Communication & Campaigns Consultant, Pretoria, South Africa, 8 months

Contract

This is a Consultancy contract. More about Consultancy 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 VOICE.

UNICEF South Africa

The UNICEF South Africa Communications and Partnerships section works to strengthen child rights advocacy, enable programmatic response and to provide vital resources to support the protection and wellbeing of every child, especially the most vulnerable, across South Africa. We engage with children and youth, build strategic partnerships, and work with technical experts to be a trusted source of information, promote community action, and influence behaviour to improve young lives and tell a compelling story of change.

One of UNICEF SA’s cross-cutting priority areas of work is early childhood development that contributes to improving child wellbeing across a spectrum of issues, from learning to mental wellbeing. The focus of this work includes promoting the ‘Power of Play’ among parents, caregivers and ECD practitioners, among others. This consultancy focuses on a ‘Power of Play’ campaign, aligning with early childhood development and mental wellbeing advocacy, alongside some bespoke writing and editing work, including the updating and improving of content across UNICEF SA’s website aligned to the first and second decade of life. The consultancy will also support UNICEF SA’s engagement and involvement in UNICEF’S global advocacy priority of mental health, of which UNICEF SA is a ‘trailblazer country’, with specific links to parenting advocacy that in-turn aligns with the ‘Power of Play’ campaign. Finally, the consultant will also draft and edit text, following feedback, for a brochure about UNICEF SA work in South Africa. This will focus on priorities in country and the product will then be designed and printed.

This work contributes to UNICEF SA’s annual work plan according to, 'Public alliances and communications are strengthened leading to increased awareness and understanding of child deprivations and child rights in a coordinated manner’.

How can you make a difference?

Under the supervision of the Communication Specialist in the Communication and Partnerships Section and in close collaboration with the Chief of Communication and Partnerships, the consultant will manage the ‘Power of Play’ campaign and update UNICEF South Africa website content aligned to early childhood development and youth related resources. This work contributes to UNICEF SA’s annual work plan according to the outcome: 'Public alliances and communications are strengthened leading to increased awareness and understanding of child deprivations and child rights in a coordinated manner’. This work will also align with UNICEF SA’s work as a ’trail blazer’ country working on the UNICEF global advocacy related to mental health, with a focus on parenting advocacy.

The Consultant will work closely with internal staff and external partners. This includes, UNICEF SA communication, education, and social and behaviour change teams, as well as the Department of Basic Education. In addition, the consultant will be expected to identify and contract a partner to help deliver on the ‘Power of Play’ campaign, in line with resources available. This work will play a vital role in contributing to advocacy and behaviour change among parents, caregivers and ECD practitioners by promoting the ‘Power of Play’ to help further engrain this approach that demonstrates clear positive results for children in the short and long-term. The consultant will understand how to reach and influence relevant audiences and will guide work according to targeted outreach that has clear monitoring and reporting tools built in. The consultant will also draft and edit text, following feedback, for a brochure about UNICEF SA work in South Africa. This will focus on priorities in country and the product will then be designed and printed. Finally, the consultant will draft and edit three UNICEF SA website pages / resource hubs, as defined in the outputs and deliverables.

Deliverables:

• ‘Power of Play’ campaign concept and action plan developed and signed off.
• ToR for external agency to deliver on the campaign signed off and advertised.
• External agency identified and contracted.
• ‘Power of Play’ related assets produced and signed off.
• ‘Power of Play’ campaign delivered over a 2-month period and monitoring and reporting on the campaign conducted and fed back.
• Attendance and inputs into parenting advocacy strategy workshop
• Inputs and support on drafting parenting advocacy strategy
• Website content on early childhood development updated and relevant web pages go live.
• Website content on the ‘youth hub’ updated and relevant web pages go live.
• Website content on climate related work updated and relevant web pages go live.
• Draft and edit brochure text (3 pages max) about UNICEF work in South Africa for design and printing.

This is an 8-month consultancy that is expected to follow a set timeline.

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

• A university degree in Marketing and communications / Public Relations / Social and Behaviour Change / Media / Development / Humanitarian / Advocacy / Foreign Policy
• A minimum of 5 years of relevant professional experience
• Skills and experience in both external communications, including multimedia and media work
• Strong demonstrable experience on social behaviour change approaches and broader advocacy
• Communication campaign experience is also necessary that includes external communication and behaviour change
• Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency is considered an asset
• Fluency in English is required
• Knowledge of at least one other local language is an asset

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS).

To view our competency framework, please visit 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.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment.

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:

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

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws.

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.