture
• Learning Orientation
• Communicating with Influence.

Functional Competencies:

• Conceptual thinking
• Job Knowledge and information sharing
• Drive for result
• Continuous improvement orientation.

Tenure of Appointment

• The appointment will be a regular appointment for a period of three (3) years, the first twelve months of which will be considered as a probationary period.
• Thereafter, the contract will be for a period of two years renewable, subject to satisfactory performance.

Languages:

• Proficiency in one of the AU working languages (Arabic, English, French, Portuguese, and Spanish) and fluency in another AU language is an added advantage.

Remuneration
Indicative basic salary of US$37,453.00 per annum (Grade P3 step 1) plus other related entitlements e.g. post adjustment (42% of basic salary), housing allowance (1,627.50 US$ per month), education allowance (100% of school fees up to a maximum of US$10,000.00 per child per annum to a maximum of four children aged 21 years maximum), spouse allowance (5% of the basic salary), child allowance (US$250 per annum per child up to four children aged 21 years maximum), etc, in accordance with the Rules and Regulations governing International Civil Servants of the African Union.