Advocacy & Communications Officer, P-2, Education Cannot Wait (ECW) - New York, USA, (Temp Appointment, 364 days), REQ

Contract

This is a P-2 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 2 years of experience, depending on education.

Salary

The salary for this job should be between 108,633 USD and 147,551 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, education . . .

Education Cannot Wait (ECW) is the UN’s billion-dollar global fund for education in emergencies and protracted crises. In 2022, ECW became a multi-billion-dollar organization across its Trust Fund and in-country leveraged funds. A new June 2022 ECW technical study reveals that there are now 222 million school-aged children living in crisis, representing a new level of global education crisis that ECW has to address. To that end ECW is now planning a massive High-Level Financing Conference and ongoing global campaigns with significant advocacy and communication components requiring this new TA. ECW was launched in 2016 during the World Humanitarian Summit by international humanitarian and development aid organizations, along with public and private donors, to help reposition education as a priority on the humanitarian agenda, usher in a more collaborative approach among actors on the ground and foster additional funding to ensure that every crisis- affected child and young person is in school and learning.

Based on the recognition that continuous access to quality learning is a priority for children and families affected by conflicts, natural disasters and displacement and that no Programme nor organization can do it alone, ECW comes as a ground-breaking initiative bringing together public and private partners eager to work together differently and mobilize the funding required to deploy immediate and sustainable solutions.

ECW's day-to-day work is managed by a lean Secretariat that is hosted and administered by UNICEF.

How can you make a difference?

Supports in planning, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating an advocacy and communications strategy to get education in emergencies and protracted crises issues into the public domain, strengthening political and public will in support of Education Cannot Wait’s mission and objectives as a UN global fund, and enhance the Fund’s credibility and brand.

MAIN DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES:

KEY END-RESULTS

1. Content Production: Support in the conception, production and copyediting of various advocacy and communications products for web-based and traditional media.
2. Online Communication Strategy: Ensure that the production of communication products and materials is timely executed and followed up to support Fund’s communications strategy, global campaigns and priorities, supporting resources mobilization as set out in the work plan.
3. Website Administration: Support the launch and maintenance of the new ECW website, ensuring that it functions well as an advocacy/communication, transparency/accountability and knowledge management tool for the Fund.
4. Digital Asset Management: Streamline the collection and management of visual digital assets, including creating and maintaining a robust ECW media assets library to support present and future global advocacy efforts.
5. Champions, Partners and Special Events: Work with external partners to ensure that the Fund’s champions, strategic partners and campaigns/special events receive high visibility through all advocacy and communications channels and outlets.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES and DUTIES & TASKS

1. Content Production Support in the conception, production and copyediting of various advocacy and communications products for web-based and traditional media.

Duties & Tasks

• Assist in drafting and copyediting articles, human interest stories, press releases and other advocacy/information materials for both web-based and traditional media, as appropriate
• Follow up on the production of advocacy and communications materials and help oversee the qualitative aspects of production (e.g., quality control, translations, reviews of layout and graphic design, etc.) to meet standards set out in ECW’s Visibility Guidance Note and Brand Guidelines
• Assist in preparation of background advocacy communication and promotional materials for briefing of media and other special interest groups
• Support in creation of new, unique and curated content for ECW’s social channels including Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube that meet ECW standards
• Produce and/or design advocacy and communication materials (e.g. videos, infographics, photo galleries, social media packages, factsheets, presentations, reports, etc.) for digital platforms, printing, etc. while meeting ECW standards
• Graphic design support and messaging creation for ongoing campaigns

2. Online Communication Strategy Ensure that the production of communications products and materials is timely executed and followed up to support Fund’s communications strategy, global campaigns and priorities, supporting resources mobilization as set out in the work plan.

Duties & Tasks

• Ensure ECW’s digital/social media channels are up to date, following applicable corporate guidelines and taking into account ECW branding
• Ensure all ECW digital media channels and platforms are “on message”
• Ensure timely distribution, dissemination & cross-promotion of ECW’s digital content
• Identify key digital influencers and partners that can help amplify ECW's voice and engage with them on regular basis through digital communication and ensure ECW’s strong presence across social channels
• Explore and help expand ECW’s social media potential (e,g, TikTok, etc.)
• Support online reputation management

3. Website Administration

Support the launch and maintenance of the new ECW website, ensuring that it functions well as an advocacy/communication, transparency/accountability and knowledge management tool for the Fund.

Duties & Tasks

• Develop, upload and maintain content on ECW’s website in a timely manner
• Develop custom web pages for ECW campaigns
• Ensure relevant documentation and info is accessible to ECW’s partners/ grantees
• Support optimization of design & performance, in line with applicable digital governance standards.
• Maintain website content management system.

4. Digital Asset Management

Streamline the collection and management of visual digital assets, including creating and maintaining a robust ECW media assets library to support present and future global advocacy efforts.

Duties & Tasks

• Liaise with partners to identify, collect and store human interest stories and accompanying visual/digital assets.
• Share relevant material with ECW’s internal and external partners on demand.
• Support the maintenance of an up-to-date ECW media assets library including photographs, video/audio- visual materials and accompanying narrative/captions.
• Recommend appropriate communication materials, especially human-interest stories, for use in talking points, media and other advocacy and communications activities.

5. Champion, Partners and special events

Work with external partners to ensure that the Fund’s champions, strategic partners and campaigns/special events receive high visibility through all advocacy and communications channels and outlets.

Duties & Tasks

• Generate public support for special events/activities through strategic messaging and promotion.
• Provide advocacy/comms coverage to major events or ECW appearances by collecting photos, quotes and overarching messaging from events.
• Support the organisation of ECW special events, including preparing information materials, assisting in the planning, logistics and administrative arrangements, and ensuring digital communication when required.
• Assist in developing and maintaining close collaboration with groups and organizations whose support is essential to the achievement of advocacy and communication objectives.
• Support maintenance and updates of ECW contact lists/database.

• Ensure the visibility of ECW constituents, champions, donors, partners, and other special interest groups.

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

• A university degree (Bachelor’s or higher) in Communications, Journalism, Public Relations, or a related field.
• Two years of practical professional work experience in communication, print and broadcast media, or interactive digital media is required.
• International and national work experience (for International Professionals). Field work experience (for National Officers).

• 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 (CRITA) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: https://uni.cf/UNICEFValues

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.

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 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.

UNICEF’s active commitment towards diversity and inclusion is critical to deliver the best results for children. For this position, eligible and suitable women are encouraged to apply.

UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children.

This position is not considered an elevated risk role. However, UNICEF reserves the right to conduct further vetting/ assessment within the scope of child safeguarding as appropriate.

Remarks:

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

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 may also be 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.