Contracting services of the writers/editors in English language

Contract

This is a Consultancy contract. More about Consultancy 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.

Background

UNICEF in Uzbekistan produces various communication materials and publications in English. As the Country Office maintains its trilingual web site www.unicef.uz to provide information regarding UNICEF’s activities, achievements, and keeps UNICEF partners and donors as well as general public regularly informed.

UNICEF has produced a number of studies and research documents, reports of conferences, seminars etc. Often times these reports, surveys require rewriting or/and editing in good English.

All above mentioned materials have to be of impeccable quality in terms of content and language.

In order to ensure availability of high quality communication materials and publications, Communication Section requires a pool of selected local writers/editors in English based in Tashkent or/and available on-line on its roster with a flexible, assignment-based hiring arrangement. This pool of writers/editors will be kept on UNICEF rosters after assessing their skills and availability through an interview and samples of the writers’ works.

UNICEF seeks to establish a pool of local, quality writers and editors in English who can be kept on the UNICEF roster for on-call spot assignments and whose writing/editing skills correspond to UNICEF global standards. This arrangement will enable UNICEF to produce quality communication, visibility and advocacy products including newsletters, materials for UNICEF web site including human interest stories about the implementation of the Country Program of Cooperation between the Government of Uzbekistan and UNICEF for 2021-2025, reports, documentation of processes and events.

Objectives

The objectives of the consultancy are:

• To write in English, as per UNICEF global standards.
• To edit English documents, as per UNICEF global standards.

Timelines and deliverables

At the end of each assignment, the contractor is expected to deliver written materials as per specifications and timeline agreed with UNICEF:

• Event coverage stories, news and other materials for UNICEF web site (250-800 words): (first draft in 2-3 days)
• Human interest stories or media articles (500-1,500 words): (first draft in 3-5 days)
• Reports of UNICEF supported events/workshops/projects in (1,500-8,000 words): (first draft in 3-5 days)
• Publications, briefing kits etc: (Timeline can vary depending on the quantity of content. Consultant will deliver in agreed time frame with supervisor before being assigned)

Contractor will incorporate the comments and suggestions by UNICEF. Timelines for subsequent drafts and the final versions will be agreed with the supervisor as UNICEF’s comments have to be addressed.

Methodology/activities

Meet/interview with UNICEF programme officers, national partners, and beneficiaries of the projects (e.g. families, children, service providers, and local authorities,) visit projects’ sites and attend relevant events to:

1. Produce content for a quarterly newsletter according to the concept provided by UNICEF. This content will be based on interviews; briefings with program staff as well as secondary source materials provided by UNICEF.
2. Write/edit news and human-interest stories on UNICEF activities and projects for UNICEF web site;
3. Write/edit feature articles on UNICEF activities and projects for media outlets;
4. Write/edit scripts for video stories on UNICEF activities and projects;
5. Edit reports on workshops, conferences and other events conducted/supported by UNICEF;
6. Write/edit materials for briefing kits and advocacy materials;
7. Edit communication materials and publications produced by UNICEF.

Articles/stories/reports should meet UNICEF quality standards and guidelines concerning length, style, and format.

Management

The Consultant will report directly to Communication Officer who, under the guidance of Chief of Communication, will provide the overall briefing and assign the tasks according to the requirements of the particular assignment, and based on the ‘fair distribution of workload’ principle.

The Consultant will work closely with the UNICEF programme staff who require her/his services. Relevant programme staff will be responsible for providing a detailed briefing on the particular assignment (with technical inputs from the Communication Section, if necessary), and duly informing Communication Officer that the work has been undertaken as planned and the expected deliverables have been certified.

A pool of writers/editors will be kept on the roster based on mutually agreed fees per page or per assignment based on the qualifications, experience and assessment of work samples.

UNICEF reserves the right to update the roster in terms of additing new contractors who may qualify based on updating of UN agencies’ roster and a transparent selection proess or removing some from the roster in case of unsatisfactory performance.

The consultant is expected to work from home but will be provided office facilities provided to other consultants when her/his presence is necessary in the office for discussions, cross-checking facts and face-to-face review of the work is necessary. The consultancy will be Tashkent-based unless a field visit within the country to the project sites is considered necessary by the supervisor. DSA and travel arrangements will be organized according to UNICEF rules and regulations.

Resource requirement and payment

Rates for writing services will be established in accordance with UNICEF regulations, while taking into account the current practices of other UN agencies operating in the country.

The contractor(s) will be paid upon completion of each assignment and submission of receipt. Contractor’s assignment will be considered completed and fee for his/her services rendered only after approval of the quality of products by the UNICEF supervisor.

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

• University degree in either of the following subjects journalism, languages, communications, social sciences, linguistics or other related fields; In case of lack of university degree, 2 years of additional work experience will be required.
• At least 3 years’ experience of writing stories, articles, features, human interest stories or reports on social issues for public audiences in English preferably in a media or development environment. Experience as a writer-editor is essential;
• Perfect, professional fluency in written and spoken English
• Experience of working with UNICEF and/or other UN agencies is an asset.

Procedures and Working Conditions

Timely and accurate provision of quality writing services in English throughout the year will be critical to the assignments.

A detailed assignment plan will be developed by the Communication Section with inputs from the programme sections and shared with the writer/editor prior to each particular assignment.

The contractor must respect the confidentiality of the information handled during the assignment. Documents and information provided must be used only for the tasks related to these terms of reference.

This consultancy is off-site. UNICEF will assign work to selected candidates on a need-basis. After discussions on expected deliverables and timelines, the consultant will send their drafts. UNICEF will not provide office space to consultants hired under this consultancy.

UNICEF Branding and style manuals; guidelines on writing for the UNICEF publications and website.

Reservations and remarks

All materials developed will remain the copyright of UNICEF and cannot be submitted, distributed to or used by any other party. UNICEF will be free to adapt and modify them in the future. UNICEF reserves the right to withhold all or a portion of payment if performance is unsatisfactory, if deliverable(s) incomplete, not finalized or for failure to meet deadlines.

UNICEF will reserve copy right of all developed materials and own primary data collected through this assignment. The materials cannot be published or disseminated without prior written permission of UNICEF. UNICEF will be free to adapt and modify them in the future. The contractor must respect the confidentiality of the information handled during the assignment. Documents and information provided must be used only for the tasks related to these terms of reference.

Selected candidates can be put on the roster for other UN agencies, to be used for assignments of respective agencies.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA) and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.

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.