SENIOR PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER

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.

Salary

The salary for this job should be between 176,503 USD and 221,199 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.

Org. Setting and Reporting

This position is located in the Strategic Communication and Public Information Division (SCPID) of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA). The Senior Public Information Officer will be based in Bangui and reports to Chief, SCPID.

Responsibilities

Within the limits of delegated authority, the Senior Public Information Officer, will act as SCPID Coordinator and may be responsible for the following duties: •Conceptualize, design and execute the Mission's integrated communication strategy, including its evaluation and regular and strategic updating, covering the Mission's internal and external strategic communications activities. • Develop and implement the Mission’s Strategic communication on misinformation, disinformation and malinformation in coordination with existing mechanisms in order to document, anticipate, respond and evaluate the combat against this threat. •Use data-driven and social media tools and techniques to monitor and test the efficacy of messaging, making adjustments to be responsive to stakeholders and public opinion and to address fake-news. Develop and implement the Mission's crisis communication activities. •Oversee & coordinate the works of all sections of SCPID and take initiatives to improve efficiency and collaboration among sections. •Within the oversight of Chief SCIP and the responsibility of the Spokesperson, ensure a coherent, coordinated, and harmonized media relations through proactive and reactive interactions with media. •Coordinate SCIP contribution to Mission planning and budgetary process in order to guarantee the timely implementation of projects and timely procurement of equipment. •Formulate and update, in consultation with SCPID chief, the substantive work programme of the public information component of the Mission, coordinate with various Mission components, and with UN agencies, funds and programmes and partners, as appropriate, and ensure regular evaluation and reporting. •Advise sections, departments, senior staff and other Mission personnel, including in the police, on strategic communication matters. •Ensure regular, timely and professional communications, on all traditional and digital media platforms. Provide pertinent communications advice and input for Mission leadership interactions with all key stakeholders, such as non- governmental and civil society organizations. • Deputize when needed chief of SCPID and manage SCPID admin team, and finance & budget officer's works. •Oversee public information outputs to ensure that they meet high-quality standards, in accordance with UN policy objectives and rules and regulations and are evaluated for their effectiveness. •Give press briefings, background briefings and interviews to national and international media; draft and/or edit and issue press releases, official statements and communication materials on behalf of the Mission as necessary. •Join weekly meetings of different sections and shares SCPID chief visions and expectations as well as the Mission perspective and ensure decisions are implemented. •Interact with local, regional and international media and establish and maintain cooperative relationships. •Consult with and provides UN Headquarters communication entities with regular updates on Mission activities. •Maintain regular interaction and consults with public information personnel at UNHQ. •Manage, guide, develop and train specialized public relations and social media staff under his/her supervision; participate in hiring process from approving terms of reference to selection of appropriate experts or consultants. •Perform other related duties that may be assigned.

Competencies

Professionalism: Shows pride in work and in achievements. Demonstrates professional competence of subject matter. Is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments. Is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns. Shows persistence when faced with difficult challenges. Remains calm in stressful situations. Provides leadership and takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work; demonstrates knowledge of strategies and commitment to the goal of gender balance in staffing. 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 the audience. Demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed. Technological Awareness: Keeps abreast of available technology. Understands applicability and limitations of technology to the work of the office. Actively seeks to apply technology to appropriate tasks. Shows willingness to learn new technology. Managing Performance: Delegates the appropriate responsibility, accountability and decision-making authority. Makes sure that roles, responsibilities and reporting lines are clear to each staff member. Accurately judges the amount of time and resources needed to accomplish a task and matches task to skills. Monitors progress against milestones and deadlines. Regularly discusses performance and provides feedback and coaching to staff. Encourages risk-taking and supports creativity and initiative. Actively supports the development and career aspirations of staff. Appraises performance fairly. 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 that 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, public administration, or related field is required. A first-level university degree with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Job - Specific Qualification

Not available.

Work Experience

A minimum of ten (10) years of progressively responsible experience in public information, external communications, journalism, international relations, public administration or related area is required. A minimum of three years of experience in leading social media and multimedia campaigns and analytics is required. A minimum of three years of strategic communications or related work on public affairs campaigns is required. Experience with managing public affairs and public relations agencies is desirable.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the position advertised, fluency in oral and written English and French is required.

Assessment

Previously rostered candidates are not subject to any further assessment and as such, will not be invited for such an assessment.

Special Notice

This "Recruit from Roster" job opening is only open to roster applicants who are already placed on pre-approved rosters, following a review by a United Nations Central Review Body. Only roster applicants who were placed on rosters with similar functions at the same level are considered to be eligible candidates. Eligible applicants receive an email inviting them to apply. Rostered applicants are encouraged to apply only if they are interested and available to take up the position at the duty station/s specified in the Job Opening. Applying to this job opening carries an expectation to accept the offer, if selected. The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance and geographical diversity in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position.

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. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process. By accepting a letter of appointment, staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General, who may assign them to any of the activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). Further, staff members in the Professional and higher category up to and including the D-2 level and the Field Service category are normally required to move periodically to discharge functions in different duty stations under conditions established in ST/AI/2023/3 on Mobility, as may be amended or revised. This condition of service applies to all position specific job openings and does not apply to temporary positions. Applicants are urged to carefully follow all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira, and to refer to the Applicant Guide by clicking on “Manuals” in the “Help” tile 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.