National Consultant on Community Outreach and Communication

Contract

This is a National Consultant contract. More about National Consultant contracts.

Background

UN Women, grounded in the vision of equality enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, works for the elimination of discrimination against women and girls; the empowerment of women; and the achievement of equality between women and men as partners and beneficiaries of development, human rights, humanitarian action and peace and security. Placing women's rights at the center of all its efforts, the UN Women leads and coordinates the United Nations system efforts to ensure that commitments on gender equality and gender mainstreaming translate into action throughout the world. The Government of Albania has made national and international commitments to advancing gender equality and the empowerment of women in many different areas of life. Several international conventions and platforms, including the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) and the Beijing Platform for Action, demonstrate Albania’s commitment to the realization of women’s rights and the achievement of gender equality.

UN Women Albania is implementing its Strategic Note (SN) 2022-2026, which aims to ensure that “All Women and girls enjoy and exercise their human rights in a gender equal society and meaningfully contribute to Albania’s sustainable and inclusive socio-economic development and EU integration”. To achieve such result, across its interventions, UN Women Albania addresses key thematic areas in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework 2022 – 2026, specifically Outcome C1. By 2026, governance is more transparent and accountable, enabling people and especially vulnerable groups, to enjoy quality, inclusive services, enhanced rule of law and access to justice in line with Albania’s human rights commitments; and Outcome C2. By 2026, gender responsive governance strengthens equality and non-discrimination, promotes women’s empowerment and human rights, and reduces violence against women and children. All interventions undertaken by the Country Office aim to address structural causes of gender inequality, addressing discriminatory practices and reach women and girls who are at greatest risk of being left behind.

As part of the implementation of the UN Joint Programme “Leave No One Behind 2” jointly with UN agencies (UNDP, UNICEF, UNFPA), UN Women aims to empower vulnerable persons and groups to have equal access to public services that support their social rights, social inclusion, and well-being, and are empowered to have a voice in public policy decision-making affecting their lives, and to hold decision-makers accountable for policy implementation. To achieve this, UN Women will contribute by capacitating grass-root organizations and communities to demand gender sensitive social services, to take active part in the local decision making and budgeting processes and have a say in the final local polices and budgets that define social services for vulnerable groups.

The purpose of this assignment is to engage a qualified and experienced National Community Outreach and Communication Consultant who will work closely with UN Women and its partners to design and implement effective communication strategies. The primary objective is to increase the visibility of UN Women's actions and initiatives, enhance community outreach, and communicate the achieved results clearly and proactively.

Duties and Responsibilities

The objective of this consultancy is to support UN Women community outreach and communications activities taking place within the Leave no One Behind 2 project. The consultant will be responsible for developing and implementing communication strategies, producing communication materials, and enhancing the visibility of UN Women and its partners' initiatives and results. Under the supervision of the Programme Manager of National Planning and Budgeting and under guidance of the Communications Specialist at UN Women Albania, the national consultant is expected to conduct the following:

1.****Develop a Communication Plan:

• Assess the current project communication landscape, the target audiences, and stakeholders' expectations.
• Identify target audiences and Craft key messages: Segment audiences based on demographics, interests, and influence and develop compelling messages that resonate with each audience segment.
• Select communication channels, including traditional media, social media, newsletters, websites, and others, based on the type of activity and targeted audience.
• Establish a timeline for communication activities to ensure consistency and effectiveness.

2.****Produce Communication Instruments and Materials:

• Prepare concise and informative briefing materials/factsheets tailored for different stakeholders and media representatives.
• Draft press releases to announce significant project updates, events, and achievements.
• Prepare content and provide technical expertise during creation of audiovisual materials, such as infographics, videos, social media cards GIF etc.to communicate the project's outcomes.
• Develop captivating digital content such as articles and human-interest stories for UN Women website.
• Create engaging and shareable social media content to drive conversations and increase visibility.
• Effectively disseminate communication materials through appropriate channels and platforms.

3.****Monitoring and Evaluation

• Align the office communication efforts with the project's Communications Plan to ensure consistency and effectiveness.
• Produce regular reports on visibility and communications results and targets for the Project as needed and ensure timely submission of required communication and knowledge products.
• Provide additional support and input as needed, according to the agreed work plan and evolving project requirements.
• Support organization of events, monitoring visits, donor visits and ensure their visibility including preparation of social media content, stories, photos of beneficiaries, press releases.

Deliverables:

The following products and deliverables are expected to be completed by the National Communication Consultant:

• Communication Plan: Provide a comprehensive communication plan outlining the audience, messages, tools, methodology, approach, and detailed timelines for executing the communication activities. The communications plan should align with the project's objectives and the Office Communications Strategy.
• Press Releases and News Distribution: Prepare press releases and news articles covering program activities and milestones. Ensure timely dissemination to media outlets and social media platforms, including Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
• Impact Stories: Produce a minimum of 5 impact stories that showcase the program's achievements and the positive impact it has on beneficiaries and communities. These stories should be compelling and highlight the project's success.
• Social media content: Key programmatic activities and results content prepared/designed to be shared on social media channels, including a social media content planning calendar.
• Articles and Media Coverage: Secure media coverage on program activities and UN Women's impact in communities through articles, interviews, and features in various media outlets.
• Video content creation: Oversee the production of at least 3 videos, utilizing work from the Implementing Parties and/or companies under the Long-Term Agreement (LTA), to increase program visibility. These videos should highlight the program's main results, beneficiaries' testimonials, and success stories.
• PRISMA Network Quarterly Newsletters: Produce and disseminate quarterly newsletters for the PRISMA network, showcasing the project's progress and activities. Ensure that the newsletters are engaging and informative.
• Presentation Materials and Briefing Notes: Assist in preparing presentation materials and briefing notes for internal and external audiences. Ensure the quality and accuracy of content.
• Knowledge Products: Provide quality assurance for knowledge products, such as factsheets, reports, and surveys, targeted at both internal and external audiences.
• Monthly Communication Progress Reports: Produce comprehensive reports on visibility and communication results, tracking progress toward communication objectives and targets. These reports should be submitted on a monthly basis to the UN Women Albania office.

All deliverables should be agreed with UN Women and be provided in English, in electronic copy. Reports and timesheets need to be duly signed and submitted to UN Women as per agreed deadlines.

Duration and remuneration:

The duration of the initial contract will be up to 60 working days in the period between August 2023 – August 2024 with the possibility of renewal based on satisfactory performance and availability of funds. A workplan will be set at the beginning of the contract with clear scheduled milestones/deliverables. This workplan will be agreed between the Consultant and Program Manager.

Installments will be made based on the quality of submitted and cleared deliverables as required in their workplan. This will also be accompanied by a time sheet submitted by the Consultant.

Competencies

Core Values:

• Respect for Diversity
• Integrity
• Professionalism

Core Competencies:

• Awareness and Sensitivity Regarding Gender Issues
• Accountability
• Creative Problem Solving
• Effective Communication
• Inclusive Collaboration
• Stakeholder Engagement
• Leading by Example

Please visit this link for more information on UN Women’s Core Values and Competencies: https://www.unwomen.org/sites/default/files/Headquarters/Attachments/Sections/About%20Us/Employment/UN- Women-values-and-competencies-framework-en.pdf

Functional Competencies:

• Demonstrates excellent written and oral communication skills working across platforms and channels, online and offline. Communicates sensitively, effectively, and creatively across different audiences.
• Excellent writing skills in preparing briefs, newsletters, reports, guidelines, articles or similar for various audiences.
• Solid analytical, writing and communication skills in both Albanian and English.
• Ability to form and maintain meaningful working relationships with various members of the media.
• Demonstrates very good understanding of and experience in communications and outreach/advocacy.
• High level skills in design for social media and digital distribution.
• Excellent organizational skills, including meeting deadlines and adjusting priorities.
• Able to lead, manage, work independently and in a team.
• Adheres to a human rights approach in engaging with all persons.

Required Skills and Experience

Academic requirements:

• Master’s degree or equivalent in communications, public relations, media communications, journalism/or relevant social sciences fields required.
• A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
• Additional training and certification in communication and related areas is a strong advantage.

Work Experience:

• A minimum of 5 years’ experience in communications at the national or international level.
• Experience in media relations is required.
• Experience in managing media campaigns, online outreach, and use of multimedia.
• Experience required in editing and copywriting skills, including articles, reports, newsletters, social media content, and press releases, by providing samples of past work.
• Experience in the use of social media, multi-media and digital platforms is required.
• Previous experience with projects focused on gender issues with UN Women and UN system and/or familiarity with gender issues, is an asset.

Language Requirements: Excellent written and oral English and Albanian communication skills are required.

Scope of Price Proposal and Schedule of Payments:

• Financial Proposal specifying the daily fee in ALL (Albanian Leke) for the tasks specified above. Please note that the financial proposal is all-inclusive and shall take into account various expenses incurred by the consultant/contractor during the contract period (e.g., fee and any other relevant expenses related to the performance of services
• Payment will be made as per the payment schedule in the contract upon (i) satisfactory completion of tasks; (ii) provision of deliverables specified in the ToRs; (iii) submission of and approval by UN Women of final draft; and (iv) submission of the certification of payment.

Presentation of Offer:

Qualified and interested candidates are required to apply online:

• A Letter of Confirmation of Interest including a brief description explaining why the individual considers her/himself as the most suitable for the assignment.
• Completed and signed UN Women Personal History Form (P11) that can be downloaded at link: UN Women Personal History Form (P11) or http://www.unwomen.org/en/about- us/employment
• Financial Proposal specifying a daily fee in ALL (Albanian Leke) for the tasks specified in this assignment, following the instructions under the above section on Scope of Price Proposal and Schedule of Payments.

NOTE: APPLICATIONS WITHOUT THE FINANCIAL OFFER WILL BE TREATED AS INCOMPLETE AND WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED FOR FURTHER ASSESSMENT.

Evaluation of applicants:

Candidates will be evaluated using a cumulative analysis method taking into consideration the combination of the applicants’ qualifications and financial proposal. Contract will be awarded to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as:

• Responsive/compliant/acceptable; and
• Having received the highest score out of below defined technical and financial criteria.

Technical Evaluation – 70 points: Applications will be assessed according to the following Technical Criteria:

• Master’s degree or equivalent in communications, public relations, media communications, journalism/or relevant social sciences fields required (max 10 points)
• A minimum of 5 years’ experience in communications at the national or international level (max 15 points)
• Experience in media relations is required (max 10 points)
• Experience in managing media campaigns, online outreach, and use of multimedia (max 10 points)
• Experience required in editing and copywriting skills, including articles, reports, newsletters, social media content, and press releases, by providing samples of past work (max 10 points)
• Experience in the use of social media, multi-media and digital platforms is required (max 10 points)
• Previous experience with projects focused on gender issues with UN Women and UN system and/or familiarity with gender issues, is an asset (max 5 points)

Financial Evaluation – 30 points

• Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 70% (49 points) in the technical evaluation would be considered for financial evaluation.
• The maximum number of points assigned to the financial proposal is allocated to the lowest price proposal. All other price proposals receive points in inverse proportion. The calculation formula applied is as follow:

p = 30 (µ/z); where: p = points for the financial proposal being evaluated; µ = price of the lowest priced proposal; z = price of the proposal being evaluated.

How to Submit the Application: To submit your application online, please follow the steps below:

• Download and complete the UN Women Personal History Form (P11)- P11 form.
• Merge your UN Women Personal History Form (P11), the Financial Proposal, and Cover Letter into a single file. The system does not allow for more than one attachment to be uploaded.
• Click on the Job Title (job vacancy announcement).
• Click 'Apply Now' button, fill in necessary information on the first page, and then click 'Submit Application;'
• Upload your application/single file as indicated above with the merged documents (underlined above).
• You will receive an automatic response to your email confirming receipt of your application by the system.

Notes:

• UN Women retains the right to contact references directly. Due to the large numbers of applications, we receive, we are able to inform only the successful candidates about the outcome or status of the selection process.
• The consultancy post is open to local (Albanian) individuals or foreign individuals with valid temporary or permanent residence in Albania.
• Applications without the financial offer will be treated as incomplete and will not be considered for further assessment.
• The individual consultants should take the mandatory learning security course prior to commencement of assignment– details will follow before the issuance of contract.

At UN Women, we are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. UN Women recruits, employs, trains, compensates, and promotes regardless of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, ability, national origin, or any other basis covered by appropriate law. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, competence, integrity and organizational need.

If you need any reasonable accommodation to support your participation in the recruitment and selection process, please include this information in your application. UN Women has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UN Women, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to UN Women’s policies and procedures and the standards of conduct expected of UN Women personnel 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.)