Project Communications Assistant

Contract

This is a UNV National Youth contract. This kind of contract is known as National UN Volunteer. It is normally only for nationals. More about UNV National Youth contracts.

In 2019, UNDP developed an SDGs Innovation Pilot Project with Chengdu Hi-Tech Industrial Development Zone to leverage UNDPs regional and global initiatives and capacities to help the Chengdu Hi-tech Zone build up a sustainable investment ecosystem based on its own strengths, e.g., establishing an incubator emphasizing the promotion of sustainable development, involving experts worldwide to provide technical advisory, experience sharing, or strategic partnership building.

The purpose of the project is to strengthen the capability of Chengdu Hi-tech Industrial Development Zone to unleash its future development momentum based on innovation and sustainability, to promote the transformation of its development path from productivity-driven to innovation-driven, and to actively explore international cooperation of high-tech zones with Chengdu Hi-tech Zone as the pilot. The project is also committed to promoting South-South cooperation and ex-changes with other countries leveraging UNDP’s global network resources and sustainable development experience to establish an international cooperation platform of global high-tech zones with Chengdu Hi-tech Zone as its pilot.

UNDP Communications, Innovation and Partnership Team promotes greater understanding and visibility of UNDP’s work by utilizing various communications tools. Fully engaging with the media, social media and leveraging on a strong network of Public-Private Partnerships, the team leads the design, management, and implementation of UNDP’s overall communications strategy, including design and roll out high-impact, multimedia campaigns; programme-oriented communications products; media relations and key events; localization of global content for Chinese audiences; and publications on critical development issues. On the innovation front, the team is facilitating and prototyping innovative solutions and experiment with new ways of working to tackle complex development challenges outside the traditional development cycle.

Founded on March 12, 1983 with the approval of the State Council directly under the Ministry of Commerce, CICETE has witnessed an extraordinary history of nearly three decades, during which it deems its responsibility to promote economic and technical exchanges between China and the rest of the world and make great contributions to China’s economic and social development in partner-ship with UNDP and other UN agencies.

CICETE's main function, delegated by the Ministry, is to coordinate the cooperation between China and UNDP, UNIDO and UNV including executing their assisted programs to China, and to implement projects of general goods supply under the China-Aid programme to other developing countries. Meanwhile, CICETE organizes conferences, exhibitions and overseas trainings, invite international short-term and long-term consultants, and provide project management service for international organizations, government agencies and enterprises. In addition, CICETE has also been co-operating actively with international Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and enterprises through our subsidiary bodies-China Association for NGO Cooperation, China Association for Promoting UN Procurement, China Association for Trade in Service, and China-Han Technical Development Co. Ltd.

The UNDP Innovation Lab in Chengdu, under the supervision and guidance of Chengdu Hi-tech Industrial Development Zone, will serve as a platform to facilitate technology diffusion; the intersection of science-policy-market will be strengthened through an innovation ecosystem. Effective solution exchange mechanisms to facilitate technology diffusion will be identified, assessed and applied within and beyond nations. More importantly, the space can provide a safe environment to analyse, test-run and demonstrate innovative models, processes and ideas, and prepare stake-holders with the capacities needed to respond to constantly changing technology in the future.

Under the supervision of Project Manager of Programme Management Office (PMO), the Youth UNV will undertake the following tasks to support project implementation and management:

Communications • Provide effective support to the implementation of the project communications strategy and action plan to increase public engagement in advocacy and awareness-raising events; • Draft well-designed contents relevant to project activities for social media and media engagements. • Provide effective support to prepare, translate and assure the quality of project communications outreach materials, including but not limited to press releases, stories, blogs, re-ports, issue briefs, speeches, briefing notes, etc.; • Collect information and prepare contents for the project website;

Event Coordination • Provide support to the coordination of project-related event planning, organization, and execution of events and/or activities as outlined in the annual work plan of the project including but not limited to conferences, training, seminars, workshops, summits, etc.; • Work closely with UNDP to implement parts of direct support under the “UNDP direct support to NIM” modality, in accordance with the annual work plan under the consensus of all parties; • Assists with event-related vendor and stakeholder coordination.

Administration • Assist in project procurement processes and financial management; Prepare recurring financial reports as scheduled and special reports as required for budget preparation, audits and other reasons; • Assist in the drafting of annual work plan and budget revisions as requested;

Furthermore, UNVs are encouraged to:
• Strengthen their knowledge and understanding of the concept of volunteerism by reading relevant UNV and external publications and taking an active part in UNV activities (for in-stance, IVD celebration events);
• Get acquainted with and build on traditional and/or local forms of volunteerism in the host country; • Reflect on the type and quality of voluntary action that they are undertaking; • Contribute news and articles on field experiences and submit them to UNV publications/websites, newsletters, press releases, etc.; • Assist with the UNV Buddy Programme for newly arrived UNV volunteers; • Promote online volunteering and encourage individuals and organizations to use the UNV Online Volunteering Service whenever technically feasible.

The following outputs are expected:
1. Timely support provided to tasks related to UNDP SDGs Innovation Pilot Project. 2. Facilitate the smooth coordination of project activities and implementation of project communications plan; 3. Appropriate data/file and process management; 4. Perform ad hoc duties as required.

☒ Accountability ☒ Adaptability and Flexibility ☒ Building Trust ☒ Client Orientation ☒ Commitment and Motivation ☒ Commitment to Continuous Learning ☒ Communication ☒ Planning and Organizing ☒ Professionalism ☒ Self-Management ☒ Working in Teams

communications functions would be desirable

The duty station of the national UN Volunteer is located in Chengdu city, where modest public infrastructure and health services are available. The city has excellent health services available.

Chengdu is well served by many shopping malls, large supermarket chains and international brands. Buses and subways are the most common form of mass transportation. Metered taxis are widely available and domestic and regional travel by train and airplane is popular.

Conditions of Service for national UN Volunteers

The National UN Volunteer receives a standard volunteer living allowance (VLA), which is intended to cover their accommodation and basic living expenses. In China the VLA is 7592.5 RMB per month. The National UN Volunteer is entitled to an excellent health, life and disability insurance package. A modest Settling-in Grant and end of assignment allowance will also be provided, along with travel to and from the duty station. International travel to duty station will not covered by UNV. The National UN Volunteer is entitled to 2.5 days personal leave per month and government official holidays.