OFFICE(15)/22 
15-1179 
 
 
The recruitment policy of the WTO is to seek to attract and retain staff members 
offering the highest standards of competence, efficiency and integrity. 
As an Equal Opportunities Employer, the WTO gives full regard to merit and diversity. 
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Vacancy Notice No.:   EXT/F/15-10 Issued on:   2 March 2015 
 
Title:   Information Officer Application Deadline (CET):   30 March 
2015 
 
Grade:   8 
 Division:   Information and External 
Relations 
(16) Contract Type:   Fixed-term 
 
Starting Salary:   CHF 113,585 net per annum 
(approximate)  Duration:   Two years with the possibility of 
extension 
 
Other 
Conditions: In accordance with WTO Staff Regulations and Staff Rules and WTO Pension Plan 
Regulations. 
The World Trade Organization offers an attractive compensation package including an annual net salary (subject to mandatory deductions for pension 
contributions and health insurance), dependency benefits, pension plan, health 
insurance scheme, separation grant, and 30 days annual leave.  Benefits for 
internationally recruited staff may include travel and removal expenses on 
appointment and separation, installation grant, education grant, rental subsidy, 
and home leave. Additional information on the compen sation package is provided on the 
WTO website:  
http://www.wto.org/english/thewto _e/vacan_e/comp_p ackage_e.pdf.  
  
The Secretariat of the WTO is seeking to fill the position of Information Officer in the 
Information and External Relations Division.    
 
General Functions  
 The incumbent will undertake the following functions:  
 
1. Following and providing public information on developments in the WTO, in general and in 
assigned beats. Providing timely, accurate, balanced, relevant, factual and understandable 
information on these developments through variou s channels — the website, briefings by email 
and in person for journalists and others who are interested — so that a diverse range of non-specialist and specialist audiences can be kept abreast of what is happening in the WTO. The 
output includes news, press releases, background explanations, fact sheets and longer explanatory 
texts for the public website and for journalists. The content can be complex and politically-sensitive.  
2. Helping set up press facilities for major events such as Ministerial Conferences. 
 3. Acting as a bridge between in-house specialists and the technicians working on WTO public 
information outlets, particularly the website but also publications: editing and organizing material 
for public access, including setting up or adapting web gateways and content pages for ease of use and understanding.  
 OFFICE(15)/22 
 
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4. Helping to monitor media coverage and some academic analysis of issues relevant to the 
WTO, and keeping up-to-date with developments related to the work of the Secretariat and the 
Information and External Relations Division. 
 5. Outreach: introducing the WTO to groups of visitors; organizing and participating in 
seminars, workshops and training events for journalists, NGOs (including civil society and business 
organizations), Parliamentarians and others.  
6. Establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with journalists, other groups 
among the general public, as well as with experts in the Secretariat and in delegations, so that 
communication is effective.  
 
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS  
Education: 
 Advanced university degree level in journalism, public relations or another relevant field, or a 
university degree with proven professional expertise equivalent to an advanced university degree.  
 Knowledge and Skills:  
The applicant must possess excellent knowledge of WTO, trade and macroeconomic issues. The 
applicant must also be a strong communicator with excellent speaking, writing and journalistic skills. The applicant must be well versed in the use of relevant communications tools, including 
social media, websites and audio/visual. The applicant must have the capacity to speak with clarity 
and authority.   
The applicant must have the following interpersonal capabilities: to initiate and build relationships 
with a variety of people both inside and outside the organization; to communicate complex abstract ideas to an audience of informed people and understand ideas when communicated by others; to persuade others to a particular point of view which may challenge others' values and 
beliefs; to make presentations on a variety of subjects to a wide variety of audiences; to cope with 
and resolve conflicts through interpreting provided guidelines on how to resolve them; and to work in a team where supporting and gaining the support of others is important to achieving his/her 
objectives. 
 Work Experience: 
 
Minimum five years' experience in journalism, public relations or as a press officer in a government or another international organization.  
Languages: 
 Excellent speaking and writing skills in English are essential. A good working level of French is a 
significant advantage. Knowledge of Spanish and/or other languages spoken by WTO Member 
countries is an advantage.   
Additional Information: 
 The position may be offered at a lower grade if the selected candidate does not fully meet all the required qualifications. 
 
Only applications from nationals of WTO Members will be accepted. OFFICE(15)/22 
 
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APPLICANTS MAY BE REQUIRED TO SIT A WRITTEN EXAMINATION 
____________________________________________________________________ 
APPLICANTS WILL BE CONTACTED DIRECTLY IF SELECTED FOR AN INTERVIEW 
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Online applications are strongly encouraged to enable the WTO to store 
your profile in a permanent database. 
 
Please visit the WTO' s E-Recruitment website at:  www.wto.org. 
The system provides instructions for online application procedures. 
 
All applicants are encouraged to apply online as soon as possible after the vacancy has 
been posted and well before the closing date – Central European Time (CET) –  
stated in the vacancy announcement. 
 
PLEASE NOTE THAT APPLICATIONS RECEIVED AFTER THE 
CLOSING DATE WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED 
 
The WTO is a non-smoking environment.