Communications (Multimedia Storytelling) Specialist

Contract

This is a IPSA-10 contract. This kind of contract is known as International Personnel Services Agreement. It is normally internationally recruited only. It usually requires 5 years of experience, depending on education. More about IPSA-10 contracts.

Background

Instructions to Applicants: Click on the "Apply now" button. Input your information in the appropriate Sections: personal information, language proficiency, education, résume and motivation. Upon completion of the first page, please hit "submit application" tab at the end of the page. Please ensure that your CV or P11 and the cover letter are combined in one file.

Personal CV or P11, indicating all past positions held and their main underlying functions, their durations (month/year), the qualifications, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the applicant, and the contact details for three (3) most recent professional references which may include previous supervisors and peers.

A cover letter (maximum length: 1 page) indicating why the candidate considers him-/herself to be suitable for the position.

Provide or include work samples (links) in CV, if available.

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UNDP’s 2018-2021 Strategic Plan emphasizes the critical links between environmental sustainability, climate change mitigation and adaptation, and broader efforts to achieve the goals of the 2030 Agenda and Paris Agreement. As part of the Global Policy Network in the Bureau for Policy and Programme Support, UNDP’s Nature, Climate Change, and Energy (NCE) Team promotes and scales up integrated whole-of-governance approaches and nature-based solutions that reduce poverty and inequalities, strengthen livelihoods and inclusive growth, mitigate conflict, forced migration and displacement, and promote more resilient governance systems that advance linked peace and security agendas.

The NCE Team works with governments, civil society, and private sector partners to integrate natural capital, environment and climate concerns into national and sector planning and inclusive growth policies; support country obligations under Multilateral Environmental Agreements; and implement the UN’s largest portfolio of in-country programming on environment, climate change, and energy. This multi-billion dollar portfolio encompasses: Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services including forests; Sustainable Land Management and Desertification including food and commodity systems; Water and Ocean Governance including SIDS; Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation; Renewable and Modern Energy; Extractive Industries; Chemicals and Waste Management; Environmental Governance and Green/Circular Economy and SCP approaches. This work advances crosscutting themes on innovative finance, digital transformation, capacity development, human rights, gender equality, health, technology, and South-South learning. UNDP's Nature, Climate and Energy practice spans 137 countries, with a portfolio directly benefiting 86 million people. Our support to Governments focusses on enabling an inclusive, resilient, green recovery by: building competency to accelerate access to sustainable energy and climate and nature-positive policies and finance; scaling capacity to ensure No One is Left Behind; catalyzing SDG and Paris-aligned investments (public and private); delivering client-focused solutions that respond to countries' immediate, mid- and long-term recovery and socio-economic development priorities; and leveraging our on-the-ground presence and networks to unlock bottom-up solutions that deliver lasting impacts at country level.

In addition to UNDP’s bilateral partnerships on nature climate and energy, UNDP is an accredited multilateral implementing agency of the Green Climate Fund (GCF), the Multilateral Fund (MLF), and the Global Environment Facility (GEF) which includes the Global Environment Facility Trust Fund (GEF Trust Fund); the Nagoya Protocol Implementation Fund (NPIF); the Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF); and the Special Climate Change Fund (SCCF). As part of UNDP’s partnership with these vertical funds, UNDP provides countries specialized integrated technical services for eligibility assessment, programme formulation, capacity development, policy advice, technical assistance, training and technology transfer, mobilization of co-financing, implementation oversight, results management and evaluation, performance-based payments and knowledge management services. The Nature, Climate and Energy Team focuses on managing the oversight of climate and environmental financial resources from global trust funds to catalyze and unlock other types of public and private financing for sustainable development. This includes oversight of the design as well as implementation phase of projects (together with Country Offices and Regional Bureas), as well as portfolio level oversight and management.

Climate Change Mitigation Programme

In order to avoid an irreversible climate crisis, we need to halve global emissions by 2030, and have carbon-neutral economies by 2050. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions – or climate change mitigation - is essential to fulfilling commitments to the Paris Agreement and limiting global mean temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. All sectors, including energy, transportation, industry, forests, and land-use/agriculture must make a meaningful contribution towards achieving carbon neutrality. UNDP, as the largest implementer of climate change support within the UN system, plays a critical role by supporting countries in their emission reduction plans. With a commitment to providing long-term development support, our mitigation portfolio currently comprises of over 280 projects and programmes in over 110 countries. Together with our partners, UNDP supports countries to take ambitious climate action, advance Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), and use a wide range of strategies and approaches across energy, forestry and land-use/agriculture sectors.

Climate and Forests Programme

Forests support the livelihoods of over 1 billion people and host the largest share of the world’s biodiversity. UNDP provides expertise in stakeholder engagement, social and environmental safeguards, governance, institutional coordination, strategic planning, implementation of policies and measures to address drivers of deforestation, access to innovative finance and accessing results-based payments. UNDP also facilitates the necessary partnerships to address the complex elements of the REDD+ process.

In the context of the above, UNDP is looking to engage a Communications Specialist to provide support to UNDP’s Climate & Forests Programme on specific tasks related to communications. The key deliverable of this position is to deliver/provide high-quality, compelling multimedia story content on country achievements supported by UNDP Climate & Forests.

Duties and Responsibilities

The scope of work over the course of the period will vary depending on the specific country and/or thematic focus of assignment. It will involve close coordination with UNDP’s Climate and Forests team and communication specialists at HQ, regional and country office levels. It will include one or more of the various deliverables below:

• Identify and develop multimedia stories from the UNDP Climate & Forests portfolio that have compelling narratives and reflect noteworthy achievements.
• Work with Regional Technical Advisors and Country teams to collect background documents, images, and video footage, connect to interview subjects. Identify opportunities and arrange additional footage and images, where possible/necessary.
• Using background materials collected, create multi-media story content, such as blogs, photo stories (ie. Exposure), videos, graphics, and social media updates to showcase UNDP Climate & Forests impact on the ground.
• Establish repository of UNDP Climate & Forests key messages to anchor communications products and content, following the Programme’s strategic framework highlighting value proposition across technical areas and cross-cutting themes.

Institutional Arrangement

The selected candidate will be home-based. S/he will report to and be directly supervised by the Principal Technical Advisor, Climate & Forests. S/he will be given access to relevant information necessary for execution of the tasks under this assignment and will responsible for providing her/his own laptop and multi-media design and production software. Given the global nature of consultation that will be necessary during this assignment, the selected candidate is expected to be reasonably flexible with his/her availability for such consultations taking into consideration different time zones.

Competencies

UN CORE VALUES AND COMPETENCIES

Professionalism: Shows pride in work and achievements; demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter; is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results; is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns; shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; remains calm in stressful situations. Takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work.

Communication: Speaks and writes clearly and effectively; Listens to others, correctly interprets messages from others and responds appropriately; Asks questions to clarify and exhibits interest in having two-way communication; Tailors language, tone, style and format to match the audience; Demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed.

Client Orientation: Considers all those to whom services are provided to be "clients " and seeks to see things from clients' point of view; Establishes and maintains productive partnerships with clients by gaining their trust and respect; Identifies clients' needs and matches them to appropriate solutions; Monitors ongoing developments inside and outside the clients' environment to keep informed and anticipate problems; Keeps clients informed of progress or setbacks in projects; Meets timeline for delivery of products or services to client.

Required Skills and Experience

Min. Academic Education

Master's degree in communications, journalism, political science, international relations, or other relevant field.

Min. years of relevant Work experience

At least 5 years of professional experience working on different aspects of communications such as production, research, writing, filming and editing.

Required skills

• Demonstrated experience in developing, producing, and editing multi-media stories, incorporating written copy, photo and video elements;
• Demonstrated experience in using different editing software and communications platforms;
• Demonstrated success of communication products from past assignment

Desired additional skills

• Academic and work experience communicating stories on sustainable development, environment and climate change is an advantage.

Required Language(s) (at working level)

• Excellent oral and written communications and presentations skills in English.
• Strong oral and written communication skills in French or Spanish is an advantage

The following documents shall be required from the applicants:

1. Personal CV or P11, indicating all past positions held and their main underlying functions, their durations (month/year), the qualifications, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate, and at least three (3) the most recent professional references of previous supervisors. References may also include peers.
2. A cover letter (maximum length: 1 page) indicating why the candidate considers him-/herself to be suitable for the position.
3. Provide or include work samples (links) in CV, if available.