Consultancy - Giga, Communications Lead, Office of Innovation, 11.5 months (Remote/Work from home)

Contract

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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, innovate...

About Giga

Over a third of the world’s population has no regular access to the Internet. Millions of children leave school without any digital skills, making it much more difficult for them to thrive. This has created a digital divide between those who are connected and those who are not, a divide that has become even wider during the Covid-19 pandemic. UNICEF and ITU have therefore joined forces to create Giga, an initiative to connect every school in the world to the Internet and address this new form of inequality.

Working with 19 countries (and growing), Giga maps school connectivity in real-time, advises on appropriate technical solutions, creates models for innovative financing, and supports governments contracting for school connectivity. To date, Giga has mapped over 1 million schools, connected over 3,200 schools, and mobilized over $200 million for connectivity.

You can read more about Giga’s work at https://gigaconnect.org/ and by following us on twitter @Gigaconnect

How can you make a difference?

You will tell the story of Giga’s work to connect schools on a range of digital platforms (principally Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and the website), through the media and at international events. You will play a central role in attracting new partners and staff to Giga, in persuading governments to prioritize school connectivity and raising the financing needed to connect every school. You will help to grow one of the United Nations’ most impactful projects promoting opportunities for children and young people.

Your main responsibilities will be...

• Working with UNICEF Country Offices, ITU Regional Offices and other partners to identify and seize opportunities to tell stories about the importance of connectivity for children, teachers and communities, and Giga’s work to deliver it.
• Ensuring Giga’s core narrative and products (summary documents, slide decks, website, key data and messages) are regularly updated and available to the Giga team and wider UNICEF and ITU staff.
• Supervising the social media manager, helping to deliver content (especially videos) which speak about Giga’s work in programme countries, high engagement and follower growth on all of Giga’s digital channels.
• Identifying opportunities to promote Giga and influence audiences at public events, providing briefing material for senior representatives and amplifying content.
• Working with the Mapping and Tech teams, help to manage the community of Giga’s Patchwork Kingdom NFT owners and generate media interest around future NFT projects which grow the community of supporters who believe in the transformative power of technology and connectivity.
• Working with UNICEF, specifically Office of Innovation and ITU’s Telecommunication Development Bureau to ensure coherence of communications strategies, channels and messaging about Giga
• Aligning external communications content across UNICEF and ITU about Giga, securing press releases, media pitches and posts on high-profile social media channels in a manner which ensures synergies and maximizes both UNICEF and ITU involvement in Giga.

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

• An advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) in Communication, Journalism, Public Relations or related areas *A first University Degree in a relevant field combined with 2 additional years of professional experience may be accepted in lieu of an Advanced University Degree.
• A minimum of 8 years of professional experience in communications, journalism public relations or related fields.
• A strong track record of crafting clear, inspiring, and persuasive stories about complex concepts.
• Experience in crafting and/or implementing communications strategies in either public or private sector.
• Significant experience working with international print and broadcast media, preferably with a tech/innovation perspective.
• Excellent verbal communication, writing and editing skills are required.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced and dynamic environment. Proven track record working across a cross-functional team.
• Outstanding communication, teamwork, and interpersonal skills; team-first mentality.
• Experience of working with Private Sector PR and communications teams and driving communications activity that delivers business benefit is an asset.
• Graphic design and video editing skills are an asset.
• Experience working with technology, NFTs, data, telecommunications, and innovative solutions is an asset.
• Fluency in English. Knowledge of an additional UN Language (French, Arabic, Chinese, Russian, Spanish) is considered an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA).

The competencies required for this post are….

• Drive to achieve results for impact (2)
• Innovates and embraces change (2)
• Manages ambiguity and complexity (2)
• Thinks and acts strategically (2)
• Works collaboratively with others (2)

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

Payment details and further considerations

• Monthly payment, based on monthly tasks and progress reports, approved upon monthly review with supervisor.
• Consultant is responsible for his/her own health and travel insurance
• Consultant is eligible for standard DSA for all work-related travel

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 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:

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

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws.