Advocacy and Communications Specialist, NOC, Male' Maldives

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UNICEF - United Nations Children's Fund

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Application deadline 1 year ago: Thursday 28 Apr 2022 at 13:00 UTC

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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.

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 fair chance

Maldives is one of the over 190 countries and territories around the world where we work to overcome the obstacles that poverty, violence, disease, and discrimination place in a child’s path. Together with the Government of Maldives and partners we work towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals, the objectives of the Maldives National Development Plan, and the planned outcomes of the United Nations Development Assistance Framework.

Visit this link for more information Maldives Country office https://www.unicef.org/maldives/

How can you make a difference?

Organizational context

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 and resources for the cause of children.

The Advocacy, Communication and Partnership Specialist reports to the Representative.

Purpose of the job:

The NOC Advocacy, Communication and Partnership Specialist is accountable for coordinating, implementing, monitoring and evaluating advocacy, communication and Partnership strategies to achieve positive outcomes for children and young people.

Summary of key functions/accountabilities:

  1. Advocacy strategy development
  2. Advocacy strategy implementation
  3. Communication strategy development and implementation
  4. Digital communications
  5. Media relations
  6. Advocacy and communication M&E
  7. Project and budget management
  8. Advocacy and communication capacity building
  9. Stakeholder engagement
  10. Others

This staff member will drive the development of effective, integrated advocacy and communication strategies. S/he will work collaboratively with colleagues across teams and with external partners to drive changes in policy and practice and secure political and financial commitments for children. Duties include:

  1. Advocacy strategy development:
  • Provide technical support in developing a robust advocacy strategy, with SMART outcomes, compelling calls to action, and a clear theory of change. Analyze political, economic and cultural trends from a wide range of sources and identify potential advocacy opportunities and challenges.
  • Propose new approaches and innovative ideas as part of the strategy development process.
  1. Advocacy strategy implementation:
  • Coordinate the implementation of advocacy strategies and plans, working across teams to deliver a range of advocacy tactics, such as: developing advocacy briefs and products, producing advocacy narratives, shaping creative activations to drive public engagement, working with the media, and organizing advocacy events.
  1. Communication strategy development and implementation:
  • Provide technical assistance in designing and delivering 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.
  1. Digital communications:
  • Coordinate and/or support 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.
  1. Media relations:
  • Help to build and maintain strong relationships with journalists and media outlets covering all media – print, TV, radio, web, etc.
  1. Advocacy and communication M&E:
  • Establish baselines against which results are regularly monitored; analyze the effectiveness of the strategy, approach and activities; and drive the day-to-day production and dissemination of M&E results on a regular basis.
  1. Project and budget management:
  • Coordinate inclusive project teams featuring a variety of advocacy and communication professionals to deliver strategic advocacy and communication initiatives.
  • Manage day-to-day delivery of key projects and workstreams, reviewing work plans to ensure progress and delivery while addressing obstacles and bottlenecks.
  • Ensure effectiveness and transparent use 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:

  • Identify, build and maintain formal and informal advocacy partnerships and networks through proactive collaboration with strategic internal and external partners.
  • Adopt a consultative approach and solicit the support of key stakeholders at critical points of the strategy.

10. Partnership building:

  • Acts as a focal point for identification and pursuit of opportunities for outreach, engagement, policy influence and collaboration with private and public sector partners, including on how to anticipate and respond to partners’ concerns and priorities, ensure that UNICEF’s interests, perspectives, and knowledge are taken into account in relevant policy and institutional processes, and ensure that they are fully aware of UNICEF’s perspectives, policies, priorities and capabilities. Contribute to the development and management of initiatives for high-level outreach, including for UNICEF’s Senior Management.
  • Contributes to the development of new partnership and resource mobilization practices and approaches by formulating recommendations for action based on on-going monitoring, analyzing current trends within designated partners and formulating recommendations for strategy approaches and message development.
  • Develop proposals, concept notes and communication materials for private and public sector engagement and for resource mobilization purposes

Impact of Results

The efficiency and efficacy of support provided by the Advocacy and Communication Specialist:

  1. Robust, integrated advocacy and communication strategies are developed implemented, monitored and evaluated, with SMART advocacy and communication outcomes and/or outputs and clear theories of change.
  2. Measurable change for children and young people through the achievement of defined advocacy and communication outcomes and/or outputs at the global, regional and/or national level.
  3. Public and private support for the cause of children and UNICEF continues to increase, with new strategic partnerships forged and a measurable increase in resources for children.
  4. A clear digital communication strategy with an associated work plan is developed to raise awareness of children’s rights in the public domain, grow supporter engagement and elevate focus of UNICEF’s advocacy priorities and campaign initiatives, strengthen political will in support of UNICEF's mission and objectives, and enhance the organization’s credibility and brand.

Achieving these goals will significantly contribute to the well-being of children.

UNICEF values and competency Required

i) Core Values

  • Care
  • Respect
  • Integrity
  • Trust
  • Accountability

ii) Core Competencies (For Staff with Supervisory Responsibilities) *

  • Nurtures, Leads and Manages People (1)
  • Demonstrates Self Awareness and Ethical Awareness (2)
  • Works Collaboratively with others (2)
  • Builds and Maintains Partnerships (2)
  • Innovates and Embraces Change (2)
  • Thinks and Acts Strategically (2)
  • Drive to achieve impactful results (2)
  • Manages ambiguity and complexity (2)

or

Core Competencies (For Staff without Supervisory Responsibilities) *

  • Demonstrates Self Awareness and Ethical Awareness (1)
  • Works Collaboratively with others (1)
  • Builds and Maintains Partnerships (1)
  • Innovates and Embraces Change (1)
  • Thinks and Acts Strategically (1)
  • Drive to achieve impactful results (1)
  • Manages ambiguity and complexity (1)

*The 7 core competencies are applicable to all employees. However, the competency Nurtures, Leads and Managers people is only applicable to staff who supervise others.

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

Recruitment Qualifications:

Education:

  • An Advanced University degree in Public Policy, Political Science, International Relations, International Development, Public Administration, Economics, Communication or other relevant fields.
  • * A first-level university degree with an additional two years of experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Experience:

  • At least five (5) years of progressively responsible and relevant professional work experience in advocacy/ campaigning and communications and partnership building is required.
  • Experience in leading the development and implementation of advocacy strategies, with clear theories of change, with specific, measurable and timebound objectives and performance indicators.
  • A track record of achieving or contributing to tangible policy change.
  • Proven experience in deploying a range of advocacy and communication tactics based on a clear theory of change.
  • Experience in building and maintaining a network of stakeholders, especially with the private sector, and in working with coalitions.
  • Experienced and current in digital and social media content and audience trends as well as in managing online platforms and channels.
  • Experience in media relations.
  • Strong communicator with emphasis on being able to present complex policy ideas in succinct, engaging ways through campaign narratives and creative tactics.
  • Demonstrated experience in design and management of projects, including budget management and monitoring and evaluation of results.
  • Knowledge of children’s rights, public policy, international development and humanitarian issues.
  • Knowledge of the business community context in the Maldives
  • 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 Dhivehi is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) is an asset.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.

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 also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. 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:

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.

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

Added 1 year ago - Updated 1 year ago - Source: unicef.org