Communication Specialist P3 TA - ECARO O/P Rome, Italy PN#126868 (364 Days)

Contract

This is a P-3 contract. This kind of contract is known as Professional and Director staff. It is normally internationally recruited only. It's a staff contract. It usually requires 5 years of experience, depending on education.

Salary

The salary for this job should be between 99,806 USD and 130,688 USD.

Please keep in mind that the salary displayed here is an estimation by UN Talent based on the location and the type of contract. It may vary depending on the organization. The recruiter should be able to inform you about the exact salary range. In case the job description contains another salary information, please refer to this one.

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

Accountable for developing, managing, co-ordinating, networking, implementing and monitoring an advocacy and communication strategy and associated products and activities on on-going basis with public audiences, with the objective of promoting awareness, understanding, support and respect for children’s and women’s rights, and support for UNICEF's mission, priorities and programmes for the ECARO O/P in Italy, in close collaboration with the National Committee for Italy.

How can you make a difference?

KEY END-RESULTS:

1. Communication strategy: ECARO O/P Italy 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.
2. Media relations: ECARO O/P Italy 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.
3. Networking and partnerships: ECARO O/P Italy 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 other UN agencies and the National Committee for Italy are developed, maintained and enhanced.
4. Resource mobilization support; Global and country level fund-raising activities are supported by effective advocacy and communication strategy and activities.
5. Management: Human resources (the communication team) and financial resources (budget planning, management and monitoring) are both effectively managed and optimally used, in line with donors’ conditions.
6. 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.
7. Capacity building and support: The Country Coordinator and the country programme team are provided with professional expertise and advice on all aspects of external relations communication as required.
8. Visibility: Collaboration with partners is documented and impact of existing programmes is showcased to foster positive perceptions and trust in the work of UNICEF.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES and DUTIES & TASKS

Within the delegated authority and the given organizational set-up, the incumbent may be accountable for all or assigned areas of the following major duties and end results.

• Communication strategy

Ensure that the ECARO O/P Italy has a clear communication strategy and associated work plan to support UNICEF’s objectives and 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.

Duties & Tasks

• Develop, maintain and update the country advocacy and communication strategy and associated work plan. Strategy and work plan include: an environmental and stakeholder assessment; objectives; target audiences; messages and media mix; resources; specific actions, activities and products; monitoring and evaluation of impact; success and opportunity for improvement; ongoing refinement of the strategy.
• UNICEF’s rights- and results-based programming approach is appropriately reflected in the communication strategy, work plan and products.
• Maintain close collaboration with Regional Communication Chief, DGCA and the National Committee for Italy for effective overall coordination.
• Media relations

Ensure that the ECARO O/P Italy has a well maintained and continually developed contact list of journalists and media outlets covering all media – print, TV, radio, web 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 to a wider audience.

Duties & Tasks

• Promote a better understanding of, respect and support for children's and women's rights and issues by carrying out media, information and education activities in support of UNICEF-assisted programmes in the country.
• Develop, maintain and update media relations contact list/database.
• Establish, document, review and refine process of communicating with media contacts, including press conferences and events, issuing of media materials etc.
• Ensure rapid and accurate information dissemination to the media, National Committees, NGOs, the field and other appropriate audiences.
• Identify, develop, distribute and evaluate variety of media materials in multiple, appropriate formats. Ensure or enhance the quality, appropriateness of country specific communication materials, activities, processes and messages transmitted to the press, partners and public.
• Collaborate with mass 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 and share results and findings.
• Maintain close collaboration with Regional Communication Chief, DGCA and the National Committee for Italy for effective overall coordination.
• Networking and partnerships

Ensure that the ECARO O/P Italy has a well maintained and continually developed contact list of individuals, groups, organizations and fora (******including Government, UN, and bilateral counterparts)******, whose support is essential to/can assist in achieving the advocacy and communication objectives of the communication strategy.

Duties & Tasks

Develop, maintain and update partners' contact list/database.

• Help establish, document, review and refine process of working collaboratively with partners, including meetings, joint projects, information sharing etc.
• Ensure or enhance the quality, consistency and appropriateness of country-specific communication materials, activities, processes and messages shared with partners.
• Identify opportunities to strengthen the capacity of partners through appropriate advocacy and communication training, access to information, supplies and equipment and through knowledge sharing.
• Monitor, evaluate and share results and findings with partners.
• Resource mobilization support

Ensure that global and country level fund-raising activities are supported by effective advocacy and communication strategy and activities.

Duties & Tasks

• Mobilize communication capacity to support/facilitate the gathering of content and coverage of relevant country efforts. Use the opportunity to identify/highlight effective programme activities and results in support of fund-raising.
• Mobilize resources for fund-raising support by regular communication and co-ordination with relevant programme colleagues, as well as communication focal points in regional offices and headquarters divisions.
• Management

Ensure that human resources (the communication team) and financial resources (budget planning, management and monitoring) are both effectively managed and optimally used.

Duties & Tasks

• Develop a work plan for communication activities, monitor compliance and provide support and guidance to ensure objectives are met.
• Plan and monitor the use of communication budgetary resources. Approve and monitor the overall allocation and disbursement and liquidation of funds. Take appropriate actions to optimize use of funds.
• Identify, recruit and supervise staff, technical resources and consultants as necessary. Conduct and implement effective performance planning, monitoring, performance development programme as required.
• Ensure communication effectiveness, efficiency and delivery as well as a rigorous and transparent approach to planning, monitoring and evaluation.
• Monitoring and evaluation

Ensure that 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, approach and activities; results and reports are prepared and shared on a timely basis.

Duties & Tasks

• Provide technical support to ensure that a set of communication performance indicators is identified and adjusted as necessary, and these communication indicators are incorporated or fed forwarded in the Work Plan.

Conduct timely and accurate monitoring and evaluation activities to ensure the communications objectives are met and the strategy is effective.

• Undertake lessons learned review of successful and unsuccessful communication experiences and share observations/findings with country, regional and HQ communication colleagues so that best practices benefit UNICEF’s communication work.
• Capacity building and support

Ensure that the Country coordinator and the country programme team are provided with professional expertise and advice on all aspects of external relations communication as required; opportunities are identified and addressed for building communication capacity among country communication team, media and other relevant partners.

Duties & Tasks

• Advise UNICEF management, colleagues and staff on media strategy and implications for action and policies proposed.
• Support communication activities through knowledge management, information exchange and building capacity of the country communications team. Enable appropriate advocacy and communication training, access to information, supplies and equipment, and developing training and orientation material.
• Identify opportunities to strengthen the capacity of partners through appropriate advocacy and communication training.
• Visibility

Ensure that collaboration with partners is documented and impact of existing programmes is showcased to foster positive perceptions and trust in the work of UNICEF.

Duties & Tasks

• Ensure the full implementation of the communication and visibility plan for existing grants.
• Ensure that all visibility efforts comply with UNICEF and EU's branding and visibility rules.
• Develop press releases and media materials to announce the grant, project milestones, and achievements.
• Create and manage social media profiles to share project updates, engage with the online community, and increase visibility.
• Organize public events, workshops, seminars, and conferences to engage stakeholders and communicate the impact of UNICEF collaboration with donors, including the EU.
• Engage with project beneficiaries, partners, and local communities to gather success stories and testimonials.
• Provide regular reports and updates to the European Commission or other donors, as required by the grant agreement.
• Train project staff and partners on EU visibility requirements and guidelines to ensure consistent compliance.

JOB GRADE FACTORS

• Report to Country coordinator (P-5)
• Accountable for communication strategy development, programme formulation, design, planning and implementation, based on rights- and results-based management approach focussed on achieving UNICEF's communication priorities as established by ECARO O/P Italy.
• Works closely with the Coordinator, especially with regard to relationship with mass media and senior government officials, and develop external relations strategy. Manages media relations as per established strategies and campaigns.Manage and deliver goals, objectives and results of the communication programme in the context of a medium-sized country office with a broad range of projects. Make sound recommendations on communication policy and strategy taking into consideration the context and media cycle in the country. Promote the organization goals of UNICEF through active external relations communication, advocacy, participation and policy dialogue.
• Provide feasible and effective recommendations on communication implementation, alternative approaches, and optimal utilization of resources that contribute effectively to the awareness, advocacy and promotion of the rights of children and women.
• Manage communication function by leading a team of professionals and support staff.
• Establish a communication work plan, monitor compliance and provide training, support and guidance to the communication team and human resources management in the area of communication.
• Ensure timely and effective technical decision-making on situation analysis, communication strategy, planning, implementation and evaluation.
• Approve the overall allocation and disbursement of funds, ensuring they are properly used.

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

• Advanced university degree in Communication, Journalism, Public Relations, international relations and other related fields.

  (*A first University 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.)

• Five years of progressively responsible and relevant professional work experience in communication, print, broadcast, and/or new media.
• Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency is considered an asset.
• Knowledge of communication, technology, user-centred design, youth engagement strategies and approaches.
• Fluency in English and Italian is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) is an asset.

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.

Remarks:

This position has been assessed as an elevated risk role for Child Safeguarding purposes as it is:a role with direct contact with children, works directly with children, is a safeguarding response role. Additional vetting and assessment for elevated risk roles in child safeguarding (potentially including additional criminal background checks) applies.

UNICEF’s active commitment towards diversity and inclusion is critical to deliver the best results for children.

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 are also subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Should you be selected for a position with UNICEF, you either must be inoculated as required or receive a medical exemption from the relevant department of the UN. Otherwise, the selection will be cancelled.

All selected candidates will 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.

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.

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