Communication and Partnership Specialist

Volunteering Communications & PR Crisis & Emergency Response

Overview

Drive communication and partnership strategies for peacebuilding initiatives in Ethiopia.

You have:

• At least 3-5 years of experience in communications, international development, journalism, or related fields.
• Demonstrated ability to create compelling communication materials, including human impact stories, press releases, articles, and multimedia content.
• Proven experience in building and maintaining strong relationships with government officials, donors, civil society organizations.
• Strong experience in field reporting and storytelling, ensuring that narratives are impactful and aligned with communication goals.
• Ability to work in diverse and challenging environments, with a strong understanding of local cultures and socio-political dynamics.
• Strong organizational skills, with experience in managing projects and coordinating activities across multiple stakeholders.
• Ability to adapt to changing environments and emerging challenges in high-risk areas.

Contract

This is a UNV International Specialist contract. This kind of contract is known as International UN Volunteer. It is normally internationally recruited only. More about UNV International Specialist contracts.

Operating at the heart of the Humanitarian-Development-Peace Nexus, the Peace Support Facility plays a pivotal role in driving rapid stabilization efforts by restoring essential services, rebuilding trust, and delivering critical peace dividends to conflict-affected communities in Northern Ethiopia. Launched in 2023 with the full backing of Ethiopian federal and regional authorities, the peace Support Facilities focuses on enhancing the functionality of local governments, building community resilience, catalyzing economic recovery for vulnerable groups—including women, children, survivors of SGBV, and IDPs—and strengthening social cohesion to promote trust and unity within communities. Supported by various funding sources, including UNDP resources, the German Federal Foreign Office (GFFO), and Japan's Supplementary Budget (JSB), the peace Support Facilities has achieved significant milestones in its mission to restore stability and foster sustainable change.

The peace Support Facilities geographic focus includes Afar, Amhara, and Tigray, where it closely collaborates with federal and regional Recovery and Reconstruction Offices (RRROs). These collaborations ensure that peace Support Facilities' activities align with national recovery priorities and are tailored to local contexts. At the federal level, coordination with the Ministry of Finance ensures that the peace Support Facilities' initiatives are integrated into national strategies, while the regional Resilient Recovery and Rehabilitation Offices play a key role in engaging local communities and overseeing the implementation of recovery efforts.

The peace Support Facilities focuses on four main pillars: 1. Local Governance, Human Rights and Social Cohesion 2. Basic Social Services (health, education, WASH) 3. Economic Revival (enterprises and livelihoods) 4. Durable solutions to Internal Displacement

Key achievements of the PSF (the Peace Support Facility) include:

 •    Government-led stabilization and recovery efforts: The establishment of effective and robust coordination mechanisms through the Resilient Recovery and 
    Rehabilitation Offices at both regional and federal levels, enabling swift and responsive recovery efforts. 
•   Delivering Immediate Stabilization Results: Focused on rapid interventions that restore trust in public services and governance, ensuring that communities experience 
     tangible peace dividends quickly.
•   Community Engagement and Ownership: Gaining widespread community recognition and support by fostering local participation in recovery and peacebuilding efforts, 
    ensuring a sense of ownership and inclusion.
•    Proven Impact and Scalable Model: The implementation of rapid, effective, and scalable interventions, creating a solid foundation for long-term peace and recovery.

Under the direct supervision of Moncef Kartas, Head of the Peace Support Facility, the UN Volunteer will undertake the following tasks:

Create Communication Materials

 •    The incumbent International UN volunteer  will mentor and support the communications National UN volunteer  in developing skills and capacities in developing 
    communication and partnership strategy for the peace Support Facilities, and in developing communication products and knowledge products.
 •    Write and record high-quality human impact stories from the northern regions of Ethiopia (Amhara, Afar, and Tigray), with a special focus on the Japan's Supplementary 
     Budget -funded support for 
    the return of IDPs, particularly focusing on women and children.
 •    Develop stories on the JSB-funded e-voucher system and its role in the successful reintegration of IDPs, enabling access to essential services such as MHPSS.

livelihood assistance.

 •    Establish strong communication with local, regional, and federal partners to advance peace Support Facilities activities that align with Japan's Supplementary Budge 
    priorities.
 •    Mentor colleagues and regional partners in refining communication skills.
 •    Use innovative approaches in field reporting, ensuring high-quality storytelling that effectively communicates the  peace Support Facilities' positive impact on the 
    regions and communities.
 •    Create engaging data visualizations, infographics, interactive storytelling formats, and animations to amplify project outcomes.
 •    Record high-quality videos and photos to reflect the impact of the Peace Support Facility in northern Ethiopia.

Develop Partnership Engagement and Donor Relations:

 •    Research events, publications and announcements, to track and screen opportunities for possible UNDP’s peace Support Facilities partnership opportunities.  
 •    Monitor and evaluate humanitarian and development trends and needs to identify are-as of collaboration for the  peace Support Facilities.
 •    Identify, design, formulate and negotiate new projects and programs and draft concept notes and project document briefs for discussions with partners.
 •    Create, in coordination with the National UN volunteer  Communication Officer, content for communications and outreach materials to be shared with both international
    development partners and national government partners. 
 •    Work closely with the Humanitarian Development Peace (HDP) Nexus National UN volunteer to map key UN agencies that perform similar activities to the Peace 
    Support Facility and international development partners, whom priorities align with the Peace Support Facility.
 •    Ensure the alignment of the Japanese development cooperation objectives with the Peace Support Facility. 
 •    Develop and maintain close contacts with government officials, donors, civil society organizations.

Furthermore, UN Volunteers are required to:

 •    Strengthen their knowledge and understanding of the concept of volunteerism by reading relevant UN volunteer  and external publications and take active part in UN 
     volunteer activities (for instance in events that mark International Volunteer Day);
 •    Be acquainted with and build on traditional and/or local forms of volunteerism in the host country;
 •    Reflect on the type and quality of voluntary action that they are undertaking, including participation in ongoing reflection activities;
 •    Contribute articles/write-ups on field experiences and submit them for UN volunteer  publications/websites, newsletters, press releases, etc.;
 •    Assist with the UNV Buddy Programme for newly-arrived UN Volunteers;
 •    Promote or advise local groups in the use of online volunteering, or encourage relevant local individuals and organizations to use the UN volunteer  Online 
    Volunteering service whenever technically possible.

• Accountability
• Adaptability and Flexibility
• Building Trust
• Commitment and Motivation
• Commitment to Continuous Learning
• Communication
• Creativity
• Empowering Others
• Ethics and Values
• Integrity
• Judgement and Decision-making
• Knowledge Sharing
• Leadership
• Managing Performance
• Planning and Organizing
• Professionalism
• Respect for Diversity
• Self-Management
• Technological Awareness
• Vision
• Working in Teams

• Experience in International Development: A solid understanding of the challenges and opportunities within the humanitarian-development-peace nexus, with at least 3-5 years of experience in communications, international development, journalism, or related fields. Experience working with UN agencies, development partners, or NGOs and other INGOs is an asset.

• Communication Expertise: Demonstrated ability to create compelling communication materials, including human impact stories, press releases, articles, and multimedia con-tent (photos, videos, infographics). Experience in crafting messages that resonate with di-verse audiences and effectively convey key project outcomes.

• Partnership and Donor Engagement: Proven experience in building and maintaining strong relationships with government officials, donors, civil society organizations, and pri-vate sector entities. Ability to identify partnership opportunities, develop project pro-posals, and engage stakeholders in collaborative efforts to support peacebuilding and de-velopment initiatives.

• Field Reporting and Storytelling: Strong experience in field reporting, with the ability to capture and present complex information in a clear and engaging manner. Expertise in sto-rytelling, ensuring that narratives are impactful and aligned with strategic communication goals.

• Cultural Sensitivity and Local Engagement: Ability to work in diverse and challenging environments, with a strong understanding of local cultures and socio-political dynamics. Capacity to engage effectively with communities, local authorities, and other stakehold-ers to foster ownership and inclusion in development and peacebuilding efforts.

• Project Management and Coordination: Strong organizational skills, with experience in managing projects and coordinating activities across multiple stakeholders. Ability to work independently and in teams, ensuring that deadlines are met, and goals are achieved.

• Adaptability and Flexibility: Ability to adapt to changing environments and emerging chal-lenges. Comfort in navigating dynamic political and social contexts, and willingness to work under pressure and in high-risk areas.

Addis Ababa, the duty station for this assignment, is a vibrant and dynamic capital city where living conditions are generally stable and conducive for international personnel. The city offers access to essential services, housing, and amenities, and serves as the operational hub for the Peace Support Facility (PSF). While the broader security situation in Ethiopia remains complex, including in Northern Ethiopia where the PSF conducts regular field visits, all missions to conflict-affected areas such as Tigray, Amhara, and Afar are undertaken in full compliance with UNDSS guidance and Security Management Requirements (SMR).

The political and security landscape in these regions continues to evolve. As of March 2025, renewed tensions in Tigray—including clashes between factions of the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) and the seizure of several towns—have raised concerns over potential relapse into conflict. The interim administration has called for federal support to manage the situation. While such developments underscore the volatile context in which the PSF operates, all field activities are closely coordinated with UNDSS to ensure staff safety and operational continuity.

Apply now

Potential interview questions

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