Communication Officer, NO-B, Lilongwe, Malawi # 117116 (Open to Malawian Nationals Only)

Contract

This is a NO-2 contract. This kind of contract is known as National Professional Officers. It is normally only for nationals. It's a staff contract. More about NO-2 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 Malawi Country Programme (2019-2023) is aligned with the Government of Malawi’s Growth and Development Strategy (MDGS III) and the United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF). The programme supports the Government of Malawi to meet its commitment to respect, protect and fulfil children’s rights in line with international conventions and standards. The country programme is guided by the principles of children’s rights, equity, gender equality, inclusion and resilience, and supports evidence-based, integrative and innovative programming. The vision is that ‘all girls and boys in Malawi, especially the most disadvantaged and deprived, realize their rights’. The programme focuses on: early childhood (parenting, high-impact social services, early stimulation and learning), middle childhood and adolescence (learning, multi-sectoral services, active citizenship), communities (decentralized services and systems, community ownership, social norms), programme effectiveness (monitoring, evaluation, HACT, Innovation, Social Protection and Social Policy and External Communication. The programme is based on ‘leaving no child behind’, realizing ‘rights for all children in Malawi’.

At UNICEF, we communicate and advocate to realize the rights of every child, especially the most marginalized, in every country. UNICEF Malawi’s communications and advocacy section aims to win support from decision makers and the wider public for the cause of children in the country. As Communications Officer, you will be an integral member of the advocacy, campaigning, fundraising, partnerships, and communications force to deliver results for Malawian children and youth.

How can you make a difference?

The Malawi Country Office offers an exciting and rewarding career opportunity for you to join our dynamic communications and advocacy team where you will be responsible for establishing effective partnerships with decision makers, key influencers and organizations to strengthen our advocacy impact, strengthening UNICEF’s brand to aid our efforts to deliver results for children, and to creating and deepening engagement with a network of supporters especially, children and youth and offer them opportunities to engage with UNICEF as advocates, volunteers and agents of change.

In your role, you will report to the Advocacy and Communication Specialist and be under the overall guidance of the Chief of Communication.

This job presents a unique and significant opportunity for a qualified, vibrant, motivated and committed person to be to contribute to the overall achievement of transformative results for children by delivering on the following key responsibility areas, but not limited to - you are however encouraged to read the attached and detailed job description Generic JD (confirmed by classification unit) - MLW21001 Communication Officer NOB - establish (signed).pdf in order to view the full role and its requirements:

1. Driving the advocacy and partnership agenda forward including through strategic alliances, high-level events, campaigns, contents creation, resource mobilization, etc.
2. Strengthening Supporter reach and engagement including through various platforms such as U-Report, Internet of Good Things, social media channels, website, etc.
3. Maintaining strong and well-managed relationships with partners including media.

To qualify as a champion for every child you will have…

Education:

• An university degree in one of the following fields is required: Communications, Journalism, Public Relations or a related field.

Experience:

• A minimum of two years of relevant professional work experience is required in communications, print and broadcast media, or interactive digital media
• Experience working in global development and humanitarian organizations will be asset with experience in UN and/or UNICEF considered as a strong asset.
• Knowledge and experience of operating and managing mobile social messaging tool and data collection system (for example, U-Report, Internet of Good Things, WhatsApp, etc.) is highly desirable.
• Experience working with children and youth groups will be considered a strong asset.
• Experience working in a developing country is considered as a strong asset
• Background and/or familiarity with emergency is considered as an asset

Language:

• Fluency in English and a local language, both strong verbal and written skills, is essential.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA) and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.

Core Competencies

• Demonstrates Self Awareness and Ethical Awareness (2)
• Works Collaboratively with others (2)
• Builds and Maintains Partnerships (2)
• Innovates and Embraces Change (2)
• Thinks and Acts Strategically (2)
• Drives to achieve impactful results (2)
• Manages ambiguity and complexity (2)

Functional Competencies

• Planning and Organizing
• Persuading and Influencing
• Learning and Researching
• Applying Technical Expertise

View our competency framework at:

http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/files/UNICEF_Competencies.pdf

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 therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children.

Remarks:

The position has been assessed as an elevated risk role for child safeguarding purposes as it is a role with direct contact with children and works directly with children.

UNICEF only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU) / United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed at http://www.whed.net/.

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

The vacancy announcement is open to all candidates – both internal and external candidates