SENIOR PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER

Senior Communications & PR

Overview

Lead strategic communications for UN missions

You have:

• A minimum of ten years of progressively responsible experience in strategic communication, journalism, international relations or related area is required.
• Experience in media relations, digital media, radio, outreach and/or public relations is desirable.
• Experience in leading a strategic communications team is desirable.
• Fluency in English is required.
• Knowledge of another official United Nations language is an advantage.
• Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in communication, journalism, international relations or related field.

Contract

This is a P-5 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 10 years of experience, depending on education. More about P-5 contracts and their salaries.

Org. Setting and Reporting These positions are located in United Nations peacekeeping or special political field missions. Typically, the Senior Public Information Officer will report to the Chief of Strategic Communications and/or to the Mission leadership, according to the Section's structure. Senior Public Information Officers are deployed in Mission Headquarters or if required, in field offices at sub-national levels.

Responsibilities Within delegated authority, the Senior Public Information Officer may be responsible for the following duties:

• Serve as Chief of the Strategic Communications and/or Spokesperson for the mission as appropriate;

• Conceptualize, draft and implement the overall communications strategy and operations;

• Provide advice to Mission leadership on communications priorities;
• Develop and implement the Mission crisis communication strategy and activities;
• Provide technical and policy advise on highly complex strategic communication issues;
• Lead and direct a team of communications personnel; plan and allocate work assignments; coach, mentor, and evaluate staff; participate in recruitment and selection of new staff and in the development of training programs;
• Oversee and coordinate the work of various units within the Strategic Communications Section (e.g.: digital, media relations; outreach; radio) and regional offices, if within the Mission's structure;
• Oversee the digital communications strategy and the production and distribution of content across all relevant social media platforms to engage with large and diverse audiences on behalf of the Mission; Oversee the preparation, from research to production, of UN newsletters, brochures, magazines, public reports, and promotional items;
• Create and maintain networks and partnership with national and international media, governmental agencies, international institutions, civil society, community organizations and other relevant stakeholders;
• Engage with, and provide regular updates on Mission activities to, UN Headquarters communication entities and other UN entities in the country;
• Oversee the Strategic Communications Section budgeting and procurement process;
• Liaise with the Mission's uniformed and civilian components to ensure strategic communications is integrated into all levels and aspects of decision-making and operations;
• Represent and speak on behalf of the organization in important meetings, conferences, events;
• Promote joint communications approaches and events with the United Nations Country Team (UNCT);
• Contribute to the development of institutional strategic communications policies;
• Evaluate and adjust the communications strategy and activities, as required;

• Provide communications materials (briefings, speeches, media analysis, media guidance, talking points) for use by senior officials;

  Competencies •PROFESSIONALISM: Knowledge of different aspects of public information and communication. Ability to address a range of issues in the context of political developments, public attitudes and local conditions. Ability to advise on high profile and sensitive communication challenges. Ability to assess world-wide communication environments, develop communication strategies and manage implementation of public information campaigns with various promotional and publicity techniques. Ability to produce a variety of written communications products in a clear, concise style. Ability to present and defend difficult positions to senior officials. Shows pride in work and in achievements; demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter; is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results; is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns; shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; remains calm in stressful situations.

•COMMUNICATION: Speaks and writes clearly and effectively; listens to others, correctly interprets messages from others and responds appropriately; asks questions to clarify, and exhibits interest in having two-way communication; tailors language, tone, style and format to match audience; demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed.

•ACCOUNTABILITY: Takes ownership of all responsibilities and honours commitments; delivers outputs for which one has responsibility within prescribed time, cost and quality standards; operates in compliance with organizational regulations and rules; supports subordinates, provides oversight and takes responsibility for delegated assignments; takes personal responsibility for his/her own shortcomings and those of the work unit, where applicable.

•EMPOWERING OTHERS: Delegates responsibility, clarifies expectations, and gives staff autonomy in important areas of their work; encourages others to set challenging goals; holds others accountable for achieving results related to their area of responsibility; genuinely values all staff members’ input and expertise; shows appreciation and rewards achievement and effort; involves others when making decisions that affect them.

•JUDGEMENT/DECISION-MAKING: Identifies the key issues in a complex situation, and comes to the heart of the problem quickly; gathers relevant information before making a decision; considers positive and negative impacts of decisions prior to making them; takes decisions with an eye to the impact on others and on the Organization; proposes a course of action or makes a recommendation based on all available information; checks assumptions against facts; determines the actions proposed will satisfy the expressed and underlying needs for the decision; makes tough decisions when necessary.

Education Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in communication, journalism, international relations or related field. A first-level university degree in combination with qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Work Experience A minimum of ten years of progressively responsible experience in strategic communication, journalism, international relations or related area is required.

Experience in media relations, digital media, radio, outreach and/or public relations is desirable.

Experience in leading a strategic communications team is desirable.

Experience as a spokesperson or senior strategic communications officer is desirable.

Experience working in strategic communications within the United Nations system or a comparable international organization is desirable.

Languages English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the position(s) advertised, fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official United Nations language is an advantage.

Assessment Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by competency-based interview.

Special Notice The United Nations Secretariat maintains rosters of qualified and available candidates to fill anticipated job openings in peacekeeping operations, special political missions, and other field operations.

The purpose of this job opening is to generate a list of qualified candidates for inclusion in the Senior Public Information Officer, P5 roster. The entire assessment process takes an average of six months; all applicants will be notified in writing of the outcome of their application (whether successful or unsuccessful) within 14 days of the conclusion of the process. Successful candidates will be placed on the roster and subsequently will be invited to apply for field mission vacancies open only to roster members. Roster membership does not guarantee selection.

United Nations Considerations According to 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. Candidates will not be considered for employment with the United Nations if they have committed violations of international human rights law, violations of international humanitarian law, sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, or sexual harassment, or if there are reasonable grounds to believe that they have been involved in the commission of any of these acts. The term “sexual exploitation” means any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another. The term “sexual abuse” means the actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions. The term “sexual harassment” means any unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that might reasonably be expected or be perceived to cause offence or humiliation, when such conduct interferes with work, is made a condition of employment or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment, and when the gravity of the conduct warrants the termination of the perpetrator’s working relationship. Candidates who have committed crimes other than minor traffic offences may not be considered for employment.

Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible. The United Nations places no restrictions on the eligibility of men and women to participate in any capacity and under conditions of equality in its principal and subsidiary organs. The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment.

The paramount consideration in the appointment, transfer, or promotion of staff shall be the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. By accepting an offer of appointment, United Nations staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and assignment by him or her to any activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). In this context, all internationally recruited staff members shall be required to move periodically to discharge new functions within or across duty stations under conditions established by the Secretary-General.

Applicants are urged to follow carefully all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira. For more detailed guidance, applicants may refer to the Manual for the Applicant, which can be accessed by clicking on “Manuals” hyper-link on the upper right side of the inspira account-holder homepage.

The evaluation of applicants will be conducted on the basis of the information submitted in the application according to the evaluation criteria of the job opening and the applicable internal legislations of the United Nations including the Charter of the United Nations, resolutions of the General Assembly, the Staff Regulations and Rules, administrative issuances and guidelines. Applicants must provide complete and accurate information pertaining to their personal profile and qualifications according to the instructions provided in inspira to be considered for the current job opening. No amendment, addition, deletion, revision or modification shall be made to applications that have been submitted. Candidates under serious consideration for selection will be subject to reference checks to verify the information provided in the application.

Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (New York time) on the deadline date.

No Fee THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.

Apply now

Potential interview questions

Added 3 years ago - Updated 1 year ago - Source: careers.un.org