Communication Specialist, NO-3, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia - 6 months (for Ethiopian 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, an opportunity

Communication and Advocacy has a vital role in helping to bring children’s issues to the attention of the Government, stakeholders, and general public and rally them to make further strides to secure the rights and development of every Ethiopian child, especially during an emergency.

In addition, donors to UNICEF programmes require visibility and content to show the results of their contribution and secure ongoing funding. This is especially important to showcase UNICEF’s response to the ongoing drought in the country and the conflict in northern Ethiopia.

To this end, UNICEF Ethiopia requires professional expertise to assist the communication team in implementing the communication strategy, collecting, packaging and disseminating content, and covering children and their families' stories during emergencies and in regular programming.

How can you make a difference?

Under the general guidance of the Chief of Communication, responsible for coordinating UNICEF Ethiopia’s presence on a number of digital platforms. The post identifies and creates conversations around issues related to UNICEF’s mandate and engages followers in a dynamic, interactive, and meaningful way. The consultant will be accountable for developing, managing, and coordinating content for digital platforms in line with UNICEF’s key advocacy and communication priorities. The post also requires experience to lead and manage the production of audio-visual products.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES and DUTIES & TASKS

• Communication strategy: The Country Office has a clear communication strategy and associated work plan to get children’s issues into the public domain, strengthen political will in support of UNICEF's mission and objectives, and enhance the organization’s credibility and brand.
• Media relations: The Country Office has a well-maintained and continually developed contact list of journalists and media outlets covering all media – print, TV, radio, web, photo etc. – and a successful process of communicating and maintaining regular contact and close collaboration with the media to communicate the story of UNICEF's cooperation.
• Networking and partnerships: The Country Office has a well-maintained and continually developed contact list of individuals, groups, organizations, and fora whose support is essential to/can assist in achieving the advocacy and communication objectives. Effective working relationships with the UN Country Team and UN communication counterparts are developed, maintained and enhanced.
• Social media content development: Gather, initiate, edit and develop content (stories, photos, and audio-visual material) to be posted on social media platforms and the web.
• Social media management: Develop and manage UNICEF Ethiopia social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, the country’s Intranet, and website including posting of messages, photos, and story contents, either routinely, ad hoc or in line with a meeting, visit, event or campaign.
• Celebrities and special events: The Country Office has a well maintained and continually developed contact list of appropriate, nationally-known personalities who have been identified, engaged, and support UNICEF’s effort and who actively participate in special events and activities.
• Global priorities and campaigns: The Country Office has an effective process in place for integrating and taking action on UNICEF’s global communications priorities, campaigns, and partnerships, disseminating these elements in a locally-appropriate way.
• Resource mobilization support; Global and country-level fund-raising activities are supported by effective advocacy and communication strategy and activities.
• Management: Human resources (the communication team) and financial resources (budget planning, management, and monitoring) are both effectively managed and optimally used.
• Monitoring and evaluation: Communication baselines are established against which the achievement of objectives of the communication strategy are regularly evaluated; analysis is undertaken to continuously improve the effectiveness of communication strategy and activities; results and reports are prepared and shared.
• Capacity building and support: The Representative/Senior or Regional Communication Specialist and the country programme team are provided with professional expertise and advice on all aspects of external relations communication as required.

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

• Advanced university degree in Communication, Journalism, Public Relations or a related field. *A first level University degree combined with 2 additional years of professional experience may be accepted in lieu of an Advanced University Degree in the field of journalism, communications, external relations, public affairs, public relations or corporate communications.
• A minimum of five (5) years of relevant professional experience in communication, print, broadcast, and/or new media is required.
• National work experience and Field work experience is required. Background/familiarity with Emergency situations.
• Photo editing and video production skills is desired.
• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate...

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

UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

• Demonstrates Self Awareness and Ethical Awareness (1)
• Works Collaboratively with others (1)
• Builds and Maintains Partnerships (1)
• Innovates and Embraces Change (1)
• Thinks and Acts Strategically (1)
• Drive to achieve impactful results (1)
• Manages ambiguity and complexity (1)

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 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.

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 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:

UNICEF is committed towards diversity and inclusion and is critical to deliver the best results for children. For this position, eligible and suitable female candidates are encouraged to apply.

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

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance. Appointments are also 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 medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason.