Communication Specialist

Contract

This is a IICA-2 contract. This kind of contract is known as International Individual Contractor Agreements. It is normally internationally recruited only. It's an external contract. It usually requires 5 years of experience, depending on education. More about IICA-2 contracts.

Background Information - Job-specific

Launched in September 2010, the purpose of the Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) Movement is to catalyse collective action and create an enabling environment to end malnutrition in all its forms. With 62 SUN Countries and four Indian States at the helm, the SUN Movement represents an unprecedented country-led effort to bring together stakeholders – from governments, national and global civil society organisations, businesses, the UN system, researchers and scientists across different sectors - and provide them with a collaborative space to convene, mobilise, share, learn, advocate, align and coordinate actions and approaches to improve nutrition.

SUN countries, supported by all stakeholders in the Movement, are committed to creating an enabling environment for scaling up nutrition by strengthening four strategic processes as set out in the SUN Movement Strategy and Roadmap 2016-2020: 1) Expanding and sustaining an enabling political environment; 2) Prioritising effective actions that contribute to good nutrition, 3) Implementing actions aligned with national common results frameworks and 4) Effectively using, and significantly increasing, financial resources for nutrition. The SUN Movement Coordinator, UN Assistant Secretary General, oversees the day-to-day implementation of the SUN Strategy and Roadmap, heads the SUN Movement Secretariat and represents the SUN Movement globally. In 2021, the SUN Movement will enter its third phase (2021-2025), with a new strategy and implementation plan guiding its work.

Since 2012, the SUN Movement Secretariat has developed as a small coordinating mechanism. It has no operational role but seeks to link together countries and networks in the SUN Movement to ensure that support, requested in countries to intensify actions and achieve nutrition objectives, is received in a coordinated and coherent way. It also ensures that the Movement’s progress is tracked efficiently and communicated clearly. The Secretariat is headed by the Coordinator and led on a day-to-day basis by the Chief of Staff, who is responsible for ensuring that the Secretariat catalyses, facilitates and supports effective action across the overall SUN Movement.

The SUN Movement Secretariat is hosted by UNOPS in Geneva, Switzerland.

Functional Responsibilities

Central to the SUN Movement Secretariat, the Communication and Advocacy Team reports to the Communication and Advocacy Team Coordinator. This team – comprising both communication and advocacy specialists and officers – supports SUN member countries and the 4 SUN Networks (UN, Donor, Civil Society, Business) to showcase challenges, successes and innovations in eradicating hunger and malnutrition and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The team manages advocacy and communication priorities for the Secretariat, executes high-level events and engagements, supports the SUN Lead Group, produces communication tools and content, and manages key communication platforms and publications that foster sharing and learning across the Movement. The Communication Specialist is responsible for ensuring effective planning, project management, and content creation – upholding high communication standards and processes for the SUN Movement Secretariat. This involves managing planning processes to ensure the quality of the Secretariat’s outputs and liaising across teams to ensure timely dissemination of communication outputs to key external audiences, including the annual report and online portal. The role requires a high standard of oral and written communication, and motivated personalities with a passion for sourcing, curating and disseminating compelling country stories that demonstrates the SUN Movement’s relevance and impact to a global audience. The incumbent will uphold strong branding and editorial standards (ideally in English alongside other official UN languages), contribute to the development and uploading and updating of content for the SUN website and social media channels, strategic writing in support of the SUN Movement Coordinator and regular liaison with countries to document and disseminate stories of change.

The Communication Specialist will also play a role in ensuring that SUN Focal Points/Country Coordination teams in member countries are given opportunities to develop and nurture the capacities needed to communicate success, challenges and advocate for improved nutrition with relevant audiences within their countries. The Communication Specialist is expected to be proactive, innovative, entrepreneurial, agile and results-oriented, demonstrating a high standard of professionalism and integrity.

The Communication Specialist will have the following responsibilities (or a combination of those) in support of the SUN Movement Secretariat’s objectives: 1. Support the workflow management for the communication and advocacy outputs of the SUN Secretariat:

• Contribute to project planning for all communication projects – from conception, content creation, review, editing, translation, design, publication, dissemination to evaluation of impact – involving relevant advisors across the Secretariat, and beyond.
• Coordinate the production and content creation of the annual progress portal and report (in English, French and Spanish).
• Ensure all SUN communication materials are up to date (in English, French and Spanish), relevant and tailored to the relevant stakeholder groups in the Movement. This involves revamping and upholding SUN Movement communication guidelines, including email templates, logo usage, letterheads, business cards - ensuring consistent use across the Secretariat. It also includes the management of the inventory of printed materials, ensuring regular stock of documentations needed for meetings and missions.
• Coordinate the project management of SUN events from design, planning, implementation and follow up, including logistics aspects.
• Manage sign off on processes, ensuring timely delivery to the Communication and Advocacy Team Coordinator for all projects.
• Assist the Communication and Advocacy Team Coordinator and the team in scheduling meetings and conference calls and the management of the team workflow.
• Assist the Communications and Advocacy Team Coordinator in any specific task as required.

2. Support the SUN Movement through innovative and purposeful communications: - Collaborate with the Country Liaison Team, building relationships with SUN Government Focal Points/Country Coordination teams and stakeholders in SUN Countries to showcase their progress and challenges through communication (news, blogs, podcasts etc), for the SUN Annual Report and portal, and beyond. This may include working with in-country recipients of SUN Movement Pooled Fund grants. - Organize and hold regular webinars to foster experience sharing between member countries. - Liaise with the SUN Networks (Civil Society, Business, United Nations, Donor) to showcase their impact in SUN member States and provide communications advice as needed. - Develop ready-to-use tools such as media releases, letters, and how-to guides, in collaboration with key partners to support in country advocacy work. - Work with technical assistance providers in contributing expertise to countries that request support in the development of national advocacy and communication strategies.

3. Support the SUN Movement Secretariat through developing high impact content: - Provide talking points, speeches and creative communication content for the SUN Movement Coordinator and Chief of Staff of the SUN Movement Secretariat. - Prepare news pieces and blogs, and proactively source content from member countries, the SUN Movement Pooled Fund and SUN Networks. - Develop written materials and communication packs in the lead-up to key engagement opportunities. - Draft content and support the digital communication specialist, to ensure all material is available online, in three languages (English, French and Spanish). - Undertake proactive outreach with key media outlets and work to strengthen the recognition of the SUN Movement through print, online and social media.

4. Monitoring and Progress Controls - Together with the Communication and Advocacy Team Coordinator, formulate and agree upon a workplan with clearly-defined outputs, milestones and reporting requirements. - Successfully meet deadlines. - Meet work plan objectives as reflected within the Performance Evaluation Review (annual and mid-term). - Set personal development objectives within the Performance Evaluation Review.

Competencies

Develops and implements sustainable business strategies, thinks long term and externally in order to positively shape the organization. Anticipates and perceives the impact and implications of future decisions and activities on other parts of the organization. Treats all individuals with respect; responds sensitively to differences and encourages others to do the same. Upholds organizational and ethical norms. Maintains high standards of trustworthiness. Role model for diversity and inclusion.

Acts as a positive role model contributing to the team spirit. Collaborates and supports the development of others. Demonstrates understanding of the impact of own role on all partners and always puts the end beneficiary first. Builds and maintains strong external relationships and is a competent partner for others (if relevant to the role). Efficiently establishes an appropriate course of action for self and/or others to accomplish a goal. Actions lead to total task accomplishment through concern for quality in all areas. Sees opportunities and takes the initiative to act on them. Understands that responsible use of resources maximizes our impact on our beneficiaries. Open to change and flexible in a fast paced environment. Effectively adapts own approach to suit changing circumstances or requirements. Reflects on experiences and modifies own behavior. Performance is consistent, even under pressure. Always pursues continuous improvements. Evaluates data and courses of action to reach logical, pragmatic decisions. Takes an unbiased, rational approach with calculated risks. Applies innovation and creativity to problem-solving. Expresses ideas or facts in a clear, concise and open manner. Communication indicates a consideration for the feelings and needs of others. Actively listens and proactively shares knowledge. Handles conflict effectively, by overcoming differences of opinion and finding common ground.

Education/Experience/Language requirements

Education

• Advanced university degree (Master or equivalent) in Communications, Advocacy, Political Science or equivalent. A bachelor’s degree with two additional years of relevant experience may be acceptable in lieu of the advanced degree.

Work Experience

• At least five years of progressive experience in an international working environment in communication is required with a background in managing projects from conception to delivery, including annual/progress reports and publications.
• Experience in media outreach and press engagement is desirable.
• Experience of advocacy work is desirable
• Web content editorial experience is desirable.
• Hands-on experience in country-owned and country-driven initiatives for development is desirable.
• Understanding of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is desirable.

Languages

• Fluency in written and spoken English is required. Working knowledge of French or other UN languages is desirable.

Skills Required

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook) and Adobe Acrobat Reader required.
• Excellent written and oral skills - ability to develop high caliber briefing notes, speeches, media releases, opinion pieces of a high standard to a deadline required.
• Ability to manage planning and workflow across dynamic teams.
• Proven professional commitment to professionalism, accuracy, integrity and flexibility and proven experience in introducing new and more effective ways of working in a very busy office;
• Ability to work in a multi-cultural and linguistic setting.

Contract type, level and duration

Contract type: Individual Contractor Agreement Contract level: International ICA Specialist Level 2 Contract duration: Ongoing ICA – ‘Open-ended, subject to organizational requirements, availability of funds and satisfactory performance.’

For more details about the ICA contractual modality, please follow this link: https://www.unops.org/english/Opportunities/job-opportunities/what-we-offer/Pages/Individual-Contractor-Agreements.aspx

************This position is based in Switzerland and the contract fee is not exempt from Swiss laws, including but not limited to laws regarding taxation, social security, accident and health insurance.************

Additional Considerations

• Please note that the closing date is midnight Copenhagen time
• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
• Only those candidates that are short-listed for interviews will be notified.
• Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
• UNOPS seeks to reasonably accommodate candidates with special needs, upon request.
• Work life harmonization - UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands. We have a progressive policy on work-life harmonization and offer several flexible working options. This policy applies to UNOPS personnel on all contract types
• The incumbent is responsible to abide by security policies, administrative instructions, plans and procedures of the UN Security Management System and that of UNOPS.

It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential recruits/interns. Recruitment/internship in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.

Background Information - UNOPS

UNOPS is an operational arm of the United Nations, supporting the successful implementation of its partners’ peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world. Our mission is to help people build better lives and countries achieve sustainable development.

UNOPS areas of expertise cover infrastructure, procurement, project management, financial management and human resources.

Working with us

UNOPS offers short- and long-term work opportunities in diverse and challenging environments across the globe. We are looking for creative, results-focused professionals with skills in a range of disciplines.

Diversity

With over 4,000 UNOPS personnel and approximately 7,000 personnel recruited on behalf of UNOPS partners spread across 80 countries, our workforce represents a wide range of nationalities and cultures. We promote a balanced, diverse workforce — a strength that helps us better understand and address our partners’ needs, and continually strive to improve our gender balance through initiatives and policies that encourage recruitment of qualified female candidates.

Work life harmonization

UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands.