Establishment of a roster of native English speaker feature writers and editors in Tbilisi, Georgia

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.

For every child, health

1. Background

UNICEF Georgia intends to develop a roster for feature writers who will support UNICEF Georgia in writing feature stories, newsletters, case studies, reports (e.g. analytical or project reports), strategy documents, programme/project proposals, and other public or internal documents, and for editors who will support UNICEF Georgia in reviewing and editing/proofreading various documents like publications, country office annual reports, bulletins etc.

2. Objective

The objective is to establish a roster of 1) feature writers who will support UNICEF Georgia in writing feature stories, newsletters, case studies, reports (e.g. analytical or project reports), strategy documents, programme/project proposals, and other public or internal documents; and 2) editors who will support UNICEF Georgia in reviewing and editing/proofreading various documents like publications, country office annual reports, bulletins etc. Both the writers and the editors should be familiar with the UNICEF style book and follow its guidelines. The roster will serve as human resources repository from which UNICEF Georgia Office can draw pre-vetted, well qualified feature writers and editors quickly and efficiently for assignments.

3. Responsibilities [tasks may vary, depending on the nature of the assignment]:

Feature Writer

• Carry out research, meet relevant people to obtain inputs for a story.
• Write the story including all components for clarity, readability and consistency of message, keeping in mind the publication’s audience. The text, depending on the format, should be readable with good logical sequence and emotional touch, highlight human stories and avoid jargons.
• Ensure that the text is lively, clearly written and phrased in ways that engage the intended audience.
• Ensure that arguments are presented in a balanced manner and that citations are included for statements and passages where required.
• Review fact-checking and copy-editing comments and incorporate them in the text.
• The requirements for UNICEF feature stories are the following: the story should be 500-1,000 words. One and a half pages (single space) word article that answers ‘five Ws and H’ of journalism, tells human side of a development issue, has quotes from the people involved, includes people’s names and ages, describes the situation without bogging the story down in statistics, and has UNICEF link (Detailed guidelines will be provided by UNICEF).

Delivery: Assignments delivered on time and of good quality.

Payment Schedule: Payments will be based on deliverables (upon delivery of edited text of the full publication and upon review of the first page proofs) and satisfactory evaluation.

Editor

• Edit the publication including all components for clarity, readability and consistency of message, keeping in mind the publication’s audience. Editing may require rewriting, abridging and restructuring text for greater readability, better logical sequence, and elimination of repetitions and jargon.
• Carry out research to clarify ambiguities and to rectify substantive errors in the text.
• Ensure that the text is lively, clearly written and phrased in ways that engage the intended audience.
• Review fact-checking and copy-editing comments and incorporate them in the text.
• Correct grammar, syntax and punctuation.
• Accuracy and consistency in spelling, capitalization and abbreviations/acronyms.

Edited text to be delivered to the supervisor in Microsoft Word with tracked changes.

4. Delivery: Assignments delivered on time and of good quality.

5. Payment Schedule: Payments will be based on deliverables (upon delivery of edited text of the full publication and upon review of the first page proofs) and satisfactory evaluation.

6. Scope of Work

The works shall be focused on Georgia.

7. Conditions of Work

The consultant/s shall use their own facilities to manage the work, but, where circumstances demand otherwise, shall be allowed to make use of available UNICEF office space, computer and internet facilities with prior notification and arrangement with the supervisor and UNICEF Admin/ICT. The provision of these facilities by UNICEF shall be subject to their availability.

8. Qualifications or specialized knowledge/experience required for

Feature Writer

• Core values of commitment, inclusion and integrity
• Master’s degree in social sciences, or a related technical field;
• Superior editing and writing skills, acquired over at least 5 years of experience;
• Native English speaking;
• Sensitivity to nuances and the ability to think and write analytically;
• Portfolio that includes feature stories and advocacy publications written for non-specialized audiences;
• Demonstrated understanding of international development issues and/or issues concerning children; familiarity with the subject of the publication desirable;
• Ability to effectively grasp and incorporate comments from multiple authors to fit a defined publication style and format;
• Be based in Georgia in case of feature stories. For other types of writing, online consultancy is accepted.

Editor

• Core values of commitment, inclusion and integrity
• University degree in social sciences, or a related technical field;
• Superior editing and writing skills, acquired over at least 5 years of experience;
• Native English speaking;
• Sensitivity to nuances and the ability to think and write analytically;
• Portfolio that includes editing advocacy publications written for non-specialized audiences, or technical publications on specialized topics;
• Demonstrated understanding of international development issues and/or issues concerning children; familiarity with the subject of the publication desirable;

How to apply:

Interested candidates are requested to apply online and attach the most recent CV and a motivation letter outlining the following:

• • Availability to perform the assignment;
  • Time required for writing and editing;
  • Price rates for writing/editing [for the latter provide price/page (1,800 symbols/characters without spaces); the (gross) rates, indicated in GEL or USD, should include all respective taxes. Payments on the territory of Georgia can be made only in local currency – GEL);

The submission should include the portfolio with feature stories/reports/documents/project proposals/advocacy publications written for non-specialized audiences and/or samples of edited reports/surveys/documents.

Please indicate whether the submission is for editing, writing, or both. Also, please indicate whether you are available for urgent assignments on ad hoc basis.

Only applicants who are under consideration will be contacted. Work references will be conducted as part of the selection process for short-listed candidates. Once accepted on the roster of English speaking feature writers and editors, consultants will be eligible for direct recruitment by the Country Offices for a non-binding agreement (which does not constitute a commitment to acquire consultant services) over a period of three years.

In the selection of its staff and consultants, UNICEF is committed to gender balance and diversity without distinction. Well qualified candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

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

To view our competency framework, please visit 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.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment.

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.

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.