Individual Contractor: Communication for Youth and Climate, LACRO- Panama

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.

More than one year since the COVID-19 pandemic hit Latin America and the Caribbean, some hard-won gains made by countries in the region for children over the past two decades will be reversed. Young people are a massive cohort, with an immense potential to benefit their societies socially, politically, and economically. We have a responsibility to recognize the rights of young people and work with them as partners and agents of change for today and tomorrow.

Within UNICEF’s Latin America and the Caribbean Regional Office (LACRO) Communication section, the team provide supports and works closely with the Youth Engagement team to strengthen the organization’s capacity to engage young people as advocates and campaigners for children’s rights, through our flagship campaigns and initiatives, as well as strategic alliances; and ensure that the perspectives and voices of young people are an integral part of our communications and advocacy.

For every child, a better world

To ensure effective engagement with UNICEF’s partners, allies, and stakeholders, as well as Country Offices for youth engagement in the area of climate change, the LACRO Communication Team seeks an individual contractor to support the development and project management of strategy planning and implementation, ensuring effective coordination and communication, supporting advocacy, as well as capacity building efforts.

How can you make a difference?

Under the supervision of the Regional Communication Specialist, the individual contractor will support the section in communication, advocacy, and engagement of young people on the issue of climate change. The individual contractor will work collaboratively with the colleagues in the Youth Engagement Section, Climate Change, PFP and other internal and external partners.

Primarily, the individual contractor will support the development and implementation of the regional advocacy and communication strategy for Youth and Climate, with a strong focus on strategic alliances and partnerships. The individual contractor will be responsible to:

• Coordinate UNICEF LAC’s climate change advocacy, communications, and youth engagement in collaboration with key internal and external partners/stakeholders, including organizing meetings and keeping colleagues informed of progress.
• Support the development of an advocacy, communications, and youth engagement strategy for UNICEF work on climate change in Latin America and the Caribbean.
• Lead on the production of multimedia materials that support RO and COs to execute key campaign moments for climate change youth engagement, including World Children’s Day.
• Knowledge management of resources including information gathering of Country Offices’ campaign plans and alignment with regional climate change youth engagement campaign.
• Support on Country Office communications and focal point for climate communications and advocacy plans, implementing the regional campaign and localizing materials.
• Project support for strategic partnership agreement and activities including team updates, meetings, files and presentations.
• Support the management of UNICEF’s Youth Advocate initiative, including maintaining database and liaising with CO in coordination with the ADAP team.
• Support priority advocacy initiatives and campaigns related to youth engagement. Lead on the production of multimedia materials that support Country Offices in executing key campaign moments.
• Other tasks as assigned including support for Youth Engagement Team activities.

Expected Results: The expected result is enhanced capacity in the Communication Team to meet the demands of a growing interest in youth engagement on climate change; strengthened project management, knowledge management and capacity building efforts; increased and more effective advocacy with young people. Deliverables

Description

Duration

[in days]

Expected deadline

Support development and implementation of UNICEF LAC’s climate change advocacy, communications, and youth engagement

Ongoing through contract

September 2022

Support the development of an advocacy, communications, and youth engagement strategy for UNICEF work on climate change in LAC, including production multimedia materials

Ongoing through contract

September 2022

Support strategic partnerships and country-specific communication on Youth and Climate as well as knowledge management and internal communications

Ongoing through contract

September 2022

Support the management of UNICEF’s Youth Advocate initiative, including maintaining database and liaising with CO in coordination with the ADAP team.

Ongoing through contract

September 2022

Support priority advocacy initiatives and campaigns related to youth engagement.

Ongoing through contract

September 2022

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

Minimum Requirements and Qualifications

Education: University degree (Bachelor’s) in Journalism, Communications, Marketing, International Relations, International Development, or another related field.

Work Experience: Minimum of 3 years relevant experience in advocacy, communications, and partnership management, working with remote teams across time zones and cultures.

Languages: Fluency in Spanish and English is required. Knowledge of French or Portuguese will be considered an asset.

Technical knowledge (if applicable): Strong knowledge in communication, including effective writing skills, and strategic planning.

Other skills and attributes (optional): • Experience in the field of youth engagement is considered an asset. • Experience in the field of climate change advocacy is considered an asset. • Ability to juggle competing priorities, whilst maintaining attention to detail and meeting deadlines.

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 competencies: building and maintains partnerships, demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness, drive to achieve results for impact, innovates and embraces change, manages ambiguity and complexity, thinks and acts strategically, works collaboratively with others and nurtures, and, leads and manages people.

Click here to learn more about UNICEF’s values and competencies.

Administrative details:

Supervision: The individual contractor will work under the direct supervision of the Regional Communication Specialist (Campaign/Multimedia/Digital) and in close collaboration with the Youth Engagement, Climate Change and PFP teams.

Workplace: Home-based, with possibilities to be office based in 2022. Travel will be covered by UNICEF as per policy.

• Travel costs will be estimated and added to the contract once they are determined based on UNICEF Financial Rules and Regulations.

• For agreed country visits, the contractor/consultant will be responsible in administering their own travel. UNICEF will reimburse travel related expenses based on actual costs or on the below criteria whichever is lower and upon presentation of receipts.

• Any travel involved should be budgeted according to UN Travel Standards as a ceiling.

• UN Secretariat Administrative Instruction on Official Travel, ST/AI/2013/3: Sect. 4, para. 4.2, numerals (d) and (e)

• For information on Daily Subsistence Allowance (DSA), can be found on the International Civil Service Commission website (all countries and destinations can be found by navigating on the map).

How to Apply?: Application should be submitted online and should include: Resume, Cover Letter, University Diploma and Financial proposal. Qualified candidates are requested to submit monthly fees in their financial proposal.

Payment of professional fees will be based on submission of agreed deliverables. UNICEF reserves the right to withhold payment in case the deliverables submitted are not up to the required standard or in case of delays in submitting the deliverables on the part of the consultant.

Duration of contract: Estimated start date of this consultancy is the first/second week of October 2021 for a period of 11.5 months.

Vacancy Announcement Remarks:

Please note only short-listed candidates will be contacted. UNICEF reserves the right to make additional assessment of the pre-selected candidates, if needed 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, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and 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.

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.