Communication Officer

Volunteering Communications & PR

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.

The mission of UNICEF is to promote the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything the organization does — in programmes, advocacy, communications, and operations. The equity strategy, emphasizing the most disadvantaged and excluded children and families, translates this commitment to children’s rights into action. For UNICEF, equity means that all children have an opportunity to survive, develop, and reach their full potential without discrimination, bias, or favoritism. To the degree that any child has an unequal chance in life — in its social, political, economic, civic, and cultural dimensions — his or her rights are violated. To achieve these results, the UNICEF Communication Team works to raise awareness about children’s rights and engage society to take action for children, with special attention to vulnerable communities and children affected by emergencies. To respond to these increasing communication demands, it is necessary to implement a number of communication actions to position the organization, engage key media groups, and highlight UNICEF's results for children. To ensure effective coordination and oversight of institutional communication activities related to UNICEF’s work in Brazil, UNICEF is recruiting one UNV based in São Paulo within the Communication Section to advocate for children’s and adolescents' rights and create visibility for UNICEF’s work. Context Under the general supervision of the Chief of São Paulo Office, with the overall guidance of the Chief of Communication and Partnerships, the UN Volunteer will support the implementation of Institutional Communication strategies in the context of UNICEF’s responses. The UN Volunteer will produce communication and advocacy materials and content, engage with media and donors, liaise with implementing partners and support São Paulo field officer. In order to promote the rights of children and adolescents, the UN Volunteer will also support the development of advocacy messages in different formats and for different types of media, including digital platforms.

Within the delegated authority of the Chief of São Paulo Office and under her/his supervision, the UNV Communication Officer will be responsible for supporting field colleagues in a broad range Communication activity, providing national guidance and standardization of Communication processes and visibility requirements according to UNICEF’s commitments and mandate.

1. Communication materials UNICEF regularly disseminates compelling and informative communication materials through different channels (print and digital) to different audiences which illustrates and explains the situation, the challenges and potential of vulnerable children and adolescents and their families including reports, human interest stories and testimonies as well as photos and videos. UNICEF also regularly disseminates information on its response to reports, infographics and other materials.

Duties & Tasks • Implement communication strategies related to UNICEF’s mandate and activities. • Produce advocacy and communication materials (e.g., briefing notes, images, videos, web stories, printouts, etc.) that meet UNICEF’s needs and standards as well as visibility of partners and donors. • Liaise with UN agencies, government and social organizations to align communications and advocacy messaging, participating in joint actions. • Establish or maintain an up-to-date documentation repository files for communication materials including publications, press releases, and clippings, photographs, audio-visual materials, web resources, etc.(knowledge management). • Recommend and develop appropriate information and communication materials for use in media, and other advocacy and communication activities; recommend the appropriateness, quality, and dissemination of printed and audio-visual materials. • Recommend established contacts, networks, resources, and processes to support communication activities, monitoring and reporting on results achieved.

2. Media relations UNICEF’s activities are regularly featured in local, national and international media. Relevant UNICEF staff, including the Representatives and staff working on the ground are regularly interviewed by the media to create visibility of the situation and UNICEF’s activities. UNICEF has an updated media contact list available including local, national and international journalists.

Duties & Tasks • Assist in developing and maintaining close collaboration with local media as well as national and international media covering the situation of population in northern Brazil. • Draft and edit articles, press releases and other advocacy/information materials in all media formats, as appropriate. • Pitch story ideas and facilitate regular coverage of the situation and UNICEF’s activities by local, national and international media. • Facilitate interviews with relevant UNICEF staff on a regular basis. • Assist in collaborating with the media through activities such as organizing project site visits, facilitating photo coverage and TV footage and utilizing both web-based and traditional media as appropriate. • Monitor and evaluate the use and effectiveness of media materials.

3. Donor partners and special events Organise and coordinate within the team visits from high profile visitors whose support is essential in achieving the advocacy and communication objectives as well as support and actively participate in special events and activities that strengthens programme goals.

Duties and Tasks • Prepare background communication and promotional materials for briefings and visits of media, Goodwill Ambassadors, donors (including multilateral institutions and companies), National Committee representatives and other special interest groups. The task includes preparing information materials (e.g., press releases, programme summaries, country fact sheets and media kits), and assisting in the planning, logistics and administrative arrangements for the successful completion of visits. • Ensure adequate and appropriate visibility of UNICEF and partners in the field. • Work with Programmes to maximize donor recognition through strengthened reporting visibility and engagement activities, including donor recognition/engagement strategies according to donors’ information needs and potential fundraising opportunities. • Fill reports and proposals according to UNICEF standards and produce annual reports when applicable.

4. Support UNICEF’s implementing partners Liaise regularly with implementing partners to ensure visibility and outreach activities are consistent to UNICEF’s mandate, priorities and key messages.

Duties and Tasks • Support and approve communication and visibility materials produced in the context of partnerships (whether digital, printed or in the field). • Oversee implementing partners in media activation moments. • Provide general guidance in branding and communication ethical guidelines to implementing partners and UNICEF’s staff.

Results/ Expected outputs • As an active UNICEF team member, efficient, timely, responsive, client-friendly and high-quality support rendered to UNICEF and its beneficiaries in the accomplishment of her/his functions, including: • Age, Gender and Diversity (AGD) perspective is systematically applied, integrated and documented in all activities throughout the assignment • A final statement of achievements towards volunteerism for peace and development during the assignment, such as reporting on the number of volunteers mobilized, activities participated in, and capacities developed. • Communication materials: UNICEF regularly disseminates compelling and informative communication materials through different channels (print and digital) to different audiences which illustrates and explains the situation, the challenges and potential of vulnerable children and adolescents and their families, including reports, human interest stories and testimonies as well as photos and videos. • Media relations: UNICEF’s activities are regularly featured in local, national and international media. Relevant UNICEF staff, including the Representatives and staff working on the ground are regularly interviewed by the media to create visibility of the situation and UNICEF’s activities. UNICEF has an updated media contact list available including local, national and international journalists. • Celebrities, donor partners and special events: Organise and coordinate within the team visits from high profile visitors whose support is essential in achieving the advocacy and communication objectives as well as support and actively participate in special events and activities that strengthens programme goals. • Support UNICEF’s implementing partners: Liaise regularly with implementing partners to ensure visibility and outreach activities are consistent to UNICEF’s mandate, priorities and key messages.

• UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it.

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are: • Professionalism • Integrity • Teamwork and respect for diversity • Commitment to continuous learning • Communication • Flexibility • Genuine commitment towards the principles of voluntary engagement, which includes solidarity, compassion, reciprocity and self-reliance, and commitment towards UNICEF’s mission and vision, as well as to the UN Core Values.

Communication, public relations, print/broadcast media or digital media experience.
• Strong writing and communication skills. • Experience of working in field locations and background/familiarity with humanitarian operations is considered an asset. • Experience in working with international organizations is an asset.

The municipality of São Paulo will be the duty station for this UNV opportunity. São Paulo is the most populous city in Brazil, with more than 12,4 million people. It is a place marked by inequalities, mixing rich and poor areas. São Paulo is vibrant city, with numerous cultural institutions and a rich architecture. The UNICEF office in São Paulo is in the neighbourhood of Vila Clementino, next to the AACD metro station, several restaurants and Congonhas airport. It is generally an expensive city to live in São Paulo, but it offers different housing options depending on the region chosen. As this is a national UN Volunteer assignment, the UN Volunteer will be responsible for arranging their own housing and other living essentials. National UN Volunteers are part of the malicious insurance plan.

Brazil is security level 3 (moderate). United Nations Department of Safety and Security UNDSS Brazil advises to exercise a high degree of caution in Brazil due to high levels of serious and violent crime, particularly in major cities. Violent crime as muggings, armed robbery, kidnappings, and sexual assault, is very high. Avoid shanty towns (favelas) in the big cities and if you are attacked or robbed, do not resist. Demonstrations can occur at any time and may turn violent with little or no warning. All United Nations personnel must scrupulously comply with UNDSS procedures and recommendations during their assignment in Brazil.

For missions in rural areas, indigenous reservations, and favelas special procedures may apply; UN personnel should consult with the local DSS office in advance.

Specific UN Volunteer entitlements, including insurance coverage, Volunteer Living Allowance (VLA), and Deployment /Repatriation lump sums, among others, are available at https://app.unv.org/calculator . The complete text of UN Volunteer Conditions of Service is available at https://explore.unv.org/cos. https://www.unv.org/

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Added 18 hours ago - Updated 8 hours ago - Source: unv.org