National Consultancy: Long Term Agreement (LTA) for National Writers (Open to Malawian Nationals Only)

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, Care...

The UNICEF Malawi Country Office is required to produce human interest stories for communication, advocacy, fundraising, and visibility purposes highlighting children's key issues and UNICEF’s response in the field. The stories will be used for donor reports and as advocacy tools to push for support with policy makers, media, donors, partners and the public at large particularly on key priority issues and enhance resource mobilization. These materials will be disseminated through different online and offline channels including the UNICEF website, social media platforms, external media networks, partner networks and donor reports.

How can you make a difference?

Major duties and responsibilities:

• Research, write, edit and finalize creative and compelling human-interest stories for the website, prints and other channels as required. Each consultant will be given a specific number of stories on various UNICEF programmes, based on requirements and plans. Clear instructions and guidance will be provided to the consultants by UNICEF programme and communication sections on the topics, subjects, objectives, etc.
• Document research issues, including in-depth interviews with programme staff, community, service providers, government counterparts and beneficiaries, while being mindful of the sensitivities of specific situations, especially children, to support the content writing.
• Work in close coordination with photographers to capture relevant powerful images for stories and photo-essays.

• Provide complete captions and credits for the images collected.

  In all written products the following considerations must be made:

• Protecting the rights of the child must be given priority above all considerations when collecting and writing stories and other materials

• Ensure evidence generation adheres to UNICEF Procedure for Ethical Standards in Research, Evaluation and Data Collection and Analysis
• Ensure clarity, readability, logic, appropriateness as well as engage writing in all products
• Ensure language accuracy. The final product must not require further editing/copy-editing. Proof-read, including spelling checks, country and city names as well as acronyms and other abbreviations (making sure that they follow official UNICEF terminology and conventions), style consistency, references, etc.
• Ensure adherence to UNICEF style book and guidelines and alignment with the regional and country programme objectives (UNICEF style guide will be provided by the UNICEF Malawi Country Office)
• Ensure factual accuracy including accurate representation of the issues and programmes
• Be available for feedback and inputs as per the requirements of the office
• Be available for several rounds of editing with regards to stories

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

Academic qualification:

• Bachelor’s degree in communication, humanities, journalism, creative writing or similar discipline is required.

  Work experience:

• At least five years' experience in writing, editing communication materials or in journalism at a reputable media organization in Malawi is required.

• Experience in writing for UN or other International Organizations is highly desirable.

Technical skills, knowledge and competencies:

• Demonstrated ability to produce high quality, creative communication materials that meet the highest international standards. This includes ability to write outstanding materials and turn ‘technical’ language into engaging content for a wider audience
• Excellent ability to conduct interviews
• Excellent ability to craft compelling stories based on material gathered in interviews
• Possess excellent research, logical, analytical and writing skills
• Knowledge and understanding of Malawi and its development context is an asset
• Knowledge of child rights issues is desirable
• Well organized and structured, good attention for detail
• Professional work ethic, integrity, and initiative

• Experience working with UNICEF/UN and other global development organizations will be an asset

  Languages: Fluency in English and Chichewa (strong oral & written skills) required.

Please refer to the attached full Terms of Reference TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR LONG TERM AGREEMENT.pdf for more details on the consultancy and requirements.

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.

HOW TO APPLY...

Interested Individual Consultant should provide the following:

1. Curriculum Vitae
2. Academic Certificates
3. Financial proposal including a breakdown of their all-inclusive fees (including professional fees and accommodation (daily subsistence allowance). Financial Proposal for Consultancy.xlsx Complete the attached form.
4. Samples of written work: Provide two examples of similar assignments undertaken in the last 5 years
5. References details of of at least 3 previous supervisors.

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.