To address the global challenges of VAWG, the UN Family (through UN Women, UNDP, UNFPA and IOM) are collaborating with KOICA and the Government of Timor-Leste to support efforts to end violence against women and girls. Through the Joint UN Project Together for Equality: Preventing and Responding to Gender-Based Violence in Timor-Leste (2020-2024), the United Nations has a goal for women and girls in Timor-Leste to be empowered to enjoy their right to live free of sexual harassment and other forms of violence in public and private spaces and to access quality essential services, in line with the SDGs. As part of its efforts to prevent violence before it begins, interventions addressing WEE and EVAWG will be an important part of the programme.
Within this scope, UN Women Timor-Leste, as a Convening Agency of the Joint Programme wishes to hire a National consultant as an Advocacy and Communication Consultant within the context of the Together for Equality (T4E) Programme.
Duties and Responsibilities
The consultant's primary responsibility is to strengthen coordination and communication efforts among a diverse range of stakeholders, including Participating United Nations Agencies (PUNOs), KOICA, government bodies, civil society organizations, media partners, and other key actors. Through proactive communication strategies and impactful advocacy, this consultancy is dedicated to enhancing the Programme's visibility, influencing policy decisions, and challenging harmful gender stereotypes and practices. The consultant will play an important role in ensuring the dissemination of empowering messages, addressing public misconceptions, and effectively conveying the impact of the T4E Programme. This, in turn, will foster lasting change in societal attitudes, norms, and behaviors that perpetuate gender-based violence (GBV).
Duties and Responsibilities
Under the overall guidance and supervision of Programme Specialist EVAWG and WEE (T4E), the national Consultant will perform the following tasks:
Advocacy:
Evidence-Based Advocacy: Develop and implement strategies to engage government at the national and municipal levels to influence policy decisions and allocate resources for gender equality and GBV prevention and response efforts. With the emphasis on utilizing data and evidence generated by the T4E Programme to support advocacy initiatives, ensuring that recommendations and policy proposals are firmly grounded in research and analysis.
Public Advocacy: Design, support the T4E’s programme partners and execute public advocacy campaigns aimed at raising awareness, challenging harmful gender stereotypes, and promoting positive behaviors related to gender equality and GBV prevention. Leverage evidence and success stories from the program to drive these advocacy efforts.
Communication and Coordination:
Coordinate and Communicate: Ensure better coordination and communication among Participating United Nations Agencies (PUNOs) on related communications work, activities, and events.
Branding Alignment: Ensure the alignment of branding guidelines (T4E’s Communication Strategy) for all project materials and communications to maintain a consistent project identity.
Promote Success Stories: Develop and promote human-interest stories, programs, and events that highlight the project's success and position the project and its partners as credible and visible actors in ending GBV.
Social Media Growth: Increase social media audiences on PUNOs' channels and boost engagement with the project's content on these platforms.
Partner Engagement: Engage, acknowledge, and credit involved partners and donors in project communications.
Media Relations: Build engagement with external media partners to expand the project's outreach and impact.
Required Skills and Experience
Competences and Qualifications
Education
Bachelor's or Master's Degree: A degree in a relevant field such as Communication, Public Relations, Gender Studies, International Relations, or a related discipline. A master’s degree with at least 2 years of relevant experience or a bachelor’s degree with at least 4 years’ experience.
Experience and skills:
Advocacy and Communication: A proven track record in designing and implementing advocacy and communication strategies, especially in the context of gender equality, GBV prevention, or related social issues.
Government Engagement: Experience in engaging government at the national and municipal levels, influencing policy decisions, and advocating for resource allocation, with a clear understanding of the policy-making process.
Public Advocacy: Demonstrated experience in planning and executing public advocacy campaigns, including awareness-raising, challenging stereotypes, and promoting positive behaviors. Experience in using evidence and success stories to drive advocacy efforts.
Evidence-Based Advocacy: Proficiency in utilizing data and research findings to support advocacy initiatives. Strong analytical skills to develop evidence-based policy recommendations.
Project Management: Experience in managing projects, including monitoring progress, reporting, and adapting strategies based on outcomes and feedback.
Stakeholder Engagement: Proven ability to engage and collaborate with a diverse range of stakeholders, including UN agencies, civil society organizations, media partners, and government officials.
Demonstrated ability to produce documentation in English and Tetum
Demonstrated ability to work with organizations to identify, plan, and implement advocacy strategies
Commitment to transformative change for gender equality
Language and other skills:
Proficiency in oral and written English and Tetum; and
Communication Skills: Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to create persuasive and impactful messaging; and
Media Relations: Understanding of media relations and experience in building relationships with external media partners for outreach and amplification of messaging; and
Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.); and
Adaptability: Willingness to adapt to changing circumstances and respond to emerging opportunities and challenges.
