Public Partnerships Specialist, P3, TA, PPD, Tokyo, Japan (Parental Leave cover)

Contract

This is a P-3 contract. This kind of contract is known as Professional and Director staff. It is normally internationally recruited only. It's a staff contract. It usually requires 5 years of experience, depending on education.

Salary

The salary for this job should be between 116,900 USD and 153,072 USD.

Please keep in mind that the salary displayed here is an estimation by UN Talent based on the location and the type of contract. It may vary depending on the organization. The recruiter should be able to inform you about the exact salary range. In case the job description contains another salary information, please refer to this one.

UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.

At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling.

UNICEF is a place where careers are built: we offer our staff diverse opportunities for personal and professional development that will help them develop a fulfilling career while delivering on a rewarding mission. We pride ourselves on a culture that helps staff thrive, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.

For every child, Advocacy & Communication

Advocacy and Communication are at the center of UNICEF’s mandate. We advocate to decision makers for ‘the protection of children's rights, to help meet their basic needs and to expand their opportunities to reach their full potential’. We communicate to key public and private audiences to build support for the cause of children.

The Partnership Specialist reports to the Director, who is at D-1 level.

How can you make a difference?

The Public Partnerships Division (PPD) works to strengthen UNICEF’s position as a partner of choice for children’s right among governments and public actors around the world. Given nature of the office, under the general guidance of the Director, UNICEF Tokyo Office, the Public Partnership Specialist is responsible for the conceptualization, planning, execution, monitoring and evaluation of a policy advocacy and communication strategy to contribute to mobilizing and leveraging resources from Japan as well as strengthening partnership with various stakeholders to support UNICEF's global mission and mandate. Those stakeholders include, but are not limited to, the Japanese parliamentarians, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Japanese non-governmental organizations (NGOs), academia, the UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Ms. Tetsuko Kuroyanagi, Japanese young people, and the general public. The Public Partnership Specialist also plays a leading role to raise awareness on UNICEF’s activities and children’s issues in partnership with the Japan Committee for UNICEF.

Summary of key functions/accountabilities:

1. Advocacy strategy development
2. Advocacy strategy implementation
3. Communication strategy development and implementation
4. Digital communications
5. Advocacy and communication M&E
6. Project and budget management
7. Stakeholder engagement
8. Others

This staff member will drive the development of effective, integrated advocacy and communication strategies. S/he will work collaboratively with colleagues across teams and with external partners to drive changes in policy and practice and secure political and financial commitments for children. Duties include:

1. Advocacy strategy development:

• As the head of the Partnerships and Advocacy Team, analyses the advocacy environment; identifies communication/advocacy opportunities; develops advocacy communication strategies and materials for resource mobilization from the Government of Japan in close collaboration with the Fundraising Team; and monitor and evaluate them.

2. Advocacy strategy implementation:

• Coordinate the implementation of advocacy strategies and plans, working across teams to deliver a range of advocacy tactics, such as: developing advocacy briefs and products, producing advocacy narratives, shaping creative activations to drive public engagement, working with the media, and organizing advocacy events.

3. Communication strategy development and implementation

• Provide technical assistance in designing and delivering effective communication plans that will deliver the aims of key advocacy strategies and help to mobilize public and private support for the cause of children.
• Lead the team in strengthening visibility/recognition efforts for the Government of Japan in collaboration with other UNICEF offices.
• In partnership with the National Committee in Japan, the Japan Committee for UNICEF (JCU), collaborates with traditional and digital media to generate and maintain public interest in UNICEF's partnership with Japan as well as in supporting ODA for children through UNICEF. The activities with media include, but are not limited to, conducting events with media, supporting field visits to UNICEF programmes, writing op-eds, and arranging interviews with UNICEF executives.

4. Digital communications:

• Manage the UNICEF Tokyo’s website; run the social media accounts (twitter, facebook and Instagram) in partnership with JCU; and monitor and evaluate activities via those media outlets for improvement.

5. Advocacy and communication M&E:

• Establish baselines against which results are regularly monitored; analyze the effectiveness of the strategy, approach and activities; and drive the day-to-day communication activities based on the findings.

6. Project and budget management:

• Coordinate inclusive project teams featuring a variety of advocacy and communication professionals to deliver strategic advocacy and communication initiatives.
• Manage day-to-day delivery of key projects and workstreams, reviewing work plans to ensure progress and delivery while addressing obstacles and bottlenecks.
• Ensure effectiveness and transparent use of budget and resources.

7. Stakeholder engagement:

• Serves as a focal point for the Parliamentarian League for UNICEF in Japan to advocate for UNICEF’s global missions as well as to increase ODA for children and quality resources for UNICEF. Responsible for advancing the relation with parliamentarians and develop and exctue a tangible engagement strategy.
• Identify, build and maintain formal and informal advocacy partnerships and networks through proactive collaboration with strategic internal and external partners.
• Adopt a consultative approach and solicit the support of key stakeholders at critical points of the strategy.
• Enhances partnerships and effective networks with influential individuals including Japanese parliamentarians, NGO, Goodwill Ambassador and professional organizations whose support is essential to mobilize and leverage resources.
• Engages influencers, including the UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, and organizes events and activities including field visits in support of UNICEF’s mission as well as resource mobilization effort.

8. Others:

• Support the Director’s presentations and speeches as necessary.
• Undertake other key responsibilities as required.

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

• An advanced university degree is required in one of the following fields: international relations, political science, communications, international development, public relations or another relevant technical field.

* A first level university degree with an additional two years of experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

• At least five (5) years of progressively responsible and relevant professional work experience in one or more of the following areas is required: public affairs, programme management, resource mobilization, external relations, or other relevant area.
• Experience in leading the development and implementation of advocacy strategies, with clear theories of change, with specific, measurable and timebound objectives and performance indicators.
• Proven experience in deploying a range of advocacy and communication tactics based on a clear theory of change.
• Experience in building and maintaining a network of stakeholders, and in working with coalitions.
• Experienced and current in digital and social media content and audience trends as well as in managing online platforms and channels.
• Experience in media relations.
• Strong communicator with emphasis on being able to present complex policy ideas in succinct, engaging ways through campaign narratives and creative tactics.
• Demonstrated experience in design and management of projects, including budget management and monitoring and evaluation of results.
• Knowledge of children’s rights, public policy, international development and humanitarian issues.
• Experience in advocacy at the international level is an asset.
• Experience working in a developing and emergency environment is an asset.
• Fluency in English and Japanese are required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate...

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships

(2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness

(3) Drive to achieve results for impact

(4) Innovates and embraces change

(5) Manages ambiguity and complexity

(6) Thinks and acts strategically

(7) Works collaboratively with others

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

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.

We offer a wide range of measures to include a more diverse workforce, such as paid parental leave, time off for breastfeeding purposes, and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). 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 is committed to promoting the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. 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.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance. Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station is required for IP positions and will be facilitated by UNICEF. Appointments may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Should you be selected for a position with UNICEF, you either must be inoculated as required or receive a medical exemption from the relevant department of the UN. Otherwise, the selection will be canceled.

Remarks:

As per Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity.

Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government positions before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason.

UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants’ bank account information.

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. An internal candidate performing at the level of the post in the relevant functional area, or an internal/external candidate in the corresponding Talent Group, may be selected, if suitable for the post, without assessment of other candidates.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.