Advocacy and Communications Manager (NOD), FT, Cairo– Egypt, MENA

Contract

This is a NO-3 contract. This kind of contract is known as National Professional Officers. It is normally only for nationals. It's a staff contract. More about NO-3 contracts.

This is a NO-4 contract. This kind of contract is known as National Professional Officers. It is normally only for nationals. It's a staff contract. More about NO-4 contracts.

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child, a champion

Advocacy and Communication are at the center of UNICEF’s mandate. We advocate to decision makers for ‘the protection of children's rights, to help meet their basic needs and to expand their opportunities to reach their full potential’. We communicate to key public and private audiences to build support for the cause of children.

The Advocacy and Communication Manager reports to the Chief of Section, who is at Level 4.

How can you make a difference?

The NOD Advocacy and Communication Manager is accountable for managing the advocacy and communication strategies and implementation. This includes:

• the development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of integrated advocacy and communication strategies to achieve positive outcomes for children and young people
• the effective deployment of public channels and private relationships to mobilize public and private resources for children, including through UNICEF
• using traditional and digital media and key partnerships to build awareness of and support for child rights and UNICEF’s mission, priorities and programmes
• working with children and young people to empower them as agents of change

Summary of key results:

You will lead and manage a team to design and coordinate effective, integrated advocacy and communication strategies, through the development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation stages. You will work collaboratively with colleagues across UNICEF at country, regional and global level, as well build alliances or coalitions with external partners to drive changes in policy and practice, and secure political and financial commitments for children. Duties include:

Your main tasks & accountabilities are as per the following:

1. Advocacy strategy development****:

• Manage every element of the advocacy strategy process, in consultation with relevant stakeholders, from defining advocacy outcomes, power analysis, and developing a clear theory of change to win the support of decision makers and mobilize key constituencies.

2. Advocacy strategy implementation:

• Drive the implementation of advocacy strategies and plans, working across teams to ensure all strands of the strategy are progressed and mutually reinforcing, for example: data, policy, media, public mobilization, events, and partnerships. Supervise the development of cogent and compelling advocacy and campaign narratives, and the delivery of creative campaign tactics.

3. Communication strategy development and implementation****:

• Design effective communication plans that will deliver the aims of key advocacy strategies and help to mobilize public and private support for the cause of children.
• Supervise the implementation of these plans, ensuring they are delivering against agreed outcomes and always in keeping with UNICEF’s mandate.

4. Digital strategy****:

• Develop a comprehensive digital strategy and lead and manage the Office’s advocacy and communication team responsible for the day-to-day conceptualization, budgeting, planning, coordination, execution and digital content creation, as well as the monitoring and evaluation of digital initiatives and integrated advocacy campaigns for key audiences.

5. Media relations****:

• Build and maintain strong relationships with journalists and media outlets covering all media – print, TV, radio, web, etc. – to ensure we can build public awareness of and support for UNICEF and the cause of children.

6. Advocacy and communication M&E:

• Supervise the development of a clear advocacy and communication M&E framework: setting baselines against which results are regularly monitored; conducting analysis to continuously improve the effectiveness of the strategy, approach and activities; and overseeing the production and dissemination of M&E results.

7. Team building, project and budget management:

• Provide a protective, nurturing environment for the team – in line with UNICEF’s highest ethical standards and values; respond appropriately to ethical issues and complaints of abuse of authority, bullying and harassment.
• Ensure project management coherence in the activities of the team, conveying strategic priorities and setting clear deliverables.
• Manage inclusive teams featuring a variety of advocacy and communication professionals, to drive and deliver strategic advocacy and communication initiatives.
• Support mobilizing resources for undertaking advocacy and communication. Ensure effective and transparent management of budget and resources.

8. Advocacy and communication capacity building:

• Contribute to building internal UNICEF capacities in advocacy and communication, through coaching, training and sharing of expertise.

9. Stakeholder engagement:

• Provide strategic direction for partnerships and networks through proactive collaboration with internal and external partners.
• Partners will include key internal stakeholders, other UN entities, influencers, youth ambassadors, goodwill ambassadors, academics, business leaders and other public and private sector partners.
• Ensure that effective advocacy and communication strategies and plans are co-created with partners, to leverage their power to contribute to UNICEF’s goals.
• Ensure that feedback from key stakeholders is incorporated into strategy design, implementation and team learning.

10. Others:

• Undertake additional activities as required.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

Education:

• An Advanced University degree is required in one of the following fields: International Relations, Political Science, International Development, Public Policy, Public Administration, Economics, Communication or related fields.
• A first level university degree (Bachelor’s) in a relevant field, in conjunction with two additional years of relevant work experience in advocacy, campaigning or a related field may be taken in lieu of an Advanced University degree.

Experience:

• At least eight (8) years of progressively responsible and relevant professional work experience in advocacy/ campaigning and communication is required.
• Experience in leading the development and implementation of advocacy and communication strategies, with clear theories of change, specific, measurable and timebound objectives, and performance indicators is required.
• A track record of achieving or contributing to tangible policy change is an asset
• Proven experience in deploying a range of advocacy and communication tactics based on a clear theory of change is required.
• Experience in building strong relationships with traditional and social media entities and using media relations and channels to engage public audiences is required.
• Experience in leading the development, implementation and monitoring of digital strategies is required.
• Experienced and current in digital and social media content and audience trends as well as in managing online platforms and channels is required
• Experience in building and maintaining a network of stakeholders, and in working with coalitions is required
• Strong communicator with emphasis on being able to present complex policy ideas in succinct, engaging ways through campaign narratives and creative tactics is required
• Experience in managing a team is a requirement, along with a proven commitment to diverse and inclusive recruiting process. Experience managing a multicultural team is an asset.
• Demonstrated experience in design and management of projects, including budget management and monitoring and evaluation of results is an asset
• Knowledge of children’s rights, public policy, international development, and humanitarian issues is required
• Experience in advocacy at the international level is an asset.
• Experience in training and facilitation is an asset.
• Experience working in a developing and emergency environment is an asset.

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in English and Arabic is required.

For every Child, you demonstrate...

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

(1)Nurtures, leads and manages people (2) Builds and maintains partnerships (3) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness (4) Drive to achieve results for impact (5) Innovates and embraces change (6) Manages ambiguity and complexity (7) Thinks and acts strategically (8) Works collaboratively with others.

During the recruitment process, we test candidates following the competency framework. Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels: competency framework here.

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic. We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements. UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

Remarks:

This position has been assessed as an elevated risk role for Child Safeguarding purposes as it is: a role with direct contact with children, works directly with children, is a safeguarding response role. Additional vetting and assessment for elevated risk roles in child safeguarding (potentially including additional criminal background checks) applies.

UNICEF’s active commitment towards diversity and inclusion is critical to deliver the best results for children. For this position, eligible and suitable eligible and suitable male candidates will be prioritized.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance. Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station, which will be facilitated by UNICEF, is required for IP positions. Appointments are also subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Government employees that are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.