Advocacy & Communication Manager, P-4, Fixed Term, Public Partnerships Division (PPD) Brussels, Belgium #123941 Req

Contract

This is a P-4 contract. This kind of contract is known as Professional and Director staff. It is normally internationally recruited only. It's a staff contract. It usually requires 7 years of experience, depending on education.

Salary

The salary for this job should be between 90,970 USD and 117,287 USD.

Please keep in mind that the salary displayed here is an estimation by UN Talent based on the location and the type of contract. It may vary depending on the organization. The recruiter should be able to inform you about the exact salary range. In case the job description contains another salary information, please refer to this one.

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, hope . . .

The Public Partnerships Division (PPD) works to strengthen UNICEF's position as a partner of choice for children's rights among governments and inter-governmental actors around the world. The division is doing this by positioning children's rights in the intergovernmental and multilateral fora and engaging with governments and public institutions as resource, policy and programme partners. A key premise for PPD is that the engagement with countries should be holistic based on multiple aspects of partnerships, including policy advocacy and resource mobilization.

This post is located at the UNICEF Partnerships Office in Brussels, within the Advocacy, Policy and Communications Section and will be supervised by the Director (D1). This post will manage and supervise a P2 Communications Specialist and potential advocacy/policy/coms intern(s)/consultants, if/when brought on board.

How can you make a difference?

Under the overall guidance of the Director, the P4 Advocacy and Communication Manager is accountable for coordinating, implementing, and monitoring child rights’ advocacy, outreach, and strategic communication initiatives vis a vis the EU institutions, with a focus on the Council of the European Union. This includes leading UNICEF’s engagement with the Presidency of the Council of the EU; Coordinating outreach to EU Member States Permanent Representations in Brussels around the child rights agenda; Coordinating joint engagement with UNICEF National Committees in EU member states on the EU agenda to maximize opportunities for influence and income; Acting as thematic focal point within the section for identified advocacy priorities; Identifying strategic communication opportunities to advance the child rights’ agenda in/with the EU and coordinate and oversee their implementation as part of the section’s workplan; Deputizing the senior advisor, as needed.

Summary of key functions/accountabilities:

• Support senior advisers and senior management in establishing the annual work plan, ensuring that a set of advocacy and communication performance indicators are identified and adjusted as necessary, and these indicators are incorporated in relevant work plans.
• Establish clear individual performance objectives, goals and timelines for communications team members; and provide timely guidance to enable the team to perform their duties responsibly and efficiently, including Develop a work plan and budget for communication activities, monitor compliance and provide support and guidance to ensure objectives are met. Identify, recruit and supervise communications staff, technical resources and consultants as necessary. Support communication activities through knowledge management, information exchange and building capacity on EU requirements of the Country and Regional Offices communications teams as well as National Committees.
• Lead UNICEF’s engagement with the Presidency of the Council of the EU, in order to ensure timely and cost-effective delivery of results, in accordance with UNICEF’s partnership strategy. This engagement includes to: Develop and implement the advocacy and communication strategy and associated work plan for UNICEF’s engagement with the Presidency of the Council of the EU (semester and Trio). Coordinate engagement with relevant stakeholders, including ECARO, PG, GCA, PFP, relevant National Committees and COs, and other UNICEF offices in Europe as relevant and needed (e.g., Office of Research and Foresight, Office of Innovation etc.). Ensure regular internal communication and information flow between the Brussels office and relevant parts of UNICEF and National Committees around all initiatives related to UNICEF corporate engagement with the EU Presidency.
• Seeks and promotes new partnerships with the EU Permanent Representations in Brussels around the child rights’ agenda, mapping opportunities for engagement; leading and sustaining interactions with key Council working parties covering both the EU external and domestic agenda, working with UNICEF colleagues to identify partnership and resource mobilization needs and leveraging funding for child rights.
• Coordinate joint engagement with UNICEF National Committees in EU member states on the EU agenda to maximize opportunities for influence and income, including lead UNICEF Brussels’ contribution to the PFP-led Joint Engagement Planning process with -based UNICEF National Committees to ensure an EU angle is reflected in the plans; represent the Advocacy team in regular coordination calls with EU-based UNICEF National Committees and monitor implementation; document success stories in the joint engagement with UNICEF National Committees to advance UNICEF advocacy objectives; identify opportunities for UNICEF/National Committees’ joint engagement on specific legislative and policy files relevant to children rights.
• Provides strategic, logistical, and programmatic advice and support to senior management and other UNICEF staff in corporate engagement and interaction with the EU institutions on media strategy and implications for action and policies proposed.
• Develops and maintains deep knowledge and familiarity with current and prospective partners and relevant stakeholders, contributing to a database of key contacts and to UNICEF’s base of knowledge on partnership and resource mobilization.
• Expands UNICEF’s network of key interlocutors to build stronger relationships between UNICEF and governments, other key-decision makers, regional development institutions, foundations, civil society organizations, international financial institutions and/or other relevant constituencies.
• Acts as a focal point for identification and pursuit of strategic communications opportunities to advance the child rights’ agenda for outreach, engagement, policy influence and collaboration, 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.
• Contributes to the development and management of communications strategies for improved positioning of UNICEF with EU stakeholders, including for UNICEF’s Senior Management and the development of communications and advocacy products to enhance UNICEF’s visibility and influence with existing and prospective partners and key stakeholders by providing analysis of the current environment and trends and formulating recommendations for strategy approaches and message development. It includes to: Ensure quality, consistency and appropriateness of communication materials, activities, processes, and messages shared with partners. Coordinate and lead on engagement with Goodwill Ambassadors, National Ambassadors and Supporters in EU high level events and activities in close coordination with UNICEF GCA, the EU National Committees and EU Country Offices. Support the UNICEF global communications objectives and strategies through development of complementary EU specific materials and activities. Work plan should anticipate the inclusion of work on global priorities and campaigns. Ensure regular communication and co-ordination with relevant communication focal points in regional offices, and headquarters divisions.
• Performs other related duties as assigned by the supervisor to ensure the success of the team, including guiding, training, and coaching short-term staff, including interns and consultants, as needed.

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

• An advanced university degree is required in one of the following fields: international relations, political science, communications, international development, or another relevant technical field.
• A minimum of eight years of progressively responsible and relevant professional experience in one or more of the following areas is required: public affairs, advocacy, communication, programme management, resource mobilization, external relations, or other relevant area. Previous advocacy and communication experience in/with the EU is a strong asset.
• The ability to allocate appropriate time and resources for successful achievement of goals and foresee risks and allow for contingencies when planning. Ability to implement clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies, identify priority activities and assignments, adjust priorities as required.
• Diplomatic communication and negotiation skills to establish and maintain trusted partnerships for achievement of objectives and to develop close and effective working relationships with diverse stakeholders.
• Authoritative knowledge of development issues, strategies, as well as programming policies and procedures in international development cooperation. Authoritative knowledge of practices in partnership development and resource mobilization.
• Demonstrated ability to formulate new approaches in respect of resources management and outreach-related activities. Skill in the identification of new opportunities or requirements to meet challenges in the field and propose changes.
• Excellent communications skills, verbal and written. In-depth familiarity with political and governmental processes. Ability to conduct sound communications and advocacy mapping.
• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) is an asset.

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

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:

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

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.