Communication Specialist (Advocacy), NO-C, Lilongwe, Malawi #107661 (Open to Malawian Nationals Only)

Contract

This is a NO-3 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-3 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, empowerment…

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 Specialist, 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 advocate and deliver results for children, enhance quality and responsible reporting on 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 Chief of Communications and work together with a creative and dynamic team.

This job therefore presents a unique and significant opportunity for a qualified, vibrant, motivated, and committed person to contribute to the overall achievement of transformative results for children with professional excellence and by delivering on the following key responsibility areas, but not limited to - you are however encouraged to read the attached and detailed job description Job Description_MLW19002 NOC Comms Specialist (Advocacy) new.pdf in order to view the full role and its requirements:

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

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

Education:

• Advanced university degree in one of the following fields is required: Communications, Journalism, Public Relations or a related field. And, or A first-level university degree in a relevant field combined with two additional years of professional experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree.

Experience:

• A minimum of five years of relevant professional work experience is required in communications, print and broadcast media, or interactive digital media, and additional 2 years of relevant experience in the functional area in case of a first-level degree qualification. Field work/developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency is considered an asset.
• Previous relevant work experience in the UN System, or experience in human and children rights is an asset.
• Experience working with national and international media houses is desired.
• Experience working with various development partners and stakeholders in the related fields will be considered a strong asset. This includes government, donors, development partners, influencers, decision makers, etc. whose support is essential to/can assist in achieving the advocacy and communication objectives.
• Experience working with appropriate, nationally-known personalities and organizing high-level events and meetings to support country programme goals.
• Experience in fundraising and resource mobilization activities will be considered a strong asset.
• Experience in budget planning, management and monitoring of projects is 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.

Technical knowledge and skills:

• Developing and implementing communications and advocacy strategy to support organizational mission and objectives.
• Knowledge/experience of planning, managing, and promoting organizational communications, advocacy and social media is required.
• Strong demonstrated skills in writing especially technical briefing, talking points, stories, opinion pieces, blogs, press releases, speeches, feature articles, reports, etc. are required.
• Knowledge and skills in multimedia contents, graphic designs is desirable.

Language:

Fluency in English and Chichewa, both strong verbal and written skills, is essential.

For every Child, you demonstrate...

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships (2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness (3) Drive to achieve results for impact (4) Innovates and embraces change (5) Manages ambiguity and complexity (6) Thinks and acts strategically (7) Works collaboratively with others (8) Nurtures, leads and manages people.

During the recruitment process, we test candidates following the competency framework. Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels: competency framework 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.

We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements. 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 is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. 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:

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 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’s active commitment towards diversity and inclusion is critical to deliver the best results for children. For this position, eligible and suitable female candidates as well as suitable persons living with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance. Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station, which will be facilitated by UNICEF, is required for IP positions. Appointments may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (COVID).

Government employees that are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government before taking up an assignment with UNICEF.

UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason.

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 internal and external eligible candidates.

UNICEF Malawi is seeking individuals who are motivated to make a real difference and serve the children of Malawi with resourcefulness, resilience, creativity, and professional excellence.