Readvertisement: Full-time Individual Contractor (office-based in Bratislava, Slovakia): Digital and Social Media Communication Expert - Europe and Central Asia Regional Office

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, safety

Purpose of Activity/Assignment

The main purpose of the assignment is to provide digital and social media communication support to the planning and implementation of the Communication and Advocacy Strategy of UNICEF Slovakia, as well as to aid UNICEF’s advocacy, programme communication, and fundraising efforts to support refugee children and women from Ukraine.

Background

The escalation in the armed conflict in Ukraine poses an immediate threat to the lives and wellbeing of the country’s 7.5 million children. The intensification of the armed conflict is causing a growing number of civilian and child casualties, interrupting livelihoods and damaging critical civilian infrastructure, including hundreds of homes, water and sanitation infrastructure, schools and health facilities. Hundreds of thousands of children and their families have been internally displaced and, to-date, over one million forced to flee the country in search of safety – the majority are women and children.

The Level 3 Emergency Scale-up for Ukraine was activated effective 5 March 2022. Slovakia, as a refugee outflow country is currently designated as an L2 emergency. In response, UNICEF has mobilized organization-wide support to upscale the emergency response in Ukraine and neighbouring countries. The deteriorating situation and complex operating environment require strengthened capacity and sustained efforts to further expand our presence and overall humanitarian leadership, and to continue scaling-up our humanitarian action, with priority focus on child protection, health, WASH, nutrition, learning, cash interventions and social protection efforts. UNICEF is also supporting refugee hosting countries like Slovakia to respond to the humanitarian needs of Ukrainian children and women in Slovakia by strengthening systems across all sectors at national and municipal level and by working with civil society partners to expand existing services.

Scope of Work

UNICEF is looking for a talented digital and social media expert to document the work it is doing in Slovakia in support of children and women who have fled from Ukraine.

Working under the supervision of Communications Officer, the Digital and Social Media Communication Expert will be responsible for supporting the creation and crafting of compelling digital content to engage English and Slovak audiences in a dynamic, interactive and meaningful way, this supporting efforts of UNICEF Slovakia in the areas of public communication, advocacy, and donor visibility.

She/he will create, package, and consolidate messaging and editorial content for national and regional channels, i.e., websites and social media. This work will involve curating content from programme colleagues and the Communications teams, editing it, planning, and implementing social media/marketing campaigns.

She/he will be responsible for the ongoing monitoring of digital key performance indicators (KPI) and web/social media analytics tools in order to evaluate the impact of communications and campaigns.

She/he will also work in close consultation with the UNICEF Foundation for Slovakia (National Committee) to support their efforts.

Content production/dissemination for social media and website

• Support the regular update, implementation, and monitoring of UNICEF Slovakia’s Digital Editorial Calendar, ensuring its alignment with regional and global campaigns and priorities.
• Edit content on ECARO Regional website. This includes publication of new content, ensuring data/statistics are updated and other relevant content is published on time.
• Work with the Communications Officer and programme colleagues to package and amplify branded content, human interest stories, photos essays, blogs, social media messages and designs, videos, infographics, and other digital materials for web and social media channels in line with the Digital Editorial Calendar.
• Regularly come up with ideas for engaging social media content, especially those that include amplifying the voices of children and youth, working with relevant colleagues to assess feasibility and risks.
• Identify opportunities for the engagement of young people on the co-creation of content for digital channels.
• Ensure tactical use of organic, earned and paid channels.
• Actively participate in meetings, helping guide digital editorial processes.
• Monitor social media campaigns, flagging risk and opportunities to deepen engagement.
• Identify new digital tools and best practices and how these can be most effectively applied to deepen engagement with audiences.
• Provide a Comparator Analysis of content produced by UN agencies working in the Ukraine refugee response, with a specific focus on Slovakia.
• Coordinate with colleagues of the Regional Office and the UNICEF National Committee in Slovakia, as well as in HQ when applicable, for the dissemination of content through the most appropriate channels.
• Liaise with Implementing Partners and other stakeholders for the curation of content for national and regional audiences.
• Support, when needed, on the translation, or coordination of the translation, between English and Slovak of UNICEF content (social media packages, videos etc.)

Monitoring and evaluation

• Provide regular web and social media analytical reports.
• Monitor and measure digital key performance indicators both on social and website.
• Provide evidence-based inputs and insights to the design and implementation of UNICEF Slovakia’s digital communication and social media strategies.

Work Assignment Overview

Tasks / Milestone******Deliverables / Outputs******Timeline / DeadlineRegular update, implementation, and monitoring of UNICEF Slovakia’s Digital Editorial CalendarDigital Editorial Calendar updated and implementedOngoingIdeate, support the production, and deliver editorial content for digital and social media in English and Slovak, including through the ECARO regional website.Timely and engaging content for UNICEF websites and social media channels, including graphic designs and other audio-visual content, producedWork with implementing partners, as well as with beneficiaries and young people, to jointly produce and curate content.Monthly reportEnsure tactical use of organic, earned, and paid channels, including by monitoring social media campaigns and other communications.Monthly reportSupport the translation of content from English to Slovak and vice versaTimely and accurate English-Slovak translations produced as requested.Coordination with various UNICEF Offices and the National Committee for content disseminationRegular coordination meetings with UNICEF colleagues in the Regional Office HQ and colleagues in the National CommitteeMonitor communication activities of other UN agencies and key stakeholders in the Ukraine responseBi-monthly Comparator analysisBi-monthlyMonitor the performance of digital and social media communications of UNICEF SlovakiaMonthly reportMonthlyEstimated Duration of the Contract

6 months (between December 2022 and June 2023)

Individual Contractor's Work Place and Official Travel

The assignment will be office-based in Bratislava, Slovakia. The Individual Contractor is required on a full-time basis for the period of the contract.

Estimated Cost of the Consultancy & Payment Schedule

Payment will be made monthly and based on submission of monthly invoices by the individual contractor. Please indicate a monthly fee (in EUR) in your application to undertake this assignment.

UNICEF reserves the right to withhold all or a portion of payment if performance is unsatisfactory, if work/outputs is incomplete, not delivered or for failure to meet deadlines. All materials developed will remain the copyright of UNICEF and UNICEF will be free to adapt and modify them in the future. All materials developed will remain the copyright of UNICEF and UNICEF will be free to adapt and modify them in the future

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

• First level University degree in Marketing, Communication, Public Relations, Journalism, or related field.
• At least 4 years of practical work experience in social media or digital marketing.
• Experience working in an NGO, UN, or development agency would be a strong asset.
• Experience in developing and implementing social media or digital marketing strategy required.
• Proven ability to write flawless pieces of social copy in English and Slovak on tight deadlines.
• Proven copy-editing skills.
• Strong awareness of social media communication behaviours in Slovakia.
• Knowledge of social media monitoring technology required and ability to use social media measurement and listening tools preferred.
• Experience and knowledge of best practices in online marketing and advertising preferred.
• Experience running paid social media campaigns would be a plus.
• Awareness of best practices in user experience and design.
• Experience in producing high-quality graphic designs for social media through software such as Canva or Adobe InDesign/Illustrator would be a strong asset.
• Knowledge of branding practices in the humanitarian or development sectors would be an asset.
• Experience using Drupal or similar CMS desirable.
• Proven ability to manage multiple priorities within specified timeframes.
• Proven skills in communication, networking, strategic thinking, advocacy, and ability to relate to a young audience.
• Consistently achieves high-level results, managing and delivering projects on-time.
• Proven ability to conceptualize, plan and execute ideas.
• Experience working for UNICEF, other UN agencies or EU Institutions an asset.
• Fluency in English and Slovak are required. Knowledge of Ukrainian or Russian would be considered a strong asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s core values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS), and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

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 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.

Remarks:

Please include a full CV, samples of previous similar work (link or attachments), and Financial Proposal in your application. Additionally, indicate your availability and monthly rate (in EUR) to undertake the terms of reference above. Applications submitted without a monthly rate will not be considered. 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.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants 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.