Communications Specialist SB4/4 EVOLVE4GE Project (Open to Moldova Nationals Only)

Contract

This is a SB-4 contract. This kind of contract is known as Service Board / Service Contract. It is normally only for nationals. More about SB-4 contracts.

Background

UN Women, grounded in the vision of equality enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, works for the elimination of discrimination against women and girls; the empowerment of women; and the achievement of equality between women and men as partners and beneficiaries of development, human rights, humanitarian action and peace and security.

The work of UN Women in Moldova is guided by its new Country Strategic Note 2023-2027, aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework for Moldova 2023-2027 (UNSDCF), UN Women Global Strategic Plan, National Programs and Strategies and aims to contribute to the gender-responsive implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The Strategic Note focuses on four main areas: 1) Ending Violence against Women; 2) Women’s Leadership and Governance; 3) Women’s Economic empowerment and 4) Humanitarian and Peace development nexus and UN Coordination on gender equality.

As of November 2023, UN Women launch the implementation of an EU-funded Project “Ending Violence, Expanding Livelihood Opportunities for Women and Accelerating Gender Governance in Moldova with the short title: “EVOLVE4GE”.

The proposed project interventions will support the Government to address the persistent challenges and gaps identified in areas of critical importance for advancing gender equality by using gender mainstreaming and gender responsive budgeting as key approaches to development of gender responsive policies and budgets. At the same time, it will integrate tailored actions for women to increase their entrepreneurship skills and economic competitiveness, but also support national stakeholders to improve and implement the regulatory and policy frameworks on economic empowerment of women. Additionally, the project interventions will aim to improve prevention of gender-based violence, work on behavioral change towards strengthening the culture of reporting and supporting women and girls in exercising their rights and reaching out to recourse mechanisms, it will expand and strengthen specialist services. Finally, it will enhance the overall planning, coordination and oversight of the progress on implementation of the EVAW programme, through the technical support in the establishment of the National Agency for Prevention and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence, approved with Government decision accompanied by allocation of resources in the 2023 budget.

The project will contribute to the implementation of the Country Level Implementation Plan (CLIP) of Moldova of the Gender Action Plan III [1] and is fully aligned with the priority 5 of the Multiannual Indicative Programme (MIP) 2021-2027: a resilient, gender equal, fair and inclusive society [2]. As well it will contribute directly to the implementation of the national priorities set in the National Development Strategy “Moldova -2030”, the Government Programme on Gender Equality (2023 – 2027), the RoadMap for Economic Empowerment of Women, the National Programme on Ending Violence against Women (2023-2027), as well as to the gender responsive provisions of the National Strategy for Public Finance Management (2023-2030) and related programmes and the National Strategy Public Administration (2023-2030). It will also support the Government to advance implementation of the gender equality commitments aligned with the EU candidacy status granted to the Republic of Moldova in June 2022

Reporting to the Project Manager, the Communications Specialist is responsible to ensure the timely and quality planning and implementation of the project communications strategy and will support advocacy efforts, maintenance of media relations, and organizational outreach efforts, in order to increase the standing and awareness of the project with partners, the media and the public. The Communications Specialist collaborates closely with Country Office Communication Specialist and other colleagues, to ensure that the communication and advocacy initiatives under the project are coherent and in line with the provisions of the EU instructions given in the 2022 guidelines for communication and visibility ( Communicating and raising EU visibility: Guidance for external actions (europa.eu) ) and any subsequent versions and UN Women visibility guidelines. The Communication Specialist applies and promotes the principles of results-based management (RBM), as well as a client-oriented approach consistent with UN Women rules and regulations.

Duties and Responsibilities

Lead planning and design of communications and outreach/advocacy strategies and plans and ensure their efficient implementation:

• Coordinate preparation and implementation of communications needs assessments for the project, ensuring gender perspective is fully mainstreamed;
• Elaborate, implement and continuously monitor the project’s communication and awareness strategy and plan, including appropriate feedback mechanisms and monitoring tools;
• Contributes to identification of appropriate suppliers for the provision of goods and services for activities under the communication plan; Develops relevant Terms of References and technical specifications;
• Coordinate and evaluate project service providers related to communication & visibility products and service delivered to the project; Oversee the organization and realization of events, campaigns, workshops, coordinate the project team on all communication and visibility aspects;
• Coordinate monitoring and analysis of print and social media and draft reports; Provide inputs to the quarterly and annual Office work plan and progress/annual reports.

Coordinate and implement the development and dissemination of advocacy materials related to the project:

• Develop and produce communications materials, including brochures, publications, briefing materials, press releases, and articles on project activities, and manage their dissemination;
• Identify and propose information-sharing opportunities, activities, approaches and platforms and partners;
• Oversee the translation/adaption/rewriting of communications materials, coordinate printing and dissemination of publications and audio-visual materials.

Coordinate media relations for the Project:

• Develop a tailored strategy on working with media and manage relationships with the media; ensure maintenance and update of a media database; provide advice to project team on media relationships;
• Respond to media inquiries and information requests; prepare related correspondence;
• Respond to queries from the EU Delegation, Government, other UN Agencies, and other external parties with respect to communication and visibility aspects of the project;
• Organize roundtable discussions, press conferences, and briefing sessions for the media, as required;
• Design concepts of various communication products such as TV and radio programmes, websites, publications and other promotional or information materials in cooperation with staff and partners;

• Ensures timely preparation of talking points, their relevance to the event and compliance with organization’s mandate and priorities.

  Coordinate communication with EU Delegation and ensures visibility:

• Informs EU Delegation of the planning and implementation of specific visibility and communication activities before they are implemented and ensures adequate visibility of EU financing;

• Measures effectiveness of communication activities on awareness about the project and its objectives as well as on EU funding of the project;
• Reports on visibility and communication actions as well as the results of the overall Action to the relevant monitoring committees and the contracting authority;
• Coordinates actions related to communication and visibility with the Strategic communications project of the EU Delegation, to ensure coherence of narrative and message, as well as horizontal strategic communication.
• Liaise with advocacy partners and undertake outreach to civil society organizations, government, and other groups to ensure that newsworthy information reaches the public and EU Delegation;
• Provide inputs to EU Delegation reports and information packages for EU Delegation`s review;
• Be aware and guide colleagues on EU Delegation`s specific visibility rules.

Ensure the web and online presence of the project:

• Draft articles on activities of the project for CO’s website;
• Ensures social media presence for the project activities on the social media channels of UN Women CO;
• Ensure visibility and presentation of results of the project activities; ensure increased hits on the website and reach of the social media accounts, as well as evidence of visual content;
• Upload information to knowledge management system on a regular basis, including news, updates, and resources (EUDIGITOOL)

Competencies

Core Values / Guiding Principles:

• Demonstrates ethics and integrity;
• Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UN Women;
• Demonstrate ability to work in a multicultural, multi ethnic environment and to maintain effective working relations with people of different national and cultural backgrounds;
• Accepts responsibility and accountability for the quality of the outcome of his/her decisions;

Functional Competencies:

Knowledge Management and Learning:

• Take charge of self-development and take initiative;
• Actively works towards continuing personal learning, encourage learning and sharing of knowledge;
• Promotes a supportive environment to enhance partnerships, leverages resources and build support for UN Women initiatives.

Job knowledge/Technical expertise/In-depth knowledge of the subject-matter:

• Ability to communicate sensitively, effectively and creatively across different constituencies;
• Knowledge of web-based management systems;
• Knowledge of production, graphic design and photography standards;
• Knowledge of social media platforms and experience in social media outreach;
• Knowledge of local country media landscape. Ability to establish and maintain contacts with media at national and local levels, with senior-level officials of the host government required;
• Ability to be strategic and analytical;
• Knowledge of gender and human rights issues Outstanding oral and written communications and editing skills.

Development and Operational Effectiveness

• Proven ability to problem-solving and thinking creatively;
• Ability to facilitate and encourage open communication and communicate sensitively, effectively and creatively across different constituencies;
• Proven performance in organizing and coordinating major initiatives, events or challenging inter-organizational activities;
• Demonstrate informed and transparent decision making.

Leadership and self-management

• Ability to establish priorities for self and others, achieve results and meet strict deadlines in an effective manner, maintaining a high quality standard throughout;
• Demonstrates openness to change and ability to manage complexities;
• Identifies opportunities and builds strong relationships with clients and partners;
• Interacts effectively with all levels of the organization, including senior management;
• Stay composed and positive even in difficult moments, handle tense situations with diplomacy and tact, and have a consistent behaviour towards others.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Master’s degree in corporate communications, public relations, social sciences, international relations, journalism and/or other relevant;
• A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree;
• Additional training and certification in communication and related areas is a strong advantage.

Experience:

• A minimum of 7 years’ experience in communications at the national or international level, including experience in media relations;
• Experience in developing and implementing media/communications strategies and plans, including organizing awareness campaigns;
• Experience in active/advanced use of social media, multi-media and digital platforms;
• Experience in writing reports, articles and/or blogs;
• Experience working in a large development agency is an asset;
• Previous experience with gender issues, with EU, UN Women and UN system is an asset.

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in oral and written Romanian and English. Good knowledge of Russian is an asset;
• Working knowledge of one or more additional languages relevant for Moldova, including Bulgarian, Gagauzian, Romani, Ukrainian or sign language is an asset.