Communication and Advocacy Officer

Volunteering Communications & PR

Overview

Support communication, advocacy and partnerships for UNICEF's initiatives in the MENA region.

You have:

• Excellent oral and written skills; excellent drafting, formulation, reporting skills;
• Accuracy, professionalism and attention to details in document production and editing;
• Excellent interpersonal skills; culturally and socially sensitive; ability to work inclusively and collaboratively with a range of partners, including grassroots community members, religious and youth organizations, and authorities at different levels; familiarity with tools and approaches of communications for development;
• Ability to work and adapt professionally and effectively in a challenging environment; ability to work effectively in a multicultural team of international and national personnel;
• Solid overall computer literacy, including proficiency in various Microsoft Office applications (Excel, Word, among others), email, and internet; familiarity with database management; and office technology equipment; Savvy in using the latest artificial intelligence tools
• Self-motivated, ability to work with minimum supervision; ability to work with tight deadlines;
• Sound security awareness;

Contract

This is a UNV National Expert contract. This kind of contract is known as National UN Volunteer. It is normally only for nationals. More about UNV National Expert contracts.

UNICEF is mandated by the United Nations General Assembly to advocate for the protection of children's rights, to help meet their basic needs and to expand their opportunities to reach their full potential. UNV and UNICEF have designed the YOUNG WOMEN TALENTS IN MENA initiative, aimed at promoting more diversity within UNICEF Workforce in MENA region. Embarking on a new Strategic Plan 2022-2025, UNICEF continues its effort to build a child- and youth-powered organization. While UNICEF has been strategically engaging Youth and Women in the programmatic context it has not fully leveraged to engage these groups in Country- and Regional- levels. To enhance the mechanisms for Youth Engagement and Gender Parity, UNICEF MENA and DHR will develop a youth-oriented programme in collaboration with the UN Volunteer programme, as a cost-effective talent solution to engage young professionals, while supporting their professional growth for a successful career at UNICEF and the UN System in general. Based on the Region’s specific needs, the programme will initially target female candidates and nationals of MENA countries. In order to support the implementation of this initiative, as well as to foster knowledge about UN Volunteers among different UNICEF Operations in the Arab Region, UNICEF and UNV ROs agreed to dedicate a capacity (National UN Volunteer) to the UNICEF Regional Office for one year to coordinate the partnership efforts.

As part of their work for the Communication, Advocacy and Partnerships Section, the UN Volunteer will act as a focal point for the section, based in Erbil. The volunteer will liaise with programmes and partners and ensure all UNICEF communication and advocacy priorities, as well as branding guidelines, are reflected in UNICEF’s work in the field. As part of the assignment, the UN Volunteer will visit regularly UNICEF-supported projects in the North of Iraq. In addition, the UNV will take full part in all planning, coordination and monitoring activities of the Communication, Advocacy, and Partnerships section, and in all those exercises and events as the office deem applicable.

The incumbent will be responsible for the following: Media Relations and Advocacy • Liaise proactively with local, regional, and national media outlets to build strong relationships with journalists and editors. • Draft and disseminate press releases, media briefs, and reactive lines in Kurdish, Arabic, and English. • Organize press conferences, media briefings, and workshops to highlight UNICEF’s work and child rights issues. • Coordinate and escort journalists on field trips to document UNICEF-supported interventions. Content Development and Storytelling • Scout, research, and produce compelling human interest stories that showcase the impact of UNICEF’s work on children and communities. • Translate key content from English/Arabic into Kurdish, ensuring accuracy, nuance, and child-sensitive language. • Capture high-quality photos and videos of UNICEF activities and edit short video products for web and social media. • Contribute to UNICEF Iraq’s digital platforms by preparing engaging multimedia content tailored for local audiences. Monitoring and Reporting • Produce the daily media monitoring report covering Kurdish, Arabic, and English outlets, highlighting narratives related to children’s issues and UNICEF’s presence. • Track and analyze local media trends, providing recommendations for communication and advocacy strategies. • Maintain an updated media contact list for Erbil and the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI). Advocacy and Partnerships • Support organization of workshops, seminars, and campaigns with government partners, civil society organizations, and academic institutions to promote children’s rights. • Contribute to advocacy initiatives aligned with UNICEF’s priorities, ensuring strong participation of youth and local partners. • Support donor visibility activities by documenting UNICEF-supported projects in KRI. Administrative and Cross-Cutting Tasks • Ensure all communication and advocacy materials comply with UNICEF’s branding, visibility, and ethical guidelines. • Provide interpretation/translation support (Kurdish, Arabic, English) in official meetings, events, and workshops. • Contribute to the CAP team’s overall strategy by participating in planning, monitoring, and evaluation processes. • Perform other duties as required to strengthen the communication, advocacy, and partnerships function.

(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

• Excellent oral and written skills; excellent drafting, formulation, reporting skills; • Accuracy, professionalism and attention to details in document production and editing; • Excellent interpersonal skills; culturally and socially sensitive; ability to work inclusively and collaboratively with a range of partners, including grassroots community members, religious and youth organizations, and authorities at different levels; familiarity with tools and approaches of communications for development; • Ability to work and adapt professionally and effectively in a challenging environment; ability to work effectively in a multicultural team of international and national personnel; • Solid overall computer literacy, including proficiency in various Microsoft Office applications (Excel, Word, among others), email, and internet; familiarity with database management; and office technology equipment; Savvy in using the latest artificial intelligence tools • Self-motivated, ability to work with minimum supervision; ability to work with tight deadlines; • Sound security awareness;

As this is a national UN Volunteer assignment, the UN Volunteer will be responsible for arranging his/her own housing and other living essentials. National UN Volunteers are part of the malicious insurance plan. As this is a national UN Volunteer assignment, the UN Volunteer will be responsible for arranging his/her own housing and other living essentials. National UN Volunteers receive a volunteer living allowance to sustain a basic, adequate and safe lifestyle. This allowance varies from one location to another depending on local living costs, but all national UN Volunteers in the same location receive the same allowance. Below is a summary of the Conditions of Service. Allowances The purpose of allowances for national UN Volunteers is to enable the national UN Volunteers to sustain a modest and secure standard of living at the duty station. The allowances are in no way to be understood as compensation, reward or salary in exchange for the volunteer work. Volunteer Living Allowance (VLA): All national UN Volunteers are entitled to a monthly volunteer living allowance of USD 2,660.07 The purpose of this allowance is to cover the basic living costs of the national UN Volunteer, and her or his family when applicable. The allowance is to ensure that the volunteer can sustain a basic, adequate and safe lifestyle. The monthly allowance rate is a fixed rate for the duty station as established by UNV headquarters. Resettlement allowance: Eligible national UN Volunteers are entitled to receive a resettlement allowance upon satisfactory completion of the assignment. The allowance assists the volunteer to reintegrate into society both professionally and personally upon completion of their UN Volunteer service.

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Potential interview questions

Added 8 months ago - Updated 8 months ago - Source: unv.org